Even though Friends concluded its broadcast over twenty years ago, it remains beloved worldwide.
The NBC sitcom aired for 10 seasons from 1994 to 2004, propelling Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, David Schwimmer, Matt LeBlanc, and Matthew Perry to significant fame.
The series finale was watched by approximately 52.5 million people, reportedly making it the fifth most-watched TV series finale in U.S. television history.
Since its original airing, billions of minutes of Friends have been streamed on platforms like Netflix and HBO Max.
With so many viewers revisiting the series, some unnoticed errors have been brought to light.
For example, in season eight’s “The One with Rachel’s Date,” eagle-eyed fans noticed that Courteney Cox was briefly replaced by her stand-in during a Central Perk scene.
In a recent online post, a viewer highlighted another oversight, describing it as a ‘literal plot hole.’
Such details might have gone unnoticed before the era of widescreen TVs and streaming services like Netflix.
TikTok user Rilo (@rileysoley) discovered the anomaly while pausing “The One After Joey and Rachel Kiss,” the first episode of season 10.
In the episode, Joey returns to his apartment and closes the door, a scene familiar to fans from Friends’ 236 episodes.
However, on Riley’s screen, an unexpected detail stood out.
Riley commented: “I love when you can tell something was shot with a camera that had no intention of ever being put on a widescreen TV.”
She continued, “I’m watching Friends, and look at this,” pointing out a large hole to the right of Joey’s door. “Look at that giant hole in the side of Joey and Chandler’s apartment!”
The video clearly displayed a sizable, square cut-out in the set’s wall, likely used for filming equipment placement during scenes in the iconic apartment.
This discovery led fans to question why such a significant hole was visible in the shot.
Riley’s theory suggests that the crew might have assumed it would be cropped out for television.
This isn’t the first time the 16:9 aspect ratio has unveiled amusing Friends’ moments that were not intended for the audience.
One TikTok user noted: “They have so many! In one, Joey was supposed to be out of frame but you can see him covering his mouth laughing.”
I, for one, will be paying closer attention during my next Friends marathon!