In what ways did The Big Bang Theory do better than Friends? Here's the honest answer 

*Disclaimer- This article is based on the author's opinion and Reddit comments. Reader discretion is advised.*

Friends or The Big Bang Theory? Sitcom fans have debated this hot issue for years, and here are our two cents.

Friends, the 90s sitcom, was a cultural phenomenon that paved the way for modern comedies like TBBT. And while many people have grown up watching Friends, many fans now believe that the show had some problematic jokes and themes, which would not sit right with the modern audience.

While Friends had a straightforward premise, a friend group living in New York, TBBT explored nerd culture and academia, two untouched territories in sitcoms.

More on why The Big Bang Theory is better than Friends in our story.

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Why is The Big Bang Theory better than Friends?

Many Friends fans have claimed that the sitcom is funny and has been there for them in their tough times, which is not an understatement as the show is funny. However, many also agree that it featured many problematic jokes and running gags, especially about Monica's overweight past.

While The Big Bang Theory featured characters with social awkwardness, like Amy, Sheldon, and Raj, it did not mock them for it. Not only were they accommodated into the friend group with these quirks, the show also validated their lonely upbringing.

But Friends fat-shamed Monica on multiple occasions, even suggesting that Chandler and she would not have ended up together if she was still overweight. She fit into the group, with her brother and his best friend, after she transformed and looked a certain way.

Secondly, The Big Bang Theory explored a new arena in comedy, geeks, and academia and managed to sustain it through 12 seasons (2 seasons longer than Friends) through stellar storytelling. Fans of the sitcom agree that the storyline remained relevant and funny even in the later seasons, which came full circle for its central characters.

But the same cannot be said for its predecessor, which was more of a situational comedy that ran for 10 seasons. Many fans felt that the show lost its charm through the later seasons, where Joey developed a massive crush on Rachel, which complicated his relationship with Ross. Ross-Rachel's 'We Were on a Break!' storyline also felt frustrating and overdone to many fans.

In addition, Friendsasssaa relied heavily on the power of its characters as a whole, which is why its spin-off Joey was canceled after two seasons. The character could not sustain itself without the friend group.

On the other hand, TBBT's spin-off, Young Sheldon, did great on its own and paved the way for another spin-off series, Georgie and Mandy's First Marriage.

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Reddit fans believe TBBT did better than Friends

Reddit fans also believe that TBBT stayed relevant and funny while exploring an arena that has not been done before, as u/vista333, notes:

''Big Bang Theory deals with many more issues and has more grit in my opinion. For e.g. some of the interesting themes are Penny’s street smarts but lack of book smarts vs. vice versa when it comes to the other friends; Sheldon’s OCD caused by his Aspergers; Raj’s hang ups with talking to girls — which are all topics that I don’t think have been covered much or at all by other sitcoms.''

''Some Friends jokes were just Phoebe being silly or Rachel being angsty or Joey being stupid in ways that are too forced and not very believable.''

While Friends won many hearts because of its relatable storyline, The Big Bang Theory had a much difficult theme, and as user u/jah05r notes, it 'nailed it':

''One thing rarely mentioned about TBBT is it’s place as a great workplace satire. It’s one of the very few shows centered around people that work in academia, and the show completely nails the politics, pettiness, and often-mundane nature of academic research.''

Also Read: The Big Bang Theory is analogous to Friends and here's the reason why

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