Television and society are a two sided mirror. TV is influenced by society and influences society simultaneously. One of television’s favorite sitcoms, Friends, is an example of how this mirror interacts. Six adults in their mid-twenties are living in New York in close proximity of each other. This iconic 90s television sitcom has distinct impacts on society and television today. Some of these include the deconstruction of family dynamics, coffee shop aesthetics, and a different brand of sitcoms that focuses on people unsure of their life path.
The six friends depend on each other like family. Providing shelter, community, love, and support for one another. Each character has their own personal family dynamics that bring them closer together. …show more content…
Nuclear families are not abundant. People have mixed households. Many of these mixed households consist of more than just a mother, father, and their children. This family dynamic is one that is not common anymore. People begin to rely more on their friends or their chosen family so to speak. “It could be argued that the whole Gen-X movement was a rejection of adulthood and responsibility and was the harbinger of the perma-adolescents—those 20- and 30-somethings still subsisting on their parents’ dime—so pervasive in today’s culture” (Martin 33). The story in Friends also touches on the idea of separating yourself from your family in order to grow. For instance, Rachel Green was financially tied to her parents by her credit card. Her friends had to force her to give it up to become independent which after she got on her feet, it made her feel good. The friends help each other learn and grow even against each other’s …show more content…
This show reminds people of a time when things were seemingly simple. The personal conversations and daily communication seems to be appreciated by younger generations which may seem odd in a world to dominated by technology. The use of devices clouds people and causes people to be able to form true relations with genuine interactions. “I feel nostalgic for the ’90s in the exact way that every generation feels nostalgic for the era that coincides with its own youth. I’m not surprised or particularly apologetic to feel this way” (Sternbergh). The nostalgia of the show may remind the twentysomethings of this generation to be able to recognize what they saw in the world around them as they grew up. People born around the time Friends came on air essentially grew up with the show, but was never truly able to appreciate it until they became adults
The six friends depend on each other like family. Providing shelter, community, love, and support for one another. Each character has their own personal family dynamics that bring them closer together. …show more content…
Nuclear families are not abundant. People have mixed households. Many of these mixed households consist of more than just a mother, father, and their children. This family dynamic is one that is not common anymore. People begin to rely more on their friends or their chosen family so to speak. “It could be argued that the whole Gen-X movement was a rejection of adulthood and responsibility and was the harbinger of the perma-adolescents—those 20- and 30-somethings still subsisting on their parents’ dime—so pervasive in today’s culture” (Martin 33). The story in Friends also touches on the idea of separating yourself from your family in order to grow. For instance, Rachel Green was financially tied to her parents by her credit card. Her friends had to force her to give it up to become independent which after she got on her feet, it made her feel good. The friends help each other learn and grow even against each other’s …show more content…
This show reminds people of a time when things were seemingly simple. The personal conversations and daily communication seems to be appreciated by younger generations which may seem odd in a world to dominated by technology. The use of devices clouds people and causes people to be able to form true relations with genuine interactions. “I feel nostalgic for the ’90s in the exact way that every generation feels nostalgic for the era that coincides with its own youth. I’m not surprised or particularly apologetic to feel this way” (Sternbergh). The nostalgia of the show may remind the twentysomethings of this generation to be able to recognize what they saw in the world around them as they grew up. People born around the time Friends came on air essentially grew up with the show, but was never truly able to appreciate it until they became adults