AlthoughFriendshad a light tone and was all about comedy, it wasn’t short of controversial storylines, among them one between two of the main characters that got strong reactions from both the audience and the cast.Friendsearned a place in TV history thanks to its many achievements, and it continues to be one of the most influential andbest TV shows of all time. Although not everything aboutFriendshas aged well, the show is still quite popular and maintains a loyal fanbase.
Throughout 10 seasons,Friendsfollowed a group of six young adults living in New York City and dealing with everything that adulthood throws their way in their personal, social, and professional lives. AlthoughFriendsshared the spotlight among the six main characters, it always put special focus on the relationship between Ross (David Schwimmer) and Rachel (Jennifer Aniston). However, in season 10, there was another, controversial pair within the group that (thankfully) didn’t last long, and not even the cast were fully ok with it.
Not Even The Cast Were On Board With Joey & Rachel’s Relationship
A potential romance between Joey (Matt LeBlanc) and Rachel began brewing inFriendsseason 8, when Rachel was pregnant with Emma and was living with Joey. It was Joey who started to develop feelings for Rachel, but there was nothing they could do about it. It wasn’t until the two-part season finale ofFriendsseason 9 that they finally gave in to their feelings for each other during the group’s time in Barbados. Back home and nowin season 10, Joey and Rachel told Ross about their relationship, and he didn’t take it well.
Joey and Rachel’s relationshiponly lasted three episodes inFriendsseason 10, but it was more than enough to cause controversy, and not even the cast was comfortable with it. Speaking toDaily Express(viaGrazia), Dr. Simone Knox, co-author of the bookFriends: A Reading of the Sitcom, shared that LeBlanc wasn’t comfortable with Joey and Rachel getting together inFriends. Knox shared that she spoke toFriendsexecutive producer Kevin S. Bright, and he revealed the producers’ concern when LeBlanc shared his feelings on the Joey/Rachel pair.
Joey was very loyal to his friends, which is why he would never have pursued anything with Rachel, as he knew that would hurt Ross.
Knox shared thatLeBlanc was “very uncomfortable” with the idea of Joey developing feelings for Rachel, as he knew that was something Joey wouldn’t do. LeBlanc knew his character perfectly, and as such, he knew that Joey was a womanizer, loved food with a passion, and was very loyal to his friends, which is why he would never have pursued anything with Rachel, as he knew that would hurt Ross. Jennifer Aniston wasn’t enthusiastic about it either, according to Kelsey Miller in her bookI’ll Be There For You: The One About Friends.
Aniston saw Joey and Rachel’s relationship as having to be purely physical, with no actual love feelings involved. Miller wrote that, for Aniston, the Joey/Rachel relationship had to be like a crush and more funny than emotional, otherwise this storyline could become unwatchable, which it kinda was for many fans.
There Were Better Ways For Friends To Make Ross And Rachel’s Story More Interesting
Ross & Rachel’s Relationship Was Often The Main Focus Of Friends
Joey and Rachel’s brief relationship was, ultimately, yet another way of pushingRoss and Rachel’s storyand making it more interesting – except that it didn’t work. Joey and Rachel’s time together felt weird, and there was an obvious lack of romantic chemistry between them, and it ended so fast and abruptly that it felt like a waste of time. After that, Ross and Rachel continued to co-parent, and didn’t get back together until the series’ finale. Joey, on the other hand, remained single.
Ross and Rachel were co-parenting, which could have given them some interesting storylines as they adapted to this new phase in their relationship.
Joey and Rachel’s relationship was unnecessary because there were other ways to make Ross and Rachel’s story more interesting. Ross and Rachel were co-parenting, which could have given them some interesting storylines as they adapted to this new phase in their relationship.Friendscould have also given them a love interest, even if briefly, outside their circle, to further highlight how important they still were to each other and how they still weren’t ready to see other people.
Rachel And Joey’s Relationship Was Everything Wrong About Friends' Final Seasons
Friends’ Final Seasons Weren’t The Best
As good asFriendswas and as much as I love the show, the truth is that its final seasons weren’t the best, and Rachel and Joey’s relationship is the ultimate proof of that.Friendsseason 8 saw Chandler (Matthew Perry) and Monica’s (Courteney Cox) efforts to form a family, while Joey’s romantic feelings for Rachel began to develop and Rachel prepared to give birth. Season 8 felt more balanced, but it wasthe beginning ofFriends’ brief decline with the starting phase of the Joey and Rachel relationship.
Friendsseason 9 continued Chandler and Monica’s efforts to form a family and saw Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow) going through some trouble with Mike (Paul Rudd), but the (honestly boring) Barbados episodes and the Joey and Rachel kiss completely took over the attention in the worst way. Season 10 went back to being all about Ross and Rachel, despite there being other, also important storylines within the group.Joey and Rachel’s relationship was the lowest point ofFriends, and it’s comforting to learn that LeBlanc and Aniston didn’t like it, either.
