“I’ll be there for you” is the message of Associates theme music, however 30 years after the present first aired there are some noticeable flaws that make it appear as if that won’t completely be the case.
Positive, all of us nonetheless love the hit 90s sitcom, however rather a lot can change in 30 years, and on a re-evaluation, followers have discovered tons to critique throughout the present. It’s not simply plot holes and continuity errors, there are some larger issues which might be onerous to look over when rewatching the sequence, regardless of how nostalgic it might be.
- Launch Date
- September 22, 1994
- Seasons
- 10
- Studio
- Story By
- Marta Kauffman
- Writers
- Marta Kauffman, David Crane
- Community
- NBC
- Franchise(s)
- Associates
- Administrators
- Marta Kauffman, David Crane
- Showrunner
- Marta Kauffman
- The place To Watch
- M
10 Plot Holes
One can’t speak concerning the flaws in Associates with out mentioning the various plot holes and inconsistencies all through it. After all, any present will endure from the occasional plot gap, however Associates has numerous them. One factor that has at all times stood out was the truth that within the pilot episode, Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) supposedly met everybody (besides Monica (Courteney Cox) and Ross (David Schwimmer)) for the primary time.
But, within the Season 3 episode “The One with the Flashback”, we see that she met Chandler (Matthew Perry) a 12 months earlier than the pilot episode. It’s a complete oversight by the showrunners, and though it made for a humorous episode, it’s maddening to observe. Different particulars corresponding to inconsistent birthdays, ages, and a Bruce Willis cameo create main holes within the Associates universe.
9 Joey’s Character Downfall
One other flaw of the present that many have identified is how Joey’s (Matt LeBlanc) character modified all through the sequence. After we first meet Joey he’s extraordinarily charismatic and charming. He at all times has a date, and he’s at all times flirting.
However because the present goes on, Joey will get progressively dumber. Granted, Joey was by no means the neatest man, however the present ultimately made it appear as if he actually had nothing in his mind. He began not even feeling like himself. He instantly didn’t know what an Adam’s Apple was, referring to it as a “Joey’s Apple”, and claimed to not know the right way to use air quotes. It was by no means the suave girls’ man we met within the early seasons, and it’s one of many more odd selections the present made.
8 Joey’s Remedy of Ladies
Talking of Joey, his therapy of girls has at all times been a flaw of the present, however taking a look at it via at this time’s lens actually brings new consideration to simply how problematic a associate he was. In each episode he was taking dwelling somebody new, and whereas that in itself just isn’t problematic as long as each events are consenting, what’s problematic is how he handled them the subsequent day. He would make these ladies really feel as if he was falling in love with them, and that he actually wished one thing with them simply to get them into mattress, after which the subsequent morning he would get Chandler to allow them to down for him. He usually by no means calls once more, one thing we study from the instances he runs into previous lovers all through the present.
To not point out, Joey is at all times objectifying ladies. He’s at all times checking them out and having lewd ideas, typically even voicing mentioned ideas out loud to his mates. Positive, he’s charming, and he has a method with flirting that makes the women swoon, however let’s face it, Joey, as loveable as he’s, is sort of a pig!
7 Ross is a Cheater
One thing no person talks about sufficient is how Ross is a cheater. A serial cheater at that. He cheats on Julie (Lauren Tom) and Bonnie (Christine Taylor) by kissing Rachel whereas he is relationship them, nevertheless it’s by no means identified as one thing unhealthy as a result of it’s Rachel he cheated with.
But, when Carol (Jane Sibbett) cheated on him, he by no means bought over it, and nonetheless introduced it up, even when he was in a relationship himself. It’s a complete double normal, and but it’s by no means introduced up as a result of most love him and Rachel collectively, and see any love curiosity in between as nothing however a short lived roadblock. However I’ll say it, Julie and Bonnie didn’t deserve that, Ross. Disgrace on you!
6 Unrealistic Monetary Scenario
It is a subject that’s introduced up rather a lot these days and for good motive: how on earth had been the chums affording their flats? Particularly in these early seasons when none of them had been working notably flashy jobs. Positive, all of them have roommates, however there are nonetheless some fairly swanky flats in Manhattan, no much less. By the tip of the present, it makes extra sense for them to be dwelling within the flats they do, however within the early seasons, they make numerous mentions of barely scraping by, so how on earth are they affording such good flats?
The one one who has a steady and well-paying job all all through the present is Chandler, as he’s in IT and is alleged to make amount of cash. However Rachel takes some time to get excessive within the ranks of style government, Ross doesn’t develop into a paleontology professor till halfway via the present, Monica is commonly bouncing between chef jobs, Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow) is a masseuse, and it takes a bit for Joey to get a gentle appearing gig that pays him effectively. None of this provides as much as the kind of dream life laid out for them on the present.
