It seems that as of late, more people are jumping onto the bandwagon of hating the classic sitcom Friends.
Of course, not every show is loved. In fact, there are several reasons why someone might not like Friends.
However, those reasons are often overshadowed by a new trend — bringing up any excuse to bash Friends like it is the cool thing to do.
For the last few years, people have been more vocal about their dislike for Friends, going as far to say things such as, “my best quality is that I have never watched Friends,” or “those who think Friends is a good show make me lose all faith in humanity.”
Come on; there is no need to be that dramatic. You can critique the show all day long without claiming to have lost faith in humanity or pride yourself on never watching the show in the first place.
Joey: Hey Pheebs, you wanna help?
Phoebe: Oh, I wish I could, but I don’t want to.
And then there is the fact that the same people continuously lament over the hype of Friends.
Honestly, they claim that the hype confuses them, but their comments are actually confusing because, well, where is the hype? People seem to hate the show more than they love it these days.
That is completely fine, but pushing the idea that it is unpopular to hate Friends, therefore it is cool, is just wrong. If anything, it is kind of embarrassing. It is evident that these people just jumped on the “hating Friends” bandwagon only because everyone else already has.
Seriously, who started this trend? And why do people think hating this sitcom makes you unique?
Newsflash: nobody is edgy or weird for disliking Friends. The show is a beloved sitcom, but it is also problematic in its own right. You are not special for detesting Friends, so stop with the overdramatic statements.
Humanity is not lost forever. If Friends did not have a laugh track, some people would find it funny, while others would not. You must have better qualities than never having seen the show because otherwise, do you even have a personality?
And nobody is jumping into volcanoes or injuring themselves because they have seen one too many Friends references.
The actual content of the show is not deep at all. Friends exists purely to make people laugh for twenty minutes.
No, no, you’re, uh, you’re my lobster. See, um, lobsters, uh, in the tank when, when they’re old, uh, they get with, uh, they walk around holding the claws. In the tank, ya know, with, with the holding and… Uh, Pheebs you wanna help me out with the, the whole lobster thing?
Ross
Now, that does not mean the show is flawless. Even if we did not take it out of context, Friends still got away with things that nobody should.
The show is a blatant copycat of Living Single, a sitcom about a tight-knit group of young black adults taking on Brooklyn. Sound familiar, anyone?
Not to mention that Friends has several jokes that are tinged with bigotry, and humor that relies on hurting others is not funny at all.
The show is also regularly criticized for its lack of diversity, and rightfully so. What are the odds that six close friends are all white? In New York City, of all places?
However, nobody ever talks about these critical factors. People who claim to hate Friends talk about their dislike all the time, but they never actually say why.
That is how you can tell Friends haters apart. If they list their reasons whenever the subject happens to come up, chances are they genuinely do not like the show at all.
But if they talk about their dislike every chance they get without ever saying why, odds are these people are just jumping onto the “We Hate Friends, We’re Unique” bandwagon.
Seriously, of all three categories (those who do not like the show, those who jump the bandwagon of disliking the show, and fans of the show), the biggest group is probably the bandwagon, despite claiming to be a very select few.
This is not high society — you either like Friends, or you do not, and you are not special no matter how you feel about the show.
I’m going into business, people. I needed a plan. A plan to get over my man … and what’s the opposite of man? Jam!
Monica
The reality is, Friends has its reasons for being iconic. The show largely impacted an entire generation, from girls copying Rachel’s hair and wardrobe style to casually incorporating “Friends-isms” into their vocabulary.
However, just like any show, it has its flaws, especially since it is a sitcom with a predominantly white cast and crew. It is unfortunate that people make dramatic statements about their hate for Friends instead of pointing out the show’s flaws.
The conversation could be far more productive, and we could shed more light on the several awful storylines Friends has, some of which are downright appalling and disgusting.
Friends can be criticized for its faults while still being recognized for its momentum. And we can assure you, nobody is cooler for claiming to hate the show. Maybe watch a few episodes and decide for yourself, instead of going along with a terribly annoying crowd.
We will leave you with this suggestion: even if you do not like Friends, we highly recommend checking out Living Single. This show has far more positive aspects, it is funnier, and most importantly, it is original. It is a shame Living Single did not get its chance to shine, but hopefully, it will soon get the recognition it deserves.
We want to hear from you, Fanatics!
What do you think of Friends? Do you think people are merely voicing their dislike for the show to follow the crowd? How do you feel about the show in general?
Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
Sarah Novack is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow her on Twitter.