F.R.I.E.N.D.S: 27 years later, the story still breaks stereotypical chains

‘When it hasn’t been your day, your week or even your year but, I’ll be there for you, like I’ve been there before.’

Fulfilling this promise, the show still sticks in our hearts. 27 years later, people still clap at the theme song of the most loved 90s show, F.R.I.E.N.D.S. What started as a group of five people sitting in a coffee house discussing Ross’s (David Schwimmer’s character) divorce with his lesbian wife and Rachel’s (Jennifer Aniston) entry in there after she ran from her wedding, eventually became a family that stuck together at all odds.

F.R.I.E.N.D.S is not just popular for Rachel’s fancy haircuts, Chandler’s sarcastic comments, or a foundation between six people who stay with each other but also, because of the stereotypes it broke.

Let’s revisit moments of this beautiful show that changed the perception of its fans.

 

1) Rachel’s journey from being a spoiled brat to an independent girl.

 

Normalizing Rachel’s need to explore herself after she ran out on her wedding. The character’s growth itself is a major breaker of chains. The daughter of Sandra Greene who decided not to end up like her mother went from her father’s house to his husband’s house and never worked. Rachel decided to write her own story. After being a waitress for three years, Rachel found her true passion and started working as an assistant at Bloomingdales. The ten-year journey of Rachel from being a brat to an independent girl is a story in itself.

 

2) When Pheobe had her brother’s triplets

 

The weirdest character of all was also the kindest. Pheobe was known for her quirks and unexpected gestures for people she loved. One of the most wonderful and emotional moments in Pheobe’s life was when she decided to be the surrogate for her brother Frank and sister in law Alice. The second episode of season 5 in Friends, shows how she gave up all the babies after giving birth to them. The storyline broke many outdated thoughts and welcomed the idea of surrogacy.

 

3) Monica and Chandler’s adoption

 

A character that is obsessed with hygiene and organization and has waited to marry the right man and start a family lives in almost every existing girl. That girl is Monica. Throughout the show, Monica has waited to have a baby, she always wanted to be a mother. On the other hand, Chandler, was always afraid of commitment until he fell in love with Monica. It broke everyone’s heart when Chandler and Monica found out they hardly had chances of conceiving. The story took a huge turn when the couple decided to adopt a child together and call it their own. “We will take them home because they are our children,” said Monica when she realized that the mother of her babies was having twins. The moment was widely appreciated and loved by the audience.

 

4) Chandler’s decision to quit his job and start from scratch.

 

What was Chandler Bing’s job during the first nine years of the show was one of the biggest questions carried throughout the show. It was made pretty evident that ‘Statistical Analysis and Data reconfiguration’ was something that Chandler hated. He never loved his job even though he was paid well. During the second last of the series, Chandler quit his job and joined a field that was not even remotely related to what he used to do. It was inspiring to see a man starting his career in his mid-30s in advertising and even trying to have a baby amid his new job. The message of balancing everything together and exploring themselves even after crossing the youth was motivational.

 

5) Joey’s happy single life

 

Despite Joey’s devotion towards his friends, many people disliked Joey’s character for his playboy image. The character dated many women and never decided to stick for one woman. Even though this character trait was stereotyping him as a typical man, the bright side of this character was that he was happy in his single life. Apart from being in love with Rachel, Joey never felt the need to settle with anyone and was happy in his life all by himself.

If you haven’t watched F.R.I.E.N.D.S, go and watch it today to have a good laughs and happy tears.