The final episode of 'Friends' was both iconic and bittersweet for fans of the long-running sitcom. But the episode, called both "The Last One" and "The One Where They Say Goodbye," also featured some firsts for television.
For example, the second part of the finale utilized a song by Pearl Jam for the heartbreaking scene when Rachel prepares to leave Ross for the last time, noted Today.
That was the first time Pearl Jam ever allowed a song of theirs on TV, though "Yellow Ledbetter" was used simply because the show's producers asked permission of the band.
But it wasn't just Ross and Rachel's final recoupling that was iconic. Fans also loved Matthew Perry's final line, and it was just as epic as the entire series was (even if season 3 was a bit of a bummer for Chandler).
Forgot what was said? Here's the scene: The six friends are ready to leave their apartment keys on the counter in their old home. They agree to go have a last coffee together, at Rachel's suggestion. Matthew Perry as Chandler Bing gets the last line: "Where?"
The line is equal parts hilarious and melancholy. After all, the group of pals has long been meeting up at Central Perk for their coffee for literally ten years (the ten seasons of 'Friends' stretched from 1994 to 2004).
The relevance of Central Perk isn't lost on 'Friends' fans, either. Fans on Quora speculated that Chandler's reference to Central Perk commemorates the group's time there, even though the final episode winds down in the apartment building where they shared so many memories.
As for the question of why Chandler? It seems pretty obvious. Throughout the series, Matthew Perry's character has tons of sarcastic, witty, and hilarious quips to share with the group.
Though, some of the things fans have learned about Matthew's time on the show are a bit surprising.
Still, who better to make a snarky reference to the coffee place where the series began?
Yep, the first scene happened at Central Perk, too, noted fans on Quora. What other way could the writers have worked the reference in otherwise?
Though the sitcom had plenty of TV tropes, it wouldn't do to change the script entirely when it came to the way the characters interacted. Besides, the producers spent enough time pinning down the details of the final episode, noted SF Gate.
Executive producer David Crane explained that the team didn't want to "take the show out of the show" after so many great seasons (and just as excellent fan feedback).
Co-creator Marta Kauffman confirmed that the crew also watched finales from various hit sitcoms, and they ultimately agreed that 'Mary Tyler Moore' was the "gold standard" for finales.
Which may explain why fans received a similar fade-out from 'Friends,' wrapping up their story in the apartment they shared for so many seasons.