In 1994,Friendswas a part of NBC’s famous “Blackout Thursday” event, but despite being advertised,Seinfeldrefused to take part. Many of thebest sitcoms of all timehave taken part in crossover events, such asBrooklyn Nine-Nine and New Girl, as well asAbbott ElementaryandIt’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Thebest crossover episodes of TV showswere generally memorable because it was such a big deal, and audiences loved to see their favorite characters cross paths and spend some time starring in another title.
Sitcom crossover episodeswere a particularly interesting trend, however. When certain shows were all set in the same location, viewers often questioned whether there was an overlap, or if the various versions of the same city or town were in fact all the same. WhileFriends,Mad About You, andMadman of the Peoplecommitted to broadcasting an episode with its characters experiencing a blackout,Seinfelddecided not to take part in NBC’s “Blackout Thursday” crossover.
NBC’s Epic 1994 “Blackout Thursday” Sitcom Event Explained
An Ambitious Multi-Show Crossover Extravaganza
On July 31, 2025, NBC launched the “Blackout Thursday” night, which featured three sitcom episodes that were interlinked:Mad About You’s “Pandora’s Box,”Friends’ “The One with the Blackout,“Madman for the People’s “Birthday in the Big House.” These episodes aired in this respective order, andwhileMad About Youbegan the blackout,Madman for the Peoplewrapped the event up.
This intricate programming stunt was a great way for NBC to improve its ratings and to draw in new viewers.“The One with the Blackout” was only the seventh episode ofFriends,and the show had only started airing a mere two months before it was featured as part of NBC’s “Blackout Thursday” event. “Blackout Thursday,” which was an idea from promotional producer Dan Holm (viaIndieWire), happened over 30 years ago now, but it quickly became a legendary stunt in the world of TV.
Although none of theFriendscastor any of the characters from the three sitcoms starred in each other’s episodes, these blackout episodes were connected. It began withMad About You’s “Pandora’s Box,” whenJamie fiddled with the wiring on the roof of her building after some drama over the supply of cable TV.Unfortunately, she had no clue what she was doing, and before she knew it, there was a big spark, and New York was plunged into darkness.
This led intoFriends’ “The One with the Blackout,” which began with Phoebe performing at Central Perk, only for the lights to cut out and leave her and the rest of the coffee shop with no power. Throughout “The One with the Blackout,”Friendsjumped between two core subplots:Chandler was stuck in an ATM vestibule with Victoria’s Secret supermodel Jill Goodacre, and the rest of the gang sat around Monica and Rachel’s apartment,waiting for the power to come back on.
FriendsandMad About Youtechnically had a crossover, but not during the “Blackout Thursday” event. Lisa Kudrow portrayed waitress Ursula inMad About You, who was later established as Phoebe’s twin inFriends. In theFriendsepisode “The One with Two Parts: Part 1,“Mad About You’s Fran and Jamie visited Central Perk and mistook Phoebe for Ursula.
The last wasMadman for the People’s “Birthday in the Big House.” In this episode,Jack endured an awful birthday and ended up being thrown in jail with his son,where he met a drag queen. Meanwhile, Sasha got stuck in an elevator, but met a very attractive construction worker.Madman for the Peopleonlylasted one seasonand was canceled in 1995, but one of the reasons it has been remembered is because of NBC’s “Blackout Thursday.”
Why Seinfeld Didn’t Take Part In NBC’s “Blackout Thursday” Event
Seinfeld Still Aired “The Gymnast” As Normal, But There Was No Blackout
TheSeinfeldepisode “The Gymnast” still aired during its normal time slot,which was betweenFriendsandMadman for the People. However, it did not feature a blackout storyline, even though the show was advertised as part of NBC’s “Blackout Thursday” event. “The Gymnast” was a very typical episode ofSeinfeld, which saw Jerry in a relationship with a Romanian gymnast, Kramer dealing with an irritating kidney stone, and George repeatedly getting caught eating like a wild dog by Lindsay’s mother.
Despite the heavy implication thatFriendsandSeinfeldwere part of the same TV universe,Seinfeldrefused to take part in NBC’s “Blackout Thursday.”It was never explicitly explained why this was, at least not from Jerry Seinfeld himself.
However,Seinfeldwriter Jeff Schaffer explained in an interview that “Larry [David] and Jerry [Seinfeld] were worried about making Seinfeld good, not worrying about Thursday night and the other shows” (viaUproxx). Despite not taking part in NBC’s “Blackout Thursday” event,Seinfeld’s ratings weren’t particularly impacted by “The Gymnast,” but considering it was wedged betweenFriendsandMadman for the People, it was unlikely it would be.
Friends
Cast
Friends is a television sitcom that debuted in 1994, revolving around six young New Yorkers navigating the complexities of adulthood. The series highlights their friendship as they support each other through personal and professional challenges, encapsulating the ups and downs of life in a comedic and relatable manner.
Seinfeld
Seinfeld is a television sitcom that follows stand-up comedian Jerry Seinfeld and his three eccentric friends, George, Elaine, and Kramer, as they navigate everyday life in New York City during the 1990s. Premiering in 1989, the series humorously explores the mundane and often trivial aspects of social interactions.
Mad About You
Mad About You is an Emmy-Award winning sitcom that aired on NBC for seven seasons from 1992-1999. It starred Paul Reiser and Helen Hunt as Paul and Jamie Buchman, a married couple living in New York City. With a strong supporting cast and both hilarious and serious storylines, Mad About You was one of the most successful ’90s sitcoms. In 2019, Spectrum Originals revived the series for a 12-episode eighth season.
Madman of the People
Madman of the People is a 1994 American sitcom that aired on NBC, featuring Dabney Coleman as a magazine columnist with unorthodox views. The show, scheduled in NBC’s Thursday Must See TV lineup, explores the challenges faced by the columnist in balancing his professional and personal life.
