Few TV shows have impacted the world as much as Friends. This sitcom, which aired on NBC from 1994 to 2004, is still garnering fans today, and remains firmly among the best TV series of all time. Created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman, and starring Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry, and David Schwimmer, Friends follows the lives and romances of a group of friends living in Manhattan through their 20s and 30s, as they grow older and figure out what to do with their lives. This series not only turned its main actors into international movie and TV stars, but also became a worldwide phenomenon of unprecedented proportions.

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Friends is a show that made its mark on the television industry, and helped inspire other shows, movies, and even characters. The sitcom’s fans have re-watched every season over and over again since the show ended. Fortunately, they had one more chance to witness the stars getting back together, because 2021 saw the premiere of Friends: The Reunion, a reunion special hosted by James Corden where the cast got back together to recall memories from the show. Moreover, they were also able to take a look at unreleased material from Friends, reunite with supporting cast members, and debate about a topic that still keeps fans on edge today: were Ross and Rachel on a break or not?

The One Where Ross and Rachel Take a Break

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Friends’ “We were on a break” era kicked off during season 3, episode 15, but there were many events leading up to that point. Ross and Rachel were meant to be together since the pilot episode, with Ross talking about his need to be re-married while Rachel walked through the doors in her wedding dress, sending out a strong signal of what the future would hold for them. From that moment on, they started to build a friendly relationship, and even though Ross was into Rachel, she was not interested in him. However, when he decided to give another woman a chance, Rachel finally came clean about her feelings for him. This was what was needed for them to finally bond, although a major blowup was about to turn everything upside down.

During season 3 of Friends, Rachel landed a job she was passionate about and got really good at it. This slowly soured their relationship, as she had reduced time to spend with her boyfriend, and he became suspicious of one of her co-workers intentions. On the day of their anniversary, Rachel had to work late, so Ross decided to surprise her at her workplace. This was not appreciated by Rachel, however, as she was indeed quite busy and felt he was interfering. As a result of this situation, and Ross’ ongoing jealousy of her co-worker, Rachel suggested they take a break. Later that evening, the two spoke on the phone, and Ross misinterpreted that Rachel was having an affair with her co-worker, whom he overheard in the background. Distressed and drunk, he then decided to sleep with another woman. Thus, sparked a debate that still continues to this day: Rachel claimed that Ross cheated on her, whereas Ross argued that he didn’t, as they were on a break.

There are many things to take into consideration to truly define whether Rachel and Ross were on a break or not. Chances are that neither of them had a very good understanding of it, even though each of them strongly maintained their opinion throughout Friends’ run on-air. Truth is, when they had the argument leading up to the break, neither of them really took the time to define terms as to what that time would mean for them, or any actions required to not disrespect one another or the relationship. By not discussing the matter, they each interpreted it as they pleased, so it is most likely that both Rachel and Ross gave that break a different interpretation. For Rachel, it was a phase to reflect on the relationship, but for Ross, it meant a final separation, so they both acted accordingly.

However, the fact that they were on a break did not override each other’s feelings or wipe out their common history, which is where the issue of this debate really lies. If we are only relying on what was said, then it is true: Rachel and Ross were indeed on a break. But it was a very recent break, not yet well-defined. In fact, the very night they had the fight, they both attempted to reconnect, and the next day, Rachel confirmed this once again by telling Ross how sorry she was. Ross, on the other hand, didn’t even take the time to reflect on his relationship, deciding to have an affair with someone else, with no consideration for Rachel’s feelings or even his own.

This long-standing debate goes far beyond whether Rachel and Ross were on a break or not; the real issue here is whether or not it’s appropriate to engage in an affair with someone else without having sorted out your relationship status beforehand. If we answer this debate’s core question solely based on whether they were on a break or not, then Ross is right: they were on a break. In fact, the episode’s title confirms it. However, if we take into consideration their context, the relationship, and what happened that night before the break, then Rachel has a point: Ross’ behavior qualifies as cheating, so she had every right to be angry and to feel betrayed. A break of a few hours is no excuse to behave like he did. As a matter of fact, Ross was fully aware of his mistake, which is why he tried to hide the affair from Rachel, and spent most of his time in the series attempting to convince both Rachel and the audience that they were “on a break,” never taking full responsibility for his actions.

Where Do the Actors Stand on the Issue?

The discussion about Rachel and Ross’ relationship has stuck with fans for many years, and remains on everyone’s minds to this day — even among the cast of Friends! It is very exciting to see the stars of a TV series getting involved in fans’ ongoing debates, and Friends proved to be no exception. During 2021’s Friends reunion special featuring the cast, James Corden asked everyone for their thoughts on the matter. Surprisingly, they all agreed that Rachel and Ross were indeed on a break. So, even though the audience’s opinions are still mixed, it seems that Aniston, Cox, Kudrow, LeBlanc, Perry, and Schwimmer have already wrapped up the discussion on this heated topic.