Good reply - I had never thought of that. I live in Ireland and even I, as a teenager (and as someone who wasn't affected personally by 9/11) remember a general feeling of depression that the world suddenly felt like a far more scary, dark place than before and all people really wanted was to feel like they did before 9/11.

good point, never thought of that!

I remember that feeling so clearly. I was certainly one that turned to movies and shows like Friends. Ones that were familiar and were generally feel good shows.

It was about the timing. 9/11 happened right before the start of the 8th season, and the country didn't really know what to do. They became attached to the things that were familiar to them, and Friends was the big sitcom at that time.
"I do know what to saylet's get me WAXED!"Amy Farrah Fowler,
The Big Bang Theory