Friends and Seinfeld were two of the biggest shows of the 1990s whose influence and impact are still felt today. But which was better? That’s something fans have debated for years and are sure to continue debating for years to come.
The debate sprang back up on Twitter this week, with the warring fans going back and forth on why their favorite show is the superior sitcom. Why exactly the argument started again is unclear, it’s just something Friends and Seinfeld fans do from time to time.
Responding to a tweet that insulted Friends as “un-f****** funny,” one fan wrote, “I speak for everyone when I say FRIENDS is funnier than Seinfeld.”
I speak for everyone when i say FRIENDS is funnier than Seinfeld
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This kicked off a barrage of replies, with fans of both shows squaring off. “Not even close. Friends is not funny. Seinfeld was and remains incredibly funny,” tweeted one Seinfeld defender.
“I’m still trying to understand how the hell, Seinfeld is the no. 1 comedy of all time,” added another.
“Seinfeld was witty, over exaggerating real situations and having all characters’ individual storylines cross paths for one big moment in the end. Friends needs the laugh track to be funny,” said one commenter.
“Without Seinfeld even the thought of Friends doesnt exist… not to mention it’s 100x funnier,” wrote another.
Friends and Seinfeld shared a lot of similarities, both debuting on NBC in the 1990s and revolving around a group of friends living in New York City. Seinfeld premiered first in 1989 and ran for nine seasons, while Friends arrived in 1994 and lasted ten seasons.
With the shows on the same network, they were never in direct competition. If anything, they helped each other out, something Lisa Kudrow and Jerry Seinfeld admitted themselves.
“I remember going to some party, and Jerry Seinfeld was there,” Kudrow once shared. “I said, “Hi,” and he said, “You’re welcome.” I said, “Why, thank you… what?” And he said, “You’re on after us in the summer, and you’re welcome.” And I said, “That’s exactly right. Thank you.”
Kudrow added that she didn’t mean to “take anything away from the writing on Friends, or the cast, or how good Friends really was” but acknowledged that the ratings for the first season were “just fine.” But when it was scheduled after Seinfeld reruns, Friends began to build a larger audience.
But this hasn’t stopped fans from comparing the shows and fighting over their individual merits. While similar in time and setting, Seinfeld is known for its cynical observational humor and irredeemable characters, whereas Friends had a more positive worldview, often focusing on the emotion and relationships of its characters.
Seinfeld was the more popular show at the time of airing, regularly ranking in the top two shows on TV, according to Nielsen, alongside ER. Friends was a ratings hit too, but it never beat Seinfeld while the two shows were both airing.
But Friends is arguably the bigger show today, with its influence and popularity still massive across the world. Seinfeld remains the critical darling, but Friends‘ popularity has spread worldwide. Friends has a bigger streaming presence globally, and you are more likely to see Friends merchandise out and about than Seinfeld.
So which show do you prefer? Let us know in the poll and the comments below.
