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Twenty years have passed since the last ever episode of Friends was screened.
The hugely popular comedy turned its six stars into household names as well as giving us ‘The Rachel’ – one of the world’s most famous haircuts.
In the USA over 52million tuned in to see how things would end for the gang while, in the UK, close to 9million watched as the last episode aired 10 years after the first.
Today, Friends continues to be screened all over the world, attracting a new audience of Millennial and Gen Z viewers, with many picking up on its outdated attitudes and non-PC qualities.
From body shaming and gaslighting to transphobia and misogyny, we take a look back at some of the more questionable elements of our favourite show to bring you ‘The One with all the Unwokeness’…
LACK OF DIVERSITY
Despite being set in New York, one of the most ethnically diverse cities in the world, all six main stars are white.
Throughout its ten years, the series only featured two non-white characters in leading roles, both thanks to David Schwimmer (who played Ross).
David Schwimmer as Ross Geller and Aisha Tayler as Charlie Wheeler. Schwimmer revealed that he had pushed for the show to feature more people of colour
Charlie Wheeler played by Aisha Tyler, centre, arrived in Barbados as Joey’s girlfriend but left with Ross played by David Schwimmer
Marta Kauffman in the back row, fourth from left, together with the cast of Friends
Schwimmer revealed that he pushed for the show to feature more people of colour, which is why Ross ended up dating Julie (played by Asian American actress Lauren Tom) and Charlie (played by African American actress Aisha Tyler).
The show’s creator Marta Kauffman has since apologised for Friends’ whiteness, making a $4million donation to the African American Studies department at Brandeis University in Massachusetts.
Lisa Kudrow, who played Phoebe, recently said that if Friends was remade it ‘would not be an all white cast, for sure.’
FAT SHAMING
A running joke throughout the show is that Monica, played by Courteney Cox, was overweight as a child and teenager.
A joke that ran throughout the show is that Monica was overweight as a child and teenager. Above (left to right): Matthew Perry as Chandler Bing, Jennifer Aniston as Rachel Green, David Schwimmer as Ross Geller, and Courtney Cox as Monica Geller
Monica, left, played by Courtney cox with Jennifer Aniston as Rachel attend a college party given by Ross and Chandler
During one scene, the six friends are watching a home movie of ‘fat Monica’ and laugh at her. Defensive Monica claims the camera adds 10 pounds, resulting in Chandler joking ‘so how many cameras are on you, then?’
Chandler first meets Monica when he is a teenager and although she likes him, he rejects her because of her size – only becoming interested once she had slimmed down.
In another episode Monica shows her friends her swimsuit from when she was overweight and they joke that it could be used to ‘cover Connecticut when it rains.’ The real joke is that ‘fat Monica’ is probably no more than a size 16.
HOMOPHOBIA
Ross’s ex-wife Carole (Jane Sibbett) leaves him for another woman – Carol (Jessica Hecht).
The show was commended for featuring the women’s lesbian wedding, yet it played out against the backdrop of Ross’s refusal to accept that his ex-wife was really gay, considering her true sexuality an affront to his masculinity.
Ross refused to accept that his ex-wife really was gay, considering her true sexuality an affront to his masculinity
When Susan befriends Ross’s second wife Emily (played by Helen Baxendale) he voices his fears that Susan will ‘turn Emily gay.’
Chandler’s sexuality is constantly questioned by others too, with his friends saying he has ‘a quality’ that makes him seem gay – Phoebe even writes a song about it!
Ross shows his prejudice again when Rachel hires a male nanny Sandy (played by Freddie Prince Junior) for their daughter Emma.
Ross insists that heterosexual Sandy ‘has to be gay’ and fires him for being ‘too sensitive.’
TRANSPHOBIA
Chandler (played by the late Matthew Perry) is estranged from his father – a drag performer who goes by the stage name of Helena Handbasket, but they reconnect just before his marriage to Monica.
Helena played by Kathleen Turner (left) is ridiculed by the others, especially Monica’s dad Jack, who treats her like a curiosity saying, ‘I’ve never seen one before’
Helena is misgendered throughout, something that the show’s creators have since apologised for, acknowledging that the character would be considered transgender by today’s standards
At the wedding Helena (played by Kathleen Turner) is wearing an evening gown, causing his ex-wife Nora (played by Morgan Fairchild) to ask ‘Don’t you have a bit too much penis to be wearing a dress like that?’
Helena is ridiculed by the others, especially Monica’s dad Jack, who treats her like a curiosity saying, ‘I’ve never seen one before.’
Helena is misgendered throughout, something that the show’s creators have since apologised for, acknowledging that the character would be considered transgender by today’s standards.
