It has been years since the iconic shows ‘Friends’ and ‘The Office’ pulled the plug. Fans old and new still cannot stop binge-watching and comparing their similarities. Let’s find out what they are!
The classic studio audience sitcom of ‘Friends’ v/s the mockumentary ‘The Office’, from featuring quotable dialogues like “That’s what she said” to “Can I interest you in a sarcastic comment”? Both Emmy winning shows are lauded for their sarcasm, characters, and relatable storylines. However, the shows also share some uncanny similarities. Have you managed to notice them?
HIGHLIGHTS —
- The most reliable and accepting couple relationships
- Admirable character development
- Storyline of the iconic shows
The most reliable and accepting couple relationships
Who doesn’t love a good on-screen love story? Whether it was Monica finding true love in her best friend Chandler or engaged receptionist Pam falling for one of the company salesmen, Jim, on ‘The Office’.
After 3 years of flirting and staring from afar, Jim and Pam got together in season 3 of ‘The Office‘. They soon became one of the iconic on-screen pairs of all time. Moments before their wedding, when Jim cuts his tie after Pam mistakenly rips her own dress, made us laugh and admire their pairing. Even though Steve Carell was the unconventional boss on the show, it was the relationship between Pam and Jim that made viewers keep coming back. According to co-creator Stephen Merchant,
“People tuned in for the David Brent/Michael Scott character, but they stayed for the love affair”.
Merchant further added how he felt that the romance between Jim (John Krasinski) and Pam (Jenna Fischer) was an important element.
‘Friends’ featured the iconic on-screen pairing of Monica and Chandler. From a casual hookup in London to saying “I do”, Monica and Chandler’s journey has been loved by all of us. Many aren’t aware that the writers of ‘Friends’ earlier felt that the relationship could be a potential series-altering mistake. So, they initially planned to keep it as a one-off thing. But soon the writers found out that they loved writing for Chandler and Monica together. Their relationship reveals sides of their personalities that were earlier left untapped.
Every ‘Friends’ vs ‘The Office’ statistics and poll reveals how difficult it is to choose between the iconic couples and we surely agree!
Admirable character development
One of the most common poll questions for ‘Friends’ and ‘The Office’ is its characters. For nine years, viewers witnessed the characters of their favourite show ‘The Office’ go through major transformations. Who would’ve thought the uncool, terrible boss Michael Scott of Season 1 would be crying in his final episode? We saw how, in the end, Scott just wanted to be loved and give love to others. We also witnessed Pam take control of her fate and finally saying ‘yes’ to Jim. Jim Halpert’s journey on the show also went through some subtle changes. He married his crush, became a father of two kids, and climbed the success ladder in the company too.
A Reddit user commented on the ‘Friends’ vs ‘The Office’ discussion,
“I feel like a lot of people look at the show as a bunch of silly characters, but watching the show from start to finish several times reveals a lot of development”.
Just like ‘The Office’, ‘Friends’ also showcased some amazing character development. Jennifer Aniston as Rachel was a completely different person by the end of the show. Her journey as a waitress at Central Perk in early seasons to landing a job in Paris with Louis Vuitton was truly inspiring. She also embraced single motherhood on the show. Another character that underwent great change was that of Chandler Bing. A commitment-phobic stuck in a dead-end job to a character who not only embraced fatherhood but also left a secured job to pursue his dreams.
Jennifer Aniston as Rachel was a completely different person by the end of the show. Her journey as a waitress at Central Perk in early seasons to landing a job in Paris with Louis Vuitton was truly inspiring.
Storyline of the iconic shows
‘The Office’ was centred around dead-end jobs that people experience in their lives. Its episodes made the audience feel better through its unappealing workspace and annoying co-workers. It surrounded itself around a group of people who were forced to form meaningful social relationships.
‘Friends’, on the other hand, focussed on a group of six friends that came together not just to enjoy a cup of coffee but to vent and share their failures and success. The show took us through life’s major experiences that involved relationships, marriage, divorce, children, jobs, and much more.
In a poll between ‘The Office’ vs ‘Friends’, a Reddit user commented, “It’s just totally different types of comedy … I don’t think they really need to be compared, with one being a workplace comedy (like parks and rec) and one being a friendship comedy (like Seinfeld) … it’s apples and amuse Bouche”.
