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Caleb Martin
February 24th, 2017
UWRT 1102-014

Major Assignment #2: Critical Reading

From the TV show that is still referenced even today, I will discuss the episode The One

with the Football from Friends (Season 3). This TV show is something I am emotionally

attached to as an American and as a teen living in modern day America. Friends is where a lot of

teenagers found their labels and started to categorize themselves. An example would be I am

just like Monica and they would try to be like the fictional character. I even resonated with the

character Ross. I saw a lot of my qualities in him and thought of myself as the opposite of Joey. I

would argue that Friends is one of the most popular shows to ever exist in the countrys history.

With a setting of late-90s early-2000s NYC with 20 somethings, it just set the perfect

time and place to have a representation of how someone from that day and time should act and

be like. The character Rachel had her own haircut that became a popular choice for young

women in the late 90s. I will be discussing this particular episode in detail and how it is

considered American in its own right. I will also discuss the explicit and implicit arguments

this episode makes about American identity.

In the beginning of the episode, Rachel puts a marshmallow in Monicas nose. This was

after Monica nagged her for not listening. This is very American because a lot of people will

prank or do something funny yet mean in spite of something or someone nagging them endlessly.

Rachel also called Monica Mon and many people in America give their close friends nick-

names or shortened names.

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In the theme song, the lyrics (which I wont include for the sake of space) are very

American in that they talk about failure and the feeling of life going nowhere but having your

friends by your side making things a lot easier. I would argue here in America, that people cling

to companions in their darker times to seek comfort. People in America also tend to befriend

people in similar circumstances to make them feel less alone and they push though lifes issues

together. This could be why Fraternities and Sororities are popular among struggling college

students.

In the next scene, you can the males clung to the TV as they watch Americas Pastime,

while the women are elsewhere. This enforces the American stereotype that males are into sports

and females are into cooking and girly things. The character Joey addresses Chandler because

he is getting over a breakup and is depressed and doing stereotypical breakup things. In the

next part, Ross and Monica (who are siblings) explain to their group of friends why they cant

play football. Ross used the term savage which is very commonly used today. Monica shows

the attitude of always needing to win. Its easy to argue that on a macro-scale, a lot of Americans

(including the president) show an obsession of winning and being in the right.

In the next scene, the characters are in a NYC park throwing a football back and forth.

The character Rachel waves her arms frantically and fails to catch the incoming ball. This is

reinforcing the American stereotype that women cant play football. It puts a line separating

femininity and masculinity through the display of a sport being played. They then single out the

weakest player when the captains pick their teams and this scene is shown and referenced in a lot

of American media.
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The character Phoebe then says This is my first huddle! and then says What do you

guys really thing of Chandler. This reinforces two things about Americans. One is that women

are into drama, the second is that Americans can be two-faced when around different people. In

the play by play, they say one Mississippi, two Mississippi, three Mississippi.. This is very

American and you probably wont hear people say that in the eastern hemisphere.

In the next scene, Joey encounters an attractive female. When she speaks, she has an

accent. Joey quickly assumes she from a whole other country. This is also something

Americans are known for. People here try to assume someones origin based on an accent or skin

color.

Another thing is that, even when Chandler encounters this women, they are both unable

to remember or continue on with what they were previously doing. This is American because

men (in general) are supposed to be dumbfounded when they encounter an attractive female.

This also makes the assumption that all men are heterosexual. Most shows in this era portray

men in this way which makes this episode very similar to others.

In a lot of American culture, it is common for two people to fight over a potential partner.

Thats exactly what happens in the next scene. The song Get Ready for This by 2unlimited is a

song that was the opening song for the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl XLV. They played this

song in the episode so it resonates with the American football culture. Throughout the rest of

the football scene, male and female stereotypes are referenced and portrayed. A lot of shows in

America did this and some still do. Were not going to lose to girls is said multiple times.

Phoebe also says How are we going to beat three boys?.

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By the end of this episode, a lot of American cultural references were made and there

were obstacles that were overcome. A trend I see a lot in American shows and movies is the

ability to overcome obstacles and win. Winning (as I mentioned earlier) is a very important

thing, and I see this and happy endings interchangeably in American culture.

Overall this show is still funny even though there is a lack of diversity and stereotypes are

portrayed and reinforced. As a diehard fan of this show, I would also argue there are also

breakthroughs and other empowering things for gay people and women in later episodes so this

show isnt meant to oppress people in any way. Most people in America would agree with that

statement.

This show can be bought in a DVD set, watched on Netflix or another website where you can
purchase it.
Link: https://www.netflix.com/watch/70274053?trackId=13752289&tctx=0%2C8%2Cd359f79f-
c1db-4f87-b7c4-dc6a4061334a-19584571 (Works if you have Netflix)

Work Cited
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NBC. FRIENDS at Thanksgiving dinner. Digital image. Cosmopolitan. NBC, n.d. Web. 28 Feb.
2017. <http://www.cosmopolitan.co.uk/entertainment/news/a44359/friends-
inconsistencies-continuity-problems-loopholes/>.