While Friends remains one of the most beloved sitcoms of all time — still endlessly rewatchable decades after its finale — not every episode has aged gracefully. In fact, there’s one in particular that fans often skip entirely, and for good reason.
“The One After Joey and Rachel Kiss” – Friends’ Most Uncomfortable Episode
Season 10 of Friends didn’t kick off on the strongest note. Some episodes are difficult to revisit, and unfortunately, this one is at the top of that list. It picks up right after the events in Barbados at the end of Season 9, where Joey and Rachel shared a kiss, Ross and Charlie reconnected, and tensions were about to boil over.
In “The One After Joey and Rachel Kiss,” the group deals with the fallout from that moment. Joey and Rachel struggle to figure out how to break the news to Ross — only for him to catch them in the act. Meanwhile, Phoebe and Mike rekindle their romance, but there’s a twist: Mike is still technically dating someone else, which leads to an awkward and messy confrontation. Add Monica’s vacation cornrows (which Chandler hates), and you have one of the most uncomfortable episodes of the series.
This episode is infamous not just because of Joey and Rachel’s controversial storyline, but because it lacked the charm and humor fans expect from Friends. The characters’ actions feel forced, the comedy falls flat, and the romantic drama is hard to watch.
Joey & Rachel’s Romance Nearly Ruined Their Characters
Among the many couples that appeared throughout the show’s run, Joey and Rachel’s pairing remains the most debated — and for many, the most disliked. Their relationship felt unnatural from the start, especially since Joey had previously let go of his feelings for Rachel. By Season 9, however, the writers decided to explore a romantic angle between them — a decision that felt wildly out of character.
Watching Rachel try to spark a romance with Joey while he was dating Charlie was uncomfortable, and the two simply lacked any real chemistry. Thankfully, the show course-corrected quickly. Just a few episodes into Season 10, in “The One With Ross’s Tan,” Joey and Rachel acknowledge that things aren’t working and amicably split. The entire arc felt unnecessary and threatened to diminish both characters’ growth.
At Least Ross Gave Us One Iconic Meme-Worthy Moment
If there’s one redeeming aspect of this episode arc, it’s Ross’s reaction. The events of “The One After Joey and Rachel Kiss” lead directly into “The One Where Ross Is Fine,” where Ross repeatedly insists (in an increasingly manic tone) that he’s totally fine with the situation — even though it’s clear he’s not. His high-pitched declaration of “I’m fine!” became an instant classic and a widely shared meme, offering one of the few memorable laughs from an otherwise uncomfortable storyline.
