Friends writer reveals storyline that cast were “very much against”

Friends writer reveals storyline that cast were “very much against”

As a lifelong Friends fan who’s watched every episode more times than I can count, I must say that the show’s writers truly hit the nail on the head with some storylines. The Monica and Chandler romance, for instance, was a game-changer and still stands as one of the most memorable romantic arcs in TV history.


In the romantic dynamics of Friends, fans usually align with one of two pairings: Joey and Rachel or Ross and Rachel. Unsurprisingly, the show’s cast predominantly supported the latter ship.

In simpler terms, Ross and Rachel’s romantic journey was legendary, featuring the well-known trope of friends becoming lovers. However, contrary to this popular narrative, the relationship between Joey and Rachel wasn’t universally embraced by the show’s creators.

In an interview with The Guardian, Chase explained that the cast found the idea uncomfortable, describing it as “they saw it as inappropriate or too closely related.

In the eighth season, Joey and Rachel explored their feelings for each other, but they didn’t start officially dating until season 10 – a fact that made Ross quite unhappy.

They kept spending time together, yet they found that their relationship didn’t progress beyond a kiss, and they eventually understood that they weren’t suitable for each other romantically. Recognizing the strong bond of friendship they shared, they decided it was best to stay just friends.

Friends writer reveals storyline that cast were “very much against”

Previously, there were discussions about the cast’s disappointment with the plot, a topic that is covered in Kelsey Miller’s book titled “I’ll Be There for You: The One About Friends.

In the eighth season, when creators Marta Kauffman and David Crane proposed that Joey might develop feelings for Rachel, the entire cast initially showed resistance to this idea, as detailed by Miller.

“LeBlanc said it felt incestuous.”

As a movie enthusiast, I’ll share some candid insights: Initially, Matt LeBlanc, one of the key cast members, wasn’t keen on the plotline. The executive producer and director of Friends, Kevin S Bright, revealed this in 2018 to Digital Spy: “Let me tell you this – at the outset, Matt LeBlanc didn’t want to be part of that story.

“He was very firmly against it, saying that he’s Ross’s friend, and that the type of friend that Joey is would never go and take someone else’s girlfriend.”

Friends writer reveals storyline that cast were “very much against”

However, certain plotlines received acclaim beyond what the writers initially anticipated, such as the surprise revelation of Monica and Chandler during Ross’s wedding ceremony.

According to writer Andrew Reich, it left us quite astonished. We all exchanged glances, expressing, “Wow, this turns out to be far more significant than we initially imagined.

Based on this response, they opted to develop the long-lasting narrative between Monica and Chandler – a tale that fans are well acquainted with and cherish.

Read More

2024-09-19 15:33