The question of whether Ross cheated on Rachel when they were on a break in Friends Season 3 has got to be one of the best TV debates ever. The storyline is one that still causes me emotional turmoil (in the best way) when it comes around during my binges via HBO Max subscription. What’s really interesting is how people’s opinions of the breakup have changed over time, so what did people think of the issue back in the ‘90s?
It’s been nearly three decades since "The One Where Ross and Rachel Take a Break" and "The One the Morning After" aired on NBC, and fans are still constantly taking the issue and finding new perspectives on what went down between David Schwimmer and Jennifer Aniston’s characters. Even Lisa Kudrow has switched whose side she’s on. The debate came up on Reddit, and nutcracker_78 recalled hearing the issue discussed back when it aired, writing:
I grew up watching this show as it aired, and I have watched it countless times in the years since. I remember people talking about whether they were on a break but without social media back then, obviously they were more insulated discussions. But the general consensus that I remember was Ross was an arsehole for how he treated Rachel.
The phrase that has become a viral point of contention is “on a break,” but can we now agree that while their breakup was short-lived, it was a breakup nonetheless? Both Ross and Rachel say that. (Well, Rachel tells Monica she and Ross “broke up,” but later argues with Ross that a “break” was not a “break up,” so do with that what you will.)
The bigger question is whether what Ross did was considered cheating. I’ve always thought Ross was innocent on a technicality. He had sex with another woman within hours of his argument with Rachel (as Chandler says, “Bullets have left guns slower”), which sucks, but he was technically free to do whatever he wanted.
For some, though, it was more the events leading up to the situation with Chloe the Xerox girl that has stuck with them. Redditor lizziesiddalss recalls Ross shouting at Rachel and throwing her shoes earlier in Season 3:
I remember watching it all live as a child and hating him for his degrading rant at her in The One Where No One's Ready. Ross is the actual worst.
Some Friends fans will die on the hill that Ross is the worst (I still cringe every time he says, “Get your butt in there and pick out any shoes that fit your feet.” Ugh, she should have made him drink the fat.). Others, however, have pointed out how awful Rachel was to Ross — breaking up him and Julie, convincing Bonnie to shave her head, crashing Ross and Emily’s wedding, etc.
In response to the above argument from “The One Where No One’s Ready,” Fragrant_Response391 wrote:
Wow it’s funny I hated Rachel in that episode and everyone else for not having any sense of urgency for Ross’ event. He may have overreacted but it was understandable considering Rachel’s ridiculously slow approach to getting changed and Joey and chandler acting like children
I hate to admit, that drives me crazy, too.
It’s safe to say that back in the ‘90s and early aughts, most of us really yearned for the day Ross and Rachel would get back together for good, but the more we watch it back over the years, the more toxic their relationship seems. Another fan, NoReason87, said:
As a teenager, I was rooting for them but as an adult , I kind of feel they should’ve not ended up together, but let’s just hope they managed to keep their relationship intact after the show ended.
Each Friends fan can have their theories on what happened after Ross and Rachel’s series finale reunion — when he convinced her to choose him instead of her dream job in Paris (sigh) — but Jennifer Aniston has offered an update on what she thinks.
It’s interesting to recall how people experienced Ross and Rachel’s “break” back in 1997 and then how we’ve all recontextualized it over the years. Regardless of who’s right and who’s wrong in their debate, I will always love that storyline for how much debate it’s caused.
