“It’s [finally] happening.” Over a year has passed since Jennifer Aniston’s viral Instagram post announcing a ‘Friends’ reunion project. From the hilarious and quotable catchphrases to the relatable relationship moments, the hit sitcom has transcended generations and maintained relevancy in pop culture through decades. To celebrate the upcoming reunion, we polled Plenty of Fish members about the series and its iconic characters and their relationships. Here’s what they said:
They were on a break!
Finally, the question that has divided “Friends” fans for decades has been answered: Did Ross cheat on Rachel when they were on a break?
According to the majority (60%) of surveyed Plenty of Fish members, the answer is no, Ross did not cheat! (Although, 44% of women believe he did cheat vs. 36% of men).1
Ross and Rachel definitely weren’t on the same page with what it means to be on a break and it turns out that today’s singles aren’t either:
- 38% say it means an open relationship while figuring things out.1
- 33% say it means still together/monogamous.1
- 29% say it means broken up/can date and hook up with others.1
Gen Z, however; would really like to know if Ross and Rachel were truly on a break. They were 2x more interested to get to the bottom of it than any other generation surveyed.2
If you’ve ever been on a break with a partner yourself, you’re not alone! It looks like 39% of singles have been on a break with their significant other/spouse.1
The One with the Global Pandemic
Apartment pants were so ahead of their time. How would our favorite friends handle the pandemic?
The Thrivers:
- 43% of singles think Monica and Chandler would thrive in quarantine together. That may also have something to do with Monica’s delicious baking… with 57% predicting she would be the most likely to get into the banana bread and sourdough baking trend.2
- 49% say that Phoebe would be most likely to adopt a pet, though we’re willing to bet it wouldn’t be your average puppy or kitten.2
The Hoarder:
- Best known for being the clean freak of the show, 47% think Monica would be most likely to hoard toilet paper.2
The Quaran-team MVP:
- It’s no surprise that Chandler is the most popular with today’s singles: 26% of Plenty of Fish singles would prefer to be stuck in quarantine with the witty-jokester (the #1 selection).2
The Exercise Fanatic:
- A quarter (26%) think Rachel would be most likely to buy a Peloton.2 Think of all the cute exercise outfits she would sport!
The Doom and Gloom:
- Less than 6% would want to be stuck with Ross (the last selection), whose paleontology rambles might interrupt your latest binge-watch. 2
- 58% say of all the ‘Friends’ couples, Ross and Rachel would fight the most in quarantine.2
Could they BE any more like us?
Fandom for ‘Friends’ can be attributed to a lot of things, a talented cast, great writing, an awesome hair-do, but perhaps most notable is just how relatable the characters and storylines are.
Ranking the most relatable Friends moments in the show’s history:
- Monica and Richard: We all remember it well and were truly heartbroken by their situation – breaking up with someone because you realize you want different things is the most relatable relationship moment at 34%.2 In fact, one-third of singles have dated “a Richard” – they didn’t want the same things in life. 1
- Falling for a friend (Monica and Chandler): The second most relatable relationship moment is Monica and Chandler’s love story (falling for a friend) at 32%2 with 22% of singles saying they’ve dated a friend’s sibling.1 The majority of singles (53%) have dated a friend – with 61% of men having dated a friend compared to 46% of women.1 Taking it one step further, one in five men (21%) have dated a roommate vs. only 8% of women.1
- Dating someone your Friends aren’t fans of: 22% have dated “an Emily” – they were controlling and distrustful.1 22% have dated “a Janice” – someone who was annoying and clingy.1 Interestingly, 74% of singles don’t think it’s a deal-breaker if their friends don’t like the person they’re dating. 1
Lobsters for life or missed connections?
Were Ross and Rachel really each other’s lobsters or should they have worked things out with an ex? Plenty of Fish members weigh in on the ‘Friends’ couples:
- Joey and Rachel: 28% say that of the ‘Friends’ exes, Rachel should have been “The One” for Joey. 2
- Janice and Chandler: 20% of men think that Janice should have been “The One” for Chandler. 2
- Emily and Ross: 36% of Gen Z believe that Emily should have been “The One” for Ross (WHAT?!). 2
But at the end of the day, 45% of women believe that none of the ‘Friends’ exes should have been “The One.” 2
How you doin’?
How many times have you referenced a line from FRIENDS or thought about a “PIVOT-al” moment in the show’s history? Let’s take a walk down memory lane and see what singles deemed the most iconic moments:
- “How you doing?”: Over 57% say Joey’s phrase “how you doin’?” is the most iconic line from the series.2
- “I Ross, take thee Rachel”: 26% say the most iconic relationship moment is when Ross said “I, Ross, take thee Rachel” instead of Emily. 2
- The One with the Proposal: The moment when Monica and Chandler got engaged is Gen Z’s pick for the most iconic relationship moment on FRIENDS (29%) – every other generation picked the “I, Ross, take thee Rachel” moment.2
1 August 2019 Plenty of Fish surveyed 1,800 U.S.-based single adults
2 February 2021 Plenty of Fish surveyed 1,200+ U.S.-based single adults
