Were they on a break?

[opus]

[RetroGuy2000]

Rachel was actually the one who proposed the break, and she specifically said, "a break from us". Ross defended his affair by stating that they "were on a break". No one, at that time, denied there was a break. Ross thought the "break" was permanent. Rachel did not.

Later, things became... muddled.* In later seasons, the scripts used the shorthand "We were on a break / No we weren't" to humorous effect. But Rachel never originally denied they were on a break, she just had a different meaning of "a break" than Ross.

I do believe Friends was one of the smartest shows of the 1990s. They totally played off those male/female speech patterns/thought patterns during the first five seasons of the show. Later, the writing got dumbed down, and Ross (and Monica) became caricatures of themselves, and some other things drifted as well (Ross' son went missing, Phoebe's family vanished and didn't even come to her wedding, and the Joey/Rachel "thing" was an abomination), but those first five seasons were more cerebral than most viewers ever notice.

*

[opus]

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

Rachel was actually the one who proposed the break, and she specifically said, "a break from us". Ross defended his affair by stating that they "were on a break". No one, at that time, denied there was a break. Ross thought the "break" was permanent. Rachel did not.

Later, things became... muddled.* In later seasons, the scripts used the shorthand "We were on a break / No we weren't" to humorous effect. But Rachel never originally denied they were on a break, she just had a different meaning of "a break" than Ross.

I do believe Friends was one of the smartest shows of the 1990s. They totally played off those male/female speech patterns/thought patterns during the first five seasons of the show. Later, the writing got dumbed down, and Ross (and Monica) became caricatures of themselves, and some other things drifted as well (Ross' son went missing, Phoebe's family vanished and didn't even come to her wedding, and the Joey/Rachel "thing" was an abomination), but those first five seasons were more cerebral than most viewers ever notice.

*

I had just finished up watching the Friends reunion, where the six of them were asked that question and (spoiler alert).....all six said, yes, on a break.

[TSMIV]

I never really took a side in their dispute, but break or no break was irrelevant. Ross should not have picked up and gone home with another girl he met in a bar an hour after he and Rachel had a fight. That said, I think it's a TV show and the writers had to think of a way to create some drama out of the Ross/Rachel story. They couldn't give them a HEA only 3 seasons into a popular sitcom.

[Christopher]

There's no such thing as a break when you're in a committed relationship. That's just a lame excuse to cheat on the person you claim you're in love with. Obviously Ross never loved Rachel since he was able to go have sex with the first willing woman he could find. I don't get why the cast said they were on a break unless things have change in relationships today where sleeping around is ok with couples.

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by TSMIV

I never really took a side in their dispute, but break or no break was irrelevant. Ross should not have picked up and gone home with another girl he met in a bar an hour after he and Rachel had a fight. That said, I think it's a TV show and the writers had to think of a way to create some drama out of the Ross/Rachel story. They couldn't give them a HEA only 3 seasons into a popular sitcom.

Yeah, a Happily Ever After ending after three seasons would have been dull. They did need to spice things up, and that break-up was just the ticket... the complete opposite of the horrific Rachel/Joey hook-up, which viewers cringed while watching.

And I think we all agree Ross hooking up with a girl mere hours after breaking up with Rachel was terrible.

[Christopher]

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

the complete opposite of the horrific Rachel/Joey hook-up, which viewers cringed while watching.

Really? I cringed more watching every lame idea the writers had for Ross and Rachel drama. We had Rachel flying out to London to tell Ross she loves him hoping to break up the wedding, she goes on his honeymoon with Emily by herself, they end up getting married at the end of season 5, Ross lies to her about the divorce showing how creepy and obsessive he really is over Rachel, we had Rachel wanting to have a one nighter with him, we have her seducing Ross as we see in the videotape having sex with him ending up pregnant, and just so many other dumb cringeworthy stories. Rachel had no self-worth messing around with Ross all the time. The writers degraded her so many times. And what about the girls Ross was dating while Rachel and him were playing off their emotions? Emily, Mona, and Charlie all got treated like crap by Ross because he couldn't decide if he wanted them or Rachel. Ross and Rachel never should have been endgame, let alone an ongoing soap opera story for the whole 10 years.

