With the new year came the wonderful addition of Friends to Netflix. I could watch those episodes about a hundred times and still never get tired of them. Matt LeBlanc totally understands that and recently called the show timeless. "The only thing that dates the show is when someone makes a phone call, you see them pull the antenna on the phone," LeBlanc joked to People magazine. But the man behind the flawless Joey Tribbiani got one thing wrong: there's a lot more things that are outdated about Friends than just the old phones.
As timeless as the ideas and themes in Friends may be, there's some objects in the show that place it firmly in the 90s and early 2000s. Not that that's a bad thing (the 90s are in again), but it is funny to be watching and then see a super dated reference to, like, the band Hootie and the Blowfish. It just reminds you that this show debuted 20 years ago and we are all really old.
In honor of the introduction of Friends to Netflix, and the happy binge watching times ahead of us, here are the 13 most outdated things about the show.
The Cordless Home Phones
Does anyone even have a home phone anymore?
The Cell Phones
Even when the show kind of caught up to modern technology it quickly fell behind thanks to the speed with which cell phones advanced. Oh, the cell phone antenna. Good times.
All Those Pottery Barn References
If F riends took place in 2015, they'd be talking about Ikea or like, Urban Outfitters/Anthropologie.
Being Stuck at Home on Hold
Remember when Phoebe couldn't go anywhere because she was on hold for an entire day? Thank goodness for cell phones! And customer service emails because sometimes you can skip holding on the phone all together and still have your question answered.
Everything About This
Oh, Chandler.
Rachel Meeting Ross at the Airport Gate
Before airport security was the total nightmare it is these days. Now, Rachel would have had to wait to see Ross' new girlfriend at baggage claim like the rest of us 2015-ers.
Baywatch
This show has been off the air for 14 years. New Friends fans have never even seen it and may not have even heard of it. So old school.
Reading the Newspaper
Nowadays Rachel would have a crossword puzzle app and be able to share her results on Facebook and Twitter so everyone could see how smart she is.
This Computer
500 megabytes of storage. Mine today has 250 gigabytes. That's 500 times better than Chandler's laptop.
The Singular Playstation
Chandler and Joey had the original version. 20 years later we're already on the PS4 and the Playstation 5 will probably be out soon. That's whack.
Answering Machines
Now we have voicemail, but I only even check that to make the annoying "1" go away from my phone icon.
Bennifer
Brad Pitt being a jerk to Jennifer Aniston was really funny when everyone knew they were in love in real life. These days it's just awkward. But Aniston says she's over her divorce, so at least there's that!
The Clothes
Rachel what are you wearing???
VCRs
Remember when Chandler asks how you can get a chick out of a VCR? Totally couldn't be a joke today. Although, even DVDs are old news now. It's not Friends' fault technology moved so fast. But even with all the things that are outdated about this show, it's always going to be great. Like Matt LeBlanc says, "It's pretty timeless."
Images: NBC (4); giphy; drake-ramoray, fyeahfriendsgifs, friendsglfs, ohyeahfriendsyeah/Tumblr; Martha Sorren (2); hilariousfriends/Blogspot
