In the mid-‘90s, Microsoft took a hilarious leap into the world of “Must See TV” by enlisting Friends stars Jennifer Aniston and Matthew Perry for a feature-length video guide to Windows 95. The video, styled as a “cyber sitcom,” is a time capsule of the era, blending tech tutorials with sitcom corniness and a cast of wacky characters. Aniston and Perry’s guide is campy, occasionally cringey, but strangely effective. Its purpose? To introduce Windows 95’s revolutionary features to a public still new to home computing.
Friends Meet Tech: The World’s First “Cyber Sitcom”
Aniston and Perry, at the peak of their Friends fame, arrive at Microsoft headquarters for a “casting call” that turns into an unexpected tour of Windows 95 by Gates’ fictional personal secretary. The video’s skits are filled with awkward, sitcom-style jokes and built unnaturally around features new to Windows 95. The central conceit—a couple of high-profile celebrities show up to a casting call where they end up learning about the thing they’re going to be selling—actually works. It’s playful enough, but it’s extremely clear that Perry and Aniston are there for a presumably colossal paycheck.
The Internet and Email: A Glimpse into a World on the Brink of Change
Microsoft’s “cyber sitcom” wasn’t just a guide; it was a glimpse into what computing could become. Aniston and Perry explore not only Windows 95’s iconic new Start menu and Taskbar but also touch on the budding internet culture. In one scene, Perry is guided through composing an “internet email” for a friend in a grunge band, and Microsoft’s geeky mailroom character assures him that “communicating online is the hot thing right now, and the Microsoft Network is your on-ramp to the information superhighway.” In the mid-90s, this sentiment couldn’t have been more prophetic; the internet was still new and often misunderstood. A Pew study from October 1995 reported that only 20% of internet users went online daily, and less than a third would miss the internet if it vanished.
Is It Worth Watching?
Uhhhh… It is a very specific type of person in a very specific mood who’s going to make it all the way through this. It’s worth scrubbing through, but I wouldn’t call the family around to watch this masterpiece anytime soon.
