As someone who grew up watching Friends, it’s fascinating to see how much technology has advanced since then, and how some of the show’s situations would play out differently today.
Friends is one of the greatest, most popular sitcoms ever made. It follows a group of best friends who are navigating early adulthood, their careers, and their love lives in New York City during the mid-’90s and early 2000s. Its characters (and the actors who played them) have become iconic, and many of the show’s greatest jokes have become quotable lines in pop culture (“We were on a break!”). Friends attracted over 22 million viewers for each of its ten seasons, making it one of the most-watched TV shows of all time.
Even though “Friends” is still considered a classic sitcom that draws in new audiences, bridging generations with its fanbase, some of the show’s humor seems outdated or inappropriate by today’s standards. Jokes that were once hilarious during its peak in the ’90s and early 2000s may not resonate with today’s younger viewers due to their dated nature or cultural shifts over time. Here are ten jokes from “Friends” that might confuse kids of today.
10 Chandler Smoking Indoors
Friends enthusiasts are aware that Chandler (Matthew Perry), prior to the series, was a frequent smoker. However, he had given up this habit before the show began. Occasionally, you might notice him with a cigarette, but his character’s smoking is not perplexing; many people continue to smoke, despite its decreasing popularity.
As a supporter, let me clarify something that may puzzle the younger viewers: the scenes where Chandler is seen smoking. He frequently does it inside, primarily at work or in our beloved coffee shop, Central Perk. Nowadays, some young folks might experiment with indoor vaping, but smoking a cigarette indoors? That’s a concept that feels quite distant and unfamiliar to them.
9 Door-to-Door Encyclopedia Salesman
In the fourth season episode titled “The One with the Cuffs,” Penn Jillette, known for the comedic magic team Penn & Teller, made a guest appearance. Contrary to what the title might suggest, Penn did not portray a magician using handcuffs in his act. Instead, he played the role of a door-to-door salesman, peddling A to Z encyclopedias. It’s quite unusual for someone to attempt selling something at your doorstep in today’s world.
In today’s digital era, where a treasure trove of knowledge and resources like Wikipedia are merely a click away, the idea of someone peddling actual hardcopy encyclopedas seems utterly preposterous, even in the 90s. I mean, who would have been interested back then? Maybe Joey (Matt Le Blanc) with his quirky charm and knack for collecting odd items… but that’s a different story!
8 Chandler Bragging About His New Laptop
As the episode unfolded, I found myself eagerly anticipating Ross’s evaluation, and Chandler’s enthusiasm was contagious when he suggested bolding their names in distinct fonts, color-coding each column for a more visually appealing presentation. This scene echoes the excitement many of us felt back then about the technological advancements of the ’90s. However, I can’t help but notice that these jokes might not resonate with younger viewers who have grown up with touch screens, integrated spreadsheets, and an impressive 32 gigabytes of RAM at their fingertips.
7 Rachel Mailing Out Resumes
In the first episode of the series, titled “The One with all the Poker”, we find Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) and her friends at work on an assembly line. Instead of sending her resume and cover letter digitally, they are manually mailing these documents to multiple companies.
For younger viewers accustomed to quickly finding and applying for jobs online via platforms like LinkedIn, company career pages, Indeed, and others, this scene might prove confusing. Despite the convenience of the internet, job hunting remains a laborious and time-consuming endeavor. Watching this particular scene can make the process feel significantly more exhausting.
6 Monica and Chandler Supplying Disposable Cameras at Their Wedding
To devotees of “Friends”, Monica and Chandler’s wedding was the wedding of the millennium – an eagerly anticipated spectacle that left everyone in awe. Viewers were given the opportunity to witness this grand event from the comfort of their living rooms, thanks to NBC. Simultaneously, those fortunate enough to attend the ceremony were furnished with disposable cameras by Monica and Chandler, adding some amusing incidents to the proceedings.
As a movie buff reminiscing about “Friends,” I can’t help but think about how times have changed since that sitcom era. Back then, disposable cameras were a thing at weddings, but not anymore! With smartphones now commonplace, everyone carries a portable camera in their pocket. So, imagine if Monica and Chandler were planning their wedding today; they certainly wouldn’t need to provide those ancient disposable cameras to guests. Instead, their friends and family would snap away with their phones, instantly sharing the memories on social media for the happy couple to enjoy later. It’s amazing how technology has evolved!
