# Re-watching Friends **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** tv-shows-scripted\ **Created:** [February 9, 2015, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-watching-friends/712251 "2015-02-09T20:16:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2015, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-watching-friends/712251/41 "2015-05-10T05:52:26Z")
> [@Don\_Draper](#): > > One sure sign of changing times is the squeamishness the show has over homosexuality. I remember being actually very impressed that a prime time sitcom would _dare_ bring up the topic of Chandler _maybe_ being gay. Because that was a subject that TV shows NEVER broached - unless it was some one-off guest star ushered onstage for a Very Special Episode, and then promptly whisked away. But nowadays, watching the persistent gay panic that Chandler and Joey have in almost every other episode is just painful and forced. It’s like the show is determined to remind the audience “They’re NOT!!! GAY!!!” I think this has changed but is still very present in US culture among young men, but now it is a sort of over the top homoerotic joking to prove you’re not gay. Like hey man…wanna suck my dick? Hah nah man jking sort of thing. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_the\_Immortal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6de8d8/32.png) [@Max\_the\_Immortal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_the_Immortal)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2015, 8:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-watching-friends/712251/42 "2015-05-10T08:58:39Z")
[They’re terrible people.](http://www.cracked.com/video_19324_6-friends-characters-who-are-actually-terrible-people.html) ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2015, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-watching-friends/712251/43 "2015-05-11T05:13:05Z")
> [@Max\_the\_Immortal](#): > > [They’re terrible people.](http://www.cracked.com/video_19324_6-friends-characters-who-are-actually-terrible-people.html) Ross was a terrible father because the roughly nine and a half hours a _year_ that we saw of him didn’t include more of Ben? A _sitcom_ should have acknowledged 9/11? Watching these four idiots attempt to act their way through this stupid skit makes me appreciate real shows like _Friends_ all the more. ---
**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2015, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-watching-friends/712251/44 "2015-05-14T13:12:02Z")
I think this was absolutely the best sitcom ever, by miles. It always made me laugh, and I am a tough audience. I agree about Kudrow, but I had a real weakness for Perry/Chandler. Cracked me up. I had a really nice encounter with Perry… it was shortly after the show went off the air, he was playing in a poker tournament that I was also playing in. He kept getting up to go outside to smoke, and everyone was remarking that he was really unhappy about people bugging him for autographs. He would keep his head down and try not to be noticed. I never ask for pictures or autographs when I see or meet celebrities, and i don’t understand why people do it. But I will tell them I like their work. In Perry’s case I was, as I say, a huge fan and the show had not been over long. So I decided I wanted to tell him how I felt, and I got up and followed him outside. When I first spoke, he got this pained look on his face, like “PLEASE don’t…” But I said “I don’t want to ask you for anything, but I had to take this opportunity to thank you, because the show overall, and you particularly, have brought me so much pleasure for so many years.” His face lit up with a huge smile and he thanked me back, very sincerely. I felt really good about that. (It’s my karmic balance for the time I told the Richard Pryor fire joke while Richard Pryor was listening, fresh out of the hospital, and I had no idea until he cornered me…ouch) ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2015, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-watching-friends/712251/45 "2015-05-14T15:22:04Z")
I watched a Behind the Scenes show (on E!, I think) and David Schwimmer did something very smart. Both of his parents are attorneys, and he convinced the rest of the cast that they should agree to be paid the same amount of money per show right from the beginning. That way, Warner Bros couldn’t play one against the other, swapping out characters who demanded more money to bring in cheaper actors. ---
