Friends’ Ross and Rachel have become one of the most popular couples to ever emerge from a sitcom.
Their constant will they/won’t they left viewers hoping that they would eventually wind up together. But is that reason enough to ship them?
Related: 13 Favorite Bisexual Male Characters on TV
Rachel and Joey’s relationship may have been created as an obstacle for Rosschel, but Friends accidentally stumbled upon something incredible while trying to drag out a toxic relationship.
We created a list below of 11 reasons Rachel should have ended up with Joey.
And if you want to see them all for yourself, you can watch Friends online right here at TV Fanatic!
They’re pure and adorable
Rachel and Joey didn’t have a huge dramatic love story. It was sweet and simple. They were proof that a relationship doesn’t need unnecessary drama to be interesting.
Joey loves her selflessly
Joey never wanted to pressure Rachel or put her in an awkward position. When she didn’t think she had feelings for him, Joey wasn’t angry or defensive. All he did was promise Rachel she could never lose him no matter what.
They were friends first
Ross and Rachel didn’t have a solid foundation of friendship. Ross’ season spent pining over her is supposed to be considered the “friend” stage, but Joey and Rachel were friends for years before falling for each other. While Ross idolized a version of Rachel he knew in high school, Joey got to know the real her and fell for her based off of that.
There is a major difference with Joey’s “list”
When Ross made a list of things he disliked about Rachel, it was compiled of a lot of degrading things. She was “just a waitress” and “too into her looks,” and Ross took that into consideration when it came to dating her. The only thing Joey could come up with is that she made him switch to light mayo. And as it turns out, it tastes the same, and his pants fit better.
Joey helped Rachel and her baby
Having a newborn baby in a tiny apartment isn’t an ideal living situation. But Joey completely changed his lifestyle to make sure both Rachel and the baby were in a comfortable home. Even though he wasn’t the father, Joey took care of Rachel during her pregnancy and fell in love with her during the most difficult time of her life.
They support each other’s careers
Ross thought he was the most important thing in Rachel’s life, and he should come before her career. Rachel even gave up the opportunity of a lifetime to be with him. Joey always encouraged Rachel to follow her passion and even got her first job in the fashion industry. In turn, Rachel was always supportive of Joey’s dream to be an actor, and she constantly went to events to support him.
Joey just gets it
Rachel had no moral obligation to give Ross a shot if she wasn’t interested. Joey’s jab at Ross is funny because of the truth behind it. Joey is a lot smarter than people give him credit for and realizes that just because you like someone doesn’t mean you need to obsessively pursue them in the hopes, they’ll like you back.
They have fun together
Joey and Rachel always had a great time when they were together. They had a similar sense of humor, while all of the comedic scenes between Rachel and Ross usually just consisted of them insulting each other.
They DO have chemistry
Friends claiming that all of Rachel and Joey’s chemistry went away when they started dating is ridiculous. They had chemistry from the very beginning and the only reason it “disappeared” is because the show wanted it to. The awkwardness Friends created between Joey and Rachel was a way to discredit their relationship.
Joey treats her right
Joey knew Rachel deserved the best and never took her for granted. She was the most incredible person in the world to him, and he didn’t want anyone else but her.
They would have been a groundbreaking couple
Sadly, Friends was created so early on that it wasn’t ready to defy stereotypes. But Joey and Rachel’s endgame would have spoken volumes. Just because the writers planned on one thing, didn’t mean they couldn’t change their minds when something better came along.
