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Original poster

Can we list the inconsistencies in F.R.I.E.N.D.S just for funsies?

248 replies

RomeoLikedCapuletGirls · 07/02/2021 11:00

I know it’s probably been done many times before but I’ve just noticed one I can’t believe I hadn’t seen before!

  • when Joey is about to act in the war film with Gary Oldman, Phoebe doesn’t know who they fought in WW1 but in the Thanksgiving episode she was a nurse in the same war in a previous life.

So she would have known they fought the Germans!

OP posts:
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8
Jobsharenightmare · 09/02/2021 11:24

I wonder whether as script writers came and went over the years it was easier to miss the (I think crucial!) conversation about the integrity to the characters?

NooneElseIsSingingMySong · 09/02/2021 11:36

The Phoebe eating meat lasagne is so bad because they had already mentioned she was veggie!

Also Phoebe wears a lot of dresses but when she’s meeting Mike’s parents she makes a big thing of not owning any dresses.

Doesn’t Chandler also cry when Phoebe gets a bike from Ross?

AnnieJ1985 · 09/02/2021 11:41

Another one...

When Rachel takes Monica to get the ice out of her eye and they unreasonably don't recognise Timothy Burke Rachel comments that he is so cute she is thinking of sticking her pen in her eye.

Fast Forward - Rachel has to be pounced on to get eye drops into her because she hates anything to do with eyeballs.

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JackieWeaverIsTheAuthority · 09/02/2021 11:47

Fast Forward - Rachel has to be pounced on to get eye drops into her because she hates anything to do with eyeballs

Well that’s just proof of how much she fancied him Grin

Bibidy · 09/02/2021 11:51

Not really an inconsistency, but one thing I notice - although Friends is better than some other shows in this regard - is how no one every spends time with their family?? Except Ross and Monica with each other obviously...

In Friends, they have parents (and in Ross's case, kids) that pop up less than once a series and they are all always free to spend every major holiday with their group of mates.

Not a massive thing but it just bothers me that it's so unrealistic that no one ever gets dragged back to their families for Thanksgiving or Christmas Grin.

JackieWeaverIsTheAuthority · 09/02/2021 11:58

Yes like when Rachel had Emma all her friends were at the hospital- Ross’ parents came but where were her parents? It was their first grandchild being born. They didn’t even visit!

Bibidy · 09/02/2021 12:03

@JackieWeaverIsTheAuthority

Yes like when Rachel had Emma all her friends were at the hospital- Ross’ parents came but where were her parents? It was their first grandchild being born. They didn’t even visit!
Exactly, and Joey's massive, close-knit Italian family....no members of which were ever seen after like season 3.
JackieWeaverIsTheAuthority · 09/02/2021 12:08

Particularly when Rachel’s mum had wanted to actually move in for 8 weeks to help her look after the baby!

GellerYeller · 09/02/2021 12:15

They had a few in jokes or went meta too. Phoebe speaking French (Lisa Kudrow has a French husband). People in the press commenting they always got the sofa in Central Perk so one episode they made a thing of someone else getting it and Rachel wanting to move from the window seat. Ditto them addressing the rent control issue of Monica's apartment in the final episode. Apparently Courtney Cox is very neat and tidy in real life!

GellerYeller · 09/02/2021 12:18

I'm sure I also read that Jennifer is regarded as a terrible driver which led to a few storylines- Rachel getting pulled over for speeding and Monica not telling her everyone else had borrowed the Porsche!

Theromanempire · 09/02/2021 12:34

Another one - apart from work uniforms, the 3 females literally wear a different outfit every episode! Never wear the same thing twice - how unrealistic is that?

Maireas · 09/02/2021 12:36

@Theromanempire - I was actually going to post that! Completely new outfits every episode for ten years. It would have been better to repeat pieces, more realistic. Even Phoebe didn't seem to wear anything twice!

mnahmnah · 09/02/2021 12:41

I think a lot of these points on clothes, family etc can be solved with the fact that we’re not meant to see every moment of each of their lives. When we’re watching Rachel and Monica, Joey may be visiting family etc. We’re seeing the friends bits.

But, still, that doesn’t explain Christmas, thanksgiving and baby births!

mnahmnah · 09/02/2021 12:43

And I’m always confused about phoebe’s family tree and upbringing! None of it makes sense. I need a diagram Grin

JackieWeaverIsTheAuthority · 09/02/2021 12:49

Ok so Phoebe Sr, Lily and Frank Sr were in a threesome relationship and Phoebe Sr got pregnant by Frank Sr. It was twins, she didn’t want to raise them so left them with their father Frank Sr and Lily to raise. Frank Sr was a terrible father by his own admission, he burnt the milk and made up bad songs that made them cry even more so he left them and their adoptive mother Lily to raise them alone. He then remarried and had a son, Frank Jr who he later abandoned. Lily met a new man and married him, not sure of his name but he ended up in prison, Lily got involved in dealing drugs, became depressed and killed herself leaving Phoebe Jr and Ursula parent less at 14. Phoebe Jr lived on the streets for some time then moved in with her adoptive grandmother Lily’s mother.

mnahmnah · 09/02/2021 12:51

Thank you!!!

I’ve watched them all so many times but don’t have a great memory for details! Currently working my way through them all again. Halfway through series 3

fluffythedragonslayer · 09/02/2021 12:58

When Ross gets a spray tan. Why does he have to count before turning around? Why not just turn as soon as the spray is finished?

Creamcrackersandricecakes · 09/02/2021 13:14

@fluffythedragonslayer - OH GOD YES!!!! That one annoys me so much!! Why are you standing there counting you doofus?? It's clearly stopped spraying, just turn around!! Unfortunately DH thinks this scene is hilarious so I have to put up with him laughing like a drain whilst I mutter furiously every time it's on Grin.

adrianmolesmole · 09/02/2021 14:12

Ditto them addressing the rent control issue of Monica's apartment in the final episode

I have a theory that it was in reference to an episode in Sex & the city around that time, where Carrie kind of disses Friends - "we don't all live in massive colourful apartments" or something like that she said in an episode. I sort of remember a short while after Friends mentioned the rent control issue!

mnahmnah · 09/02/2021 14:27

The rent control thing was mentioned in series 1 wasn’t it?

Bibidy · 09/02/2021 14:34

@mnahmnah

The rent control thing was mentioned in series 1 wasn’t it?
Yes Monica definitely mentions it to someone in one of the early episodes. Saying if anybody asks who lives there her date should say she's an old woman or something.
Maireas · 09/02/2021 15:16

I know what you mean, @mnahmnah, but I think they could still have repeated clothes (small point, really, but it does irk me!)
The hospital scenes - inexplicably no Rachel parents at Emma's birth, unless we use the same logic, that they visited when we weren't watching.

adrianmolesmole · 09/02/2021 15:16

Ah, I'll have to start again from the beginning! Grin

Maireas · 09/02/2021 15:17

Doesn't Mr Treegar threaten to tell the landlord that Monica is illegally sub letting her grandma's apartment?

RosieLemonade · 09/02/2021 15:28

I don't think they often repeat clothes in sitcoms. I think it is a way to advertise.