Sometimes, it feels like the only thing that’s getting us through the pandemic is binge-watching good ol’ Friends while cuddled up with a hot cocoa. All ‘90s babies swear it’s their happy pill. Yet, with more Millenials watching this iconic sitcom now, we’re seeing more mockery than praise for some of the choices our favorite NYC 20 somethings made!
Looks like, today’s ‘woke culture’ has some notes to give to the show’s writers. Why, you ask? There are so many ‘Karen’ jokes and plain bad decisions that the generation of today just don’t agree with. And it seems to have flown over the head of many for the past decade! Some of the memes for these quirky scenes are funnier than the Central Perk clan themselves, or Chandler’s hilariously witty slurs- gasp! So here we’ve rounded up a list of moments, where the beloved 6 friends got it all wrong. Do you see these scenes differently now, too?
The One Where They Were Run Of The Mill Characters
Certain characters in sitcoms keep getting repackaged and being served to the audiences again and again, and Friends consisted of a lot of them. It worked for a long while, and they seem to mesh together really well, especially given their comedic timings.
For example, Joey is your typical commitment-phobic womanizer. Pheobe is your eccentric blonde portrayed as vacant and forgetful. Rachel is a go-getter but pines for a man. Ross is whiny with little emotional maturity. Chandler is the clown of the gang, and Monica is that one person who tries to play mother everytime. If their roles were shown today, they would be a lot more layered.
The One with a Non-Diverse Cast
If you recall the superhit show, you will remember that it followed a group of friends living in New York City. The T.V. show highlights their struggles throughout several aspects of their life in their twenties. Through the ten seasons of Friends there was only one ethnically diverse casting with a recurring role, and interestingly, she was not Caucasian - Dr. Charlie Wheeler played by Aisha Taylor.
In recent years, the producers and the cast of the show have spoken about this issue. But given today's world, Friends indeed would not have made it big with such a racially non-diverse cast.
The One with Double Standards
We are sure that many of you might remember Ross's ex-girlfriend getting married to a woman, and for obvious reasons, he is reluctant about going on their big day. However, he eventually shows up to give his gorgeous ex away since her parents refused to be a part of it.
We think that this was in itself a very progressive message. But unfortunately, that is not the case with the whole show because, in another episode, Rachel and Ross hire a male nanny to take care of their child, but Ross can't get over himself when it comes to the new babysitter being gay.
The One with Awkward Age Gaps
There are numerous age gaps in the relationships throughout the show. And notably, the ongoing relationship with Rachel and Ross, where they have a nine years gap between them, which indeed isn't a big deal, according to today's standards. But it is when one is in high school and the other in university.
Apart from that, do you remember Monica's childhood relationship with her doctor? We think almost everyone agrees that every person is free to make their choices after they are adults but forcing their preferences in a prime time show is not always the sensible thing to do.
The One with Gender and Orientation Stereotypes
We rarely got to see Chandler's father on Friends, but in one episode, he is dressed in drag, and in another scene, we find out that he is transitioning to being a female. And if you notice closely, in almost the majority of the episodes, Chandler's father is the butt of many weird yet offensive jokes about orientation stereotypes and gender.
Besides, the show's makers never presented his character as a normal and acceptable person throughout the show. This portrayal shouldn't have been typical back in the day, and given its content, we are sure it wouldn't even make it to airing now.
The One with Big Ethical Dilemmas
Friends had numerous problems in many episodes, and the most prominent remained the weird age gaps. Especially, in one episode when Monica dates her childhood doctor and believe us, the awkward factor is over the rainbow as at one point she is also involved with the doctor's son.
Not only the age gap between the two is unusual, but there is another big ethical dilemma - Monica is still a patient of her lover. Let us all agree that it is something that cannot be ignored and overlooked so easily. And if it was to air today, the television show was bound to attract criticism.
Tag's Attractiveness Gets The Better Of Rachel
Would you hire a bumbling idiot just because he's attractive? Well, that's what Rachel did in this episode of Friends. An attractive new hire at her workplace gets her veering into the dangerous and somewhat forbidden waters of inter-office romance - With a junior employee at that!
As you can imagine, this scenario hasn't aged well over the years and would perhaps even be quite problematic these days. After all, having an affair with a colleague and hiring someone who isn't competent for the job can create massive problems for a company. It looks like you're going straight to the HR department, Rachel!
Ross Reckons Rachel Isn't Quite Qualified
While some of the aspects around Rachel are quite problematic, it's still fair to say that she represents a strong and independent woman who can achieve things on her own merit. In this instance though, Ross makes it clear that Rachel only got a high-level job because the person hiring was attracted to her.
These days, scenes like this would be played very differently as the time of men looking down on women is supposed to be over and we all know that women are just as capable as men. At least we're supposed to. So don't be like Ross!
