Friends with Benefits (TV series)
{{Short description|American romantic sitcom TV series}}
{{About|the 2011 sitcom|the 2007 telenovela|Friends with Benefits (telenovela)}}
{{Other uses|Friends with benefits (disambiguation){{!}}Friends with benefits}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox television
| image = FWB-logo.jpg
| caption =
| alt_name =
| genre = Sitcom
| producer =
| creator = {{Unbulleted list|Scott Neustadter|Michael H. Weber}}
| creative_director =
| starring = {{Unbulleted list|Ryan Hansen|Danneel Harris|Jessica Lucas|Zach Cregger|Andre Holland}}
| theme_music_composer =
| opentheme =
| endtheme =
| composer = Matter Music
| country = United States
| language = English
| num_seasons = 1
| num_episodes = 13 (1 aired online)
| executive_producer = {{Unbulleted list|Brian Grazer|David Nevins|David Dobkin|Jeff Kleeman|Scott Neustadter|Michael H. Weber|Ira Ungerleider}}
| editor =
| location =
| cinematography =
| camera = Single-camera
| runtime = 21 minutes
| company = Imagine Television
Big Kid Pictures
Pickle Films
20th Century Fox Television
| channel = NBC
| first_aired = {{Start date|2011|08|05}}
| last_aired = {{End date|2011|09|09}}
| related =
}}
Friends with Benefits (stylized as friends ♥♥ith benefits) is an American romantic sitcom television series created by Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber that aired on NBC from August 5 to September 9, 2011. It was originally set to air on as a mid-season replacement during the 2010–11 television season, but was ultimately delayed until summer.{{cite web|url=http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news/2011/06/09/exclusive-nbc-bumps-friends-with-benefits-to-fridays-starting-august-5-457312/9307|title=Exclusive: NBC Bumps "Friends With Benefits" to Fridays Starting August 5|work=the Futon Critic|date=June 9, 2011|access-date=June 9, 2011}} The series ended after twelve episodes aired with the thirteenth being only available on iTunes, Amazon.com, and Netflix (until March 31, 2018).
Plot
The series follows a group of friends living in Chicago. It involves a very close friendship between two of the friends, who are each looking for the perfect mate, and the others who question their relationship, but at the same time, have their own romantic problems to deal with.
Cast
- Ryan Hansen as Ben Lewis, an office drone who is in no rush to find the right girl for him. He has been sleeping with his friend, Sara.
- Danneel Harris as Sara Maxwell, an OB/GYN and Ben's closest friend. Unlike Ben, she is desperate to find the right guy.
- Jessica Lucas as Riley Elliot, a bartender and Sara's roommate. She is laid-back and lives a very casual love life.
- Zach Cregger as Aaron Greenway, a rich, nerdy engineer who wants to meet women but has trouble interacting with them.
- Andre Holland as Julian 'Fitz' Fitzgerald, Aaron's roommate. He takes it upon himself to help Aaron with women and keep the group on good terms with each other.
Production and development
Friends with Benefits was originally developed for ABC with a script order given by ABC in September 2009. However, ABC did not green-light a pilot for the potential series, allowing NBC to pick up the project.{{cite web|url=http://www.movieweb.com/news/nbc-picks-up-friends-with-benefits|title=NBC Picks Up Friends with Benefits|date=17 February 2010|access-date=30 July 2011|archive-date=20 May 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130520111957/http://www.movieweb.com/news/nbc-picks-up-friends-with-benefits|url-status=dead}} For the pilot episode, Fran Kranz was originally cast as Aaron,{{cite magazine|url=http://ausiellofiles.ew.com/2010/05/16/upfront-cancellation-pickup-buzz-2010|title=Breaking: Latest renewal/cancellation scoop|date=May 16, 2010|last=Ausiello|first=Michael|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|access-date=May 21, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100519104112/http://ausiellofiles.ew.com/2010/05/16/upfront-cancellation-pickup-buzz-2010/|archive-date=May 19, 2010|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=http://www.tvsquad.com/2010/05/21/pilot-recasts-five-best-friends-that-never-were|title=Pilot Recasts: Five Best Friends That Never Were|date=May 21, 2010|last=Harnick|first=Chris|work=TV Squad|publisher=AOL, Inc.|access-date=May 21, 2010}} and Ian Reed Kesler portrayed Hoon (another version of Fitz). The series was officially picked up on May 16, 2010.{{cite web|url=http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news/2010/05/16/nbc-unveils-2010-2011-primetime-schedule/20100516nbc01|title=NBC Unveils 2010-11 Primetime Schedule Accented by Five New Comedies, Seven New Dramas and New Alternative Program|work=The Futon Critic|date=May 16, 2010}}
Episodes
All episode titles (apart from the pilot episode) begin with the phrase "The Benefit of..."
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" |
| style="background: #000000; color: #fff;"| No.
