And though it’s tempting to give the show some slack because of its cultural context, that doesn’t actually excuse any of its toxicity. Friends is more than just a goofy series of contrivances based on hyperbolically strict standards of heteronormativity it’s a show about being regularly harassed and humiliated for performing a queer sexual or gender identity, mainly by one’s closest confidants. From what I could tell, Friends was a show about Straight People Antics mainly consisting of bad romantic communication, slavish devotion to gender roles, and a shiny veneer of mid-twenties promiscuity.īut last week, as I sat down to intentionally watch the show for the first time, I realized I’d been wrong about the show. Offhandedly seeing a few episodes with friends over the years did nothing to improve its reputation. Iconic though it may be, the show’s core concept - a group of inexplicably well-off pals mocking and horndogging at each other ad infinitum - always bored me to tears.
Before I saw a single episode of Friends, I knew that I would hate it.
