Friends or The Office: We asked AI which is the better show (and its answer shocked us)

When it comes to iconic sitcoms, it’s fair to say that Friends and The Office are in a league of their own. The two comedies are among the most successful comedies to have ever hit the airwaves and remain just as popular today thanks to syndication and streaming. 

For many, Friends and The Office are the definition of a comfort show. Fans of the show happily rewatch episodes whenever they’re in need of a laugh or just looking for a show to watch in the background. However, the shows’ popularity expanded beyond just a love for watching the shows. 

Both shows have seeped into the everyday lives of fans who can’t help but quote their favorite lines, and the show’s characters and plotlines are a major part of pop culture. We all hope to find the Ross to our Rachel or the Jim to our Pam, we can’t help ourselves from making comparisons between the shows and our real lives. 

The two shows mean so much to the millions of fans who have enjoyed countless laughs courtesy of the shows’ talented ensembles and comparing the shows feels like comparing apples to oranges are they’re so uniquely different… but that didn’t stop us from pitting the series against one another and asking AI to reveal which of the shows is the best of the best!

AI says The Office is better than Friends

As a Friends fan, it pains me to say that according to ChatGPT’s AI, The Office is better than Friends and reigns supreme as the top comedy between the pair. That’s right, according to AI, The Office is the better show and AI brought the receipts in explaining just why The Office is the better of the two shows and came hard for Friends. 

“The Office is the better show,” wrote ChatGPT’s AI. “Its mockumentary style provides a unique and immersive viewing experience, offering a fresh perspective on workplace dynamics and everyday humor. The characters in The Office are more relatable and grounded, with nuanced development that evolves throughout the series. The show's humor often stems from the awkward, cringeworthy moments and subtle interactions, making it feel more authentic and relatable. In contrast, while Friends is a beloved classic with iconic characters and memorable catchphrases, its humor is more traditional and sitcom-styled, which can sometimes feel dated. The Office also tackles a broader range of social issues and personal growth, making it more relevant to modern audiences. Overall, The Office stands out for its innovative format, deeper character arcs, and a more relatable brand of humor.”

AI did not mince words when arguing for The Office and while I’ll give AI credit for its assessment of the shows, I definitely don’t fully agree with its stance and I think fellow Friends fans will share my shock at AI’s stance on the two shows. 

I think my biggest issue is with AI claiming The Office’s characters are more relatable and grounded than Friends’ characters. 

Maybe it’s because I work in a remote workspace, but I personally have always related more to the characters in Friends who often struggle with the same things many of us do not just when it comes to our professional lives but within our personal lives. While I can relate to certain elements of characters in The Office, the show tends to often do a bit over-the-top style plotlines that aren’t near as relatable as the day to day struggle the Friends characters encounter. 

I’ll give The Office credit for changing the world of comedy with its innovative documentary style, to me it feels like AI missed the mark with its assessment of the two shows – especially when it came to identifying why the show is better than Friends. 

Both shows are absolutely amazing, but at the end of the day, I'd much rather join Chandler, Joey, Phoebe, Monica, Rachel, and Ross for a cup of coffee at Central Perk than see what's going on in the Dunder Mifflin offices.