Black Internet to Jennifer Aniston: What You Won’t Do is Steal ‘Girlfriends’

If Jennifer Aniston and Lisa Kudrow are serious about returning to sitcom television, social media has one humble request – pick another title.

During a recent conversation for Variety’s Actors on Actors series, the former “Friends” co-stars reminisced about their time on the iconic NBC sitcom and discussed the possibility of reuniting for another comedy series.

While reflecting on the magic that made “Friends” such a phenomenon, Aniston called the show’s chemistry “lightning in a bottle,” crediting both the cast and writers for creating relationships that felt genuine on-screen and off.

Kudrow admitted she’d happily return to the sitcom world under the right circumstances.

“I would love to do another one, if anyone wrote a good one,” she said. “Let’s do it. You heard it here!”

That’s when the brainstorming session began.

“Oh wow. What’s it going to be?” Aniston asked.

“Can we do you, me and Courteney? What would that be?” Kudrow replied, referring to fellow Friends star Courteney Cox.

Without hesitation, Aniston offered a title.

“‘Girlfriends,’” she suggested. “Let’s pitch it.”

Unfortunately for them, social media immediately reminded the pair that “Girlfriends” already exists, and for many Black television fans, it’s not just another sitcom title. It’s one of the most beloved comedies of the early 2000s.

Created by Mara Brock Akil, “Girlfriends” starred Tracee Ellis Ross, Golden Brooks, Persia White and Jill Marie Jones and remains one of the most celebrated Black sitcoms of its era.

Naturally, the internet had thoughts.

One user responded with a simple: “Been there, done that.”

Another pointed out a criticism that has followed “Friends” for decades, writing that the show’s concept already borrowed heavily from “Living Single.” 

“Now they wanna take Girlfriends?” the user joked.

Popular creator Mela Yela also joined the conversation, posting a spoof mashup featuring the “Girlfriends” theme song blended with the iconic “Friends” opening sequence, poking fun at the accidental overlap.

What’s most surprising isn’t that Aniston and Kudrow floated the title during a casual conversation. It’s that neither seemed aware that a successful, culturally significant sitcom called “Girlfriends” already existed.

This raised a question, as many would wonder that if they didn’t know “Girlfriends” already existed, are there other Black sitcom staples from that era they missed, too?

To be fair, there’s nothing wrong with Aniston, Kudrow and Cox wanting to reunite for another comedy. In fact, many fans would probably tune in. But if Hollywood is finally going to give us something called “Girlfriends” again, we’d prefer it involve Joan, Maya, Lynn and Toni.

And until that happens, we’ll respectfully be passing on the version with three white women.