Over the course of its ten-season run, ‘Friends’ fumbled the bag more than a few times. It has left behind plenty of unanswered questions that we are still debating.
More than two decades later, we have mostly resolved to make our own assumptions at this point. Still, we would love some direct answers to the top 10 questions ‘Friends’ never answered.
10. Why Did Rachel And Monica Drift Apart?
Rachel and Monica’s friendship before the series begins raises one very big question: why did they ever drift apart? Rachel was practically part of the Geller family, spending time at their house and growing up together with Monica.
She was also close to Monica’s parents and brother, which just makes the separation even more strange. The show only establishes that they lost touch after school, but considering how inseparable they once were, we would have liked some details.
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9. How Did Phoebe Afford Her Living Situation?
Phoebe’s finances are probably not the best when it comes to the gang. There is always Joey, but then he does owe Chandler an infinite amount of money. After her grandmother dies, she continues to live in their apartment seemingly by herself.
It appears that Phoebe covers everything alone. Considering her inconsistent work history and unstable income, it is difficult to understand how she was ever able to manage rent for such an apartment in New York City.
8. What Is Monica’s And Phoebe’s Middle Name?
‘Friends’ never actually revealed Monica and Phoebe’s middle names. Rachel’s is Karen, Joey is Joseph Francis, Chandler’s middle name is Muriel, and Ross’s is Eustace. Monica’s middle name is teased, showing that it starts with E just like her brother. Moreover, there is the one Phoebe made up by jokingly guessing “Fallulah”.
While Phoebe’s also remains unknown, it is clear that even she probably won’t ever get to know that since Ursula sells her birth certificate.
7. Was Denise Real?
After her grandmother Francis dies, Phoebe seemingly lives alone until Rachel asks to move in during season 6. Phoebe insists that she already has a roommate named Denise, who is conveniently out of town.
Rachel moves in with Phoebe and then moves out, but it seems like Denise never returns. Even stranger, Phoebe says that she lives alone in “The One in Vegas: Part One.” So, was Denise ever real, or did Phoebe simply invent her?
6. What Happened To The Apartment?
The purple apartment is one of the most recognisable settings of ‘Friends’. So, it is strange to think of anyone who will move in there. But it should be one of the hottest properties in New York. Chandler even calls it a “steal”.
Yet, somehow nobody seems to be interested in taking over, as we never got to know who actually gets the apartment after Chandler and Monica move out. This is one annoying bit that we will always think about but never get an answer to.
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5. What Happened To Phoebe’s Music?
Phoebe’s bizarre songs and guitar performances at Central Perk are a huge part of the show. So, it is strange how they instantly disappeared once she met Mike. Her performances became increasingly rare, coming to a complete halt at one point.
She only picks up her guitar for Emma’s birthday. The show forgetting this aspect of her character wasn’t very fun. We would have loved to see Phoebe and Mike jam out every now and then.
4. What is Phoebe’s Origin Story?
Phoebe is ‘Friends’ biggest mystery since we never get the complete story of her life. Throughout the series, we learn strange fragments of her past. She lived in the streets, mugged people, lived in Prague at some point, and endured her mother’s death all by herself.
Yet the show never connects these pieces into one complete history. Every revelation only raises more questions. Plus, there is the entire criminal record debacle. We would have loved to know more about Phoebe’s life.
3. What Happens to Ben?
Ben starts ‘Friends’ as a very important part of Ross’s life, but somewhere along the way, he completely disappears. He is last seen around the middle of Season 8, and even after Emma is born, he is strangely absent. Does Ben ever meet his little sister?
The show never confirms anything, only raising more questions about what happened to him. Even more bizarre is Ross’s determination to be an involved father in Ben’s life, despite the show eventually giving us no idea where Ben is or whether Ross still sees him.
2. What Happens To Rachel In The End?
Rachel and Ross’s ending is pretty famous, but what happens afterwards? She had to work very hard to build a future in fashion. But by choosing to stay in New York, she totally gives up the Paris job, leaving her career at a complete halt.
Does she go back to Ralph Lauren? Did Louis Vuitton offer her a local position? Does she start her own business? Or does she become a full-time mom? I guess we will never know.
1. Did The Friends Really Stay Together?
By the end of ‘Friends’, most of the group is married, raising kids, or pursuing successful careers. They are no longer the same gang who spent every day together sitting at Central Perk. But it is still clear that they insist on remaining in each other’s lives forever.
Then the spinoff ‘Joey’ shows that Joey eventually leaves New York because his friends have moved on. Meanwhile, Chandler is even supposed to have a special Joey room in their house. So, did the group really stay close, or did adulthood finally pull them apart?
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