Friends
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Re: Friends
We're going to miss TBBT but I agree it's got less funny and it's probably the right time.
However we're all enjoying Young Sheldon so we'll continue to get our fix.
We've been enjoying Modern Family too though it's not on Netflix so we've borrowed DVDs from a friend!
However we're all enjoying Young Sheldon so we'll continue to get our fix.
We've been enjoying Modern Family too though it's not on Netflix so we've borrowed DVDs from a friend!
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Re: Friends
I've been rewatching this recently and whilst I do enjoy it in the main, the big difference for me has been the attitude towards Carol and her wife. The whole lesbian ex-wife situation was thoroughly mocked and made fun of in the first few series, yes we're laughing with Ross but it's very much laughing at Carol too.
None of this made much of an impact on me back in the 90s, despite having gay friends. However I now have a lesbian daughter. Society's attitude on the whole is more inclusive than 20 years ago IMHO, so I've found the shift in attitude and my own present circumstances meams that these re-runs (this issue) has made me feel very uncomfortable. I would not encourage my teen daughter to watch it, I wouldn't want her to think that a lesbian partnership, marriage and lesbians parenting is an odd thing as Friends portray it.
None of this made much of an impact on me back in the 90s, despite having gay friends. However I now have a lesbian daughter. Society's attitude on the whole is more inclusive than 20 years ago IMHO, so I've found the shift in attitude and my own present circumstances meams that these re-runs (this issue) has made me feel very uncomfortable. I would not encourage my teen daughter to watch it, I wouldn't want her to think that a lesbian partnership, marriage and lesbians parenting is an odd thing as Friends portray it.
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Re: Friends
Interestingly I have always watched that particular dynamic as laughing AT Ross not Carol and Susan. Susan is a particularly strong character who overtly takes the mickey out of Ross and I think the program shows their relationship as strong and loving and excellent joint mummies of Ben.
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Re: Friends
+1kenyancowgirl wrote:Interestingly I have always watched that particular dynamic as laughing AT Ross not Carol and Susan. Susan is a particularly strong character who overtly takes the mickey out of Ross and I think the program shows their relationship as strong and loving and excellent joint mummies of Ben.
Re: Friends
Tbh it’s a while since I’ve watched those episodes so I’m not sure quite sure I remember how it was portrayed. However I suspect you are right, as atttiudes have definitely shifted. It would have fitted at the time, but probably doesn’t quite fit now. What is interesting to note, is that when the episodes surrounding Carol (I think when she was getting married to her wife) first aired, the TV company were expecting thousands of complaints about it, but actually received very few.BlueSmarties wrote:I've been rewatching this recently and whilst I do enjoy it in the main, the big difference for me has been the attitude towards Carol and her wife. The whole lesbian ex-wife situation was thoroughly mocked and made fun of in the first few series, yes we're laughing with Ross but it's very much laughing at Carol too.
None of this made much of an impact on me back in the 90s, despite having gay friends. However I now have a lesbian daughter. Society's attitude on the whole is more inclusive than 20 years ago IMHO, so I've found the shift in attitude and my own present circumstances meams that these re-runs (this issue) has made me feel very uncomfortable. I would not encourage my teen daughter to watch it, I wouldn't want her to think that a lesbian partnership, marriage and lesbians parenting is an odd thing as Friends portray it.
However I’ve found Greys anatomy (whilst not a comedy) show lesbian relationships, marriage and family life as something normal, if you haven’t seen it already.
Re: Friends
Interestingly I just watched the first couple series again (in the last couple of weeks) and was thinking whilst I watched it that I thought they did the Carol/Susan story pretty well...
There was some laughing at Ross which wasn't great and some very 90s lasciviousness from the straight guys about lesbian relationships - but the actual couple I think is portrayed quite well and not too stereotyped.
There was some laughing at Ross which wasn't great and some very 90s lasciviousness from the straight guys about lesbian relationships - but the actual couple I think is portrayed quite well and not too stereotyped.
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Re: Friends
Reminds me of one of my favourite scenes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5RJjcUT7PO0" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Seems to me that its Ross that is the butt of the joke here rather than Carol and her partner?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5RJjcUT7PO0" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Seems to me that its Ross that is the butt of the joke here rather than Carol and her partner?
Ross: I made a snack.
Joey: Yeah? What did ya have?
Ross: Just a sandwich. Turkey, a little mustard…
Joey: Sounds good.
Ross: It really was!
Re: Friends
Agreed. Susan and Carol come over as very level headed and clued up , whereas Ross is.....well, he's Ross !kenyancowgirl wrote:Interestingly I have always watched that particular dynamic as laughing AT Ross not Carol and Susan. Susan is a particularly strong character who overtly takes the mickey out of Ross and I think the program shows their relationship as strong and loving and excellent joint mummies of Ben.
Dd2 was sick recently and binged on about 4 series. I love how everyone has their particular favourite. Mine is Phoebe. I just adore her.
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Re: Friends
I agree with most of you. Carol and Susan are portrayed as down to earth, good parents - no issues there.
But my difficulty is the context in which that relationship is often raised, not that Ross was left for another partner but that he was left for a lesbian partner. I could do without the pointing, "oh look they're lesbians" type of hyperbole. Again this could well be a heightened awareness on my own part, but I think society has moved on so that it's not so much of an issue these days - hence Friends in this regard has aged a little.
And I wonder if we've moved on at all from
But my difficulty is the context in which that relationship is often raised, not that Ross was left for another partner but that he was left for a lesbian partner. I could do without the pointing, "oh look they're lesbians" type of hyperbole. Again this could well be a heightened awareness on my own part, but I think society has moved on so that it's not so much of an issue these days - hence Friends in this regard has aged a little.
And I wonder if we've moved on at all from
type of misogyny...loobylou wrote:some very 90s lasciviousness from the straight guys about lesbian relationships