Woman finds mistake in Friends that 'you can only see on a widescreen TV'

It's been 20 years since the finale of Friends, but it still remains many people's comfort show, with fans rewatching it on a regular basis.

The beloved comedy series ran from 1994 to 2004 and was one of the most-watched shows of its era, with its millions of viewers closely following the lives of the six fictional pals for 10 years.

But, while many of Friends' storylines have aged well, there are certainly aspects of the sitcom that show its age.

From the fashion choices and hairstyles to the complete absence of smartphones, the show is truly a product of its time. That goes for the way its creators expected people to watch it too.

Back in the 90s, there was no such thing as a smart TV and Netflix was nothing but a whisper of a dream.

Shows such as Friends were viewed exclusively in a standard 4:3 aspect ratio on chunky-backed TVs that took up half your living room, so producers didn't need to worry about anything beyond that screen size.

But maybe they should have.

NBC

In a post shared online, one fan spotted a 'literal plot hole' - one that probably wouldn't have been visible before the age of Netflix, where users are able to watch the show with the wider aspect ratio of 16:9.

TikTok user Riley hit pause on the episode, which was the opening episode of Season 10, titled 'The One After Joey and Rachel Kiss'.

In the episode, we see Joey returning home to his apartment and closing the door we've seen so many times before. But on Riley's TV, there's another detail visible, and it's pretty hard to miss.

"I love when you can tell something was shot with a camera that had no intention of ever being put on a widescreen TV," Riley said.

"I'm watching Friends, and look at this," she said, pointing to the right of Joey's door.

"Look at that giant hole in the side of Joey and Chandler's apartment!"

TikTok/@rileysoley

The video clearly showed a huge, square hole cut out of the wall of the set, presumably used to help position equipment as the crew filmed the inside of the apartment.

Some fans have questioned why the hole was even included in the frame in the first place, but if Riley's theory is correct, it's because the camera people probably assumed it would be cut off by the time it made it to TV.

I guess they never imagined the show would become, quite literally, so big.