Friends (1994)

Friends redefined ensemble sitcoms with its "six equal leads" format, running for ten seasons (236 episodes) and culminating in a finale watched by 52.5 million Americans. Its syndication deals earned $1 billion annually by 2014, while Netflix paid $100 million per year for streaming rights in 2015. The show outperforms #8 The Simpsons in syndication profitability, generating higher ad revenue per episode despite fewer seasons. Its influence remains so pervasive that 70% of Americans have seen at least one episode, according to a 2023 survey.