nigga crab pollock posted:

FRIENDS is set up almost exactly like seinfeld except it doesnt attempt anything but the most milquetoast of sitcom motions. i know seinfeld is technically about nothing but thats the core of it's subversion. theres a mutual understanding between the viewers and creators about what the show is about. in friends though this relationship is nonexistent, the show is a by-the-numbers sitcom using the sensibilities of network television circa 2002.

most of the characters are straight up narcissists who if they were your actual friends you would loving hate them. it follows the basic sitcom setup of "i want thing. i am going to screw my friends over for thing. oh no the nature of thing is not what i thought, and i also screwed over friend!! what am i going to do? i am going to double-down and make the situation worse" except this is not the core joke, like seinfeld, its just a necessity of the serial television medium

the lovely thing with friends though is that even tho its just another sitcom thats passively pouring someone else's value system straight into your skull its flashy production values and insane popularity pretends that it has some measure of relatability and emotional depth to it when its literally just Full House