Mistakes That Are Hard To Ignore In Friends

May 2024 · 1 minute read

This Friends gaffe is more of a script issue than a continuity mistake. Even though Ross has a PhD in archaeology, and there's a huge emphasis on his education throughout the series, he apparently has some issues with basic math. In the episode "The One with Five Steaks and an Eggplant" (Season 2, Episode 5), Ross miscalculates what everyone owes once they split the bill at his birthday dinner.

Ross, who's assuming everyone is splitting the bill six ways, says each of them owe $28. This makes the total bill $168 — but when he decides Monica shouldn't have to pay because they were also celebrating her promotion at work, he claims the five of them owe $33.50 each. This would make the bill $167.50, which means Dr. Geller's math is off by $.50. 

But hey, no one ever said script writers were mathematicians. Friends co-creators David Crane and Marta Kauffman are the duo likely responsible for the mistake. According to Christina Pickles (Judy Geller), who spoke to The Guardian, "David and Marta didn't write every show" but "they had the final say, and they had impeccable taste" (just not very good math skills, apparently). 

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