Friends: The One with The Alternate Endings - 7 endings we wish we had seen on the show

The Friends reunion is so close that we can even smell the coffee brewing at Central Perk. The show, which spanned across an impressive 10 season-long run, was the perfect blend of character arcs, emotional moments, hilarious dialogues and true friendship. The gang of Monica, Rachel, Phoebe, Joey, Chandler and Ross not just navigated their adult life in New York City, they took their fans with them in every joy and every heartbreak. Thus, when the show ended, fans were left with a void in their heart that they did not know how to fill.

Friends: The Reunion has brought the much needed joy and excitement in the lives of the show’s fans. The unscripted episode is expected to reveal exactly what happened to the gang after they parted ways, promising to keep in touch. Though the last few scenes of the show still leave us teary eyed, we would have liked it if some things had gone differently. Don’t get us wrong - we love how all the storylines came to a natural conclusion, but what’s the harm in wondering ‘what if...’?

Here are some alternate endings that would have probably made for a much more fulfilling end to the series -

1. Rachel should have gone to Paris

We love Rachel and we love Ross. But together, they might not be the best couple out there. Not only do both of them have a tendency to bring out the worst in each other, they’ve been through too much back and forth to mend things entirely. They get together towards the end of the show and Rachel decides to get off the plane and come back home, leaving her dream job in Paris behind. If Ross was so keen on pursuing his relationship with Rachel, he should have considered moving to Paris since Emma was going with Rachel anyway. But who ends up with the shorter end of the stick? Rachel, of course. We say let Rachel fly high and chase her dreams.

2. Monica and Chandler should have moved into their new house

Though the last scene of the show was Monica and Chandler moving out of the apartment and leaving their keys behind, fans never get to find out how they set up their new house and dealt with having to adjust to a new life without their gang around them. Perhaps, fans would have felt better about the show’s end if they had gotten a glimpse into Monica and Chandler’s new life, knowing they would be happy and just fine on their own.

3. Phoebe and Mike should have started a family

Mike and Phoebe are easily the most adorable couple in the show. Phoebe deserves happiness and Mike has given her just that. But if you recall her wish towards the end of her pregnancy in season four, Phoebe wanted to keep one of the babies. This makes us wonder if a more wholesome end to Phoebe and Mike’s journey on the show could have been Phoebe announcing her pregnancy or the couple choosing to adopt.

4. Chandler should have gotten his dream job

Chandler and Monica relocate at the end of the show, presumably leaving their jobs behind since travelling from the suburbs to NYC everyday was not a feasible option. No one knows what Chandler does and even he couldn't care less, until he quits one day and his job is all that he can think about. Unable to resume his previous organization, Chandler takes up an internship at an advertising firm and realises he has a knack for the same. He finally secures a job after much anxiety, which reveals that the industry is not the easiest to get into with no experience. This is why fans were worried about Chandler’s future in the suburbs and they hoped that he did not settle for his old job and changed careers.

5. Joey should have found happiness

Joey has had endless flings and meaningless relationships on the show. Even those that meant something to him, like his brief connection with Janine and Kathy, were brought to an abrupt end. We get it, Joey is a free soul, but it would have been nice to know that he was going to do just fine. If not a steady romantic relationship, Joey should have at least shown that he can take care of himself, pay his bills on time, show up on set, and be a responsible adult.

6. Ross should have made Ben and Emma meet

Ross and Carol’s son Ben completely disappears from the narrative with the arrival of Emma. Fans were just as shocked then as they are now, on realising that Ben and Emma don’t share the screen space even once in the last couple of seasons. How Ross could have just conveniently forgotten about his son is beyond any of us. We just wish that the two met at least once before the show concluded.

7. Joey should have moved into Monica's apartment

Nothing makes us more nostalgic than those purple walls and the blue kitchen cabinets. With Chandler and Monica moving away, Phoebe living with Mike, and Ross and Rachel moving into his house permanently, Joey is left alone in the building in his apartment. He lives right across Monica’s and fans really hoped he would ultimately move into the house. The thought of the gang having to give up the apartment and genuinely move on with their lives is as unsettling as it gets.