It Seems Joey Is A Bit Of A Sleazeball
It's fair to say that most of Joey's behavior on the show would not fly in the face of how the world works today. His incredibly shallow approach to women and their looks might have made for some great entertainment back then, but we live in an enlightened era now.
Joey constantly objectifies and discards women according to his own biased belief system, and looking at it today makes for some cringeworthy moments. One can't argue that a man like Joey would be taken down by conscientious objectors almost instantaneously!
Ross Thinks Possession Is Nine Tenths Of The Law
A lot of Ross's behavior in the show plays off as part of his charm, but most of it was quite problematic if you think about it. His relationship with Rachel featured many instances where his possessive nature comes through, and honestly, it makes us question the character arc altogether.
In reality, most women would keep a tremendous amount of distance between them and people like Ross because we know these personality traits can be dangerous. There was plenty of opportunities for the writers to grow and evolve Ross's nature, but they never did, and now we know better!
Rachel Makes Bonnie Walk The Razor's Edge
We all love Jennifer Aniston in real life. She's fabulous and talented and looks wonderful for her age. Yet, her character in Friends does do some things that, if you look back on them, make you realize that Rachel wasn't as great as we thought.
Take, for example, the episode where Rachel tempts Bonnie into shaving her head just to try and ruin Bonnie's relationship with Ross. She orchestrates this setup to make Ross choose between herself and the new girlfriend, and we have to say, we would think twice about starting something with such a manipulative person!
The One With Monica Being Ridiculed for Her Weight
There are numerous flashback episodes that show a heavier Monica from the past. While she is undoubtedly funny in her own right, all the jokes ended up revolving around her weight! The woman is constantly ridiculed by her friends, who never attempt to throw a positive light on this aspect.
In addition to it, Courteney Cox’s character is incessantly made fun of for not being attractive or loveable. We are pretty sure that this plot point wouldn’t have gone well with the Gen-Z audience had Friends been made any time in the last decade!
The One With Phoebe’s Marriage of Convenience
Like any other show that revolves around human relationships, the main characters of Friends come with their own set of flaws. In one such revelatory moment, Phoebe discloses to the gang that she got married to a Canadian national to help him obtain American citizenship.
While such marriages of convenience are considered to be unethical and borderline illegal in some parts of the country, it is the casualness of depiction that seems to be the biggest problem. Neither Phoebe nor the other friends think that it is too big an issue!
The One Where Ross’s Feelings Are Ignored
There is a significant turn in the Ross-Rachel relationship dynamic when the latter gives birth to their baby girl. Unfortunately, both don’t see themselves as a couple, so they decide to mutually part ways. As a result, Rachel decides to take their daughter along with her to Paris.
While it is entirely alright for a couple to split amicably, asking one to subdue their feelings is a big no. Over here, Ross cannot be a part of his daughter’s growing years since Rachel leaves him with no option. Thankfully, she realizes her love for him towards the end of the show.
The One Where Rachel’s Dreams Become Less Important
Whether it is 2004 or 2021, working at the world’s fashion capital, Paris, for a brand such as Ralph Lauren is a big deal! Rachel might have been in the wrong when she chose to exclude Ross from Emma’s future; there was nothing wrong with her decision to go to the other side of the world for her dream job.
All the while, Ross, the man who deeply cares for her, tries to foil her travel plans, making it a profoundly problematic point! Eventually, Rachel does deboard the plane after realizing that she has feelings for him.
The One With Men’s Lack of Sensitivity
While the show makes it a point to show the leading men’s emotional side from time to time, everything else is portrayed in a blatantly male-superior manner. Any feminine characteristic they demonstrate ends up getting ridiculed and discouraged by others.
Right from fashion choices to being an LGBT, anything that is remotely considered as non-macho behavior becomes a mocking point. We understand that the times were different when Friends was filmed and that the show has a cult following, but such regressive aspects cannot be overlooked in this day and age.
The One Where Babies Get Lost
Friends may ultimately be a sitcom that is all about the chuckles and the giggles, but it is important to understand what kind of image the show will leave on young and impressionable minds. When Chandler and Joey, both in their twenties, forget someone else’s baby on a bus, it is a problem of massive proportions. But their reaction didn’t seem like they just lost track of a tiny human being!
What’s worse is the reason! The two fully-grown adults forgot Ben since they were trying to score a date with the women they just met.
The One With Ghosts of Ross’ Romantic Past
Ross works as a paleontology professor at the New York University who is fervently trying to get a tenure posting. Amidst this, he finds out that one of his students is an admirer and eventually gets into a relationship with her.
It was all a mistake from the beginning since there are rules in place which prevent teacher-students relationships. During the course of the show, Ross does realize the fact that it can also be grounds to get fired! Imagine what will happen if someone told NYU that he was romantically involved with a colleague too!
The One With the Berated Nanny
By this point in the show, you would realize that toxic masculinity is a theme that finds a place in almost all episodes. A case in point is Ross’s treatment of the male nanny hired by Rachel.
