Unbelievable Twists and Turns: 10 Most Shocking Friends Storylines in 2023

Summary

Friends had some controversial storylines that are hard to watch now, like Phoebe dating her twin's stalkers and Ross dating one of his students.

The discomforting and forced nature of Monica's kiss with Richard's son and Rachel's involvement with Joshua made these moments difficult to witness.

Chandler's discriminatory behavior towards overweight individuals and Ross' jealousy towards Rachel's friendship with Mark created discomfort for viewers.

In 2023, rewatching the iconic sitcom Friends reveals some uncomfortable truths about its storylines. While Friends was groundbreaking in its own right and left an undeniable cultural impact, it has not aged well as a TV series. Although it paved the way for future shows, Friends also included peculiar and at times controversial plotlines that, although tolerated at the time, are difficult to watch in the present day.

Set in New York City, Friends took viewers on a journey alongside six young adults as they navigated the challenges of adulthood. With its ups and downs, the show explored a wide range of storylines, but not all of them withstand the test of time. As more people revisit the series, certain problematic elements have come to light, prompting reflection on whether some of these storylines would have been acceptable in 2023. Here, we delve into 10 Friends storylines that are particularly challenging to watch now and explore the reasons behind their discomfort.

10 Phoebe Dates Her Twin’s Stalkers

In the world of Friends, the main characters had their fair share of romantic experiences before finding their true matches. However, Phoebe's storyline took an unsettling turn as it kept repeating a pattern with her creepy boyfriends. In season 3, Phoebe encountered Malcolm (David Arquette) at the subway station. Sadly, he mistook her for her twin sister, Ursula, and became unhealthily obsessed with her. Despite Phoebe taking legal action and getting a restraining order, Malcolm continued to stalk her relentlessly. Phoebe initially offered her assistance to help him move on, but eventually ended the relationship when his obsession with Ursula persisted.

In a later season, season 8 to be precise, Phoebe found herself entangled with Eric (Sean Penn), Ursula's former fiancé. As Phoebe exposed Ursula's deceitful behavior, Eric broke things off with her and promptly shifted his attention towards Phoebe. While not as alarming as Malcolm's actions, Eric managed to acquire Phoebe's phone number through a police acquaintance, which raised some concerns. Eric also struggled to fully see Phoebe as an individual since she resembled Ursula, leading to moments of anger. Despite Phoebe's belief in her ability to help him heal, their relationship eventually fell apart when Eric mistakenly slept with Ursula, believing she was Phoebe. The betrayal proved to be too much for Phoebe to handle, leading to their breakup.

9 Ross Dating One Of His Students

Several storylines on this list revolve around the characters' romantic relationships, as Friends explored various themes through these narratives. One particularly controversial and uncomfortable storyline in Friends involved Ross dating one of his students, Elizabeth. Despite the clear prohibition on such relationships and the risk of losing his job, Ross and Elizabeth chose to continue their relationship secretly. The discomfort in watching their relationship stems from the significant age gap of approximately 12 years and their apparent lack of emotional connection. While Elizabeth enjoyed a carefree life, Ross always sought control, creating further dissonance between them.

8 Monica Goes Out With Richard’s Son

Before Chandler, Monica's most significant relationship was with Richard Burke, which sparked controversy due to their 21-year age difference. Richard and Monica ended their relationship because he did not want more children, while Monica dreamed of starting a family. Eventually, in season 4 of Friends, Monica encountered Richard's son, Timothy, during a visit to the ophthalmologist. This encounter led to her inviting him to Thanksgiving dinner. Although Timothy and Monica shared a kiss after the meal, they both found it unsettling, considering she had previously dated his father and he bore a striking resemblance to him. Despite objections from the rest of the group, Monica chose to disregard their concerns.

7 Rachel’s Relationship With Joshua

During Friends season 4, Rachel encountered Joshua Burgin while working at Bloomingdale's as a personal shopper. Instantly smitten by him, Rachel embarked on various attempts to charm him and win his affections. Witnessing Rachel's relentless pursuit of Joshua, particularly evident at the fake Bon Voyage party organized for Emily, where she used the guise of the event to invite Joshua and make advances towards him, was truly cringe-worthy. Despite Rachel's embarrassing finale, where she dressed up as a cheerleader, she and Joshua did begin dating. However, their relationship ultimately faltered because Rachel, once again, pushed too hard and forced their connection.

