Close Call: Jennifer Aniston's Character Almost Got Cut from 'Friends' in Season One

Article Summary

Jennifer Aniston almost left Friends halfway through Season 1 due to her involvement in another sitcom, Muddling Through.

The Friends showrunners made a strategic move by airing Danielle Steel adaptations in order to attract viewers. As a result, Muddling Through failed to gain traction and only lasted for three months, while Friends went on for 10 seasons. This allowed Aniston to remain on Friends and become a part of TV history.

Friends is widely considered as one of the most iconic sitcoms, even years after its finale, and for good reason. The show's appeal largely stems from its ensemble cast of quirky characters navigating life together. The friendships and relationships between the characters are a major draw, particularly the central romance between Ross Geller and Rachel Green, portrayed by David Schwimmer and Jennifer Aniston.

Both actors have achieved household name status, thanks to the show's popularity, and Rachel Green is often regarded as Aniston's breakthrough role. Given her significant presence in the cast, it's difficult to imagine Friends without her. However, according to film and cinema studies professor Saul Austerlitz's 2019 book Generation Friends, the show faced a close call during Season 1: they nearly lost Jennifer Aniston halfway through.

Six young adults, Ross Geller, Rachel Green, Monica Geller, Joey Tribbiani, Chandler Bing, and Phoebe Buffay, reside in the vibrant city of New York. Throughout a decade and numerous seasons, this circle of friends embarks on a journey filled with valuable experiences, familial bonds, romantic entanglements, gripping twists, unwavering camaraderie, and side-splitting laughter.

Cast Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry, David SchwimmerGenres Romance, SitcomRating TV-14Seasons 10

Jennifer Aniston Was Stuck Between 'Friends' and 'Muddling Through'

In 1994, Jennifer Aniston had a busy year in her acting career. She auditioned for various TV pilots in the hopes of finding a lasting project. Eventually, she found her place in NBC's Friends as Rachel Green, but not without complications. Prior to landing the role in Friends, Aniston had already shot six episodes for another sitcom called Muddling Through, where she played the protagonist's daughter, Madeline. Although Muddling Through was initially guaranteed six episodes and a potential full season if the ratings were favorable, Aniston's involvement in Friends created a dilemma. If Muddling Through was successful, Aniston would be unable to continue filming Friends beyond the first half of the season. This left the showrunners of Friends with the challenging decision of either writing out Rachel Green or casting a different actress, neither of which were ideal options. Aniston was the top choice for the role of Rachel Green, making the situation even more complicated for the Friends team.

Getting good ratings depends on attracting viewers from the beginning. To ensure viewership, Muddling Through had to find a suitable date and timing for its airing. Unfortunately, the show premiered in the summer on a Saturday night, which significantly limited its potential audience. Despite this disadvantage, Muddling Through could still harm NBC's successful show by poaching one of their lead actors. If Muddling Through gained more popularity, Jennifer Aniston would have to choose between staying on Friends or continuing with her new role. The uncertainty surrounding Aniston's involvement forced Friends to exclude her from some early photoshoots. This precaution was necessary in case she couldn't continue on the show. It's unimaginable to picture Friends without Rachel, and even the thought of removing her from the series' iconic intro is unpleasant. Both NBC and CBS appeared willing to undermine each other's shows. Even if Muddling Through didn't last beyond the first season, taking Aniston away from Friends would be more than a mere inconvenience – it would be considered a victory for CBS.

What Is 'Muddling Through' About?

Image via CBS

Created by producer Barton Dean, Muddling Through tells the story of Connie Drego, an ex-convict seeking redemption. After spending time in prison for attacking her ex-husband Sonny, Connie works at her family's motel and diner in hopes of creating a better future. Accompanying her in this journey are her two daughters: Madeline, now married to Duane, the cop who arrested her mother, and Kerri. The show also boasts a talented supporting cast, ready for a full season if given the opportunity.

While Muddling Through had an intriguing concept, it couldn't match the episodic potential of Friends, making it an unfortunate competitor for the NBC show. Given that both series desired Jennifer Aniston, and Muddling Through managed to secure her, it posed a unique challenge for Friends right from the start.

'Friends' Showrunners Used Sneaky Tactics To Win Over Jennifer Aniston

In order to prevent Muddling Through from getting Season 1, the Friends showrunners devised a clever strategy. While they couldn't directly sway CBS's decisions, they enlisted the help of strategist Preston Beckman to tilt the odds in their favor. The idea was to create tough competition for Muddling Through by giving it an unfavorable time slot.

Beckman had a simple yet effective plan. While the show "Muddling Through" was airing, NBC decided to broadcast a series of TV movies based on Danielle Steel's novels. Since Steel was a renowned romance author and a #1 New York Times bestseller, she already had a large fan base. This ensured that there would be a significant number of female viewers tuning in to NBC on summer Saturdays. The question was, what would be more appealing: a relatively unknown TV series airing on a Saturday night during the summer, or a lineup of films with familiar stories adapted from a respected and established author's work?

Unfortunately, "Muddling Through" didn't have much of a chance. It premiered in July 1994 and only managed to continue for its first ten episodes before being canceled. The 11th episode remained unaired. In contrast, "Friends" aired for 10 seasons and ran for as many years, with reruns still being shown today. Although "Muddling Through" may have had the advantage of casting Jennifer Aniston, it was "Friends" that ultimately triumphed. Thanks to Beckman's strategic thinking and the lineup of Danielle Steel adaptations, "Friends" was able to retain the iconic character of Rachel Green without having to recast. They didn't need to worry about taking photos without Aniston because she remained on the show for all ten seasons and became part of one of the most iconic couples in TV history.

Although it was a nail-biting decision and required sacrificing another show, Friends ultimately became Aniston's breakthrough role, propelling her career forward and captivating millions of viewers with the relatable stories of six friends navigating their lives in New York City.

You can watch Friends on Max in the U.S.

Editor's P/S

As a passionate fan of Friends, I was shocked to learn that Jennifer Aniston almost left the show during the first season. It's hard to imagine the show without Rachel Green, and her chemistry with Ross Geller was a major part of the show's success.

I'm glad that the showrunners were able to find a way to keep Aniston on board, even though it meant airing Danielle Steel adaptations to attract viewers. It's clear that Aniston was the right choice for the role of Rachel, and her departure would have been a huge blow to the show. I'm also glad that Muddling Through failed, because it would have been a shame to lose Aniston from Friends.