Compared To Many, Friends Did Actually Age Well

Summary:

• Friends was an iconic sitcom that aired from 1994 to 2004.
• Although the show was considered progressive at the time of its release, many now find it to be poorly aged.
• However, the problems usually cited have more to do with the original quality of the production than the change in time.

While we all love to revel in some of the best TV and movie classics of the '80s and '90s, they're not always as great as we remember them. That has a lot to do with the prism through which we view certain media.

For example, if you were to watch your favorite movie or show from childhood today, you would most likely have a very different experience. Not only have you grown up and changed your views accordingly, but you may have missed many clues that are only available to the educated mind.

But it's not the personal experience that changes our perspective, it's the social rules around us. It's safe to say that we don't live in the same world as we did a decade ago, let alone several decades ago, so it's only fair that the context of what you see on the screen changes as well.

While some people argue that if the particular TV show or movie hasn't "aged well" that makes it terrible to begin with, others aren't so sure that the term is even acceptable for media consumption. Either way, any show that was remotely popular in the past now falls under this discussion. Friends is no exception.

Did Friends Age Well?

The thing about Friends is that it was considered quite progressive back in the 90s when it first premiered. It featured diverse characters with diverse aspirations and bravely tackled controversial issues such as same-sex marriage.

One of the main criticisms of Friends when discussing whether or not the show has aged well is the all-white cast. This is a very valid point, but it is in no way related to the time period argument. As we all know from many other shows of the 90s, there were examples of diverse casts.

The fact that Friends did not include other types of actors in the mix would go against their portrayal of New York as a whole. It is a bad decision, and the show deserves to be called out for it. But that was the bad decision from the beginning, not something that has necessarily changed over the years.

Of course, there are other things about the show that should be actively criticized. The use of some words that would now be considered offensive, the use of a fat suit and a lot of body shaming, and a few instances of mild homophobia – these are certainly not the brightest moments of Friends.

But compared to shows like Family Ties or Home Improvement, which are hard to watch for more than a few episodes, Friends is forgivable in its flaws. If you want to see if the show holds up for you personally, you can stream it on Max.