thehmovement

[assiraphales]

everyone always talks about joey n chandler but ross would be 10% less insufferable and 100% happier if he addressed his internalized homophobia and let himself freely smooch men. and I’m pretty sure joey would have gone along w it

[fandomcen]

Hypothetically: a Friends™️ sequel

So ik how the creators of Friends venomously refuse to have a sequel or reboot, but I think a prequel would be so much better.

Instead of a reboot, imagine an anthropology series where each characters gets 2 or 3 episodes about their early lives.

And the show ends with the Friends ending up in NYC/their apartments.

Monica

An early childhood episode where we see how Monica was always last and flawed compared to Ross. And the beginning of her body image issues.

Another episode where she goes to college and is finally an individual, not as Rachel’s best friend or Ross’ little sister or the bigger girl. But her own person

How she gets her first job or why her grandma gave her the apartment

A story dedicated to building up Monica, showing how she became this independent and strong women but also doesn’t shy away on all the emotional instability in her childhood that made her need to be strong

Ross

A scene where see young Ross first meet Rachel and develops a crush on her as kids

An episode where we see Ross like stereotypical girly or nerdy toys and be bullied for his interests, then his dad taking him to a museum to keep his interests alive

An episode where Ross has his batmitzvah

And episode where he meets Carol for the first time and they’re both so sexually repressed and inexperienced and how they’re better as friends not as a couple.

There’s a lot of criticism surrounding Ross, and I think early episodes could explore how these traits cemented, and how he was a bright young boy full of wonder, inquisitiveness and how the 80s/90s forced him to pick between himself and what was expected of him as a “man”

Joey

Early scenes where Joey is the nicest, most respectful little boy ever. Where he takes care of his mom, his Nona and loves his sisters.

An episode where the Tribbani house isn’t the warm and loving home anymore when the family realizes Joey Senior is cheating, and how it affects everyone even though no one talks about it. How Joey Sr isn’t home anymore and stays out late, and how he spends their money on hotels. And this is what makes Joey a flirt and a womanizer

An episode where Joey gives up football or baseball or some sport to try theater because the lead in the play is pretty or something. Then he falls in love with theater for the first time

Joey deserves to be more than the “dumb” friend or the “flirty” one. But a story that shows how he became the man he is through the most important things to him; his family, loyalty and his art.

Chandler

The first episode of course about his parents’ divorce. And how Chandler’s teachers kept asking his parents to meet about how their son, who is now distracted and disruptive, which is unlike him because he was so bright and top of his class

An episode where he runs away from home but comes back. Only for no one to notice he left in the first place

When he goes to college he feels alone because he’s the only one whose parents didn’t drop him off and then he meets Ross

Just when he feels like he’s coming into his own, his dad decides to change his pronouns and Chandler struggles to accept that his father was never in his life not because of their sexuality or life, but because they we just never there as a parent.

Rachel

Early episodes that show despite how perfect and popular Rachel was, her home life was violent and loud with a  dysfunctional family.

Episodes about her parents’ hatred and failing marriage

How her sisters and her all reflected their parents by being ruthlessly cruel and impatient to each other and too others

How she loved Monica’s and Ross’ house because they had a normal home.

How no matter how much admiration she gets, she needs more and starts being sexually active too early because of her home life.

How she became friends with Monica

If there were prequels, it wouldn’t be the Rachel we know and love. But an early version full of flaws and potential

Phoebe

She would have the saddest episodes, but I do think the first half of her 1st episode should be upbeat and happy like her.

Scenes about how she’s happiest with her grandma, because Ursula is nasty and her mom is always tired and sad.

Her first episode should end with her stepdad being arrested.

The school always calling her mom in to either pick up Ursula or how Phoebe has ADD and a learning disability where she can’t focus in class.

How she’s the “weird” girl in school and her sister only makes it worse.

Scenes that show how poor their family are and keep getting poorer. How Phoebe’s mom barely struggles to get by, but no matter what Phoebe is hopeful.

How she is the one to find her mother, and just ups and leaves.

An episode of how Phoebe ended up in NYC and she struggled to get by

How she makes friends with other homeless people, but some die and she is surrounded by death

An episode where she sees her sister, and Ursula leaves Phoebe to rot on the street. But Phoebe feels safer and happier with her friends

Where she meets a smelly cat

And learns to play guitar for the first time

And a scene where grandma and her reconnect after years of struggling

The series ends with her finally getting on her feet when she moves in with Monica