Friends is one of the most beloved sitcoms of all time — and for good reason. It’s endlessly funny, with standout episodes like “The One with the Embryos,” where the gang battles it out in a hilarious trivia game for a shot at swapping apartments, and “The One Where Everybody Finds Out,” where Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow) and Chandler (Matthew Perry) play a bold game of chicken to expose Monica (Courteney Cox) and Chandler’s secret romance.
But despite its charm, not everything in Friends has aged gracefully. The show is known for several problematic elements — from fat-shaming Monica’s younger self to making cruel, transphobic jokes about Chandler’s father (Kathleen Turner), and even Ross’s (David Schwimmer) questionable relationship with his student, Elizabeth (Alexandra Holden). Yet one of its most persistent flaws was how it leaned on outdated gender stereotypes, a pattern that started early on — in the show’s fourth episode, “The One with George Stephanopoulos.”
“The One with George Stephanopoulos” Splits the Friends by Gender
In Friends’ fourth episode, “The One with George Stephanopoulos,” the gang spends the night divided by gender. Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow) crashes at Monica and Rachel’s (Jennifer Aniston) apartment to escape her noisy home life, while Chandler (Matthew Perry) and Joey (Matt LeBlanc) take Ross (David Schwimmer) to a hockey game.
Both groups end up trying to cheer up their friends — Ross is feeling low because it’s the anniversary of his first night with Carol (Jane Sibbett) since their breakup, while Rachel is discouraged by her tiny first paycheck and a painful reminder of her old, privileged life.
At the game, Ross can’t stop moping about Carol, killing the mood for Chandler and Joey. Back at the apartment, Monica and Phoebe try to lift Rachel’s spirits, only to start questioning their own choices. Things take a funny turn when a stray puck sends Ross to the ER, and the girls accidentally get George Stephanopoulos’ pizza, realizing they can see into his apartment from across the street.
By the end, everyone reunites for a carefree game of Twister — a light moment that balances out the emotional chaos of the night.
“The One with George Stephanopoulos” Set a Bad Precedent for ‘Friends’
“The One with George Stephanopoulos” isn’t a bad episode — it’s funny, nostalgic, and early Friends at its core. But looking back more than 30 years later, it’s hard to ignore how weighed down it is by outdated gender stereotypes.
For example, the ever-competitive Monica would’ve probably loved going to the hockey game, yet Chandler and Joey only invite Ross — simply because he’s a man. Once they learn it’s the anniversary of Ross losing his virginity, the focus shifts from heartbreak to his sexual history, with both friends mocking and objectifying in the process. Meanwhile, the episode’s resolutions are oddly gendered too: Ross perks up after accidentally knocking out a rude nurse, while the women feel better after spying on George Stephanopoulos’ apartment. Both moments are played for laughs, but neither gets questioned.
This episode highlights an early pattern that would follow Friends throughout its run. Joey sexualizes Carol and Susan’s (Jessica Hecht) relationship, Rachel mocks Monica’s teenage weight, and Ross laughs at a nurse’s injury just because she’s “mean.” Even the girls’ peeping into their neighbor’s apartment hints at the show’s recurring voyeuristic humor, later seen with “Ugly Naked Guy.”
