Friends’ Main Cast Hated This Controversial Storyline, but Fans Came to Adore It
If playing with fire was a plotline.
Friends is undoubtedly one of the most famous and beloved sitcoms of all time, known for its memorable characters, witty humor, and iconic relationships. While the show told the story of six friends going through just about every life experience imaginable together, its focus was primarily on the romantic entanglements within the core group.
While some of the most iconic pairings in television history were created on Friends, its one particular storyline involving a certain controversial arc was met with more enthusiastic reactions from some fans, but didn't initially sit well with the show's main cast.
The unexpected romantic arc between Rachel Green and Joey Tribbiani surfaced in season 8 after the two of them went on a fake date and Joey started to fall in love with Rachel, who didn't feel the same way. However, in season 9, Rachel developed unexpected feelings for Joey, and their romance finally began in the finale.
But the show quickly ended their relationship in the final season, citing a rushed and underdeveloped connection, and Matt LeBlanc, who played Joey on the show, openly admitted that he didn't think the storyline was meant to be lived out in the first place.
Joey had always been portrayed as a loyal friend, and the sudden shift to a romantic relationship with Rachel seemed out of character. According to Kevin S. Bright, the show's executive producer, LeBlanc was strongly against the idea and felt it wasn't in line with Joey's personality to pursue Ross' girlfriend (via Digital Spy).
The same feelings about the seemingly far-fetched love duo were shared by LeBlanc's co-stars. According to Aniston, Joey and Rachel's connection was more physical than emotional, describing it as a "friends with benefits" scenario with no long-term potential (via Cheat Sheet).
The rest of the cast shared the same hesitations about Joey and Rachel's romance. When they found out about it, they felt it was all wrong because pairing up Joey and Rachel felt like pairing up siblings (via InStyle).
While the cast hated the Rachel-Joey arc, the audience reaction was mixed. While some viewers appreciated the attempt to introduce a new dynamic, many die-hard fans were unhappy with the change. However, as time went on, viewers of the show began to fall in love with the unexpected duo, even pointing out that Joey was a better boyfriend for Rachel than Ross.
In fact, Rachel and Joey's romantic relationship was short-lived, lasting only three episodes, with a significant focus on Ross' reaction to it. And what are three episodes in terms of creating a whole new couple that was supposed to be adored in such a short period of time?
However, although still hated by the main cast, even for such a brief moment the Rachel-Joey duo managed to capture the hearts of fans. Imagine what would have happened if only this relationship had been given more screen time.
Sources: Digital Spy, Cheat Sheet, InStyle