I think the Friends setup changed how television shows operated. The amount they earned, and continue to earn from reruns really opened the eyes of producers and contract makers. I guess that is why there hasn't been anything quite like it ever since. I do agree that Hollywood pretty much broke itself. It seems to be in an unwinnable cycle. They want shows that do well and become popular. When a show does get popular, actors/writers/staff want more pay and costs increase. Because of the increase of cost they cut corners leading to bad reviews or maybe just cancel the show entirely. Maybe that is why Hollywood is excited for AI to keep costs down.