There are many ideas and storylines thatFriendsultimately left aside, and one, in particular, would have changed the show (and the characters’ dynamics) forever. The 1990s saw many now-classic sitcoms, some of which are part of the list ofbest TV shows of all time, and among them isFriends.
Friendshad a simple premise, as it followed a group of friends formed by Chandler (Matthew Perry), Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow), Monica (Courteney Cox), Joey (Matt LeBlanc), Rachel (Jennifer Aniston), and Ross (David Schwimmer) as they navigate adulthood in New York City. However, this simplicity, along with its sense of humor, led to the show’s success and legacy.
Surely, some things aboutFriendshave aged poorly, and the show spent a bit too much time focusing on the unstablerelationship between Ross and Rachel, but it also gave the rest of the characters the space and development they deserved. However, this would have been very different had one storyline not been scrapped.
Matt LeBlanc And Lisa Kudrow Pitched A Story In Which Joey And Phoebe Would Hook Up
Joey & Phoebe Could Have Kept A Big Secret
A big focus throughout the entirety ofFriendswas the love lives of the main characters. As mentioned above, Ross and Rachel were at the front and center too many times, butFriendsalso followed the many ups and downs in the romantic relationships of the rest of the group. However, everything could have changed had two of them gotten together.
Speaking toPeoplein 2015, Matt LeBlanc and Lisa Kudrow opened up about their time inFriendsand the stories of Joey and Phoebe.Peopleaskedwhy Phoebe and Joey never hooked up, as the chemistry between them was evident, with LeBlanc revealing that he and Kudrow had actually pitched that idea towards the end of the show.
The idea was that Joey and Phoebe had been secretly hooking up the whole time, so they would have gone back and shot “all the historical scenes”, and just before everyone got it, Joey and Phoebe would have come out of a broom closet together. Luckily, the team behindFriendsturned the idea down, and Phoebe and Joey remained as friends.
Joey And Phoebe Hooking Up Means That Chandler And Monica Would Not Have Happened
Friends’ Best Couple Would Have Never Happened
Friendshad two couples in the group: Ross and Rachel, who, after many breaks and more, got back together for good at the end of the show, and Monica and Chandler, who becameFriends’ best couple.Pairing Joey and Phoebe would have been very predictable, and it would have affected Monica and Chandler.
Explaining their hook-ups throughout the show would have been confusing and complicated.
Monica and Chandler areFriends’ best couple in large part thanks to the show giving their relationship time to develop, grow, and mature, which probably wouldn’t have happened had Joey and Phoebe been hooking up. Their casual relationship would have taken the spotlight, and explaining their hook-ups throughout the show would have been confusing and complicated.
Phoebe & Joey Are Better Off As Best Friends
As mentioned above, the chemistry between Phoebe and Joey was obvious, and they kissed a couple of times throughoutFriends, but they are much better off as best friends. Not only did the writers ofFriendsavoid predictability by not making Phoebe and Joey a thing, but they also gave them the chance to find the right partners.
Pairing Phoebe and Joey would also have missed the point of the show, as it’s ultimately about friendship.
Phoebe married Mike(Paul Rudd) inFriendsseason 10, and Joey settled down with Alex by the end of his spinoff show,Joey. Pairing Phoebe and Joey would also have missed the point of the show, as it’s ultimately about friendship, and all its main characters getting together with one of them would have changed that focus.
In the end,Friendsgave each of its main characters the ending they deserved (yes, Joey needed to be the single one as he didn’t have the development needed to have him settle down), and Joey and Phoebe getting together wouldn’t have been fitting for either.
