High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! The third season of Friends, an American situation comedy created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman, premiered on NBC on September 19, 1996. It is usually regarded as some of the series`s finest work. Friends was produced by Bright/Kauffman/Crane Productions, in association with Warner Bros. Television. The season contains 25 episodes and concluded airing on May 15, 1997.