ROSS’S CONTROLLING BEHAVIOUR
Ross and Rachel’s on/off relationship is one of the main themes of Friends. Ross had been in love with Rachel (played by Jennifer Aniston) since high school and they end up back together in the final episode.
However, across all ten series, he displays highly controlling and gaslighting behaviour towards Rachel.
The One with the List where Rachel discovers that Ross has made a pros and cons list and lists Rachel being ‘just a waitress’ as one of his reasons to not date her
After Rachel lands a job at Bloomingdales he becomes insanely jealous of her good looking colleague Mark (Stephen Eckholdt) and constantly monitors their interactions
When Rachel, played by Jennifer Aniston, suggested they ‘take a break’ he immediately sleeps with another woman. His ‘we were on a break’ cry being one of the show’s long-running gags
Finally, when Ross and Rachel marry while drunk in Vegas he promises to get the marriage annulled – but doesn’t and hides it from her
When he has to choose between her and Julie he makes a list of pros and cons for both and lists Rachel being ‘just a waitress’ as one of his reasons to not date her.
After Rachel lands a job at Bloomingdales he becomes insanely jealous of her good looking colleague Mark (Stephen Eckholdt) and constantly monitors their interactions.
He belittles her career in fashion and makes it clear he thinks her job is silly and unimportant.
Ross wrongly accuses Rachel of sleeping with Mark. When she suggests they ‘take a break’ he immediately sleeps with another woman – his ‘we were on a break’ cry being one of the show’s long-running gags.
Finally, when Ross and Rachel marry while drunk in Vegas he promises to get the marriage annulled – but doesn’t and hides it from her.
JOEY’S MISOGYNY
‘Dude, they’re not objects – they’re women,’ says Joey during one episode. Before adding ‘Only joking.’
Actor Joey (played by Matt LeBlanc) is portrayed as good-looking, charming…and highly promiscuous. His ‘How you doin’?’ pick up line became one of the show’s catchphrases.
He moved dancer Janine (played by Elle MacPherson) into his apartment with the sole intention of seducing her, refusing to believe that she didn’t (at first) find him attractive
Joey, played by Matt le Blanc, is portrayed as good-looking, charming…and highly promiscuous. His ‘How you doin’?’ pick up line became one of the show’s catchphrases
The only problem is that the lothario doesn’t treat his conquests very well. He regularly dates women, sleeps with them and then either dumps them or ghosts them.
He moved dancer Janine (played by Elle MacPherson) into his apartment with the sole intention of seducing her, refusing to believe that she didn’t (at first) find him attractive.
In a flashback episode, Moncia is shown asking Joey (who had just moved in across the hall) if he’d like a glass of lemonade – he thinks this is code for sex and immediately strips naked in her kitchen.
On another occasion he says that ‘great rack, excellent butt,’ was his first impression of Phoebe.
SLUT SHAMING
The number of sexual partners the girls have had comes up in several episodes.
As they start to date, Ross asks Rachel how many men she has slept with. When he discovers that she has had more partners than him and mentions her ex-boyfriend Paolo’s ‘animal magnetism,’ he becomes angry.
Ross asks Rachel how many men she has slept with. When he discovers that she has had more partners than him and mentions her ex-boyfriend Paolo’s ‘animal magnetism,’ he becomes angry
When Monica dates Richard (played by Tom Selleck) they have a similar conversation and Monica is made to feel like a tramp for having a lot boyfriends.
GLORIFYING PORNOGRAPHY
The subject of porn crops up regularly on Friends. There’s one episode called ‘The One with The Free Porn,’ where Joey and Chandler accidentally get free access to a pay per view porn channel and watch it endlessly.
‘The One with The Free Porn,’ where Joey and Chandler accidentally get free access to a pay per view porn channel and watch it endlessly
When Phoebe’s twin sister Ursula is revealed to be a porn star, the others watch her movies and make jokes about it. Ursula even invites Phoebe to join her and make a ‘twin’ movie.
As well as watching porn, Joey and Ross read Playboy and Joey even holds a copy up to the camera when he is making a special video to be shown to baby Emma on her 18th birthday.
STUDENT DATING
College professor Ross famously dated student Elizabeth (Alexandra Holden) even though he knew it was not all allowed and could get him fired.
Ross, played by David Schwimmer, famously dated student Elizabeth (Alexandra Holden) even though he knew it was not all allowed
Elizabeth is 12 years younger than Ross and despite the fact he is her teacher, he revels in the sexiness of their relationship – saying the forbidden element makes it arousing.
In true controlling Ross style, when she plans to go away on a spring break he decides to join her so that that she can’t flirt with younger guys.
