Friends is widely considered to be one of the best sitcoms of all time. While many still laugh while revisiting the show, viewers can't deny that Friends is dated. In fact, it just doesn't hold up. Hold on, hold on, don't scream, "BLASPHEMY!" just yet. When given some thought, you'll realize it's true. While the show's humor still clicks on some levels, many can't deny that there are moments that either make you roll your eyes or cringe.
There's no real shame in enjoying the show, but the fashions, the politics, the technology, and other elements put the show in a specific '90s time capsule. Friends is surprisingly homophobic, racially underrepresented, and just doesn't seem to work when viewed with a 21st-century perspective. Let's have a Friends retrospective to see the reasons why Friends may not be as good as you remember.
- 1
Possible Childhood Molestation Is Presented As Comedic
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In the episode titled, "The One with Ross' New Girlfriend," Joey finds out that he was sexually fondled as a minor. Joey recommends his family tailor to Chandler, who then experiences an assault himself when the tailor measure's Chandler's inseam. Chandler brings this up to Joey, who had no idea that he was in fact abused.
Child molestation is comedy gold, right? Maybe in the '90s, but definitely not now.
Yikes? - 2
Everything Is Affordable
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Look at all these semi-employed people killing their day at the Central Perk coffee shop. While Chandler and Ross are mostly steadily employed throughout the series, the rest would be financial messes in the 21st century. Rachel mostly works in retail and service, Monica is a chef and caterer, and Phoebe is... well, she's Phoebe. None of these jobs would be able to support rent in NYC, let alone provide funds for trips. It was sort of economically unrealistic back then, but it's a definite fantasy today.
Yikes? - 3
Smartphones Would Destroy The Premises Of Lots Of Episodes
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While it's unfair, the invention of the cell phone has seriously dated Friends. Many plots would be compromised if smart phones were introduced. Many hilarious and dramatic moments on the show are dependent on missing a phone call at home, not checking voice messages on the machine, or responding to a pager. Even Jennifer Aniston thinks cell phones would have killed Friends, although for an entirely different reason (she thinks everyone would just be glued to the phones).
Yikes? - 4
There's Gratuitous Fat Shaming
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Throughout the series, the gang is disgusted yet fascinated when spying on the "ugly naked fat guy." On top of that, Monica's weight as a young girl is played off for laughs through dialogue and flashbacks. This type of humor doesn't hold up given society's better understanding of what causes obesity. There's also the fact that obesity has turned into a common issue in the United States. Picking on fat people was mean then, but it's even meaner now.
Yikes? - 5
Ross Is Incredibly Possessive Of Women
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Ross doesn't have healthy relationships with women. He is still territorial regarding his ex-wife and picks fights with his ex-wife's wife unnecessarily. His obsession with Rachel causes him to sabotage her other relationships when they are not an item. He even refuses to grant a divorce to Rachel because he doesn't want to have yet another failed marriage. The guy is just creepy.
Yikes? - 6
Rachel Is Incredibly Possessive Of Ross
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Rachel loves Ross and throughout the show, she makes it clear that she's the only one who can have him - even when they aren't an item. Rachel messes with the lives of Ross' other girlfriends, convincing one of them to shave her head. She even goes out of her way to cause a rift in Ross' wedding. This type of behavior might be seen as cute and sweet to some, but nowadays, it's pretty stalker-ish.
Yikes?
