Friends, the sitcom, is one of the biggest shows in the TV industry which we will probably never live down. The comedy-drama follows a group of 20-somethings living in Manhattan talking about love, life, and work over coffee and pizzas. Despite its massive fandom and fame, many agree that the show did have its own set of issues. It set unrealistic examples about the kind of life one is meant to live, not to mention the massive homes on minimum wages, and characters like Emily getting the absolute worst when she deserved much better than Ross. We blamed her for being paranoid, but Ross was the one at fault. There have been many opinions about the show that can actually cost you your friendships, but one of the most unpopular opinions remains that Joey and Rachel had a good arc. The duo ending up together wouldn’t have been the worst thing on the show.
In fact, Joey was a better choice for Rachel than Ross.
Ross has always been deeply problematic, and the fandom too came to a similar consensus years ago. And yet we cheered as the makers wanted fans to root for Ross. He was set up as the underdog who gets to date the girl of his dreams, the girl he loved all these years from his childhood. It is a sweet notion when friends get together. It is sweeter when you realise Rachel finally sees the potential in her best friend’s dory older brother all these years later. The show set them up to be this- will they, won’t they couple. Throughout the 10 seasons of the show, we get emotional heartbreaks, passionate kisses and the infamous ‘we were on a break’ arc. But, Ross is not the right fit for her.
Ross is often seen as jealous and possessive. Worst of all, he didn’t care about Rachel’s aspirations or dreams. He continued to whine over everything for years, was divorced three times and despite not dating Rachel for over six years still thought he had the right to claim it was weird for her to date someone else like Joey. In the end, Rachel has to drop her dream job to be with him, while he could have moved to her for Paris, Joey would have!
Built On Friendship
Joey spent seven years getting to know Rachel before falling in love with her. On the other hand, Ross was always infatuated with Rachel and put her on a pedestal. Ross often looked for Rachel as she was during their teenage, and probably didn’t see her as the woman she had grown up to be. It can often be seen as Ross telling Rachel what is right and wrong, as his younger sister’s naive friend. Joey, on the other hand, was more appreciative of Rachel as an individual and an equal.
Supportive of Rachel’s Aspirations
Unlike Ross, Joey and Rachel’s relationship came from friendship and it was more about supporting each other. Early on as Joey is trying to get his big break as an actor, Rachel is serving coffee at Central Perk but it is Joey who encourages her to quit and find something she actually loves doing. He continues to encourage her throughout the series, and it is Joey whom she leans on the most when she becomes pregnant.
Respected her Choices
When Ross and Rachel went separate ways, more than once, he made it everyone’s problem and often. But Joey was respectful of her choices. He accepted it and didn’t let it get in the way of their friendship, or how he felt about her. He didn’t pine but went on caring for Rachel and her daughter in just a different way. Ross often wanted Rachel on his terms, but Joey was okay with the way Rachel was, he loved her while she was pregnant with the child of his other friend. He wanted to take care of the baby with her and stepped aside when she asked him to.
Put her Feelings First
After realizing that he has feelings for Rachel, Joey keeps it to himself not wanting to make her uncomfortable or ruin their friendship and when things eventually do not work out for the two, he doesn’t let it get in the way of their friendship. On the other hand, Ross harbored feelings for Rachel, he refused to let it go which also took over the entire group and everyone’s friendship. Rachel had often been miserable in her relationship with Ross, fighting over who she spent time with and how.
Loved, Cared for her more than Ross did as a friend
Joey fell in love with Rachel when she felt the most uncomfortable and even cared for her when she was scared and Ross simply wasn’t around. While Ross made her feel like she was missing out on going out, Joey took her out on a date and made her feel gorgeous and sexy. He also opened up his home to her without thinking twice, all well knowing having a pregnant woman in his home would impact his dating and sex life. He gave up more of the living room, baby-proofed the house and almost gave his beloved stuffed penguin Hugsy.
But it’s all just a ‘Moo point’
Rachel and Joey were canonically doomed as the show creators described them. Matt LeBlanc was firmly against it and took a lot of persuasion. But despite the actors not loving the idea, the writers stood by the decision. “That happens in life,” David Crane had told Radio Times. “There is a relationship that shouldn’t be. Even though you love someone, that’s not who you’re going to be with,” he added that it was worth it because “it took Joey to a more emotional place, and let Matt [LeBlanc] play colours that he hadn’t gotten to play yet in the series.”
So, in the end, the endgame for Rachel was Ross. She got on the plane and left behind the big dream of her to work in the fashion industry in Paris to be with the father of her child. All because he was her lobster.
