Don’t get me wrong, I’m a huge fan. I can quote many episodes word for word, but the show FRIENDS did give us quite an unrealistic view of how our lives should be/might be/could be.
1) Everyone you care about will always live within 10 minutes of you and will magically appear in a time of crisis. Now, we know this isn’t true. People move, they have jobs that dictate their schedules, spouses, lives outside of you, so they will not magically appear and throw an arm around your neck when you need it.
2) Your tribe will be the same six or eight people forever. You and I know that friendships in the real world come and go, and sometimes seem to change with the wind or the season. Chances are good that, though you may have a friend or two throughout your life, your tribe can change as your life changes.
3) All of life’s problems can and should be settled in under 45 minutes. As with all sit-coms, we see major life issues arrive and be settled to a fair and equitable outcome for all, in under 45 minutes. Soooo not the case in real life, where our problems go on for days, weeks, even years.
4) Never boot anyone out of your life. Okay, can we say BOUNDARIES? How many of you would put up with some of what these people put up with? Could I really be BFFs with Ross Geller forever? I’m thinking… no. And real-life Monica Gellers have few real long-term friends because of their OCD tendencies and chronic neatness. As an intense person myself, I can say that it can make it tough to maintain the kind of friendships she has, and it would be exhausting for her to have people coming and going in her space all of the time. And Joey is a misogynistic perv more often than not, running through women like he (hopefully) changes his underwear.
5) And what about Phoebe? Well, okay, I have nothing negative to say about a homeless gal who has no real visible means of support but manages to live very well in the end. She somehow manages to pull herself out of some tough spaces and maintains her sanity. (But honestly, how much does massage therapy pay??)
6) And Rachel is our “normal” one. She must’ve been designed and created as the normal gal. Normal. She’s drop-dead gorgeous, no weight problems, perfect hair. Her biggest issues are, which hot dude do I want today and can I make it in the fashion industry? Poor Rachel. We should all be so normal.
7) Chandler Bing! I must confess Chan-man is my favorite. He’s got that “boy next door cute goofiness” that is hard to resist. He’s smart, funny, and can make a girl laugh. What more could you want? He’s the one we always find ourselves rooting for. You want him to find true love and make good in life.
So, in summary, what can we learn from FRIENDS? That it is great entertainment. Period.