Friends is still a cult series worldwide, even after more than two decades have passed since its release. The fan-favorite did not leave the young generations untouched with its hilarious depiction of a gang of buddies hanging out. Monica’s apartment and Gunther’s Coffee house have been the solace for all these grown-ups who love to spend time with each other. Over 200 episodes explored their stories of love, heartbreak, marriage, and career aspirations.

Despite having all the attributes of a perfect comedy recipe, two episodes from the show were banned in the 1990s.

Friends faced a setback during its glorious years of success

Screenrant dropped a report revealing the reason behind Friends removing two iconic episodes. Though most of the episodes of the series are harmless, some were seen as inappropriate. So the authorities decided to stop them from airing two specific episodes that seemed to violate social barriers. The first one was from season 4, which has been considered one of the memorable chapters of the show, but for the wrong reasons.

The episode 17 named The One With The Free Porn was banned for its explicit depiction. It followed two major plots, including Phoebe, revealing that she was a surrogate mother of her brother’s kids. On the other hand, Ross and Emily fell in love, which drove the whole season. However, none of these things affected viewers, instead the discovery of a free pornography channel on Chandler and Joey’s TV dragged the show into controversy in the UK.

Next in line comes season 2, episode 11, The One With The Lesbian Wedding, which revolved around Ross’s ex-wife. It showed Carol getting married to her partner despite many disapproving. Viewers saw Ross walk her down the aisle even after disliking this idea for a long. This lesbian marriage concerned many viewers at that time. It was a bold move indeed. However, the episode got banned in many conservative areas in the US after being called “objectionable content.”

At this time the show faces no such objection and people enjoy it for the thrilling comedy and love the characters share. In fact, two years back, the whole cast came back together to recall all the lovely memories.

The gang brought the nostalgia back with a special episode

Back in 2021, the star cast of Friends fulfilled the heartiest wish of all their fans by gathering for a special on HBO’s streaming service. The reunion episode was titled ‘The One Where They Get Back Together’. In this get-together, the gang discussed their time on the show. From table reads, fashion shows, archive clips, and trivia games to interviews, they wrapped it all in a 1 hr 44 min episode.

The shoot took place at the Warner Bros. Studio in Burbank and was directed by The Late Late Show writer Ben Winston. Not only that, the six cast members also executive-produced the reunion to make fresh memories.

What do you think about these two episodes? Drop your comments below.