Why are we deconstructing a show that last aired 17 years ago. 17 years of so much change. It is strikingly odd to see these characters without smartphones, for one. And yet, all that considered, it lives on. The fact that it is still in the Top 5 most watched shows in India on Netflix is evidence enough that it continues to be relevant. As someone who watched the show through my late teens and early twenties, I find it fascinating when I notice young people watching it now. The music they listen to I can’t relate, but talking about a favourite Friends episode with a 17 year old today is a very viable ice-breaker. Back in the day, it introduced ideas such as dating (which only existed in fictional Riverdale before), working on relationships (the couples we saw seemed to just live through them), and distinctions between loving someone and being in love with them (a nuance that one sees often on social media still.)

We give it that credit, and then some. And to keep it all fair, we take a fair few swipes too.

For this and that and such, you must, you must, play on.