Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

FRIENDS - Monica and Richard ❤️

106 replies

FuckConvoGiveMeAForest · 02/12/2022 17:37

Watching this, for the millionth time. Because it's great. Obviously. I'm on series 3 and Monica and Richard have just broken up... and it bloody well guts me everytime. He is the PERFECT man. Someone of his character is literally the only one who could pull me out of single life. Strong, stable, funny and genuine. Just a lovely man.

Yes he knew her as a child but I don't think he "watched her grow up" or was very familiar with her, same as I don't really know some of my friends kids. He didn't even recognise her when they met up years later but saw her for what she was - a 26 year old woman.

He was much better for her than man baby Chandler. Richard was an equal partner, she didn't have to "tutor" him. Shame they wanted different things in the end.

Oh and also she was absolutely stunning in series 2, best she ever looked.

I know, I know and the answer is no - I have nothing better to do right now! So thought I'd start a thread on my favourite TV show 😃

OP posts:
xYerDaSellsAvonx · 03/12/2022 02:08

BettySwollox78 · 02/12/2022 22:01

Ross had it sussed.

I don't know, I don't think mom and dad would mind. Remember when you were 9 and Richard was 30, how dad used to say, "God I hope they get together."

Great line 👏

Another fave...

Ross: Have you ever put on a black cocktail dress and invited me up to your room?

Chandler: No...

Ross: Then you are neither of your parents.

Maverickess · 03/12/2022 02:27

As others have said, it's not the age gap really that didn't sit right, in fact I didn't really think that was an issue, it was the history of him knowing her right through her childhood, as a child - I mean it's one thing to know someone was 10 when you were 32, but another to have interacted with them and have actual memories of them at that age and then go on to have a romantic and sexual relationship with them.

I love Monica and Chandler together and think it was handled really well, although I also thought Pete was great for her too, generally a great character.

Luellie · 03/12/2022 03:22

No, I can't get over the fact he knew her as a child. Gross!!

I'm another one who thinks Rachel and Joey had better chemistry than Rachel and Ross. The way they rushed to finish up the Rachel and Joey storyline was so unsatisfying.

Controversial one maybe... I think that Chandler and Phoebe would have made a much better couple than Chandler and Monica! I find Chandler and Monica so dull.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

TV
ComfortablyDazed · 03/12/2022 03:38

So Monica was 26 (26 is a dangerous eye age).

And Richard was ‘a whole person who can drink older than her’, so 26 + 21 = 47, which is actually no age at all.

But they made him out to be ancient - he was a Grandad, and all his friends were supposedly so old they were dying off (he liked hanging out with Chandler and Joey, because they didn’t start all their sentences with ‘d’ya know who died…?’).

47….! That’s only just middle aged…!

I loved Richard - Tom Selleck is absolutely my type. But I loved Monica and Chandler together.

PerfectlyPreservedQuagaarWarrior · 03/12/2022 07:29

electricmoccasins · 02/12/2022 21:04

I think it helped a little that Courtney Cox actually was 31 (although I think Selleck was in fact 50). But yeah, the whole thing was creepy. I mean hadn’t Richard served in Vietnam for crying out loud!

They both looked a little bit older than the ages they were playing. Incredibly attractive version of a little bit older, of course, but still not mid 20s and mid 40s.

I will also say that Rachel and Joey possibly gave me the even worse ick though, which is wrong of me really because on the facts it was much less objectionable!

pictish · 03/12/2022 07:43

Rachel and Joey was just wrong. It did not work.

Whoever said Monica and Joey would have matched well, I agree actually. I was glad Monica and Chandler ended up together but yeah…Monica and Joey would have worked too. Lots of opportunity for comedy there.

CocoPlum · 03/12/2022 07:51

Don't agree she looked her best in season 2. Pretty sure Courtney Cox had an eating disorder at that point, she was painfully thin!

tiredofpplcoveringtheirarses · 03/12/2022 07:58

yeah that age gap and the circumstances were just too much.

LadyHarmby · 03/12/2022 07:58

Rachel and Joey was terrible. They looked so awkward together, I think even the actors hated it.

PerfectlyPreservedQuagaarWarrior · 03/12/2022 07:59

LadyHarmby · 03/12/2022 07:58

Rachel and Joey was terrible. They looked so awkward together, I think even the actors hated it.

I think that might be it, actually. They were completely unbelievable.

ClaireEclair · 03/12/2022 08:11

Housenoob · 03/12/2022 00:00

Richard was just meh.

I liked Monica and Chandler together in the early seasons when they were both totally different people and were genuinely very good friends. Chandler was cute, charming and boyish and Monica was really cool and beautiful. When they got together they became so blah and irritating. Monica was really shrill and a bit of a caricature of herself, and Chandler became really blah and wet.

Unpopular opinion but I think Monica and Joey would have made a great couple.

I totally agree with all of this (except the Monica and Joey part). They ruined Monica’s character. She was lovely in the first seasons and yes she was really cool! Never liked chandler and rarely found his jokes funny.

MissMarpleRocks · 03/12/2022 08:14

I preferred Chandler with Janice. I liked Monica & Richard at the time but looking back there was real ick there.

