A viral Twitter thread about iconic show Friends has argued that Rachel should have ended up with Joey, instead of Ross.
It all started when Twitter users began sharing the TV storylines they absolutely hated, with Joey and Rachel's relationship being a popular choice.
Name the TV show plot line that you're still angry about. Mine? Rachel/Joey.
— Juliet Mushens 🌹 (@mushenska) August 7, 2017
Rachel/Joey, for sure. It was a stalling tactic for a Ross/Rachel finale but it was awful. The One Where Ross is Fine is amazing though.
— Lynsey James (@Lynsey1991) August 7, 2017
Sharing what may be seen as a controversial opinion, writer @kaneandgriffin joined in to detail why she felt Joey and Rachel should have actually ended up together.
She makes some interesting points, the first being that Joey and Rachel had a real friendship, while Ross always had romantic feelings for Rachel.
The fan also explains that Ross often got in the way of Rachel's career, arriving uninvited to her workplace because he's upset she has to work so much, as well as obsessing over the idea that her co-worker may see her as more than a friend.
You can read the full thread here.
1/ In Defense of Rachel and Joey: A Thread
— kaneandgriffin (@kaneandgriffin) August 8, 2017
2/ I'm loving this "let's yell about TV plots point we hate" thing that's happening EXCEPT that it started about Rachel and Joey on Friends
— kaneandgriffin (@kaneandgriffin) August 8, 2017
3/ I am on record as being absolutely ride-or-die anti-Ross Geller, who is for my money one of television's all-time worst human men.
— kaneandgriffin (@kaneandgriffin) August 8, 2017
4/ And her brief thing with Joey was obviously intended by the writers to artificially draw out Rachel's will they/won't they with Ross.
— kaneandgriffin (@kaneandgriffin) August 8, 2017
5/ A lot of people think it was weird or that it came out of nowhere, BUT I AM HERE TO TELL YOU WHY IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN ENDGAME
— kaneandgriffin (@kaneandgriffin) August 8, 2017
6/ ARGUMENT #1: Ross Never Saw Rachel As a Friend, But Joey Did.
— kaneandgriffin (@kaneandgriffin) August 8, 2017
7/ From the moment the Friends first meet Rachel, Ross immediately sees her as a romantic prospect. He's never gotten over his crush on her
— kaneandgriffin (@kaneandgriffin) August 8, 2017
8/ Joey, of course, greets her with "how YOU doin'" and Monica appropriately smacks him down for hitting on a woman on her wedding day
— kaneandgriffin (@kaneandgriffin) August 8, 2017
9/ But this is presented as Joey's standard greeting to every hot woman ever, not specific to Rachel.
— kaneandgriffin (@kaneandgriffin) August 8, 2017
10/ (We can talk about the overall attitude of men on this show to women as sexual objects another time. 🙄)
— kaneandgriffin (@kaneandgriffin) August 8, 2017
11/ But Joey's relationship with Rachel is platonic almost right away. They have a genuine friendship.
— kaneandgriffin (@kaneandgriffin) August 8, 2017
12/ He frequently gives her dating advice. (Sometimes questionable af, but, you know. Well-intentioned.)
— kaneandgriffin (@kaneandgriffin) August 8, 2017
13/ He sets her up on dates with men he thinks she'll like. He lets her crash the set when he's filming and flirt with soap actors.
— kaneandgriffin (@kaneandgriffin) August 8, 2017
14/ Joey has a lot of problems but his supportive, protective relationship with the women friends is one of his best qualities.
— kaneandgriffin (@kaneandgriffin) August 8, 2017
15/ He genuinely loves them and wants them all to be happy and there's no jealousy in it at all.
— kaneandgriffin (@kaneandgriffin) August 8, 2017
16/ HE MAKES HER LAUGH.
— kaneandgriffin (@kaneandgriffin) August 8, 2017
17/ Okay, now contrast this with Ross, who from minute one has labeled Rachel as "his."
— kaneandgriffin (@kaneandgriffin) August 8, 2017
18/ We're always told that Ross/Rachel was a "friends to lovers" ship but WHAT IS THAT BASED ON??? WHAT FUCKING FRIENDSHIP??
— kaneandgriffin (@kaneandgriffin) August 8, 2017
19/ He had a crush on her in high school, so he "claimed" her first, and long after they've broken up he resents every man in her life.
— kaneandgriffin (@kaneandgriffin) August 8, 2017
20/ He hides messages from men who call her when they're living together. He's endlessly threatened by the men she dates.
— kaneandgriffin (@kaneandgriffin) August 8, 2017
21/ He outright sabotages her career WE'LL BE COMING BACK TO THIS POINT because he can't get over his Mark thing.
— kaneandgriffin (@kaneandgriffin) August 8, 2017
22/ Ross literally cannot accept that Mark (or any man) could be just friends with Rachel because HE couldn't be "just friends" with Rachel.
— kaneandgriffin (@kaneandgriffin) August 8, 2017
23/ And you'll note that throughout the series it's often Joey telling Ross he doesn't OWN Rachel, while Chandler and Monica enable him.
— kaneandgriffin (@kaneandgriffin) August 8, 2017
24/ Joey is the person who most often tells Ross "dude she's not interested" when she's clearly not. The one who notices what RACHEL wants.
— kaneandgriffin (@kaneandgriffin) August 8, 2017
25/ He doesn't have all this "but he's loved her FOREVER" false nostalgia that makes them all feel like Ross has EARNED Rachel by waiting.
— kaneandgriffin (@kaneandgriffin) August 8, 2017
26/ This is why "nice guys" are often so much shadier than openly, unapologetically promiscuous guys like Joey.
— kaneandgriffin (@kaneandgriffin) August 8, 2017
27/ Joey's feelings for Rachel were born out of genuine friendship. They were roommates. SHE WAS PREGNANT.
— kaneandgriffin (@kaneandgriffin) August 8, 2017
28/ We honestly don't talk enough about how big a deal it is that Joey, the "shallow" one, falls in love with Rachel while she's pregnant.
— kaneandgriffin (@kaneandgriffin) August 8, 2017
29/ It happens the way realistically healthy relationships do: they just start spending a lot more time together.
— kaneandgriffin (@kaneandgriffin) August 8, 2017
30/ He has to LEARN to see Rachel as a romantic prospect because she's always been a friend first. Which was NEVER true for Ross.
— kaneandgriffin (@kaneandgriffin) August 8, 2017
31/ It's not until he takes her on a fake date (because she's pregnant and misses going on fancy dates) when it actually clicks.
— kaneandgriffin (@kaneandgriffin) August 8, 2017
32/ And when he tells Rachel how he feels and she turns him down, contrast that with "WE WERE ON A BREAK"
— kaneandgriffin (@kaneandgriffin) August 8, 2017
33/ He never blames her and he doesn't let it impact the rest of the group. The friendship stays intact. ROSS GELLER WHAT'S GOOD
— kaneandgriffin (@kaneandgriffin) August 8, 2017
34/ The forced cop-out ending where they get together & suddenly all the chemistry evaporates was NONSENSE. They could have made this work.
— kaneandgriffin (@kaneandgriffin) August 8, 2017
35/ If the writers had cared enough to try, there was potential there for a fantastic and genre-defying surprise twist to the show.
— kaneandgriffin (@kaneandgriffin) August 8, 2017
The thread continues for quite some time, but that's the general gist of the argument.
Many completely agree, while others reckon this Twitter user is being too harsh and Ross and Rachel are forever.
What do you think?
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