People share 25 outrageous lies '90s TV made them believe as kids: 'Having friends'
Many grew up with an idealized vision of adulthood, only to realize later that TV shows had set unrealistic expectations.
Many people idolize their favorite shows and dream of living like their favorite characters. As kids and teenagers, it’s easy to believe that the friendships, adventures and endless free time portrayed on TV are realistic. But as adulthood arrives, reality often looks very different from the effortless, carefree lives seen on screen. A Reddit user, u/Emotional-Leg66, sparked a conversation on this when they shared a still from the iconic sitcom "Friends" featuring the main characters gathered for breakfast at Monica Geller’s (played by Courteney Cox) apartment. They pointed out that the idea of adults casually having breakfast at a friend’s place before work is one of the biggest lies TV ever told them.
The person then asked others, "What other lies did 90s TV tell us?" prompting a flood of responses. Many shared how TV shows shaped their expectations of adulthood—only for reality to prove them wrong. Some noted how characters could somehow afford massive apartments in expensive cities despite having low-paying jobs. Others pointed out that even maintaining friendships, let alone meeting friends regularly, felt like a luxury in adult life. Here are 25 things ‘90s TV convinced people were true.
1. Unlimited time with friends
"Having unlimited free time to hang out with friends and go on countless trips." -u/glovato1
2. Having the same schedule as your friends
"Your friends have the same exact time off as you to hang out." -u/eddieesks
3. Having friends as an adult
"Having friends." -u/Spookyscary333
4. Having spare money to fly abroad
"Got enough cash lying around to just whip off to England for the weekend to go to a friend's wedding." -u/Same_Ad_9284
5. School ends just after "walking down the hallways"
"In the teen dramas, they just walked down the hallways and then school was done for the day." -u/ussrowe
6. Neighbors providing sage advice
"I'm still waiting for my neighbor to start providing sage life advice." -u/Still_Apartmebt5024
7. Talking to neighbors
"I have never willingly talked to a neighbor. I'm not unsociable either, but when the hell do you talk to a neighbor? About what? Lawns? The weird smell in the apartment building?" -u/what_if_Ima_dinosaur
8. Crawling through windows unannounced is acceptable
"It's totally fine to crawl through somebody's window unannounced." -u/StankRanger420
9. Apartments with unlocked doors
"The door is always being unlocked at friends' and family’s houses. Can’t even get them to unlock it on time when they know I’m on the way." -u/Accomplished-Hour-74
10. People having expensive apartments with low-paying jobs
"You could work maybe ten hours a week tops and afford a three-bedroom apartment with no help." -u/Arkvoodle42
11. Having more friends to invite to a celebration
"The bigger lie was that you could hang out with the same four people day in and day out, but throw a random party and have 50 other friends show up." -u/Orange_Kid
12. People who work full-time jobs and take care of their children without help
"That two parents could each carry high-ranking jobs full-time and still have the ability and energy to raise five kids without a maid or nanny." -u/Horbigast
13. Background effects
"That, if I was quirky or funny enough, people would clap and cheer when I came into a room. Or if I kissed someone, an audience would go, 'Wooooooooh!'" -u/fraukau
14. Having childhood friends
"90s TV lied to me about childhood friends sticking by you. It lied about people coming together to help someone they know fix their home. It lied to me that your friends will help you bounce back from disaster. It lied to me that life is worth living." -u/JeffroCakes
15. Hard work can help achieve dreams
"That if you work hard, you can get to where you wanna be." -u/PuzzleheadedNovel73
16. Having non-work friends after college
"Having nonwork friends after college, is the biggest lie ever told." -u/Houserulesfools
17. Being in bed with shoes on
"No one took their shoes off in people’s homes. Sometimes, they would even be on beds with shoes on." -u/baseballCatastrophe
18. Gorgeous people all around
"Almost everyone you encounter is, at worst, above-average looking and most people are downright gorgeous." -u/Cycoviking69
19. Finding friends at coffee shops spontaneously
"Spontaneously dropping in at the local coffee shop and all your friends happen to be there." -u/Heldpizza
20. Walking into a friend's apartment as if you live there
"Friends just walk into apartments as if they live there and the occupants don’t care." -u/Delat31_Heavy
21. Enough money to hang out at coffee shops all the time
"Having enough disposable income to hang out in a coffee shop day after day. While you're in your 20s in one of the most expensive cities on Earth." -u/EmmelineTx
22. Sunny mornings
"It will always be sunny in the morning on your way to work/school! My first bell rang at 7:15 am. It was DARK out." -u/SkinnyPuppy81
23. Having a senior-level job as a young person
"People in their mid-late 20s have jobs that they would be nowhere qualified to have in real life." -u/Atomic_Wafer-5613
24. Permanently reserved seats at eateries in crowded cities
"That a group can put a tiny 'Reserved' sign on a couch in a coffee shop in Manhattan and no one will sit there besides them?" -u/nodaskip
25. Meeting new people at a coffee shop
"Meeting people at coffee shops is the best way to make new friends and date people." -u/imironman2018
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