Why One of the Highest-Rated ‘Friends’ Episodes Made NBC Nervous

The Massive Image

• “The One With the Lesbian Wedding ceremony” episode of
  Pals
  was controversial on the time, however grew to become the top-rated episode within the US, with 31.6 million viewers tuning in.
• The episode approached the subject of a same-sex wedding ceremony with a concentrate on Ross’ character progress, reasonably than politics, centering round his relationship along with his ex-wife Carol and her soon-to-be spouse Susan.
• Regardless of the worry of backlash, the episode was a hit and stays a memorable second in
  Pals
  historical past, changing into a big turning level for Ross and his romantic relationships.

Relating to sitcoms, there’s nothing fairly as iconic and timeless as Friends. Whether or not it’s the will-they-won’t-they romance between Ross (David Schwimmer) and Rachel (Jennifer Aniston), the quirkiness of Joey (Matt Le Blanc) and Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow), or the expansion between Monica (Courteney Cox) and Chandler (Matthew Perry), Pals stored viewers glued to the TV for 10 years and 236 whole episodes, profitable a number of awards and gaining unimaginable scores. It’s no marvel the present is a basic. With how popular Friends is, and the way extremely it’s regarded now as a basic sitcom within the historical past of the style, it’s unusual to appreciate that throughout the time of airing, NBC confronted some controversy relating to considered one of its highly-rated episodes. Right here’s what occurred and why.

What Is “The One With the Lesbian Wedding ceremony” About?

Simply two years after the pilot aired, NBC aired Season 2, Episode 11 in 1996, “The One With the Lesbian Wedding ceremony.” Within the opening scene, Ross meets along with his ex-wife Carol (Jane Sibbett) and her girlfriend Susan (Jessica Hecht). Ross has had a clumsy relationship with Carol ever since she got here out as homosexual and their marriage led to divorce, and Ross and Susan have had an particularly strained relationship as effectively. As a romantic, Ross’s failed marriage is one thing he struggles with all through the primary portion of the collection, so he turns into distressed when Carol publicizes her and Susan’s engagement.

Ross and Carol’s divorce, nevertheless painful in the meanwhile, was largely amicable, and so they have stored their friendship ever since. So, Carol invitations Ross to the marriage (her hesitations simply earlier than telling him of her and Susan’s engagement suggest that she’s unsure how Ross will take the information, and it takes Susan nudging her to really inform him). Ross tries to play it off, nevertheless it’s apparent that he nonetheless has emotions for Carol and stays bitter that their relationship ended whereas Susan will get to stay his dream.

Again at Monica’s condo, Ross makes it clear that his downside with the marriage, and the rationale he refuses to attend, has nothing to do with Carol and Susan being homosexual and all the pieces to do with Carol being his ex-wife. Although he and Carol have remained mates, attending the marriage could be painful and awkward for him. However the marriage is inconceivable to flee: when the caterer for the marriage is injured, Carol hires Monica as a substitute, and Ross is roped into serving to out with the meals for his personal ex-wife’s wedding ceremony.

Carol and Susan’s Wedding ceremony Is a Main Turning Level for Ross on ‘Pals’

Ross reaches a turning level, although, when Carol visits the condo,t saying that she might need to name the marriage off. Her dad and mom don’t approve of her relationship with Susan, and so they have refused to attend. Her insecurities from this rejection began a struggle between Carol and Susan, leaving Carol to second-guess herself. Refusing to be one other particular person in Carol’s life who doesn’t assist her, Ross swallows his satisfaction and units apart his ache for a second to have an precise dialog together with her. He agrees with Susan (a uncommon second in and of itself) that the marriage is for Carol and Susan, not for anybody else, and that if they really love one another, then the marriage ought to proceed as deliberate. Carol responds positively to the pep discuss, and Ross finally ends up going to the marriage out of assist for Carol, even strolling her down the aisle instead of her dad and mom — which provides a brand new layer of that means to the custom of giving the bride away.

Throughout the reception, Susan responds to Ross’s assist of Carol by extending an olive department herself. She thanks him for serving to to calm Carol’s nerves and to be her assist system throughout the wedding ceremony, then goes one step additional by providing Ross a dance. Ross agrees. This episode represents an enormous turning level for Ross regarding considered one of his largest conflicts in the Friends’ early days. Giving Carol away helped him to maneuver on from this stage of his life and finally embrace a brand new relationship, a lot farther down the road.

Why Was This ‘Pals’ Episode Controversial for NBC?

In 1996 when the episode first aired, NYC was still fifteen years away from legalizing gay marriage (marriage licenses for same-sex weddings weren’t made obtainable till 2011), so the subject was approached with a stage of warning. “The One With the Lesbian Wedding ceremony” was solely the second sitcom to painting a same-sex wedding ceremony. In keeping with author and producer Marta Kauffman, NBC executives were preparing for the worst as they anticipated backlash over the controversial materials, however the complaints they acquired weren’t almost as quite a few as they anticipated. The truth is, regardless of the subject of a homosexual wedding ceremony being controversial on the time, “The One With the Lesbian Wedding ceremony” grew to become the top-rated episode within the US: 31.6 million viewers tuned in to observe.

Whereas nearly all of Pals viewers loved the episode and few complaints made it to NBC executives, some networks refused to air the episode at all. There’s at all times certain to be some pushback in relation to subjects seen as controversial, and Pals wasn’t precisely refined with the episode’s message. However, the episode survived the backlash and stays a memorable second in Pals historical past, if for nothing else, then for Ross’s character progress.

“The One With the Lesbian Wedding ceremony” Continues To Be Properly-Acquired

Relating to illustration in media, Pals has by no means been essentially the most numerous. Some subjects, like that of Chandler’s transgender mum or dad, are dealt with with immaturity, and some jokes definitely wouldn’t make it on air if they were written nowadays. Nevertheless, this episode specifically approaches the topic with extra of a personality focus than a political one (despite the fact that the political facet is totally and inherently current).

Slightly than debating the politics surrounding homosexual marriage, Pals focuses on the connection between Ross and Carol — most notably, how Ross is dealing with his scenario now that Carol is shifting on, and he’s nonetheless caught up to now. Regardless of gender or sexual orientation, breakups and divorces are sadly prevalent and relatable experiences, with the battle to maneuver on much more so.

This episode facilities round Ross’s acceptance of his personal scenario and coming to phrases with the place he’s at in life (an overarching theme for the Pals collection as an entire, with our six principal characters exploring completely different levels of maturity). Carol herself is extra of a personality than an archetype as she wrestles together with her insecurities and her lack of a assist system. This episode represents the tip of an period for Ross and Carol, as they each formally transfer on.

Pals remains to be insanely standard, even almost 20 years after its finale, and it’s at all times enlightening to look again and examine the milestones that these characters attain of their lives. Despite the fear of backlash, “The One With the Lesbian Wedding ceremony” depicted a second in time when nearly all of viewers had been glad that Ross cleared this primary hurdle — and that he was now free to pursue different romantic relationships, taking an amazing step ahead within the Ross/Rachel will-they-won’t-they storyline.

Pals is accessible to stream on Max within the U.S.

Watch on Max