Friends is one of the biggest comedies of all time airing from 1994 to 2004 and turning its six leads David Schwimmer, Jennifer Aniston, Matt LeBlanc, Courtney Cox, Matthew Perry and Lisa Kudrow into global superstars. The show is celebrating its 25th anniversary next year and is enjoying a revival with new audiences discovering the show for the first time after it landed on Netflix in its entirety.
However, some have lashed out at the long-running comedy series for dating badly and no longer conforming to social mores, while others have conceded it can’t be held up to modern standards.
Whatever your take on Friends now, the show remains a popular easy-watch among millions around the world.
During its run, Friends was nominated for countless accolades and won a Golden Globe, four Prime Time Emmys, Screen Actors Guild Awards, among others.
The biggest point of contention throughout the series is Ross Gellar (played by David Schwimmer) and his on/off relationship with Rachel Green (Jennifer Aniston).
Here’s a breakdown of the romance over the course of Friends.
READ MORE: Friends: How many times did Ross get married?
Friends: Ross Gellar and Rachel Green finally got together after some drama (Image: PH)
Ross and Rachel first get together
The show pretty much started with Ross rekindling his feelings for his high school crush Rachel.
However, he never told her how he felt and instead, she moved on to date someone else. Ross, too, decided to move on and found himself a new girlfriend.
But Rachel found out how he felt and eventually the pair got together after the palaeontologist made a pros and cons list of who to date.
Things didn’t last long though when Rachel ended things abruptly after discovering the list.
In true Friends fashion, they ended up getting back together when she watched an old videotape which revealed Ross was going to be her stand-in date for the high school prom when it looked like her beau would be a no-show. But Rachel’s date turned up at the last minute, leaving Ross looking dejected.
Friends: Ross and Rachel went on a disastrous break (Image: PH)
Ross and Rachel go on a break
The couple started dating properly but they hit rocky terrain when she got close to a colleague at her new job.
They ended up quarrelling and went on a break during which he had a one-night-stand. After Rachel found out, they broke up despite their lingering feelings for each other.
The duo almost ended up back together when Rachel wrote Ross a letter in which he had to take full responsibility for what happened. Ross, however, didn’t read the letter and when Rachel discovered the truth, it was curtains for the couple again.
Friends: Ross and Rachel stayed friends after his divorce from Emily (Image: PH)
Ross says Rachel’s name during his wedding to Emily
Ross started dating a British woman called Emily (Helen Baxendale) and the pair were soon engaged to be married at a ceremony in London.
As Ross and Emily were preparing for their nuptials in the UK, Rachel realised she had to tell her former flame how she felt and let him choose who he wanted to be with.
But she couldn’t go through with it after seeing he ex-boyfriend so happy with his new partner.
Luckily for her, a spanner was thrown in the works when Ross accidentally said: “I take thee Rachel” during the ceremony and Emily was understandably left fuming.
She only agreed to remain married to Ross if he never saw Rachel again which he said he couldn’t do, leading Emily to file for divorce.
Friends: Ross and Rachel has baby Emma together (Image: PH)
Ross and Rachel get married
After Ross’ divorce from Emily, he got hitched to Rachel albeit in a drunken Las Vegas ceremony.
After realising they’d accidentally tied the knot, Rachel asked for an annulment which Ross was unsure about as it would be his third divorce – the first being from Carole Willick (Jane Sibbett).
They eventually got divorced after Ross delayed the annulment and period in which to get one expired.
Ross and Rachel have a child together
Before Chandler (Matthew Bing) and Monica Gellar’s (Courtney Cox) wedding, Ross and Rachel spent a drink-fuelled night together resulting in her falling pregnant.
They decided to have the child together and Ross moved in with Rachel as they started co-parenting Emma.
Around this time, Joey Tribbiani (Matt LeBlanc) developed feelings for Rachel but they decided to just be friends.
Friends: Ross Gellar and Rachel Green gave it a go as a family in the finale (Image: PH)
Ross and Rachel end up together
As the sitcom drew to a close after a decade on screens, Ross and Rachel finally ended up together.
In the finale, Rachel got a job in Paris but it was then that Ross realised he couldn’t let her go.
Rachel changed her mind and came back with the couple giving it a go as a family.
Watch Friends daily on Comedy Central and own every episode on DVD now, available to purchase at the WB Shop