Although "Friends" is seen today as a very safe, cozy sitcom, it did have its moments where it pushed the boundaries of what mainstream television was allowed to do in its time. The show was very frank about its characters' sex lives, and while its depiction of LGBTQ+ people is certainly dated now, "Friends" was pretty progressive in that respect by '90s standards. The mere fact that so much of the first season featured Ross's ex Carol (Jane Sibbett), who raises a child with her soon-to-be wife, was impressive considering that it would take another 20 years before two women in New York were even allowed to get married.

For the most part, "Friends" was allowed to be progressive for its time without being troubled by the networks, but two episodes throughout its run did cause enough controversy to be pulled from certain channels. Season 2's "The One with the...