1 Canceled Friends Story Would Have Completely Changed (& Ruined) Ross & Rachel’s Ending
One specific Friends storyline involving Ross and a girlfriend would have changed his complicated journey with Rachel had it not been scrapped.
A cut Friends storyline would have changed the trajectory of Ross and Rachel’s arc and potentially ruined the couple’s series ending. The characters, played by David Schwimmer and Jennifer Aniston for 10 seasons of Friends, ended up together in the series finale, but their journey was a complicated one. Ross was stuck in an unrequited love situation when it came to Rachel early in life, but they ended up dating in Friends season 2. Though it didn’t last long, the pair fell into a series-long “will they or won’t they” scenario.
Despite each dating other people throughout Friends, Ross and Rachel still harbored feelings for one another for much of the period depicted in the show. Their on-again-off-again relationship included an infamous Friends’ “break,” a drunken Vegas marriage, and a daughter as a result of a one-night stand. In the end, Ross and Rachel discovered that they couldn’t live without one another, leading to Ross confessing his love and Rachel giving up a new job in Paris to finally be together. However, Ross and Rachel’s relationship could’ve been much different.
Ross & Elizabeth’s Canceled Baby Story In Friends Explained
Before Rachel had Emma, Ross had already been made a father in Friends when his ex-wife Carol gave birth to their son, Ben, at the end of season 1. Interestingly, Friends considered the idea of giving Ross another child through his relationship with Elizabeth. According to CBR, Friends season 6’s finale was meant to end on a cliffhanger with Ross’ student-turned-girlfriend Elizabeth revealing she was pregnant. The following season would have centered on Ross dealing with the discovery alongside his young girlfriend before learning that the baby wasn’t actually his.
After much consideration, the creative minds behind Friends scrapped the Elizabeth storyline because a Rachel pregnancy plan was already set for the end of season 7. This would have been too repetitive for Ross’ complicated love interests. Rather than keep Elizabeth around for the conflict regarding Ross, Ross broke up with her, and the character disappeared from the show, leaving Rachel to receive the solo pregnancy storyline involving Ross.
Ross & Elizabeth’s Baby Story Would’ve Hurt Ross & Rachel’s Arc
Before Rachel had Emma, Ross had already been made a father in Friends when his ex-wife Carol gave birth to their son, Ben, at the end of season 1. Interestingly, Friends considered the idea of giving Ross another child through his relationship with Elizabeth. According to CBR, Friends season 6’s finale was meant to end on a cliffhanger with Ross’ student-turned-girlfriend Elizabeth revealing she was pregnant. The following season would have centered on Ross dealing with the discovery alongside his young girlfriend before learning that the baby wasn’t actually his.
After much consideration, the creative minds behind Friends scrapped the Elizabeth storyline because a Rachel pregnancy plan was already set for the end of season 7. This would have been too repetitive for Ross’ complicated love interests. Rather than keep Elizabeth around for the conflict regarding Ross, Ross broke up with her, and the character disappeared from the show, leaving Rachel to receive the solo pregnancy storyline involving Ross.
Ross & Elizabeth’s Baby Story Would’ve Hurt Ross & Rachel’s Arc
Friends considered an alternate ending for Ross and Rachel, but their ultimate fate depicted in the series finale was always a favorable option. Still, incorporating an Elizabeth baby storyline could have derailed the Ross and Rachel plan or, at the very least, ruined the belief that they were destined to be together. Ross already had a bad history with his relationships, having been divorced three times on the show. Adding the fact that he could go on to have three children by three different mothers would have convoluted his history even further.
Even if Friends revealed that Elizabeth’s baby wasn’t Ross’, using the entirety of season 7 to focus on the storyline would have cut any plausible setup to Ross and Rachel’s lingering feelings. It would have also hurt the notion that the one-night stand actually meant more than a random hookup. Whether their encounter had happened when Ross still thought Elizabeth was having his child or directly after he learned the truth, it would’ve lessened the belief that Ross and Rachel were meant to be together.
