The Friends Plot Twist That Would Have Changed Everything In Season 5
"Friends" is easily one of the most well-known and beloved sitcoms ever. Following six pals navigating, life, love, and everything in between in New York City, the show was relatable and hilarious, making it the classic it is today. As with every television series, however, "Friends" could have been completely different. From almost being named "Insomnia Cafe," to Phoebe Buffay (Lisa Kudrow) and Joey Tribbiani (Matt LeBlanc) having a secret affair that spanned all 10 seasons, many ideas proposed for "Friends" were thankfully shut down.
While there were plenty of details that would have changed the direction of the show, there was one that might have led to its prompt cancellation because it was so off-the-wall. Season 5 almost featured a major plot twist that would have changed the entire "Friends" story forever, but thankfully the writers and producers decided to not go through with it. The proposed storyline revolved around Chandler Bing (Matthew Perry) and could have brought "Friends" to an end a lot sooner.
Season 5 almost saw the friends leaving New York
The book "Generation Friends" by Saul Austerlitz (via BuzzFeed) revealed that someone proposed a storyline that would have seen Chandler transferred to Minnesota for work and the five other friends giving up their lives in New York City to join him in the Midwest. According to Austerlitz, the storyline would have begun toward the end of Season 5, and it would not have been temporary. The gang would have stayed in Minnesota, with a subplot that involved them looking for a new coffee house to patronize. Apparently, the sextet would "discover a magical Midwestern respite from New York, with cheap apartments, friendly neighbors, and subzero temperatures." Writers for "Friends" also considered reshooting the iconic opening credits fountain scene to reflect the new Minnesota setting.
Austerlitz noted that the writers heavily debated the Minnesota storyline and some argued that taking the show out of NYC would be disastrous. David Crane, one of the show's three creators, allegedly asked the writers if they were out of their minds. It's unlikely "Friends" would have survived the proposed change of scenery and thankfully the idea was kiboshed; it's hard to imagine the hit NBC series without the Big Apple as its backdrop.