Fans of Friends in China have been noticing the censorship of some episodes – specifically those featuring LGBTQ+ content, according to Deadline. Multiple streamers, like Tencent, Youku, and Bilibili started streaming episodes from the show’s debut season on Friday, when fans discovered some moments from the American version had been edited out.
TV shows and films are often censored or banned if they depict values the government does not align with, including belittling cultural traditions, undermining religious policy, and the endangerment of social morality. Fans tried trending the hashtag, #Friendshasbeencensored, with no avail since the hashtag has also been censored and limited.
In particular, the sites have deleted one scene where Ross, played by David Schwimmer (Madagascar) shares that his wife is a lesbian, as well as one where Joey, played by Matt LeBlanc (Joey), jokingly suggests the group go to a strip club.
The series aired from 1994 through 2004 and enjoyed another generation of fans after being released to streaming services like Netflix and HBO Max. Friends: The Reunion was released to HBO Max in late May 2021 and featured the stars as they discussed their time on the show that arguably launched their careers.