The One Where Friends is My Favorite Corner of the Internet

When “I’ll Be There for You” by the Rembrandts comes on the radio, the iconic sitcom, Friends, often pops into people’s heads. And if it doesn’t, finish reading this paper right away in order to start watching the show as soon as possible. Home to thousands of titles, Netflix allows subscribers to stream TV shows, movies, documentaries and more. On air from 1994-2004, Friends has 10 complete seasons with 238 episodes- all available on Netflix. Through humor, the characters themselves, and the life lessons taught, Friends takes its place on top as one of the greatest sitcoms ever aired and is essential to watch as it will ultimately make your day better.

Friends is known for its famous one-liners and quotes that will make you laugh effortlessly. As this is a written paper, sadly I cannot insert gifs or memes for added touch, but the one-liners such as Joey’s famous pick up line “How you doin’?”  or Ross’ “Pivot!”, as he gives orders to his friends while trying to move a couch up the stairs, will have to do to. The writer’s seemed to come up with exceptional humor making every scene more enjoyable. If one-liners aren’t your cup of tea, Chandler’s sarcastic comments or Phoebe’s classic “songs” such as “Smelly Cat” will do the trick (Crane and Kauffman). Humor fills every episode and constantly has viewers in a better mood after watching. After all, it is important to laugh at least once a day, but after watching Friends, you’ll be more than covered.

However, the humor alone is not what makes the show so great but the actual “friends” in each episode. Each cast member adds their own unique personality to the show, enriching the quality and making it hard to pick a favorite as they are all so relatable. For example, though some might say that Ross constantly talking about dinosaurs (as his profession is a paleontologist) is not indeed relatable to most, it is in fact as he shows his love for his job and the continuing interest it brings him and only wants others to know how important his job is. Another example is from the first episode beginning with Rachel leaving her fiancé at the altar. Some may relate to Rachel feeling overwhelmed and connect with her unsureness going into decisions but can continue to watch as everything turns out just fine, such as most situations do. If viewers aren’t big fans of one, there are plenty more characters to connect with throughout the show making it feel as if they are not alone.

Aside from the humor and the relatable cast, Friends teaches viewers many life lessons hidden in each episode. When Rachel refuses to run next to Phoebe and her odd running form and Phoebe responds by asking “Who cares if people stare at you you’re not going to see them again?”, she teaches viewers the valuable lesson of not caring what others think when you’re having fun (Crane and Kauffman). Chandler also teaches us that you should always be yourself. Whether it was admitting that he liked taking baths or sometimes took quizzes from Cosmopolitan, Chandler didn’t mind what people thought of him. Monica teaches us to be confident when you know you’re right such as when she says “Now, I need you to be careful and efficient. And remember: If I am harsh with you, it’s only because you’re doing it wrong” (Crane and Kauffman). While all of these are just a few examples, one of the most important lessons the characters teach viewers is that you never have to grow up. While some may say that there comes a point in life where one needs to settle down and take things seriously, the cast of Friends prove that you can live life in a goofy style and still accomplish your dreams.

            While Friends is sometimes thought about as “old” and “unrealistic”, taking place in the 90’s and in a penthouse apartment of 25-year old’s, it is still relevant today with kids growing up in the 2000’s still enjoying it. There are many reasons why Friends will make your day better, but I can only go over so much in an essay, the rest you will have to see for yourself. Friends touches viewer’s lives for the best through humor, being relatable, and teaching life lessons. However, perhaps the most important thing that can be taken away from the show is that it is important to have fun living life and that true friends will always be there for you.