Harry Potter started as books, then movies, then merchandise, then a theme park etc
JK Rowling ha impact
It would've been hard to capitalise on Friends in that way. I mean, a Friends theme park is just impossible. It was still hugely influential and basically kept Starbucks and other coffee shops afloat during those years.
Even Queer As Folk is more influential than friends
I love Queer as Folk, but it's not even close to as influential or iconic as Friends.
That said, Harry Potter easily eclipses Friends, but it's not really a fair fight. One was a television show and one was an unprecedented multimedia smash that, without exaggeration, led the new generation to start reading.
Friends was huge and the impact is still there today. Sitcoms aspire to follow the Friends path.
But Harry Potter is up there with Star Wars and Lord Of The Rings. So HP takes it.
Gotta say Friends. A lot of people know of Harry Potter but it seems like hardly anyone dislikes friends (except social justice warriors but they don't like anything)
