24 Years Ago Today, Friends’ Most Divisive Story Started (& a Key Character Completely Disappeared)

As a critic, I’ve seen a lot of fan complaints over the years, and the storyline of Joey and Rachel hooking up consistently ranks near the top of the list of things Friends fans disliked. It felt like a real departure from the central Ross and Rachel romance, especially since it started brewing in Season 8 with the episode “The One Where Joey Dates Rachel.” It began innocently enough – a fake date to cheer Rachel up while she was dealing with her pregnancy, complete with a playful attempt at impressing each other. But it ended with Joey admitting he’d caught feelings, and surprisingly, Rachel felt the same way a season later. It just never quite landed with many viewers, myself included.








