As a super-fan of "The Office" and "Parks and Recreation," I've been told a MILLION times, "Oh my gosh you HAVE to watch 'Friends'!" I watched the first couple of episodes a few years ago, but that's as far as I got before I lost interest. In my opinion, the characters were too over the top and the setting and premise were too cliche. After my fifteenth round of "The Office" and my seventh of "Parks and Recreation," I decided to give "Friends" another try… and guess what… I LOVE IT.
It definitely employs a somewhat dated sense of humor and it comes off as "very '90s," but it's also just freaking hilarious. So as someone who is "late" to board the "Friends" bus, I have just a few questions.
CAUTION: Spoilers Ahead.
Why do they insist on sitting so close to each other on the couch?
NBC: "Friends" Season 2 Episode 14
Seriously. All it takes is five minutes of any given episode and you'll see an almost entirely empty couch with two people on the same cushion. I mean look at all that extra space on the couch.
Why are their apartment doors constantly unlocked?
NBC: "Friends" Season 4 Episode 8
They live in New York City. Are we really supposed to believe they leave their doors unlocked all the time? If they do, why haven't they been robbed yet?
Brother and sister forehead kisses?
NBC: "Friends"
Ross and Monica do this weird thing where they share chairs when there is clearly an open one. Ross will kiss Monica on the forehead and she'll kiss him on the cheek. In reality, I don't know any siblings that kiss each other on the face, cheek, hand, anywhere. It's just… weird. Not to mention they constantly sit on top of one another.
Is Joey a good actor?
NBC: "Friends" Season 5, Episode 13
This is a serious question I have. Half the time Joey is rejected. He either doesn't understand the part or misses the audition, and his friends act as if he is a terrible actor. A few times he reads the stage directions out loud. What I don't understand is how he could have gotten as far as he has in his acting career without understanding what stage directions are. Also, if he is really that bad, why does he have a big role on "Days of Our Lives"?
WHAT IS CHANDLER’S JOB?
NBC: "Friends" Season 3 Episode 24
Any die-hard "Friends" fan knows this question is a constant source of comedic material throughout the seasons as no one can remember what Chandler does for a living. In the end, he works in advertising, but before that he worked with computer software doing… what? Seriously?
Where is Emma?
NBC: "Friends" Season 10 Episode 15
Every time I watch scenes with Ross and Rachel both present after Emma is born I can't help but think, " Where is Emma?" They can't possibly have someone watching her every day and every night while they sit at Central Perk and chat with their friends.
Why the frame on the back of the door?
NBC: "Friends" Season 10 Episode 8
Maybe I just missed it because it was my first time through the episodes, but do they ever explain why the frame is around the peep-hole on the door?
How does Ross have his doctorate and a solid job already? Isn’t he like, 26 in the first episode?
NBC: "Friends" Season 10 Episode 13
He's supposed to be 26 at the beginning of the series, but somehow he already has his doctorate AND a solid job. How does that work?
Gunther… just… ?
NBC: "Friends"
Who is he? What is his last name? Why is he a barista? What is his backstory? Couldn't they have just had coffee with him once?
Does everyone have amnesia?
NBC: "Friends" Season 2 Episode 10
It seems like everyone is always forgetting something. Rachel and Chandler don't seem to remember each other and in the last season we find out that in college they kissed, but neither remembered. Chandler claims he never cries yet he cries all the time in the show. Ross claims his birthday is in December, but then he says October 18.
Like all TV shows, somethings will always remain a mystery. Despite the unanswered questions and plot holes, "Friends" will always be an amazing show.
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