Stick with Seinfeld. The first series in particular is pretty slow. But around about series five it got hysterically funny. And of course, it came along before Friends.
I believe Marta Kauffman pretty much admitted that the first two series of Friends in particular were hugely influenced by Seinfeld. I always remember The One With Ross' Rage, and found it interesting that until that episode Ross really had no rage. It would've been a perfect storyline on the other hand for George Costanza.

The Friends seemed to spend a lot of time doing their laundry.

Why though - they never wore the same thing twice!

The incident with Ross's Sandwich seemed to be a nervous breakdown after his divorce from Emily

At the end of the season 3 Flashback episode Joey is introduced to Ross after the gang catches Ross and Phoebe making out. But Joey isn't introduced to Phoebe in this scene even though they hadn't met on screen. Should we assume that Joey and Phoebe had already met that night in Monica's apartment?

At the end of the routine episode, Joey kisses Janine.

Then at the start of the next episode, the Apothocary table episode, Joey comes running across to tell me gang he kissed her. It is heavily suggested that this is a direct continuation from the kiss we have seen in the previous episode, yet everyone is wearing different clothes.

Also, I appreciate it is done to create the humour, but how unlikely is it that Rachel and Ross would purchase the exact same Apothocary table at pretty much the same time. It's not exactly a common item.

Could be the next morning? Agree about the table though, Although if a catalogue is mailed and they both see it etc etc then you never know, How often do people buy the same outfit for an event and what are the chances?

But doesn't someone ask Joey what happened next and Joey says "I came over to tell you guys", then Chandler says "So she is just waiting there for you?" and then Joey runs back. That to me means, as Paul1511 said, that this is the exact same kiss from the previous episode and he runs over to tell the others straight away leaving her just standing there.

If it was the next morning then he wouldn't need to run back.

Fair point yes, Long time since i seen it and i forgot that part.

Thanks, maybe I will give it another go. I don't have any other comedy to watch at the moment now that Community has finished, Rick and Morty is in-between seasons and everything else stopped being funny.

I feel the same.

I pretty much stop watching it after that. I have seen some of the later episodes on repeats. I find them unbearable and the characters unrecognisable.

Now when I rewatch I stop when they go to London( terrible episodes ). Everything after that I don't really even recognise as Friends. It's like they took a slightly above average sitcom and turned it in to a soap opera. The exact same thing has happened with TBBT -- which has never been as good as Friends anyway.

I never really liked any of the 'off location specials'. London, Vegas, Barbados. All of these episodes were poor, maybe trying too hard. I preferred just the regular coffeehouse/apartment settings.

Yeah, agreed. They also looked very cheap and tacky too. The London episodes - Jesus!! - Oh look, a big red bus. Oh a minor Royal. Oh, they all talk like minor royals.

In the Ross's Library Book episode Ross speaks in his weird English accent again. In the same episode, I must note how stilted Matthew Perry's accent is at the height of his addiction

Great gag when Joey walks up to his apartment, sees Janice and runs off though

I have seen all of Friends and, sure the first 5/6 series were good but then it went downhill very fast where by the time of the last series it was awful. However, for you to have said BIB - TBBT is a better show and, as far as I am concerned, majority of the characters are more realistic compared to the characters in Friends

the only thing i'll give prais for the london eps were they were actually in london-barbados was an awful set and so was vegas

I like TBBT but I've never thought the punchlines were half as good as the were on the early seasons of Friends. So we're just going to have to accept that humour is subjective on that one.

My enjoyment of an episode is lessened if it's an episode where Matthew Perry is looking skinny and ill. All I can think of is how sick and painful he looks.

Also his addiction phases played havoc with continuity. The last episode of one series where they are all at the beach house and he is constantly pestering Monica whether she see's him as boyfriend material he is skinny and ill but the first episode of the next series, which is a continuation, he is a normal weight, healthy and has lighter hair.

The engagement episodes. Gets engaged to Monica end of series finale, healthy looking, first episode of next series, set at the same point in time, skinny and ill. His illness is further emphasised a few eps later in the series where they are taking the engagement announcement pictures and he can't smile properly. He looks his worst in that ep.

Scary now looking back at how ill he clearly was at those times. I know the show couldn't really do anything about it but it does ruin the continuity

Yea it's uncomfortable viewing at times

Watching the one with Rachel's book why does Joey dress up as a vicar if the vicar was zeldas dad... Unless the book took a different turn... Yuck.

Also probably griped about this before but Monicas parents engagement story doesn't fit with the "Ross the miracle baby doctors thought she barren" story

Two more gripes:

1) When Ross is haggling about the wedding reception with Emily's parents, they ask how can it be so expensive when it's being held at her parents' house. But they are clearly at a hotel with rooms as they all keep going back and there's a honeymoon suite. Then Emily's dad is doing tours of the wine cellar!

2) In The One With The Hypnosis Tape, it's really sexist! The tape is supposed to make Chandler into a 'strong, confident woman' - who keeps crying all the time!

1 is a good shout as it is clearly a hotel

2 I still found quite funny. The joke of Chandler being a "strong, confident woman" is obvious and pulled off well

I love friends and watch it most days, here's a few gripes of mine:

1. Joey and chandler are huge Die Hard fans......so wouldn't they know Bruce Willis (Elizabeth's dad) On Ross's list of people he's allowed to sleep with he mentions Susan Sarandon (Jessica Lockhart). He also makes a table reservation under the name Winona Ryder (Rachel's Girl Kiss)

2. In tow Emma's 1st birthday, Rachel makes a big fuss about everyone needing to be there, its such a big deal etc, yet her parents, sisters, or even Ben (Ross's son/Emma's step brother) aren't even there!

3. In the late thanksgiving episode when they cant get into Monica's apartment Rachel says she still has her old key.....surely the locks would have been changed when the door got knocked down when 'joey smelled gas' when Monica and chandler are on honeymoon

the last two i agree with first one think thats the joke hes not playing bruce willis hes a character

actually i heard bruce willis lost a bet with matthew perry and done friends for free

Is that why he's so wooden in most of his scenes?

Yes i know the same as the two others I mentioned

2 - yep this one makes me sad, as I love so much about that episode but all it would've taken was one line of dialogue from either Ross or Rachel while they were trying to convince every one to come like:
"come on guys you know Rachel/Ross is upset her folks/ben can't come, don't say you can't make it either?"
Such a small thing but would appease us loyal servants of the show haha