5 'Friends'​ Plot Holes Even More Awkward Than Ross' Sense Of Humor
Start writing a post
Entertainment

5 'Friends'​ Plot Holes Even More Awkward Than Ross' Sense Of Humor

They'll be there for you, unless you're Ross's son. Or Chandler.

638
5 'Friends'​ Plot Holes Even More Awkward Than Ross' Sense Of Humor

After winning several Golden Globes, Emmys, People's Choice Awards, and Teen Choice Awards, "Friends" has earned its spot as one of the most loved TV shows of our time. From Joey's up-and-down acting career to Phoebe's past of mugging people on the street to Ross and Rachel's never-ending fight over being on a break, "Friends" never had a shortage of plot twists, laughable moments, or lovable characters. But after binge-watching it for the fourth or fifth time, you start to pick up on a few plot holes that could use some explaining...

1. Where did Ross' son Ben go?

Ben's existence was one of the main plot points of season one, as Ross struggled to ease into parenthood as he felt he was competing with his ex-wife's new partner, Susan. Ross clearly loved his son from the second he found out about his arrival: he refused to move to England with Emily because he didn't want to live away from Ben, and he even dressed up as a "Christmas Armadillo" in a weird attempt to teach his son about Judaism around the holidays. While we all know Ross is an awkward and rather uptight guy, we can't deny he's a great father.

That is, until his son stops showing up for seasons at a time. His last scene is in "The One Where Joey Dates Rachel" in season eight, meaning seasons nine and ten are completely void of Ross' son. This is especially odd because when Ross has another child with Rachel, we never see his two children meet each other. Ben wasn't even invited to Ross' wedding to Emily in season four.

Fans have speculated that sometime around the birth of Ross' second child, Ben's mother had enough of Ross' overbearing and erratic behavior and revoked his visitation rights. Personally, I think it all worked out for the best: Ben did a great job on "The Suite Life of Zack and Cody."

2. Chandler says he loves Monica for the first time... twice

In season five's "The One With All the Thanksgivings," Monica sticks her head inside a turkey and dances around in an attempt to make Chandler feel better. In his laughter, an "I love you" slips out, which he immediately denies as Monica celebrates and repeats it over and over. This cute moment affirms fans' hope that Chandler and Monica's unexpected hookups have turned into a real love connection. However, in "The One Where Everyone Finds Out," the friends send Phoebe to pretend to flirt with Chandler in an attempt to make him admit he's seeing Monica.

Phoebe commits to her role and makes Chandler so uncomfortable that he cracks — when Phoebe asks why he won't kiss her, she shouts "because I'm in love with Monica!" Monica, who was hiding in the bathroom watching this unfold the whole time, jumps out with a look of happy shock on her face. This moment is sweet, but it's not the first time Monica has heard Chandler say his true feelings.

3. Chandler and Monica tie the knot in a church despite Chandler signing up for a romantic wedding in a museum

Monica and Chandler's engagement was quite the rollercoaster. Conspiring with Phoebe to surprise his future wife, Chandler pretends to freak out when a museum worker calls to let Monica know she's been added to the waiting list to get married there. Monica apologizes, but when she leaves Chandler tells Phoebe that he checked out the museum and it was perfect. Chandler's dishonesty about his readiness to get married caused a lot of drama in the following episodes, as his pretending to fear commitment almost drives Monica back to her old boyfriend, Richard. Luckily, the friends patch up the situation and Monica and Chandler spend the rest of their lives together but they don't end up tying the knot at the museum, which caused them so much trouble before their engagement.

4. Rachel doesn't remember Chandler, despite growing up together

Growing up, Rachel was Monica's best friend and Chandler was Ross's. The four of them spent many Thanksgivings together and even accompanied a college-age Chandler to the emergency room when Monica accidentally cut off his toe. Despite always being around the Geller's house at the same time, Rachel seems to have no recollection of Chandler in the first episode of season one. In her wedding dress, Rachel stumbles into the coffee shop where the friends are hanging out and is excited to find her old friend Monica and her brother Ross there. However, she doesn't remember Chandler at all and doesn't say more than two words to him.

5. How did Ross and Rachel get that ink off their faces?

At the end of season five, Ross and Rachel get trashed in a Vegas hotel room, draw all over each other in permanent marker, and get married. Nothing works in their efforts to get the ink off their faces, and so they decide to walk around Las Vegas as a cat and a mustached woman. However, the next morning — the first episode of season six — they arrive at breakfast with completely clean faces and only their marriage as a remnant of the wild night before. How did they get the ink off?

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
the beatles
Wikipedia Commons

For as long as I can remember, I have been listening to The Beatles. Every year, my mom would appropriately blast “Birthday” on anyone’s birthday. I knew all of the words to “Back In The U.S.S.R” by the time I was 5 (Even though I had no idea what or where the U.S.S.R was). I grew up with John, Paul, George, and Ringo instead Justin, JC, Joey, Chris and Lance (I had to google N*SYNC to remember their names). The highlight of my short life was Paul McCartney in concert twice. I’m not someone to “fangirl” but those days I fangirled hard. The music of The Beatles has gotten me through everything. Their songs have brought me more joy, peace, and comfort. I can listen to them in any situation and find what I need. Here are the best lyrics from The Beatles for every and any occasion.

Keep Reading...Show less
Being Invisible The Best Super Power

The best superpower ever? Being invisible of course. Imagine just being able to go from seen to unseen on a dime. Who wouldn't want to have the opportunity to be invisible? Superman and Batman have nothing on being invisible with their superhero abilities. Here are some things that you could do while being invisible, because being invisible can benefit your social life too.

Keep Reading...Show less
houses under green sky
Photo by Alev Takil on Unsplash

Small towns certainly have their pros and cons. Many people who grow up in small towns find themselves counting the days until they get to escape their roots and plant new ones in bigger, "better" places. And that's fine. I'd be lying if I said I hadn't thought those same thoughts before too. We all have, but they say it's important to remember where you came from. When I think about where I come from, I can't help having an overwhelming feeling of gratitude for my roots. Being from a small town has taught me so many important lessons that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

Keep Reading...Show less
​a woman sitting at a table having a coffee
nappy.co

I can't say "thank you" enough to express how grateful I am for you coming into my life. You have made such a huge impact on my life. I would not be the person I am today without you and I know that you will keep inspiring me to become an even better version of myself.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

95148
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments