35 of the most shipped television couples

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UNDATED PHOTO: Actors Jennifer Aniston (L) and David Schwimmer are shown in a scene from the NBC series “Friends”. The series received 11 Emmy nominations, including outstanding comedy series, by the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences July 18, 2002 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Warner Bros. Television/Getty Images) /

Ross and Rachel – Friends

What you need to know: Everybody knows their story. Ross has loved her since high school, but he wasn’t cool or popular enough to grab her attention. It isn’t until years later, when she turns up to Ross’ sister’s apartment while fleeing from her wedding, that she begins to see him a real contender.

Granted, Ross is not the most likable of the friends. He’s whiny and complains too much, but Rachel sees something in his devotion and finally acquiesces to his feelings. Their love story turned into one of the main engines driving the show, and their on-again, off-again romance made audiences weary with guessing.

Why we ‘ship them so hard: It’s probably because we always knew in our fan hearts that Ross and Rachel were end game. The writers tried to make us wonder, even as they have an unexpected daughter together. However, they never wandered too far from each other, and watching them try to fight their feelings served up a lot of narrative tension.

One of the most (in)famous storylines is their “break,” and the show milks a lot out of that breakup. Through it all, they remain friends, and that’s really the best part of their relationship. For those who have broken up with their “soulmates,” know that this is the dream. When they finally get back together, it hit us all in our sentimental sweet spots.

How to watch it all unfold: After leaving Netflix, you can stream Friends on HBO Max.

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