**Author:** ![epbrown01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7ba0ec/32.png) [@epbrown01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/epbrown01)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2015, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-watching-friends/712251/46 "2015-05-14T16:39:34Z")
> [@ivylass](#): > > I watched a Behind the Scenes show (on E!, I think) and David Schwimmer did something very smart. Both of his parents are attorneys, and he convinced the rest of the cast that they should agree to be paid the same amount of money per show right from the beginning. That way, Warner Bros couldn’t play one against the other, swapping out characters who demanded more money to bring in cheaper actors. Really? I’d heard that Cox was paid more than everyone else the first season (40k per ep vs 25k) as she was the “star” of the series (if you watch, the first few eps were focused on Monica) but as the show evolved to more of an ensemble thing and gained popularity, she was fine with everyone making the same (80k per ep) when season two started (unlike, say, Rob Lowe). I think season three is when they held out for megabucks as a group, as word got back that syndie rights were going for crazy money. As you might guess, I was a big fan of the show early on. To me, one of the best elements was the sibling relationship between Monica and Ross, which seemed funny and yet realistic for 20-something siblings. (“Mom and Dad are coming over for dinner. Are you going to mention the whole pregnant-lesbian-ex-wife thing? 'Cause that could _really_ take the pressure off.”) ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2015, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-watching-friends/712251/47 "2015-05-14T18:27:35Z")
Cox was the star when it started? All she had was that Springsteen video going for her, right? I figured Perry and Kudrow were the stars. Perry had appeared in a lot of sitcoms by then and Kudrow had been and still was the Ursula character in Mad About You. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2015, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-watching-friends/712251/48 "2015-05-14T18:33:09Z")
> [@epbrown01](#): > > Really? [Clarification](http://www.factfiend.com/cast-friends-took-pay-cut-theyd-paid-amount/)…in season 2, Aniston and Schwimmer were paid more, then starting in season 3 they took a pay cut and would only negotiate salary as a group. ---
**Author:** ![epbrown01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7ba0ec/32.png) [@epbrown01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/epbrown01)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2015, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-watching-friends/712251/49 "2015-05-14T19:21:34Z")
> [@Ranger\_Jeff](#): > > Cox was the star when it started? All she had was that Springsteen video going for her, right? I figured Perry and Kudrow were the stars. Perry had appeared in a lot of sitcoms by then and Kudrow had been and still was the Ursula character in Mad About You. I never saw it, but I’ve heard that Cox fronted a failed sitcom called the Misfits of Science, and she had done a popular turn before that in a recurring role at Alex Keaton’s girlfriend on “Family Ties” (19 episodes), as well as a feature film (“Masters of the Universe”). Aside from Kudrow’s hilarious bit as Ursula, Cox is the only one I’d ever seen. Before it became the Ross and Rachel show (the reason I stopped watching about five seasons in), the A plots were about Monica and the B plots about the others. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2015, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-watching-friends/712251/50 "2015-05-14T19:54:38Z")
Something that always distracts me when I watch the shows now is how much Jennifer Aniston changed over time. Or actually, it’s more like trying to put my finger on exactly \*what \*changed. Something about her face is different, starting I think, in the third season. Obviously weight loss will change one’s face, but it’s more than that. I can’t remember if I actually heard she’d had plastic surgery or if I’m confusing it with the Rachel character. Her voice seems to have change in some way also, though again I can’t quite pinpoint how. Does anyone else know what I’m talking about? ---
**Author:** ![Fair\_Rarity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fair_rarity/32/153_2.png) [@Fair\_Rarity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fair_Rarity)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2015, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-watching-friends/712251/51 "2015-05-15T01:36:28Z")
She totally had a nose job. Not that I’ve seen it confirmed, but her nose is way different in 04 than 94. The hardest thing I have about rewatching is just how terrible Monica looks in the first few seasons. She looks older in S1 and 2 than she did in the last two. Her hair was a nightmare. It reminds me of the Seinfeld episode with Wendy Malick and the terrible, outdated hair. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2015, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-watching-friends/712251/52 "2015-05-15T02:31:10Z")
> [@Ranger\_Jeff](#): > > Cox was the star when it started? All she had was that Springsteen video going for her, right? I figured Perry and Kudrow were the stars. Perry had appeared in a lot of sitcoms by then and Kudrow had been and still was the Ursula character in Mad About You. Courtney Cox was the only semi famous name in the cast at the start. Mostly because of the Springsteen video (it was VERY popular) and a memorable run as one of Alex’s girlfriends on Family Ties. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2015, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-watching-friends/712251/53 "2015-05-15T03:37:59Z")