Joey & Rachel I hated together.

Not sure who I would prefer Rachel or Ross to be with. I hated that Rachel got off that plane.

PerfectlyPreservedQuagaarWarrior · 03/12/2022 08:43

ClaireEclair · 03/12/2022 08:11

I totally agree with all of this (except the Monica and Joey part). They ruined Monica’s character. She was lovely in the first seasons and yes she was really cool! Never liked chandler and rarely found his jokes funny.

Show quote history

I laughed at the time but for me, his humour hasn't aged well.

MissMarpleRocks · 03/12/2022 09:00

Well to be fair I think it was almost 30 years ago since it started.

PerfectlyPreservedQuagaarWarrior · 03/12/2022 09:03

True! But what I mean is, some of it still hits as perfectly today whereas some of it really doesn't.

caroleanboneparte · 03/12/2022 09:43

I think Monica made the biggest mistake of her life dumping Richard.

He said at Mindy's wedding that he'd have DCs with her. Ok so he wasn't 100% enthused. But lots of men aren't when they have DCs! The human race would have died out if all awoken waited for their DPs to be 100% on board with having DC. He was already a good Dad so not like he'd ever have left her holding the baby etc.

It was so important to her to have DC. So much that she was going to get a sperm donor until Joey talked her out of it. (The Scandanavian man never materialised) If she had TTC with Richard in her 20s she would probably have had biological DC. Instead she threw her chance away and ended up never having biological DC.

She's a cautionary tale.

Kanaloa · 03/12/2022 11:54

ClaireEclair · 03/12/2022 08:11

I totally agree with all of this (except the Monica and Joey part). They ruined Monica’s character. She was lovely in the first seasons and yes she was really cool! Never liked chandler and rarely found his jokes funny.

Show quote history

Does anyone feel this is sort of the case with most of the characters though? Like Chandler was initially a sarcastic guy who was obviously masking a little bit of insecurity, who then turned into a caricature of that who shot out one liners in ridiculous voices. Phoebe went from a bit quirky to a full out weirdo, Joey went from street smart and cool, with emotional intelligence, to almost like he was developmentally disabled etc. They all turned into overblown versions of who they had originally been.

Kanaloa · 03/12/2022 11:56

*It was so important to her to have DC. So much that she was going to get a sperm donor until Joey talked her out of it. (The Scandanavian man never materialised) If she had TTC with Richard in her 20s she would probably have had biological DC. Instead she threw her chance away and ended up never having biological DC.

She's a cautionary tale.*

She ends up with two babies with a man who truly wants to be a dad to them and be with her. How is that a cautionary tale, when the alternative is a husband who sighs and says ‘if I have to be a dad I will, if I absolutely have to I will.’ Chandler is the complete opposite of Richard - Richard made it clear he was painfully resigned to giving Monica what she wanted, and Chandler would bend over backwards (and did) to have a baby with Monica, because they both wanted to.

Comedycook · 03/12/2022 11:57

I can definitely see the appeal of Richard. However, the age difference is problematic. In twenty years time, Monica would have still been a youngish woman...Richard would have been heading into elderly territory. With big age gaps you lose the ability to grow old together.

ReasonsToBeCheerfull · 21/04/2023 14:02

This thread just showed up for me because of the plot wholes in Friends thread.

I used to love Richard but I think on reflection he is fairly one dimensional and characterless. It was like the writers were trying - too hard - to create a perfect man.

And it didn't all fit together. I mean describe his personality - you can't really because there is nothing there. It's just all very cookie-cutter polite respectful decent but nothing of any dimension.

It would also make no sense why a man theoretically like that would be making porn tapes of old lovers and keeping them.

Basically didn't ring true at all. If he was so perfect why was he divorced as well.

Housenoob · 21/04/2023 20:41

Kanaloa · 03/12/2022 11:54

Does anyone feel this is sort of the case with most of the characters though? Like Chandler was initially a sarcastic guy who was obviously masking a little bit of insecurity, who then turned into a caricature of that who shot out one liners in ridiculous voices. Phoebe went from a bit quirky to a full out weirdo, Joey went from street smart and cool, with emotional intelligence, to almost like he was developmentally disabled etc. They all turned into overblown versions of who they had originally been.

Show quote history

Yes very true, and less funnier as well (apart from Ross who became more funny- yes it was overblown but I never found him irritating). The only person who I feel actually stayed pretty consistent with their character throughout was Rachel.

Housenoob · 21/04/2023 20:42

Less funny, not less funnier 🙄

Comedycook · 21/04/2023 20:43

Richard gave me the ick....he was so cheesy. Chandler was a much better match and long term prospect.

ComfortablyDazed · 21/04/2023 20:53

I liked Richard - still do.

But 100% agree that Chandler was the better match.

HvalaALot · 21/04/2023 21:06

It should have been:
Chandler and Janice
Ross and Emily
Monica and Richard
Phoebe and David

Rachel and a spin-off in Paris (“les amis” obviously) where she ends up with the chef from Emily in Paris.

I don’t know about Joey. He never had anyone who suited him.