FRIENDS: Why Joey & Rachel’s romance was unnecessary

Throughout the years, followers of the beloved sitcom, Friends, have expressed numerous complaints about the show’s storyline. Among the most talked about topics is the unexpected romance between Joey and Rachel in the final season.

Many viewers of the show believe that the angle was unnecessary and had a negative impact on the show. The creators of Friends began hinting at a romantic relationship between the two characters in seasons eight and nine, but it wasn’t until season ten that they officially became a couple.

The Unconventional Romance of Joey and Rachel

The portrayal of Joey Tribbiani and Rachel Green’s relationship on Friends has sparked varying opinions among fans. Some find their romantic relationship in seasons eight, nine, and 10 to be intriguing, while others argue that it was unnecessary.

In both seasons eight and nine, the audience witnessed Joey’s growing affection towards Rachel, ultimately resulting in his declaration of love for her. Despite this, Rachel rejected him and many believed that the show would no longer explore their relationship. However, towards the end of season nine, there was a surprising shift as Rachel began to develop feelings for Joey.

Despite some initial hesitation, the two eventually started dating in season 10. However, they soon came to the realization that their relationship was better off as a friendship and decided to part ways. After that, their relationship never rekindled and it was almost as if it had never occurred.

Many viewers believed that the introduction of Joey and Rachel’s relationship was a forced attempt by the creators to delay the reunion of Rachel and Ross in the final episodes of the series.

The Relationship Between Joey & Rachel Was Hastily Developed

Despite the creators hinting at their relationship throughout the final seasons, many believed that Joey and Rachel’s relationship was simply a ploy to ultimately bring Ross and Rachel back together in the end. It seemed unjust to only give the two such a short amount of time together.

After being a couple for about three episodes during season 10 of Friends, Joey and Rachel’s relationship came to an end. Despite their breakup, they effortlessly slipped back into their old dynamic without any transition, giving the impression of a rushed reunion. Ultimately, the final season concluded with Rachel and Ross reconciling and getting back together.

The Incompatibility of Rachel and Joey’s Relationship

Despite the fact that it appeared to be a ploy leading to the end of the show, the arc depicting the relationship between Rachel and Joey ultimately did not result in them ending up together. This was already mentioned earlier.

Despite being built up for two seasons, Rachel and Joey’s relationship was only explored briefly. However, in just a few episodes, Rachel declared her love for Ross by choosing to “get off the plane.”

Additionally, numerous people believed that Rachel and Joey were not compatible. Their personalities were vastly dissimilar and they were not each other’s preferred romantic partner. Despite Joey’s initial declaration of love for Rachel, they never pursued a relationship. Only when Rachel began to develop intense emotions for him did they finally begin dating.

Despite their initial interest, their relationship was short-lived due to their incompatibility. During a conversation about the reasons behind their incompatibility, they referenced Monica and Chandler as an example.

Despite having been friends before, Monica and Chandler’s successful relationship can be attributed to the fact that they were not close friends. This allowed them to get to know each other on a deeper level through their romantic connection.

Despite being extremely close friends, Rachel and Joey also lived together in the same house. This level of closeness meant that there was little opportunity for them to discover new things about each other, as they already knew everything about each other.

The motive behind Rachel and Joey’s attempted relationship

It is believed by fans that the pairing of Rachel and Joey in Friends was a deliberate decision to address the events of the previous seasons. Throughout seasons eight and nine, the show’s creators hinted at a potential romantic connection between the two characters. To deny them the opportunity for a relationship would diminish the significance of the events that occurred in earlier seasons.

Ever since the show’s inception, Joey and Rachel have maintained a strictly platonic relationship. Although they occasionally flirted with each other, their interactions never progressed beyond that. However, in season eight, things began to change. Upon learning that Rachel was pregnant with Ross’ child, Joey stepped up to support her. He initially offered to marry her and later took her in to provide care and assistance.

Despite their strong friendship, Joey’s actions towards Rachel were motivated by his feelings for her. It wasn’t until they began living together that his feelings intensified. To avoid causing any harm to Rachel and Ross, the actor chose to keep his emotions hidden.

Despite this, Ross convinced Joey to confess his feelings after learning about them. Joey eventually expressed his love for Rachel at a restaurant, but unfortunately, she did not feel the same way.

What led to the end of Joey and Rachel’s relationship in Friends?

Joey and Rachel ended their relationship in the third episode of season 10 of Friends due to their inability to become physically intimate and their realization that they were not compatible as a couple. They had only been together for a total of three episodes.

The complete ten episodes of Friends can be found on Netflix.