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by Christopher

Really? I cringed more watching every lame idea the writers had for Ross and Rachel drama. We had Rachel flying out to London to tell Ross she loves him hoping to break up the wedding, she goes on his honeymoon with Emily by herself, they end up getting married at the end of season 5, Ross lies to her about the divorce showing how creepy and obsessive he really is over Rachel, we had Rachel wanting to have a one nighter with him, we have her seducing Ross as we see in the videotape having sex with him ending up pregnant, and just so many other dumb cringeworthy stories. Rachel had no self-worth messing around with Ross all the time. The writers degraded her so many times. And what about the girls Ross was dating while Rachel and him were playing off their emotions? Emily, Mona, and Charlie all got treated like crap by Ross because he couldn't decide if he wanted them or Rachel. Ross and Rachel never should have been endgame, let alone an ongoing soap opera story for the whole 10 years.

I completely understand what you're saying, and the Ross/Rachel will-they-won't-they did wear thin after so many seasons, but I very much enjoyed Season 5. I did want Ross and Rachel to get together in the end. He's her lobster. 🦞🦞🦞🦞

[Christopher]

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

I completely understand what you're saying, and the Ross/Rachel will-they-won't-they did wear thin after so many seasons, but I very much enjoyed Season 5. I did want Ross and Rachel to get together in the end. He's her lobster. 🦞🦞🦞🦞

Oh the lobster line Ever since the reunion, I've been binge watching this show. I forgot how much attention these two had and the ongoing drama. It reminds me so much of the NBC soap opera Passions. Passions had a star couple that fans wanted together so bad. The writers played with them the entire 8 year run and waited until the series finale to put them together. Friends literally was a soap opera doing the same thing. The whole "will they, won't they" gets old.

I like season 5 as well. Everybody Finds Out is my favorite from this show.

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by Christopher

Oh the lobster line Ever since the reunion, I've been binge watching this show. I forgot how much attention these two had and the ongoing drama. It reminds me so much of the NBC soap opera Passions. Passions had a star couple that fans wanted together so bad. The writers played with them the entire 8 year run and waited until the series finale to put them together. Friends literally was a soap opera doing the same thing. The whole "will they, won't they" gets old.

I like season 5 as well. Everybody Finds Out is my favorite from this show.

"Everybody Finda Out" is hilarious! Phoebe's "Wait a minute! They don't know we know they know we know they know!" is a classic. I don't know how Lisa could even say that line.

I never watched Passions, but I know Spike was a huge fan!

[opus]

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

"Everybody Finds Out" is hilarious!

That one’s directed by Michael Lembeck. That’s important information to know

[opus]

Originally Posted by Christopher

Oh the lobster line Ever since the reunion, I've been binge watching this show.

Overall, I liked it (the reunion show). It wasn’t perfect, and there were a few things I could have done without, for one, the celebrity fashion show, but the hour forty went by pretty quickly.

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by opus

That one’s directed by Michael Lembeck. That’s important information to know

I had no idea! Good info! The timing is spot-on throughout that episode. Kudos to Mr. Lembeck!

[Christopher]

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

I never watched Passions, but I know Spike was a huge fan!

I watched from the beginning to the tribute episode the show did for the actor who died the same day his character did. Of all the characters Passions had, his character was one they couldn't do without. Also, Joss Whedon decided to write Passions into Buffy because Sarah, James, and someone else from that show actually watched Passions. Passions was a big thing back when it was in its first two years.

Originally Posted by opus

Overall, I liked it (the reunion show). It wasn’t perfect, and there were a few things I could have done without, for one, the celebrity fashion show, but the hour forty went by pretty quickly.

I didn't care for the fashion show either. I would have liked to have seen more interaction of them in the apartment trying to remember things from the show. That was more fascinating to me. Like Courteney writing her lines on the table or how they had to get rid of a beam because it was getting in their way of filming. I like that the audience are the ones who kept Chandler and Monica together. It's rare when a hit show's writers listen to what the audience wants. They're usually too arrogant thinking their way is better.