BY ERICA GUSTAFSON, OPINION EDITOR
I will not lie. I have been a “Friends” television show fan since my early childhood. Once the show first popped on the screen at my house, I was hooked. It is just an iconic, relevant and hilarious show that can be so addictive to watch.
Though many people tell me that it is overrated, I completely think otherwise. It may be cheesy at times and a little predictable, but I believe that it is one of the best television shows of all time.
Alexandre Marain talked about this topic in a Vogue Paris article that was published on April 14, 2021.
One of the most prominent reasons why it is such an amazing show is that it is so relatable to viewers. Marain writes that “Monica’s neurosis, Rachel’s passion for fashion, Joey’s charming stupidity, Chandler’s sarcastic jokes, Ross’s bad luck stricken love life, Phoebe’s timeless songs such as Smelly Cat… Each character has their unique qualities.”
Though these characters tend to have crazy lives that are a little over-the-top, people can still relate to them in different ways. People more often can relate to their relationships and friendships with one another that slowly show and develop more as the series continues forward.
Another major indicator that most people tend to overlook is how the show touches on different life lessons and real-life problems. This may be a funny show with full-on continuous jokes and hilarious moments, but each episode has a moment where it really says more than you think.
I once saw a Pinterest photo pop up on my screen that was talking about how the show is accepting and inclusive. It showed how the writers really stayed away from the traditional idea of childbirth when following the pregnancy and children stories of Monica, Rachel and Phoebe. Each of their characters went through completely different situations that were all based on the idea of childbirth.
Phoebe’s story revolves around surrogacy, where she gave birth to triplets for her brother and sister-in-law who were unable to do so. Rachel had a child with Ross and struggled with the idea of being a single mother.
Monica’s story shows a huge physical and emotional struggle with infertility. She and Chandler were not able to have children of their own, so they looked to adoption, where they eventually were able to adopt twins.
The writers really showed that you don’t have to have a traditional pregnancy story for you to be a good mother or role model. It is really something that I personally believe they did extremely well in this whole series.
Though “Friends” is just a television show that pops up on a monitor screen ever so often, people have the ability to really connect to it. It is comedic, relatable, easy to follow, well-known and just a classic in my eyes. I was lucky enough to watch the “Friends” reunion special this past summer, and I can say that it really sent me back to watching the show for the first time in my living room.
Though people may not like the show themselves, I will never budge on my love for this incredible television series.