5 Chandler and Joey Getting Free Adult Content
In Season 4, episode 17, titled “The One with the Free Porn,” you might expect Chandler and Joey stumble upon an unexpected surprise – a free adult channel on their television. This unexplained phenomenon sparks numerous humorous exchanges as they reluctantly resist turning off or looking away from their TV, fearing they may lose this newfound entertainment.
However, such humor may not resonate with younger audiences due to their easy access to adult content online around the clock. Today’s youth have an abundance of digital resources at their fingertips, which might make them less appreciative of discovering a free adult channel on television, a source of excitement and amusement for earlier generations.
4 “It’s One Phone Call…I’ll Even Pay for It Myself.”
In the memorable episode titled “The One Where Ross Learns the Truth,” during season two, Rachel encounters difficulty handling her lingering feelings for Ross (David Schwimmer) while on a date. Overwhelmed by emotion, she attempts to move on from their past by phoning him intoxicated and declaring that she’s moved on, despite this not being entirely accurate. However, there’s one hitch – Rachel doesn’t own a cell phone in those days before widespread mobile technology.
In this well-known moment, she requests the phone from the gentleman seated nearby at another table, so she can leave her memorable message on Ross’ voicemail: “And that, my friend, is what they refer to as a resolution.” When he appears reluctant to give up his device (quite understandably in today’s tech-savvy world), Rachel reassures him by saying, “It’s just one call, it won’t take long. I’ll even cover the costs myself.” For modern viewers, the idea of paying for individual calls might be unfamiliar, as they likely have phone plans that offer endless texts and minutes instead.
3 “I’d Really Like a Copy of the Tape.”
In the seventh episode of Season 1, titled “The One with the Citywide Blackout,” I found myself among friends and fellow Manhattanites experiencing a massive power outage. One of the subplots had Chandler finding himself trapped in an ATM lobby with a woman named Jill Goodacre. If you’re under a certain age, this name might seem unfamiliar. To clarify, Jill Goodacre was a highly recognized Victoria’s Secret model from the ’80s and early ’90s. Nowadays, she’s not as well-known, making her a somewhat obscure reference, even for older Millennials like myself.
In a different scenario, Chandler finds himself captivated by her charm. Stuck inside the ATM booth with Jill, she generously lends him her phone and asks if there’s anyone he’d like to contact. In his mind, he considers reaching out to hundreds of guys from his high school days, but that would elicit hearty laughter now. Instead, he could simply take a picture with Jill, post it on social media for his 300+ followers to see.
2 Answering Machine Blunders
Among the recurring issues portrayed in “Friends,” besides romantic and professional woes, there’s a frequent struggle with answering machines. The third season’s second episode, titled “The One Where No One’s Ready,” is often hailed as one of the show’s finest. In this episode, Monica records several heartfelt and impulsive messages on her ex-boyfriend’s answering machine. Unfortunately, when she attempts to erase them, Monica inadvertently sets up her most emotional message as his outgoing greeting. Essentially, callers will hear Monica’s personal recording whenever they reach his voicemail.
In the fifth season episode titled “The One With The Ride-Along,” Rachel and Monica discover a surprising voicemail from Ross’ ex-wife on his answering machine. However, before Ross could listen to it, Rachel accidentally erases the message. This action elicits a shocked exclamation of “NOOOO!” from the characters, followed by laughter. Modern viewers, though, might not find this amusing as they may be puzzled by such technological mishaps, wondering instead, Answering machines? What on earth are those?
1 A Problematic Ski Trip
In “The One Without the Ski Trip”, which is the seventeenth episode of Season 3, the plot is full of antiquated problems and humor that might not resonate nowadays. The storyline follows the group as they embark on a ski trip in the mountains. However, as hinted by the title, their journey takes an unexpected turn as they fail to reach their destination due to Phoebe (played by Lisa Kudrow) forgetting to fuel up the car before leaving. Stranded in the snow, she attempts to contact roadside assistance, but is unable to provide a precise location – a scenario that would be highly improbable today given the convenience of GPS technology.
As a cinephile, if I find myself stranded due to roadside assistance letting me down, my next move would be similar to Ross’s escapade in the mountains. But let’s fast-forward to 2024 – instead of embarking on a thrilling adventure to save my friends, Phoebe could just whip out her smartphone and hail an Uber ride to the closest gas station, saving me all that trouble!
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2024-10-03 02:32