The classic sitcom, Friends, continues to find its way into viewers’ hearts, both veteran and new. The friend group’s struggles, celebrations, failures, and successes ultimately paint an entertaining picture for audiences.
The show still manages to bring laughter and tears to all viewers, but there were definitely several moments in Friends‘ history that continue to make old and new viewers uncomfortable. The characters, unfortunately, experienced or took part in a few incidents that make modern viewers nervous rewatching them in today’s world.
When Ross Wanted To Hookup With His Cousin
Although other funny sitcoms saw this one-episode storyline, such as in That ’70s Show when Eric was attracted to his cousin, viewers admit that watching anything like this nowadays makes them a little anxious. Perhaps it was funny back in the 90s, maybe making audiences a little uncomfortable, but today’s society isn’t cool with this weird attraction.
Ross’s excuse was not having had sex with anyone in quite some time, but pulling a move on his cousin is not a sight anyone wants to see now. Watching Cassie nonchalantly reach for some popcorn in Ross’s lap was a cringe-worthy experience, but mainly because of his reaction. Ross apparently couldn’t help himself and moved in to make out with Cassie, to her sheer horror. Not to accuse Ross of being the worst guy of all time, but this was also a moment of harassment aside from incest.
When The Gang Fat-Shamed Monica
This was and is not acceptable, and fans are still talking about this today. Fat-shaming is not a trope any modern sitcom wants to follow, as the 90s had apparently twisted it to become a trend. There were multiple moments when Monica’s weight was the topic of derision, but it was the first sight of “former Monica” that now makes fans reconsider what’s funny and what’s unethical.
It’s now nerve-wracking to hear the 90s audience burst into laughter in seeing “fat Monica” going to the prom with Rachel from an old high school video. However, the real problem now is seeing Monica try to brush off her friends’ crude comments.
When The Show Made Fun Of Chandler’s Transgender Parent
Does this even surprise any fans? Most still feel anxious whenever they rewatch this honest catastrophe the show thought was acceptable back in the day. Many in the LGBTQ+ community feel outraged to see this, and viewers overall, as a result, react nervously thinking about how they possibly laughed at the transgender jokes when they first watched the show.
Chandler’s father, Charles Bing, faced countless jokes about their gender identity. Nowadays, most viewers reflect on this situation as unethical and causing discomfort in how easily the show itself bullied the entire idea of gender identity.
When Ross Started Planning Out His & Rachel’s Future Family
Despite how cute Ross and Rachel would always seem, anti-Ross viewers, and even pro-Ross and Rachel viewers, have agreed how obsessive Ross was, especially at the beginning of their relationship.
Right before they both said the big “I Love You” to each other, Rachel complained that she despised her future being calculated for her (rightfully so). Ross literally went on to say how he read a book on children’s names, imagining what to name their future kids, when Rachel pointed out they’d only been dating for six weeks.
When Ross Told Rachel He Could Imagine Her Nude
This was wrong on all levels. It doesn’t matter if two people once dated, nobody should be taking advantage of someone else like this. Many fans and modern-day viewers get nervous when they rewatch Ross tell his ex-girlfriend that he still had the power to see her nude without her consent.
Sure, people back in the 90s would argue that it was a joke and it was all in his head, but it was not fair at all to Rachel. There was a lot of objectification of women on the show, with a lot of moments when the guys would talk about drunk or naked women, but this one time between Ross and Rachel gives many female viewers anxiety.
When The Truth About The “I Hate Rachel Green Club” Emerged
Of course, two young boys had to create a club dedicated to hating the popular school bully that was apparently Rachel, but it was what they did with it that now causes discomfort in viewers.
Spreading the rumor that Rachel was intersex, the show, yet again, poked fun at sexual orientation and different bodies. Using this as a punchline now makes viewers flinch.
When Rachel Sabotaged Bonnie’s Appearance
This was a bit too far on Rachel’s part. Yes, it’s still adorable and solidified that she had feelings for Ross and was extremely jealous of his girlfriend, Bonnie.
The joke about a woman being bald though is now thought of negatively. The fact that a girl supposedly loses her physical beauty by losing all of her hair is now another anxiety-inducing moment on the show. Modern fans now wonder why this appearance should be something they can laugh at when people think of those that either lost or chose to get rid of their hair.
When Monica & Ross Realized They Kissed
To give the characters some credit here, they were equally (if not more) shocked and disgusted at this revelation as much as viewers were. The gross moment when the two realized this was also Monica’s first kiss ever was nasty, and still makes viewers cringe, but there is another gray area here that hits a nerve to modern fans.
When Ross revealed that he went to give Rachel a kiss on her forehead while she was asleep on the bed, some people started questioning if this was right. Granted, he wasn’t going for anything else other than a sweet tap on her head, but the fact that Ross knew she was unconscious creates some anxiety for a lot of modern women when they rewatch this scene from the show.
When Rachel Used Her Age To Determine Everything
Fans still get a kick out of the hilarious moments the gang had in the 30th birthday episode, but viewers now can’t help but feel nervous about Rachel’s fixation on a scheduled life. As Rachel went through her plans that were supposed to start before or right at 30 years old (getting married and having children, for starters) a lot of Millennials and Gen-Z audiences aren’t totally on board with the rules of what should happen at that age.
As a matter of fact, it now appears downright drastic that Rachel thought she could calculate precisely when she could accomplish building a family. Modern viewers now look at one another and doubt that this should be the example everyone needs to follow.
When Joey Went Through Rachel’s Book
Anyone rummaging through someone’s personal belongings, even if it’s a friend or roommate, isn’t right. This was obvious knowledge back in the 90s as well, but now, fans wonder if a guy going through a girl’s stuff is borderline harassment, or worse, actual harassment.
Since Joey taunted Rachel about the erotic book she kept under her pillow, modern audiences can’t help but think that this was a form of harassment. While Joey was and still is a loveable character, his actions here were downright stupid and unnecessary because it looked like he took advantage of Rachel’s privacy.
