How 9/11 Changed This ‘Friends’ Episode Forever

Many things were forever changed following the horrific events of September 11, 2001, including an episode of "Friends" that aired just a few weeks later.

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I was only two years old when the September 11, 2001, attacks occurred in the United States. In all honesty, I only remember glimpses of that day, from the news on TV to my older sister having to leave school early. Over the years, I’ve seen clips of the event, studied it in school, and even viewed memorials at museums. There is not much more to add to what has already been said by those old enough to remember the event. For me personally, I just wish I could know what it’s like to live in a pre-9/11 era.

9/11 Leaves Its Mark on American Sitcom

The events of that day touched nearly every aspect of society, including television. One of the shows impacted by the events was none other than the hit NBC sitcom Friends, which aired on the network from 1994 to 2004. The show follows a group of six friends living in New York and has garnered a large cult following even decades after the series finale. I caught reruns of the show nearly every day after school for years, and it’s become one of my all-time favorite shows to binge-watch. There’s just something about 1990s sitcoms that makes them more iconic the older they get.

The Friends episode "The One Where Rachel Tells..." originally aired on October 11, 2001, just a few short weeks after the terrorist attacks in the U.S. During the episode, newlywed characters Chandler and Monica are on their honeymoon and are getting angry at another newlywed couple, also on their honeymoon, for receiving free stuff. Chandler and Monica are both pretty peeved that this couple was able to secure airplane seat and hotel upgrades just because they were first in line. However, the original storyline for these characters was actually much different.

‘Friends’ Scenes Pulled After 9/11

In the clip above, you’ll see that the other newlywed couple is nowhere to be found. Instead, Chandler and Monica’s portion of the episode focuses on them navigating through airport security. At one point, Chandler even makes a joke about a sign that reads, "Federal Law Prohibits Any Joking Regarding Aircraft Hijacking or Bombing." Seemingly without thinking, Chandler reads the sign out loud, looks over at an airport employee, and says the following:

"You don’t have to worry about me, ma’am, I take my bombs very seriously."

Yikes. Things pretty much just get worse from there. It’s abundantly clear why this portion of the episode was rewritten. What’s even more interesting is that these deleted scenes are not easy to find unless you look online. According to Business Insider, the deleted scenes seem to be available only on the 2004 UK release of the DVDs. However, the scenes have since made their way to YouTube. You can watch the full episode on Max.