Friends: 10 Jokes From Season 10 That Aged Poorly

Can you believe it has been 16 years since the final season of Friends aired? Seems like it was only yesterday fans were saying goodbye to the gang as they all decided to start a new chapter in their lives. However, while the show still has a huge following, there have been many discussions on whether the sitcom would be as popular if made today.   

It’s no secret that some of the storylines on the show have been seen as problematic. Many of the jokes are transphobic, homophobic, and sexist. Would you like some examples? Keep reading to discover ten jokes from season 10 that have aged poorly.

10 Ross’s Vendetta Against Mark

One of the more annoying gags had to be Ross’s petulant jealousy over Mark. Starting in season 3, fans will remember Mark and Ross’s rivalry began after the paleontologist got jealous over Rachel and Mark’s bond. Since Ross began to smother her and become excessively paranoid, Rachel broke up with him.

After one date with Rachel, Mark wasn’t seen again until season 10 where he arranged a job interview for Rachel. Considering they hadn’t been a couple in years, Ross became excessively jealous again and forbids her from going to dinner with him. Such controlling and obnoxious behavior is deemed toxic and would usually be seen in villains nowadays.

9 Ross’s Unprofessional Interview

In “The One With Ross’ Grant,” Ross found out that he was a finalist in a big research grant and would have to attend an interview. However, he runs into an issue when he discovers the professor administering the grant was Charlie’s ex-boyfriend, Benjamin Hobart.

Ross then finds himself at a disadvantage when Ben sabotages the interview because Ross refuses to break up with Charlie. It may have been funny to watch Ross get riled up but it still doesn’t excuse Ben abusing his position of power to get what he wants. It comes across as really manipulative and is not acceptable in modern workplaces.

8 Joey Gaslights The Adoption Agent

When the show was on the air, not a lot of people knew what gaslighting entailed. It was hardly ever portrayed on television and it wasn’t discussed in society either. However, looking back on the show in hindsight, some may not realize that it was included in an episode of season 10.

Remember when Monica and Chandler find out Joey slept with their adoption agency worker and never called her back? (“The One with the Home Study”). When the worker insists Joey blew her off, Joey turns on her and makes her believe she did him wrong. Joey then continues to plant seeds of doubt in her mind until he finally convinces her that she never gave him her number.

7 Joey’s Sleazy Behavior

Everybody knows one of the most distinctive traits about Joey’s character is his bachelor lifestyle and womanizing ways. While he is meant to be interpreted as charming and cool, there have also been several moments where Joey has appeared sleazy and crass.

For instance, in “The One with the Birth Mother,” Joey jokes he can’t remember ‘Mandy’ because she wasn’t “a hot blond with big boobs.” In “The One with The Cake,” he also crosses the line when he tells an 18-year-old Emma to look him up. Considering he is practically her uncle, it is really creepy and weird.

6 Constant Fat-Shaming Jokes & Gags

It’s no secret that Friends has been called problematic due to some of its gags and storylines. One issue that has been mentioned on several occasions is the constant fat-shaming jokes about Monica.

However, it wasn’t only Monica who was subjected to fat-shaming, Joey was too. For instance, in “The One Where Rachel’s Sister Babysits,” Amy was seen to be judging Joey’s eating habits and making remarks about his physical appearance. With it being its tenth season, you would have thought the writers would have found some new material.

5 Sexist Traditions

Another joke that can be seen to have aged poorly is the reaction to Phoebe’s proposal. In “The One Where Rachel’s Sister Babysits,” Phoebe is taken aback to discover Mike was preparing to propose to her while they were at a baseball game. To try and fix it, Phoebe decides she is going to propose to Mike on the big screen.

However, both Phoebe and Mike are ridiculed and laughed at because she was proposing to him. Phoebe’s reaction may have brought about a couple of laughs but this joke is now considered outdated and quite sexist.

4 Toxic Masculinity

While many fans have spoken about the fragile masculinity of several characters, there have been moments in the show that have demonstrated toxic masculinity too. This was particularly seen in “The One After Joey And Rachel Kiss” when Phoebe found out that Mike had another girlfriend waiting for him in New York.

As Mike tells Phoebe that he was going to break up with Precious over the phone, Phoebe tells him to “strap on a pair” and do it face-to-face. We also see Monica mocking Chandler for liking Miss Congeniality, which is considered to be a rom-com. These stereotypical jokes would not be accepted today.

3 The One Where Joey Speaks French

Joey may not be as bright as the other members of the gang but are we meant to believe he is incapable of following a simple instruction? In “The One Where Joey Speaks French,” Phoebe decides to teach Joey French for a play. However, it turns out that he can’t fully grasp the language when he starts speaking gibberish.

Phoebe begins to lose her patience with Joey, especially when he doesn’t follow her instructions and believes he is speaking fluently. When Joey’s audition fails, Phoebe then convinces the director that Joey is her mentally disabled brother so he doesn’t knock his confidence. Still, the terminology used during the scene is offensive and not acceptable today.

2 Monica’s OCD

Over the past few years, society has tried to end the stigma against several mental health illnesses. One that many individuals are trying to raise awareness of is OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) – which Monica may well have. While there are many forms of OCD, Monica’s is primarily based on organization and cleaning.

This was apparent in “The One with The Birthday Cake” when Monica arranged all of Emma’s toys. It was also illustrated when she was Phoebe’s wedding planner and drove everyone crazy with her time management skills. While the gang calls her “neurotic,” society today is trying to move away from such negative labels.

1 The Cornrows Incident

The writers’ decision to give Monica cornrows in “The One After Joey And Rachel Kiss” was deemed problematic by some fans because of cultural appropriation. In this episode, Monica’s hair was seen to get frizzy due to the humidity in Barbados. On several occasions, you can hear Chandler ridiculing her hairstyle by comparing her to “Diana Ross” and “Buckwheat.” When she comes back from the salon with the cornrows, he also compares her to “Allen Iverson.”

Another issue that arose was when she told Chandler she got her hair caught while singing to Bob Marley’s “No Women, No Cry.” Let’s not forget how she pulls out a Jamaican-styled hat at the end of the episode. It’s a prime example of subtle racism and cultural appropriation, which is highly talked about today.

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