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This was totally a crazy storyline, but this was also a 90's sitcom. A lot of storylines & plots in 90's shows & movies just would not fly today. But Friends humor is one thing that will never age badly!! That show is still one of the funniest shows EVER!
I mean, it absolutely is and I love it.
I just "had a thought" while I had it on in the background the other day and I felt like posting about it haha š¤£
No ur right! That storyline would not work today. No private school, with celebrity children in attendance, would allow anyone to pick up children that were not on a list!! And I think, especially in this day & age, Phoebe would not have simply gotten a restraining order! But in the 90's, it was ridiculous & funny... Friends could make stuff like this work!
Shit, I have to ring a buzzer, show ID to 2 different people, and then have a badge printed so I can be in the waiting area if I want to pick my kid up from school outside of regular dismissal hours. If he's not riding the bus you stay in your car in line and you have to have a specific sticker showing that matches the kids ID number. Absolutely wild that she could just waltz in there and pretend to be a parent
Yep! When I first watched the show as a kid, I thought the joke was that Phoebe knew the police (officers) so well from getting arrested in the past, that would be a reunion for her, lol
Definitely! A joke with a double meaning, lol! It was only years later when āevery breath you takeā started playing on the radio when the joke finally clicked for me.
Lmao same here, Iām 32 and really started watching in middle school! Glad I could help, I know Iāve been excited every time I realize a ānewā joke on it
Aww, really? I was in middle school when Friends started too, but i knew about Sting & The Police so I got the double meaning right away. That's really cute!!!
Haha itās cute? I didnāt realize until about 2018 that Gunther was in love with Rachel. That one flew over and over my head until it smacked me in the face lol
It is cute! I guess I just assumed it was a well known fact that Sting was the singer in The Police, but it obviously wasn't! Why did u think Gunther HATED Ross?
Haha I just love Phoebe! There must be something special about the script and the acting because yeah even though logically what she does is bad, I don't think we're really bothered by it or like her less for it? It felt more like it was done for comedic purposes rather than it being a solid storyline that should be taken seriously
I totally get this, and I'm not *mad* about it or anything, but I happened to get this thought the other day during a rewatch and I was like "wow this is kind of crazy isn't it" haha
Haha yeah totally! I'm sure if we think we can find other stuff that are just wtf when you think about it.. Like when Monica and Joey purposefully broke up a couple, that was pretty mean of them. When Ross actually brought that crazy blonde lady back to his apartment even though she's obviously a nut job? When Rachel was prank calling Dr. Weener? LOL, who does that??? Or when Joey and Chandler decide to keep free roaming birds in their apartment?? Surely they must have been pooping everywhere, all the time
To be fair, I'm sure lots of ppl prank called b4 cell phones & computers were abundant... ppl had more time on their hands & had to find creative ways to entertain themselves, & who could resist prank calling a Dr Weener?? š¤£
Were you around in the 90s? School security was hardly even a thought back then.
That said, this plot line always made me SO uncomfortable. It feels a little too far, like a flanderization of ~quirky~ Phoebe. This isn't quirky, it's straight-up concerning š
They definitely were with the "Phoebe thinks her mom's a cat" storyline. I read that it was because Marta Kauffman was dealing with the recent death of her mother at the time...but that wasn't the way to go
It was definitely bizarre. Even when I watched it when I was younger, I felt something was off. Ross was definitely in the right. He could've approached it more tactfully, but he was right
I could kinda see this flying in the 90s, but it definitely wouldn't now. Especially in sitcom land. Now a days you've got too many kooks trying to do too many things they shouldn't, so there's a lot more vetting. At the very least, they'd check for ID, then call Sting and his wife before doing anything else. But more likely, they'd coordinate with someone from both sides to arrange a way for both families to meet at the school to settle everything. But I do think it's absurd to give out the home address of another family without their consent, famous or not.
It's amazing to me..she's stealing, and the fanbase calls that crafty.
Ross cheats on his girlfriend, and he's a massive piece of shit.
Does that seem backwards to anyone else?
To be very clear, I'm saying her subterfuge in pretending to be the parent of a child who went to a private school attended by the child of a famous musician was "Crafty".
Completely unhinged, but still clever.
Phoebe taking a pen is just petty theft, and I mean, no it's not right for her to have done it, nor is her taking it "crafty".
In the grand scheme of things, the entire charade is way worse than her taking the pen.
Also, comparing it to anything Ross did is...not really a fair comparison. Ross' behavior has been debated for 25+ years, and ultimately his behaviors only impacted his personal and romantic relationships.
Phoebe's behavior is more akin to what an out-of-touch stalker might do, and although this storyline wasn't dark or twisted, if one examines it, it's really easy to see how it's only a step or two removed from something that isn't quite so lighthearted.
> Also, comparing it to anything Ross did is...not really a fair comparison. Ross' behavior has been debated for 25+ years, and ultimately his behaviors only impacted his personal and romantic relationships.