With Ross and Emily getting married, Rachel felt the pressure to elevate her relationship with Joshua to the next level, resulting in her suggesting they tie the knot. Joshua, understandably, was unsettled by this proposition and swiftly departed. Despite his subsequent attempts to communicate with Rachel, he became increasingly alarmed when she greeted him at the door wearing a wedding gown. Rachel had gone to extreme lengths to gain the affection of a man, displaying behavior that was entirely out of character. Witnessing someone desperately trying to manipulate another person into liking them and rushing into a serious relationship is quite unsettling.

6 Chandler’s Fatphobia

The portrayal and treatment of Monica's past weight issues on Friends drew criticism for perpetuating fatphobia. However, it was Chandler who actually exhibited a problem with other people's weight. In college, he cruelly called Monica fat, a comment she overheard and that motivated her to lose weight. Furthermore, it was later revealed that Chandler once ended a relationship because his girlfriend gained weight. Although Chandler acknowledged his immaturity and disrespect, the uncomfortable nature of these moments remains apparent.

5 Joey Tries To Learn French

Joey's lack of intelligence was a recurring theme in Friends, but as the show progressed, his character became increasingly dim-witted, despite having some hidden potential. This issue reached its peak in Friends season 10, when Joey found himself preparing for an audition that required him to speak French. However, he had falsely claimed on his résumé that he was fluent in the language. Phoebe, who happened to be fluent in French, offered to assist him, but Joey proved incapable of keeping up and ended up speaking incoherently. This led Phoebe to "defend" him during the audition by informing the director (in French, so Joey remained oblivious) that Joey was "a little mentally challenged". This storyline went beyond comical and needlessly diminished Joey's character by portraying him as excessively unintelligent.

4 The Whole Ross & Emily Storyline

Ross and Emily became a widely disliked couple in the popular television series, Friends. Not only was their relationship highly unrealistic, but Emily herself proved to be an unappealing character. Their romance escalated unnaturally fast, catching everyone by surprise with a sudden marriage. Although it's understandable that Emily struggled with trust issues after Ross accidentally said Rachel's name at the altar, her demands for Ross to cut ties with Rachel completely were unreasonable. Emily went to extreme lengths, even forcing Ross to sell furniture that had once been in contact with Rachel, further highlighting the warning signs in their relationship.

3 Rachel and Joey Get Together

One of the most contentious pairs in Friends was Rachel and Joey, who initiated a romantic relationship in season 10. The dynamic between Rachel and Joey felt contrived, as if the writers had run out of ideas and hastily brought them together to prolong the series. Despite sharing a unique bond, it was evident from the start that they were better suited as friends, and their time as a couple was uncomfortable to observe due to their lack of genuine chemistry. Fortunately, the romance between Rachel and Joey was short-lived and they ended their relationship a few episodes later. However, their brief fling continued to be a topic of conversation among viewers long after Friends concluded.

2 Monica & Ross’ Hot Cousin

In Friends season 7, viewers were introduced to Cassie, the cousin of Ross and Monica, who came to the city for Monica and Chandler's wedding. Cassie's youthful beauty unintentionally caught Chandler's attention, leading Monica to ask Ross if she could stay with him - but things quickly took a strange turn. Ross was taken aback by Cassie's stunning transformation, and during a movie night together, he attempted to kiss her. To make matters worse, when confronted by an angry Cassie, Ross nonchalantly explained that it had been a while since he had last had sex. This attempt at using incest as comedy backfired, as the episode turned out to be more disturbing than humorous.

1 Ross Getting Jealous Over Rachel's Friendship With Mark

Ross is widely disliked and criticized among the Friends characters, mainly due to his possessive nature towards Rachel's friendship with Mark. Mark played a pivotal role in helping Rachel secure a job at Bloomingdale's, propelling her fashion career forward. However, rather than acknowledging this, Ross became consumed with jealousy towards Mark. He took it to the extreme by surprising Rachel at her workplace on their anniversary, despite her prior explanation of being busy, just to assert his dominance (a move he had already made by sending numerous gifts to her office).

Although it was later revealed that Mark did have feelings for Rachel, he never acted upon them while she was still in a relationship with Ross. This only intensified Ross' irrational jealousy, making it increasingly discomforting to witness. Ross refused to allow Rachel to maintain platonic relationships with other males outside of their circle of friends, a clear indication of an unhealthy dynamic in their romantic relationship.