Friends Creators Actually Wanted Monica to Be with Joey, not Chandler
While this idea obviously didn’t stick around for long, it led to some pretty funny changes that had to be made throughout the entire duration of the show later on.
If you ask any Friends fan about it now, they will all tell you that Monica and Chandler are an iconic couple, a perfect couple, and a couple that was meant to be. However, that’s not exactly true: initially, it was suggested that Monica would get together with Joey instead…and that really doesn’t sound right now, does it?
Back when Friends was still in its pre-production stage, the creators of the show, David Crane and Marta Kauffman, were seriously considering making Joey and Monica a thing. There wasn’t any particular plan for Chandler just then, but he was totally out of the picture: Crane and Kauffman saw Ms. Ross become Mrs. Tribbiani.
Everything changed when the actors were cast: the chemistry between Courteney Cox and Matt LeBlanc was way too friendly, and it was impossible to picture them together in the future.
“When we were originally conceiving the show, we actually thought that Monica and Joey might become a thing and then we cast it, and just went ‘that’s not the right energy’ because now they’re faces and they’re people," David Crane explained to Today.
As the original plan got scratched, the future partners of Chandler, Monica, and Joey remained unknown for a long time. They all had some ongoing relationships most of the time, but their finale was undecided. Then, they had another fun idea.
“One of the writers tossed out an idea: ‘What if we get Chandler and Monica together?' The thought was intended less as a permanent shift in the gravity of the series and more as a fun plotline, good for a few episodes before the status quo snapped back into place,” shared the show’s writer Saul Austerlitz.
However, Chandler and Monica really clicked with the fans, and the audience loved this couple — plus, the chemistry was undeniably there. From a temporary fun distraction, Mondler became the new reality of the show…and then there were only Joey and Phoebe left hanging: Rachel and Ross were meant to be since day 1.
The creators admit that they toyed around with the idea of Joey and Phoebe getting together not long before the finale of Friends but ultimately decided that would be “too tidy” and unnatural, so this duo finished the show without permanent partners.
But the very idea that Monica could end up with Joey and — just a guess! — Phoebe and Chandler could later become a thing, too…it’s just so weird!