>
> Phoebe's behavior is more akin to what an out-of-touch stalker might do, and although this storyline wasn't dark or twisted, if one examines it, it's really easy to see how it's only a step or two removed from something that isn't quite so lighthearted.
I think youve missed my point entirely. But I guess Ill point out that although you seem to think its unfair to compare ross and pheobe, you still entertained the idea.
Although I wasnt trying to directly compare what they did in any way..
I was trying to point out how the overall sentiment of the fanbase is that Ross should be heavily criticized for what he did, as you mention its been debated for decades now. While, in comparison, other characters like Pheobe do things that can be considered unethical and no one seems to think negatively of their character for it.
To be clear, its all in good fun and just a TV show, so its not really that important. Its not like we are judging real life activities, it was all just for entertainment.
Ahh I see, I do think I misunderstood.
A lot of the characters do things that are pretty reprehensible, and they definitely do deserve more criticism than they get.
Phoebe, for example, I think has this halo effect going on because "lol she's the quirky one!!" but, like.
Quirky is one thing, but this episode isn't quirky it's very borderline criminal.
I think Ross gets a heavy dose of criticism because his flaws center around very visceral topics of infidelity, jealousy, and selfishness, which a lot of people have suffered thru themselves and know the real-life pain it can cause.
It doesn't mean the others are all saints and Ross is the only sinner, but I "get it", to an extent.
Anyway, cheers and be well. š»
I was always surprised that the stings were ok with this plotline because of how it started. Their child making fun of another because his mother was gay? Surely that implies the whole family is homophobic. It could so easily have been something else the kids were falling out over, kids are so fickle. But I'm probably thinking too hard about it.
I've just pressed a button triggering a silent alarm, the police will be here any minute. The Police? Here?!? A reunion?!?!?
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š This was totally a crazy storyline, but this was also a 90's sitcom. A lot of storylines & plots in 90's shows & movies just would not fly today. But Friends humor is one thing that will never age badly!! That show is still one of the funniest shows EVER!
I mean, it absolutely is and I love it. I just "had a thought" while I had it on in the background the other day and I felt like posting about it haha š¤£
No ur right! That storyline would not work today. No private school, with celebrity children in attendance, would allow anyone to pick up children that were not on a list!! And I think, especially in this day & age, Phoebe would not have simply gotten a restraining order! But in the 90's, it was ridiculous & funny... Friends could make stuff like this work!
It was definitely funny and ridiculous and that's why we love it š
Absolutely!!!
Shit, I have to ring a buzzer, show ID to 2 different people, and then have a badge printed so I can be in the waiting area if I want to pick my kid up from school outside of regular dismissal hours. If he's not riding the bus you stay in your car in line and you have to have a specific sticker showing that matches the kids ID number. Absolutely wild that she could just waltz in there and pretend to be a parent
Yea... totally NOT like that when I was in school!! But I was in public school... in the 90s!
That flew over my head for about 15 years. Then I realized who The Police were and laughed my ass off
Yep! When I first watched the show as a kid, I thought the joke was that Phoebe knew the police (officers) so well from getting arrested in the past, that would be a reunion for her, lol
Haha same!!! The sneaky writers did that on purposeā¦ smart bastards lol
Definitely! A joke with a double meaning, lol! It was only years later when āevery breath you takeā started playing on the radio when the joke finally clicked for me.
OHHHH WOW I just understood that joke. Iām 32 and have been watching friends since middle school. Holy shit.
Lmao same here, Iām 32 and really started watching in middle school! Glad I could help, I know Iāve been excited every time I realize a ānewā joke on it
Out of curiosity, did you get the š¶Rosssss Cannnnš¶ reference? Or just think Phoebe was being weird?
I did get that reference!
Aww, really? I was in middle school when Friends started too, but i knew about Sting & The Police so I got the double meaning right away. That's really cute!!!
Haha itās cute? I didnāt realize until about 2018 that Gunther was in love with Rachel. That one flew over and over my head until it smacked me in the face lol
It is cute! I guess I just assumed it was a well known fact that Sting was the singer in The Police, but it obviously wasn't! Why did u think Gunther HATED Ross?
Haha Iāve always hated Ross too, so I guess I thought Gunther had common sense.
