As fun asFriendsstill is, there are some episodes that are hard to watch when revisiting the show, among them one of the worst of the series, and it’s so bad I always skip it.Friendsis, undeniably, not just one of the best TV sitcoms of the 1990s but one of thebest TV shows of all time. Even though the show ended over 20 years ago,Friendscontinues to be a very rewatchable show, but it can’t be denied that some elements, and even entire episodes or storylines, haven’t aged well.
Throughout 10 seasons, the audience followed Chandler (Matthew Perry), Monica (Courteney Cox), Joey (Matt LeBlanc), Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow), Rachel (Jennifer Aniston), and Ross (David Schwimmer) as they went through many ups and downs in their personal, social, and professional lives, while dealing with everything adulthood threw their way. This made way for some iconic episodes, but the show also had its dose of episodes that are hard to watch – and one of them, which is also one of the show’s worst, I always skip it.
“The One After Joey And Rachel Kiss” Is Friends' Most Infamous Episode
Friends Season 10 Doesn’t Have A Good Start
Friendshas some skippable episodes, and some of them are back-to-back episodes, as they are hard to watch for the same reason. At the end ofFriendsseason 9, the group traveled to Barbados to attend Ross’ conference, but once there, Joey and Charlie (Aisha Tyler) broke up and Ross and Charlie kissed (unbeknownst to the rest), while Rachel couldn’t keep her feelings for Joey a secret anymore. Joey and Rachel ended up kissing, so they had to deal with the consequences of this in season 10’s premiere episode.
Appropriately titled “The One After Joey and Rachel Kiss”,it saw Joey and Rachel trying to find the best way to tell Ross about the kiss, but Ross walked in on them kissing. In addition to that, Phoebe and Mike reconciled in Barbados, but Mike had a girlfriend, and due to a miscommunication, Phoebe and the other woman ended up meeting at Mike’s apartment.
It became infamous for being the continuation of Joey and Rachel’s kiss and how badly they handled telling Ross.
“The One After Joey and Rachel Kiss” is an awkward and hard-to-watch episode, not just thanks toJoey and Rachel’s controversial relationship, but also Phoebe’s storyline and that of Monica and Chandler, as the latter is annoyed by the former’s cornrows. It’s not exactly one ofFriends' funniest episodes, and it became infamous for being the continuation of Joey and Rachel’s kiss, how badly they handled telling Ross, and Mike’s reveal of having a girlfriend he now had to break up with.
Joey And Rachel’s Season 10 Relationship Almost Ruined Both Characters
Joey & Rachel Are Friends’ Most Controversial Couple
Friendssaw many different couples, some better received than others, but the most controversial (and even hated) by far is that of Joey and Rachel. It all began when Joey developed a crush on Rachel when she was pregnant, but he eventually let it go – but in season 9, the writers ofFriendsdecided to give them a chance, despite that beingout of character for Joey. Not only was it very awkward to watch Rachel trying to force something with Joey while he dated Charlie, butthey ultimately had zero romantic chemistry.
Luckily, this couple didn’t last long, and they broke up in season 10’s third episode (“The One With Ross’ Tan”) after they confirmed their lack of chemistry.The Joey/Rachel storyline still feels unnecessary, as it didn’t add anything substantial to their stories and only risked ruining both characters. In the end, Rachel got back together with Ross, and it was implied thatJoey settled down after his spinoff show.
“The One After Joey And Rachel Kiss” At Least Gave Us One Iconic Ross Moment
Ross Became A Meme Thanks To It
“The One After Joey And Rachel Kiss” ended with Ross walking in on Joey and Rachel kissing, but the aftermath was covered in the next episode. Appropriately titled “The One Where Ross Is Fine”, Ross insisted that he was fine with Joey and Rachel being together, which he obviously wasn’t.Every time Ross said he was fine, he did so in an increasingly high-pitched voice, and that scene ended up becoming a meme and an iconicFriendsmoment, as well as the one good thing to come out of the Joey/Rachel pair.
