Friends charmed with its witty plot and delightful characters, and now the sitcom’s producer is revealing what might have been for Rachel and Ross.
For years, Friends has delighted all as a show whose cheerful story lines and beloved characters never failed to entertain. But what if… Jennifer Aniston’s Rachel and David Schwimmer’s Ross didn’t take that break?
Friends producer confesses
In an interview with Metro.co.uk, executive producer and director Kevin S. Bright shared that Ross and Rachel almost didn’t take that famous break. Giving credit to scriptwriters Marta Kauffman and David Crane for the 10 seasons of on-again-off-again romantic suspense in Ross’ and Rachel’s relationship, Bright reflected on the 1998 episode “The One Where Ross Finds Out.”
Initially, according to the Friends maestro, the writers didn’t plan a split, and that suspenseful episode could have gone a very different way.
“I would say initially when was planned, it wasn’t planned that way. That came a little bit later,” clarified Bright.
The change in the plot gave the writers a way to “have fun with the show and give people something to root for,” he pointed out. “We were well aware the audience wanted to keep them together, but everything that was keeping them apart – we realized when we got them together when the first kiss happened we go, ‘Wow, the air has kind of gone out of the balloon.'”
Friends writers take “brilliant and bold” chance with Ross and Rachel
After the first kiss, the Friends producer and writers were concerned that the “sexual tension” between Ross and Rachel had vanished. So the writing team took what Bright termed a “brilliant and brave move with their relationship.”
Although fans of the couple initially “got their wish,” that fulfillment quickly turned into dismay when Rachel and Ross split. However, pointed out the producer, “it made it so much better when they did get together.”
What do you think of the Friends producer’s revelation? Do you wish that Rachel and Ross had never broken up? Share your views below.