Showing the nanny’s feminine side was indeed a good move from the creators, but making this the sole reason for Ross’s vindictive behavior towards him isn’t prudent. This doesn’t come as a surprise since he was the guy who tried to convince his toddler-son that playing with barbie dolls isn’t meant for boys!
The One With the Inappropriate Reactions
In what came as a bizarre plot point in one of the episodes, Monica and Ross find out that they inadvertently kissed in the dark when they were young. Quite evidently, they are left shocked only when the taping audience is given a cue to laugh.
It is not such a huge deal, but the fact remains that such incidents can be very traumatic and are known to leave a scar for life. So sidestepping such problematic scenarios and simply joking about it is a decision they have to rethink in case a remake is sanctioned!
The One Where Ben is Conveniently Left Out
We’ll have to take the writers to task over here! Ben is introduced to us in the early seasons, and clearly, the relationship between his birth parents is a strained one.
While Ross does make it look like he is a good father to his young kid, the storyline ends up showing Ben only when he is at the center of it. Considering the fact that Ben was young during the filming, it is completely possible that he was busy with school or elsewhere. The scriptwriters could have weaved this aspect into the plot instead of making us believe that Ross is an absentee dad!
The One With the Skewed Definition of Happy Ending
We know that it is a sitcom, and no one is going to take life lessons from it. But it is hard to ignore the messaging when your target audience is young adults who are just setting out on their own!
Almost everyone we meet in the show is chasing relationships, and those who aren’t in a stable one are constantly looked down upon. Many a time, getting married and having children is portrayed as the ultimate place to be in - an archaic thought which doesn’t seem alright even for the late ‘90s.
The One With All the Divorce Jokes
We can safely say that the times we live in have changed, and there is no stigma associated with aspects such as breakups and divorce. In what was seen as a progressive step, the show started with Ross and Carol, two consenting adults and a formerly married couple, getting divorced.
Soon, we see the friends making fun of Ross’s divorce, a trend that goes on for many seasons. In reality, the part where Carol accepts her own reality, and the fact that Ross does not come in her way should be lauded.
The One With Chandler’s Laziness
In the course of the show, Chandler and Monica become this cute couple who are simply adorable together. That being said, it is hard to see Chandler as an equal partner in the relationship. He sits around most of the time, and more often than not, offers no help when it comes to setting up the table or cleaning the kitchen.
This trend continues even when Chandler is between jobs while Monica works a full shift as a chef. Women working all day, cooking food, and doing other household chores seems like ‘50s America to us!
The One With Bashing the Breast Milk
In one of the early episodes, we see Phoebe feeding Carol’s breast milk to the young Ben. There was already enough stigma surrounding the subject at the time, and Ross makes it worse by going on to describe how gross it is.
Subsequently, Ross witnesses Carol feeding the baby directly and goes bonkers about it. Soon, it becomes a game where all the friends are tasting the milk. Now, turning an already problematic stance into a laugh track-worthy material for a sitcom is a line we don’t want to toe
The One Where Ross’ Gender Biases Come Out
From the very beginning, Ross takes every opportunity to make it clear that he is the one for promoting all kinds of masculine behavior. He does not like it when his preconceived notions become challenged by the individuals or society as a whole. In one such instance, he vehemently opposes his young son’s choice of toy - a Barbie doll!
In fact, he even yells at Carol for encouraging him to play with a doll that is traditionally meant for girls. Now, don’t get us started on bad parenting, masculinity, and the unnecessary attempt to domineer!
The One Where It's OK To Lie To Your Partner
Throughout the years, many Friends storylines involved the flatmates lying to their other halves. While this created many comedic situations for the friends, it did not create positive role models for the viewers! In real life, if you lie to your partner, there will be consequences. However, in the tv show, nothing terrible ever happened.
Friends taught us that people will excuse their partner's lies and will still trust them. It's not a good lesson for life. If you hide things from your partner and lie to them, do not expect them to laugh it off!
The One With Workplace Bullying
Workplace bullying is a serious issue, and Monica was subjected to it when she took a new job as a chef for an upscale restaurant. Monica hires Joey thinking that firing him will earn respect from her new colleagues, but he joins in with the bullying and locks her in the walk-in refrigerator!
We wonder why the Friends writers chose to add insult to injury and have one of Monica’s best friends make things worse for her rather than better. Friends should be there to stand up to bullies, not become one too!
The One Where Chandler Lies About Moving To Yemen
Honesty is the best policy, don't you agree? If you are no longer in love with someone, it's best to tell them that the relationship is over. Although it might be upsetting at the time, at least they can deal with it and move on.
So why did Chandler tell Janice he was moving to Yemen when he should have said he didn't want to see her anymore? He even gives her a made-up address and says he'll write every day! His actions show no respect for Janice's feelings; Chandler should have summoned up the courage to do the right thing and tell his girlfriend the truth.