Friends Episodes Get Censored on China's Steaming Platforms
With the beloved sitcom Friends just hitting Chinese streaming platforms for the first time since it aired, fans are quickly noticing that certain elements are being censored. The fan-favorite series first premiered in 1994 and featured a fresh-faced, young cast who brought life to the relatable 20-somethings looking for love in New York City. Friends ran until 2004, at which point its cast had become world-renowned stars. Over the years, the show has become a staple within pop culture and its characters have become iconic all over the world.
Specifically, Friends follows Rachel Green, Monica Geller, Phoebe Buffay, Joey Tribbiani, Chandler Bing, and Ross Geller as they navigate the trials and tribulations of a younger person's life in the Big Apple, all with their respective jobs and personalities. The star-studded cast included the likes of Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry, and David Schwimmer as the main six characters who viewers follow, while also featuring a plethora of celebrity guest stars over the years. Despite its mid-90s release, Friends did feature certain elements of diversity, including a full storyline about Ross' lesbian ex-wife and her partner.
Related: Friends' Darkest Fan Theory Totally Changes The Show's Happy Ending
In a recent tweet from Chinese tech reporter, Zeyi Yang, Friends episodes on Chinese streaming platforms Tencent, BiliBili, iQiyi, and Youku have been censored. This censorship was noted to particularly focus on certain scenes that include Ross' ex-wife, Carol, and the entire storyline within the first season, even going as far as to completely cut scenes out of episodes altogether. Alongside this, a scene of Joey and Chandler kissing was removed
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