5 Everyone seems to be a Stereotype
A minor element which will appear simple to miss, is definitely actually noticeable on a rewatch, particularly these days when exhibits and films take satisfaction in creating well-fleshed out and dynamic characters. However all of the characters on Associates match right into a stereotype of some kind.
Rachel is the favored one, Joey is the flirt, Ross is the nerd, Chandler is the humorous one, Monica is the detail-oriented one, and Phoebe is the black sheep. This, after all, makes for an attention-grabbing dynamic between a pal group, particularly on a sitcom, nevertheless it additionally implies that these characters are painfully caught in a field and don’t develop out of all of it that a lot. That’s to not say the characters in Associates had no progress in any respect. That might be unfair, however by the tip of the present, they kind of deep dived into the stereotypes of every character and actually honed in.
4 Fatphobic Jokes
One of many working “jokes” in Associates is that Monica was chubby. It’s persistently introduced up by her family and friends, however by no means in a praising method, at all times in a detrimental method, or as a approach to tease her. Flashbacks usually depict a youthful Monica, wherein actress Courteney Cox donned a “fatsuit” and was the butt of the joke for the episode. In “The One with the Promenade Video”, Joey quips “That lady ate Monica!”
Whereas these jokes might have been humorous on the time, they’ve aged so poorly now, and are simply merciless to observe. Particularly once we see flashbacks of Monica deciding she must reduce weight as a result of Chandler (who she had been crushing on as a youngster) known as her fats. And hey, if Monica is the one making the jokes, then no matter, they’re her jokes to inform, it’s her life and her physique. However coming from her family and friends, those that are supposed to love and assist her? It’s onerous to observe.
3 Sexist and Misogynistic Storylines
Associates has some storylines that haven’t aged effectively, however there are some that stick out for being notably sexist and misogynistic, that make followers flip up their noses. Conveniently, just a few should do with Ross. One instance is the episode “The One with the Metaphorical Tunnel” wherein Ross will get uncomfortable as a result of his son needs to play with a Barbie doll. He tries to drive him to as an alternative decide up a GI Joe doll, nevertheless it’s to no avail and Ross is left defeated and unusually uncomfortable all through the episode on the thought of his toddler son taking part in with a Barbie.
This bizarre pattern continues later within the sequence after he and Rachel have a child collectively and determine to rent a nanny. One of many candidates is a person named Sandy (Freddie Prinze Jr.). He’s completely excellent for the job, he has a listing of referrals, he’s nice with Emma, and he wins Rachel over instantly. However Ross refuses to rent a male nanny, regardless of how proper he’s for the job.
2 How the Present Dealt with Chandler’s Dad
From the start of the present, we all know that Chandler has a tough and estranged relationship with each of his mother and father. He repeatedly makes feedback and jokes (as a result of Chandler’s coping mechanism is humor) about how his father had an affair with the pool boy. In Season 7, we lastly meet Chandler’s dad when he and Monica go to his dad’s drag present “Helena Handbasket” with a marriage invite. After they arrive, we study that Chandler’s father just isn’t solely a drag queen, however a transgender lady (co-creator Marta Kauffman has confirmed this, and thus I shall be going by her phrase). Sadly, the present doesn’t even remotely deal with this storyline proper. She isn’t as soon as referred to by her pronouns (one thing Kauffman has since apologized for) and she or he was performed by Kathleen Turner, a girl, but the character was meant to be a transgender lady, and will have been performed by one.
It was all in all a messy storyline that had the potential to essentially break boundaries on mainstream tv had it been dealt with proper. Turner, who portrayed the character, mentioned she doubtless wouldn’t take the position at this time, and that there was by no means any consideration from the showrunners about hiring a transgender individual or drag queen. Yikes.
1 Lack of Variety
The most important flaw of Associates is the dearth of range among the many primary characters. Each character within the core group is white, and there are not often any folks of shade introduced in as visitor stars both. There’s Julie and Charlie (Aisha Tyler), they usually’re nice, and convey a pleasant breath of contemporary air to the present, however they don’t stick round for lengthy, they usually’re not part of the core forged. It was the 90s, and sadly, there wasn’t numerous range among the many casts in exhibits at the moment, however it doesn’t make it any much less disappointing.
There are some moments of range in different points. As an illustration, Monica and Ross are Jewish, and the present aired the primary lesbian wedding ceremony on community tv. So, sure, there are moments, however they’re few and much between and general, for a present that spans 10 seasons, the dearth of a lot range is a big flaw that hangs over the present. In a 2022 interview with LA Instances, Marta Kauffman shared her regret for not together with extra range throughout the sequence. “I’ve discovered rather a lot within the final 20 years. Admitting and accepting guilt just isn’t simple. It’s painful taking a look at your self within the mirror. I’m embarrassed that I didn’t know higher 25 years in the past.”
