'Friends' fans are convinced creators made an error with Joey character in the later season
Given the feel-good storylines and endearing camaraderie of its cast, 'Friends' continues to grab major love 20 years later. However, that doesn't mean the sitcom is without its flaws. Eagle-eyed fans recently brought attention to a major error involving Matt LeBlanc's Joey Tribbiani, which has left many questioning whether the show's creators lost sight of their beloved character.
As per The Mirror US, the mistake concerns Joey's infamous 'finger quotes'. In Season 5, Episode 12, Joey uses finger quotes to imply Monica Geller (played by Courtney Cox) and Chandler Bing (played by Matthew Perry) are 'making love.' However, in Season 9, Episode 2, Joey tells Ross Geller (played by David Schwimmer) that he doesn’t know what 'finger quotes' work. Such an obvious overlook not only raises questions about the production's lack of attention to Joey as a character but also speaks volumes about the overall negligence in the detailing.
This inconsistency has sparked debates among fans. A fan argued, "Since season 6, inconsistencies increase again and again on such matters..." Another shared, "One that always gets me is how Joey seems increasingly naive as the seasons progress. For example, in season 1, Joey understands the euphemism parents use that when your pet dies they go to a farm but then in season 10 when Rachel states she thought the duck and chick died and Phoebe interjects and says they went to a farm, Joey seems totally oblivious to the meaning of it."
mad how in the first season of Friends Joey is a dopey but competent human being and by the end he can’t even add up two small numbers. what happened to that man
— Beth McColl (@imbethmccoll) September 23, 2019
However, others felt differently. A person reasoned, "It's not continuity; he used them without knowing really what it means. Loads of people do that every day." Another argued that such loopholes were not taken as seriously at the time of the 'Friends' run. "Back then, continuity or linking stories wasn't a critical consideration for the writers. Just like how shows like 'Family Guy' are. Most stories are independent of other episodes but the general characters and their relationships are consistent."
While given Joey's non-serious nature, one can let go of this loophole under the pretext of it being a 'Joey' thing, there is another continuity error involving Monica, which is too hard to let go. As reported by Screenrant, the lapse happened in 'Friends' Season 8, Episode 5, titled 'The One With Rachel’s Date.' The scene in question takes place in the iconic Central Perk café, where Monica and Phoebe Buffay (played by Lisa Kudrow) are seen chatting and sipping coffee together on the sofa as usual. At first glance, everything seems normal, until the camera angle changes and zooms in on Phoebe. In the frame, Cox who plays Monica, is mysteriously replaced by a completely different woman— a stand-in who bears little to no resemblance to Monica.
