It's a given that many classic pieces of media like Friends haven't particularly aged well in terms of representation and humor. That isn't necessarily the fault of those old favorites, of course. They're simply products of their respective times. However, it's still helpful to look back at them from an analytical perspective, even if it might hurt a little.
One such instance involves the beloved '90s sitcom Friends, which many would already argue has aged like fine milk. Still, fans still look back on it with fondness, and the show's enduring popularity still inspires the occasional retrospective from viewers looking at it from a modern lens. One particular aspect of the series that hasn't exactly stood the test of time is its handling of certain social issues, specifically a certain transgender character.
Friends co-creator Marta Kauffman recently spoke via The Conversation on the BBC World Service about the character of Helena Bing, the sole transgender character on the show and parent of Matthew Perry's Chandler Bing. At the time, Helena was basically treated as a joke character, and Kauffman wished to address how poorly she was portrayed. "We kept referring to her [Chandler's transgender parent] as 'Chandler’s father,' even though Chandler's father was trans," Kauffman explained. "Pronouns were not yet something that I understood. So we didn't refer to that character as 'she.' That was a mistake."
Helena was played by cis actress Kathleen Turner, who discussed the role herself in 2019, saying, "Of course, I wouldn't do it [today] because there would be real people able to do [the part]." It seems they both have a bit of regret for how things played out back in 2001 when Helena appeared on Friends, and Kauffman has apparently made some strides since those days. "I like very much to create an environment where we have a happy set and a happy crew," Kauffman continued. "It's very important to me that where we are is a safe place, a tolerant place, where there's no yelling. I fired a guy on the spot for making a joke about a trans cameraperson. That just can't happen."
Kauffman also discussed the popular criticism of Friends that points out its lack of racial representation, often cited as one of the "whitest" sitcoms ever made. "Friends has been criticized in a number of ways," she admitted. "The biggest one being that we did not have enough representation of Black people. And over the course of the last few years I've gotten to the point where I can say unfortunately yes, I am guilty of that. And I'll never make that mistake again. I was clearly part of systemic racism in our business. I was unaware of that, which makes me feel stupid. That was a very valid, extremely difficult criticism which still… I get emotional about."
Proper representation for people in the LGBTQ+ community and other marginalized groups is an important aspect of modern entertainment. Everyone deserves to see someone like themselves in the media they enjoy, and it's encouraged for everyone to look at the shows and movies they watch with a critical eye in that regard. This doesn't mean people aren't "allowed" to like those things anymore. It simply means they can be used as learning experiences, and just like Kauffman, everyone can use those examples to help them be better.
Friends is available to stream on HBO Max.
Source: Huffington Post