Structural Analysis

 

The famous NBC television series, Friends, is a sitcom about six twenty to thirty something year old friends living in Manhattan, going through life at that age together. Although popular during its time, Friends is well known for bringing back the nostalgic feeling of the 90’s in this binge watching of series era. But among those who stream Friends are Gen Z’ers that find the show humorous and relatable, especially within the personality traits of the characters. It’s these archetypes that make the show relatable to those of all ages that are watching the show.

What makes Friends so relatable, is how each character can resonate with one person personally as well as relate to people’s friend groups. For example, Monica can be seen as the caregiver, because she is always looking after her friends, especially Rachel as viewers see in the first episode. She is always there when a character has a problem, and they always seek her for comfort or advice. Monica’s brother, Ross can be seen as the lover because from day one he has been head over heels for Rachel, and has been devoted to her throughout the entire series despite having other relationships on the way. Rachel can be seen as the seducer because she always gets her way due to her personality and looks. She’s charismatic, a smooth talker, and pretty which leads her to get what she wants when she wants.Joey can be seen as the joker of the group, because he’s always cracking jokes, or doing something silly to lift the spirits of his friends. 

These kinds of archetypes make audiences connect more with characters on a more personal level, as the viewer relates to the character’s personality and daily life. These archetypes can last beyond a show’s air time on TV, as it is clearly shown through the hit series, Friends. It’s because of archetypes like these that Friends has become a timeless classic that has remained in popular culture throughout the years.