> [@Quimby](#): > > Courtney Cox was the only semi famous name in the cast at the start. Mostly because of the Springsteen video (it was VERY popular) and a memorable run as one of Alex’s girlfriends on Family Ties. _::coughs::_ Ace Ventura _::coughs::_ ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2015, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-watching-friends/712251/54 "2015-08-19T14:45:53Z")
A deleted _Friends_ scene, about Chandler and Monica leaving for their honeymoon, has been released: [http://www.cnn.com/2015/08/19/entertainment/friends-deleted-scene-feat/index.html](http://www.cnn.com/2015/08/19/entertainment/friends-deleted-scene-feat/index.html) ---
**Author:** ![Toy\_varen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e47774/32.png) [@Toy\_varen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Toy_varen)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2015, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-watching-friends/712251/55 "2015-08-19T14:54:04Z")
I was never a fan of the show. Between me and my friends, we had nicknames for it: The Crap after Seinfeld Sex and the City for people who couldn’t afford HBO Another show about nothing, but dumb Everybody Hates Ross The show only one guy has a job ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2015, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-watching-friends/712251/56 "2015-08-19T14:59:16Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > A deleted _Friends_ scene, about Chandler and Monica leaving for their honeymoon, has been released: [http://www.cnn.com/2015/08/19/entertainment/friends-deleted-scene-feat/index.html](http://www.cnn.com/2015/08/19/entertainment/friends-deleted-scene-feat/index.html) That was on the DVDs like 15 years ago. ---
**Author:** ![Abracadebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f04885/32.png) [@Abracadebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Abracadebra)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2015, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-watching-friends/712251/57 "2015-08-19T18:57:41Z")
> [@Don\_Draper](#): > > \ > > Even worse is Ross’s ex-wife and her new girlfriend Carol and Susan in their few appearances. I can get that Ross would have some resentment towards them, but they seem to be written as castrating bitches who are out to make Ross miserable. _Carol_ is the one going through a pregnancy and major life change, yet this is entirely Ross’s story and she is simply there as a difficulty for him to deal with. > > In fact, the whole time-line of Carol’s pregnancy doesn’t even make sense when I think about it: I could buy her not realizing she was a lesbian until she met Susan, but when did she get pregnant??? It’s not like getting divorced can be done in a day - there must have been a transition period in which it could be assumed she and Ross were NOT having sex. The only way it could logically work is if she deliberately had sex with Ross one final time during their divorce proceedings with the intent of getting knocked up. And if so, that makes her a terrible, TERRIBLE person. The actress who played Susan, Jessica Hecht, also played Gretchen on Breaking Bad. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2015, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-watching-friends/712251/58 "2015-08-19T19:54:28Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > A deleted _Friends_ scene, about Chandler and Monica leaving for their honeymoon, has been released: [http://www.cnn.com/2015/08/19/entertainment/friends-deleted-scene-feat/index.html](http://www.cnn.com/2015/08/19/entertainment/friends-deleted-scene-feat/index.html) Can’t click the link at the moment but I remember they had a sub plot about Chandler making a bomb joke in an airport and cut it because it was right around 9/11 so they cut it. I suppose that is what this is?. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2015, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-watching-friends/712251/59 "2015-08-20T01:36:40Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > That was on the DVDs like 15 years ago. Really? Odd that CNN wouldn’t mention that. > [@Quimby](#): > > Can’t click the link at the moment but I remember they had a sub plot about Chandler making a bomb joke in an airport and cut it because it was right around 9/11 so they cut it. I suppose that is what this is?. Yes. It would’ve aired about two weeks after 9-11. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2015, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-watching-friends/712251/60 "2015-08-21T00:31:37Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Really? Odd that CNN wouldn’t mention that. Do you really find it odd that CNN would fail to do the most basic of research? [Here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_p5i7lu2pGQ)’s the scene on YouTube, uploaded way back in the wild days of 2007. ETA: Jeezus fuck. Now that I look again, that’s _the same fucking youtube video_ that’s embedded in the CNN story! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-watching-friends/712251.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-watching-friends/712251.md?page=4)