Revisiting "Friends": A Timeless Sitcom That Warms Hearts Across Generations

Have you ever watched a show that has impacted you so deeply that you feel like it is a part of your life? That the characters of the show are not just playing characters, but they feel like your friends? A show that gives you a sense of calmness whenever you watch it? That show to me is  F.R.I.E.N.D.S

My journey with friends :  My obsession with Friends began when I first started watching it back in 2017. Before then, I had a vague idea about the show. Obviously, it had premiered  long before i was born and it even wrapped up the same year I was born, in 2004. Growing up, I had heard about the show a few times and had even watched it accidentally while browsing through TV channels. But when I started watching it intentionally in 2017, I was instantly hooked.

Preview of friends: Well, F.R.I.E.N.D.S as we know was a popular sitcom during the 90s and the early 2000s. A comedy centric tv series showing the life of 6 friends in their 20s and going through the ups and downs of life. From having career problems, roommate problems, nosey neighbors, on and off love life, sitting together in a cafe at the end of the day and sharing how their day have been with each other to hitting their 30s, marrying the love of their life and settling down in a totally different place and each going to their own way, friends is the literal portrayal of friendship over the years.

Going Through the characters:

Monica : Monica is a character who loves to cook fabulous meals, clean her apartment, take care of her friends in a sort of motherly way. She is a perfectionist and likes to do things her own way. Her apartment is the place where most of the scenes of the show takes place

Ross : Ross is an interesting guy who happens to be an enthusiastic Paleontologist. He also happens to be the elder brother of Monica. He actually has the very first dialogue of the show which is just a sad, ‘Hiiiiii’. 

Rachel : Monica's friend from high school who runs away from her wedding only to end up in the same cafe where Monica and her friends hangout. Despite not inviting Monica to her now failed wedding, Monica still lets her live in her apartment and just like high school they go back to being best friends. Oh and Ross has a childhood crush on Rachel.

Joey : With the dream of being an Hollywood actor, Joey came to New York and lives next door to Monica. Joey is the cute, funny and the one who takes time to understand anything kinda guy. He has the purest heart and he loves his friends so much. Well, not more than a good sandwich though.

Phoebe : Phoebe used to be roommates with Monica, that's how they became friends in the first place. She is this quirky, a little crazy, badass, filled with street knowledge kinda girl. She loves to play the guitar and even has her own song called, 'Smelly Cat’

Chandler : Having a very mysterious job, one that he doesn't even like but does anyways, Chandler is the roommate of Joey. He uses sarcasm as his humor and has commitment issues. He's the kind that cheers up everyone at a hangout with their jokes yet a mysterious person.

the show and its impact: Having watched 10 seasons, 236 episodes of this show, I can say that this was more than just a show to me. Each character has taught me something valuable about life. Phoebe taught me to be my own person and not pay attention  to what society has to say. Rachel taught me that it's okay to make mistakes and take risks. Joey taught me to never give up on my dreams, no matter the setbacks. Chandler taught me to laugh at life's challenges and find humor in the ordinary even when facing uncertainty. Ross taught me to not lose hope even in the saddest and worst situations. Monica  taught me that it's okay to have flaws and we should accept ourselves for who we are. While each of them had their own little impact on me, the show in general was a big deal to me and millions of other people who have watched it. A show where you see reflections of your life, where you learn how to go through hardships, where the people you see on the screen feels closer to you than people you know in real life, where the friends in the show actually become your friends that you laugh or be sad with. After watching F.R.I.E.N.D.S I'm sure that I'm not the only one who feels like this and whoever have watched Friends in their life would certainly agree with me. It's a show that's evergreen to every generation and not just a show to many.

Some of us may not have friends in our real lives like the six of those. In that case, the show itself acts like a friend. This show can make you laugh, help you through tough times, and bring you comfort. You can always count on the show whenever you’re feeling low.