Rachel’s Birthday Parties In Friends Messed Up The Show’s Timeline

While some people proclaim Friends to be one of the most relatable shows of our time, there are many aspects of the beloved series that just don’t make any sense — like its complete lack of realistic timelines. As pointed out in a Reddit post, Rachel’s birthdays highlight how inconsistent the show’s timeline actually is, and once you notice it, you won’t be able to stop thinking about it.

As stated by multiple Reddit users, Rachel Green (Jennifer Aniston) had possibly the most birthday parties of all of the Central Perk gang throughout the sitcom’s tenure. Meanwhile, the rest of the friends only have one celebration in the series at best. While her birthdays often coincided with a huge life change or plot development, her soirees are a little too spaced out for reality.

Rachel celebrates her 28th birthday in the Season 2 episode “The One With the Two Parties” by throwing two separate parties to accommodate her estranged parents. However, she doesn’t turn 29 until the Season 5 episode “The One Where Rachel Smokes,” which aired nearly three years later. It took another two years for Rachel to turn 30, in Season 7 episode “The One Where They All Turn Thirty.” Even her actual birthdate is a bit murky, as Rachel claims on the show she was born on May 5, while the 30th birthday episode aired in February.

The exact timeline of Friends has never been clearly defined, meaning the writers can make a season take place whenever and last however long they want it to. It’s generally accepted among the fandom that one season of Friends would typically capture about a year. However, even if this weren’t the case, it’s impossible that only a year had passed between Seasons 2 and 5 given all the events that took place (and how many times Rachel and Ross broke up).

Time wasn’t the only thing that Friends got confused. Over the years, fans have noticed inconsistencies in the show’s storylines, like in Season 5, when Rachel told her neighbor that she couldn’t go to his party because she had to attend a “regatta gala” — even though she didn’t sail. However, two seasons later, she teaches Joey how to sail his new boat, stating that her dad bought her a boat and trained her as a teenager. Either the writers simply can’t keep track of history, or Rachel’s a huge liar.