Friends or Seinfeld

[Valentis]

Which of the two has had a bigger cultural impact?

[Starter Set]

Friends' popularity was something from an another world in its prime.

[Valentis]

Friends' popularity was something from an another world in its prime.

Seinfeld was called the undisputed greatest ever tv sitcom known to mankind. My preference was Friends.

[Kirby101]

I don't think there is really a contest. Seinfeld was so much more influential to popular culture. The amount of catch phrases and references even today are testament to that.
It was also a better show IMNO, but that is another question.

[batnbreakfast]

ALF.

If Alf is not discussed I give it to Seinfeld.

[basbash99]

Seinfeld all the way. Friends wasn't bad either but wasn't as revolutionary as Seinfeld, which pretty much tossed about the rulebook for sitcoms. And as mentioned elsewhere, developed a whole vocabulary and series of catchphrases that are still used today (close talker, sponge-worthy, etc.). Sadly, Seinfeld doesn't seem like it could succeed today as so much of it would be viewed as 'problematic', which could not be said about friends, aside from the need to diversify the cast more.

[Valentis]

I don't think there is really a contest. Seinfeld was so much more influential to popular culture. The amount of catch phrases and references even today are testament to that.
It was also a better show IMNO, but that is another question.

Better Show was always said to be Seinfeld. I don't find any Seinfeld character as funny as Chandler or Phoebe.

Unless WB is paying people to talk about Friends every single day, Friends definitely had the bigger impact on popular culture.

[MyriVerse]

I think Seinfeld had a broader appeal.

But the correct answer to the question is, of course, Frasier. :P

[Synestra]

Seinfeld all the way. Friends wasn't bad either but wasn't as revolutionary as Seinfeld, which pretty much tossed about the rulebook for sitcoms. And as mentioned elsewhere, developed a whole vocabulary and series of catchphrases that are still used today (close talker, sponge-worthy, etc.). Sadly, Seinfeld doesn't seem like it could succeed today as so much of it would be viewed as 'problematic', which could not be said about friends, aside from the need to diversify the cast more.

Really? I didn't watch either one, despite how big they were, but I've heard people saying Friends was "problematic" too. Although I admittedly can't recall what the criticisms of Friends was (I'd have to look for it).

[Conn Seanery]

I preferred Seinfeld. I enjoyed Friends too, but that was comedy pablum compared to Seinfeld.

As far as cultural impact, I might give it to Friends just because it was easier to digest.

[MyriVerse]

The biggest criticism of Friends that I've seen is that they do joke about LGBTQ+ things quite a bit.

[Kirby101]

Better Show was always said to be Seinfeld. I don't find any Seinfeld character as funny as Chandler or Phoebe.

Unless WB is paying people to talk about Friends every single day, Friends definitely had the bigger impact on popular culture.

George, Kramer, Elaine, Mr. Costanza...all funnier than Chandler.

I don't know about teen WB shows, but Seinfeld had more impact on the culture. It's quantifiable.

[Valentis]

The biggest criticism of Friends that I've seen is that they do joke about LGBTQ+ things quite a bit.

It made constant fun of Fat people. Monica may never have known love if she remained Fat.

[Largo161]

Unless WB is paying people to talk about Friends every single day, Friends definitely had the bigger impact on popular culture.

Thank you!

IMO Seinfeld is extremely overrated. It certainly had an impact on the TV landscape—to the detriment of sitcoms. What followed has been a plethora of shows about anti-social characters, scenes that never go beyond three minutes and plots about “nothing.” Spare me, please.

As for cultural impact Friends spawned just as many catchphrases (How you doin’, Could I be any more..., Smelly Cat, Nooooo, We were on a break). The show started a hairstyle craze.

[ed2962]

Seinfeld all the way. Friends wasn't bad either but wasn't as revolutionary as Seinfeld, which pretty much tossed about the rulebook for sitcoms. And as mentioned elsewhere, developed a whole vocabulary and series of catchphrases that are still used today (close talker, sponge-worthy, etc.). Sadly, Seinfeld doesn't seem like it could succeed today as so much of it would be viewed as 'problematic', which could not be said about friends, aside from the need to diversify the cast more.

I don't think that's true. You have still shows like Always Sunny in Philadelphia and South Park is still on the air. I'm not to sure about Family Guy but it hasn't been gone long if it's been cancelled.

This is like when people say you couldn't do Blazing Saddles today and ignore that we just had Taratino's D'Jango where the N-word was said 100 times.