Ten Times Friends Was Actually Relatable As a Young Adult
There’s an episode of Friends where Ross and Monica are invited to dance in the background of Dick Clark’s New Year’s Eve Party. They fight for attention and perform “the routine,” a dance they choreographed as children. It’s one of the more humorous Friends episodes, but it’s also a moment no one can relate to.
After all, the show is a sitcom. Many of the plotlines occur because of amusing situations, and many of these coincidences would never happen in real life. Yet the show is also designed to be reflective of life as a young adult. The social dynamic between the six main characters is relatable to other groups of people, and there’s a reason so many viewers love the show. In most lives, mine included, there are moments when you need your friends to be your family. When Friends captures these moments, the show finds a way to transcend sitcom world and parallel the real world.
These are the Friends episodes that seem to capture something real, at least in my world. They’re not ranked in any particular order, but they all hold some level of significance. As an avid fan of the show, I often look forward to rewatching the episodes. For one reason or another, they evoke powerful emotions in me. This is why the show is beloved: people can laugh and relate.
The One with the East German Laundry Detergent (season 1, episode 5)
Season one of Friends focuses on Rachel’s transition to life as a young adult in New York. While there are many Friends episodes about her relationship blunders, her struggle to do laundry strikes a relatable chord. As an adult, people often find themselves learning new things. Many of these skills should have been acquired earlier, but learning them late is better than never learning. While doing laundry, Rachel needs to navigate an unfamiliar setting and needs to stand up for herself. With the help of Ross, she gets the job done and has a few laughs.