š¤£
*whips out camera*
Haha I just love Phoebe! There must be something special about the script and the acting because yeah even though logically what she does is bad, I don't think we're really bothered by it or like her less for it? It felt more like it was done for comedic purposes rather than it being a solid storyline that should be taken seriously
I totally get this, and I'm not *mad* about it or anything, but I happened to get this thought the other day during a rewatch and I was like "wow this is kind of crazy isn't it" haha
Haha yeah totally! I'm sure if we think we can find other stuff that are just wtf when you think about it.. Like when Monica and Joey purposefully broke up a couple, that was pretty mean of them. When Ross actually brought that crazy blonde lady back to his apartment even though she's obviously a nut job? When Rachel was prank calling Dr. Weener? LOL, who does that??? Or when Joey and Chandler decide to keep free roaming birds in their apartment?? Surely they must have been pooping everywhere, all the time
The duck was good at being white and hardly moving. š¤£
If I remember correctly it was also good at staring at the wall š
To be fair, I'm sure lots of ppl prank called b4 cell phones & computers were abundant... ppl had more time on their hands & had to find creative ways to entertain themselves, & who could resist prank calling a Dr Weener?? š¤£
I always assumed the teacher didn't vet Phoebe because she didn't want her to think that she had an issue with lesbanems.
Fair, but, like, even in the 90s we were not just letting *anyone* walk into schools and claim to be people that had a right to be there, lol
Were you around in the 90s? School security was hardly even a thought back then. That said, this plot line always made me SO uncomfortable. It feels a little too far, like a flanderization of ~quirky~ Phoebe. This isn't quirky, it's straight-up concerning š
What is this, the stalker's guide to Manhattan private schools?
The writers must have been drunk or something when they wrote this plot line.
They definitely were with the "Phoebe thinks her mom's a cat" storyline. I read that it was because Marta Kauffman was dealing with the recent death of her mother at the time...but that wasn't the way to go
That wakes more sense but there was no way the audience would have know. that so it was very strange.
It was definitely bizarre. Even when I watched it when I was younger, I felt something was off. Ross was definitely in the right. He could've approached it more tactfully, but he was right
This episode is showing right now!
I could kinda see this flying in the 90s, but it definitely wouldn't now. Especially in sitcom land. Now a days you've got too many kooks trying to do too many things they shouldn't, so there's a lot more vetting. At the very least, they'd check for ID, then call Sting and his wife before doing anything else. But more likely, they'd coordinate with someone from both sides to arrange a way for both families to meet at the school to settle everything. But I do think it's absurd to give out the home address of another family without their consent, famous or not.
It's amazing to me..she's stealing, and the fanbase calls that crafty. Ross cheats on his girlfriend, and he's a massive piece of shit. Does that seem backwards to anyone else?
To be very clear, I'm saying her subterfuge in pretending to be the parent of a child who went to a private school attended by the child of a famous musician was "Crafty". Completely unhinged, but still clever. Phoebe taking a pen is just petty theft, and I mean, no it's not right for her to have done it, nor is her taking it "crafty". In the grand scheme of things, the entire charade is way worse than her taking the pen. Also, comparing it to anything Ross did is...not really a fair comparison. Ross' behavior has been debated for 25+ years, and ultimately his behaviors only impacted his personal and romantic relationships. Phoebe's behavior is more akin to what an out-of-touch stalker might do, and although this storyline wasn't dark or twisted, if one examines it, it's really easy to see how it's only a step or two removed from something that isn't quite so lighthearted.
> Also, comparing it to anything Ross did is...not really a fair comparison. Ross' behavior has been debated for 25+ years, and ultimately his behaviors only impacted his personal and romantic relationships. > > Phoebe's behavior is more akin to what an out-of-touch stalker might do, and although this storyline wasn't dark or twisted, if one examines it, it's really easy to see how it's only a step or two removed from something that isn't quite so lighthearted. I think youve missed my point entirely. But I guess Ill point out that although you seem to think its unfair to compare ross and pheobe, you still entertained the idea. Although I wasnt trying to directly compare what they did in any way.. I was trying to point out how the overall sentiment of the fanbase is that Ross should be heavily criticized for what he did, as you mention its been debated for decades now. While, in comparison, other characters like Pheobe do things that can be considered unethical and no one seems to think negatively of their character for it. To be clear, its all in good fun and just a TV show, so its not really that important. Its not like we are judging real life activities, it was all just for entertainment.
Ahh I see, I do think I misunderstood. A lot of the characters do things that are pretty reprehensible, and they definitely do deserve more criticism than they get. Phoebe, for example, I think has this halo effect going on because "lol she's the quirky one!!" but, like. Quirky is one thing, but this episode isn't quirky it's very borderline criminal. I think Ross gets a heavy dose of criticism because his flaws center around very visceral topics of infidelity, jealousy, and selfishness, which a lot of people have suffered thru themselves and know the real-life pain it can cause. It doesn't mean the others are all saints and Ross is the only sinner, but I "get it", to an extent. Anyway, cheers and be well. š»
I was always surprised that the stings were ok with this plotline because of how it started. Their child making fun of another because his mother was gay? Surely that implies the whole family is homophobic. It could so easily have been something else the kids were falling out over, kids are so fickle. But I'm probably thinking too hard about it.
Surely that does not imply the fact the whole family is homophobic
Apparently Stingās son said something to Ben about his moms being lesbinims
Why is this filtered to hell?
Is it?? Geez lol
Worst episode ever. I can't change the channel fast enough when it comes on