Friends

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loobylou
Posts: 2032
Joined: Thu Nov 27, 2014 5:04 pm

Re: Friends

Post by loobylou »

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!
BlueSmarties
Posts: 93
Joined: Thu Nov 06, 2014 2:23 pm

Re: Friends

Post by BlueSmarties »

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.
kenyancowgirl
Posts: 6738
Joined: Mon Oct 21, 2013 8:59 pm

Re: Friends

Post by kenyancowgirl »

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.
BucksBornNBred
Posts: 1031
Joined: Thu Aug 13, 2015 4:01 pm

Re: Friends

Post by BucksBornNBred »

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.
+1
Tinkers
Posts: 7240
Joined: Mon May 16, 2011 2:05 pm
Location: Reading

Re: Friends

Post by Tinkers »

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.
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.

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.
loobylou
Posts: 2032
Joined: Thu Nov 27, 2014 5:04 pm

Re: Friends

Post by loobylou »

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.
Surferfish
Posts: 682
Joined: Fri Mar 10, 2017 5:06 pm

Re: Friends

Post by Surferfish »

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?
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!
:lol:
piggys
Posts: 1636
Joined: Wed Jun 29, 2011 9:29 am

Re: Friends

Post by piggys »

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.
Agreed. Susan and Carol come over as very level headed and clued up , whereas Ross is.....well, he's Ross ! :lol:

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.
BlueSmarties
Posts: 93
Joined: Thu Nov 06, 2014 2:23 pm

Re: Friends

Post by BlueSmarties »

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
loobylou wrote:some very 90s lasciviousness from the straight guys about lesbian relationships
type of misogyny...
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