! style="background: #000000; color: #fff;"| Title ! style="background: #000000; color: #fff;"| Directed by ! style="background: #000000; color: #fff;"| Written by ! style="background: #000000; color: #fff;"| Original air date ! style="background: #000000; color: #fff;"| Production ! style="background: #000000; color: #fff;"| U.S. viewers |
|---|
| {{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 1 |Title = Pilot |DirectedBy = David Dobkin |WrittenBy = Scott Neustadter & Michael H. Weber |OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2011|8|5}} |ProdCode = 1ASP79 |ShortSummary = Ben searches for a date to his sister's wedding. |LineColor = 000000 }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber = 2 |Title = The Benefit of the Mute Button |DirectedBy = Michael Patrick Jann |WrittenBy = Claudia Lonow |OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2011|8|5}} |ProdCode = 1ASP01 |ShortSummary = Ben and Sara hit pause to pursue their respective love interests. |LineColor = 000000 }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber = 3 |Title = The Benefit of the Unspoken Dynamic |DirectedBy = Fred Savage |WrittenBy = Daley Haggar |OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2011|8|12}} |ProdCode = 1ASP02 |ShortSummary = Aaron goes on a bender to cure his heartbreak. Anneliese van der Pol guest stars. |LineColor = 000000 }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber = 4 |Title = The Benefit of Forgetting |DirectedBy = Jay Chandrasekhar |WrittenBy = Owen Ellickson |OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2011|8|12}} |ProdCode = 1ASP03 |ShortSummary = Ben reaps the benefits of dating a girl with amnesia. |LineColor = 000000 }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber = 5 |Title = The Benefit of the Right Track |DirectedBy = Joanna Kerns |WrittenBy = Isaac Aptaker & Elizabeth Berger |OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2011|8|19}} |ProdCode = 1ASP07 |ShortSummary = Sara starts a "booty call" relationship with a paramedic without knowing it. Ben finds himself stuck in a serious relationship. |LineColor = 000000 }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber = 6 |Title = The Benefit of Keeping Your Ego in Check |DirectedBy = Tricia Brock |WrittenBy = Brian Keith Etheridge |OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2011|8|19}} |ProdCode = 1ASP09 |ShortSummary = Sara goes on a date with a nerdy guy. Ben is accused of sexual harassment. |LineColor = 000000 }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber = 7 |Title = The Benefit of Mardi Gras |DirectedBy = David Rogers |WrittenBy = Gene Hong |OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2011|8|26}} |ProdCode = 1ASP05 |ShortSummary = The whole gang has a wild Mardi Gras. Sara fights with her pregnant sister for a family ring. Aaron thinks that he slept with Riley. |LineColor = 000000 }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber = 8 |Title = The Benefit of Mentors |DirectedBy = Rob Greenberg |WrittenBy = Valerie Breiman |OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2011|8|26}} |ProdCode = 1ASP06 |ShortSummary = Aaron learns that his high school mentee is a porn star. Riley dates a doctor that Sara admires. |LineColor = 000000 }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber = 9 |Title = The Benefit of Being Shallow |DirectedBy = Reginald Hudlin |WrittenBy = Valerie Breiman |OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2011|9|2}} |ProdCode = 1ASP08 |ShortSummary = Sara dates a blind guy. Fitz is dating the daughter of Aaron's fling. |LineColor = 000000 }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber = 10 |Title = The Benefit of Avoiding the Mindbanger |DirectedBy = John Putch |WrittenBy = Isaac Aptaker & Elizabeth Berger |OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2011|9|2}} |ProdCode = 1ASP10 |ShortSummary = Ben tries to help Sara to end a bad relationship with an intervention, but he ends up in a similar situation. Rebecca Mader guest stars. |LineColor = 000000 }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber = 11 |Title = The Benefit of Putting in the Work |DirectedBy = Eyal Gordin |WrittenBy = Daley Haggar |OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2011|9|9}} |ProdCode = 1ASP11 |ShortSummary = Ben decides to start a business and asks Aaron for help. Sara dates a journalist with a small problem. |LineColor = 000000 }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber = 12 |Title = The Benefit of Friends |DirectedBy = Ira Ungerleider |WrittenBy = Owen Ellickson |OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2011|9|9}} |ProdCode = 1ASP12 |ShortSummary = Riley falls in love for the first time. Ben realizes that he has feelings for Sara. |LineColor = 000000 }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber = 13 |Title = The Benefit of Full Disclosure |RTitle = {{cite web|url=https://www.apple.com/itunes/charts/tv-shows/friends-with-benefits/the-benefit-of-full-disclosure|title=The Benefit of Full Disclosure|work=iTunes|access-date=September 20, 2011}} |DirectedBy = Fred Savage |WrittenBy = Isaac Aptaker & Elizabeth Berger |OriginalAirDate = Only available on iTunes, Netflix (prior to March 31, 2018), and Amazon.com |ProdCode = 1ASP04 |Aux4 = N/A |ShortSummary = Sara and Ben go on a double date. |LineColor = 000000 }} |
Nielson Ratings
The shows first episode had a 0.7 rating in the 18-49 demographic with 2.34 million total viewers. As the series progressed it declined to a rating of 0.5 with 1.54 million viewers.{{cite web|url=https://tvseriesfinale.com/tv-show/friends-with-benefits-cancelled-season-two-23282/|title=Friends with Benefits: cancelled; no season two|date=15 May 2012}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website|http://www.nbc.com/friends-with-benefits}}
- {{IMDb title|1604113|Friends with Benefits}}
{{Brian Grazer}}
Category:2010s American single-camera sitcoms
Category:2011 American television series debuts
Category:2011 American television series endings
Category:American English-language television shows
Category:Television series by 20th Century Fox Television
Category:Television shows set in Chicago
Category:2010s American romantic comedy television series
Category:2010s American sex comedy television series