Friends: 10 Ways It Should Have Ended
The finale of Friends still gives us that warm fuzzy feeling, but what if it had ended differently?
The finale of Friends is still one of the highest viewed episodes in television history. It’s hardly surprising is it? We grew up singing Smelly Cat, defending or criticising Ross depending on your gender because ‘they were ON A BREAK’, hoping Chandler would keep Richard and Monica apart because they were meant to be, willing Rachel to get off the plane, and patiently waiting for Joey’s big acting break.
Despite the struggles of some other high-profile shows in offering a satisfying finale, Friends' end came with that tangible warm fuzzy feeling that made the depressing finality of it seem a little less awful. Plus the writers tied up critical loose ends, and Rachel did get off the plane, so it's impossible not to love it.
What the finale didn’t give us though was something unpredictable; the opportunity to surprise, shock and scandalise was there for the taking and the writers really missed a trick. And while there may have been outrage if there wasn't a happy ending for everyone, it would have made a reunion show far more likely. (I hate to break it to you, but it wouldn’t work guys, the characters are older and the time for reunion has passed).
So how else could Friends have ended?
10. Rachel Should Have Stayed On The Plane
What Happened
Rachel got off the plane. After 10 years of Ross and Rachel's on and off relationship it was obvious that neither of the characters could have ended up with anyone else; Ross was Rachel's lobster.
Being together and Rachel moving to Paris needn't have been the only two options though.
What Should Have Happened
Ross could have moved to Paris. Yes, that would have meant leaving Ben behind, but he hadn't been in the show since 2002 and that went unquestioned... plus the alternative was to have Emma in Paris where he wouldn't see her either?
By getting off the plane and remaining stateside Rachel sacrificed her dream job in Paris. Forcing her to choose between love, her family and a career was something that the finale didn’t answer, obviously at the time we didn’t question it; we were too busy being glad they were back together. Ross should have followed Rachel to Paris, where they both could have stayed for a year before coming back.
That way we'd have still seen Ross and Rachel finally get back together, but things would have been a little less... obvious.