Friends remains as one of the most rewatchable TV shows ever even years after it ended, and for good reason. The NBC sitcom has some of the most iconic and memorable moments, whether it’s the fun Thanksgiving episodes, hilarious off-beat Phoebe quotes, or what is perhaps one of the greatest TV twists and the greatest twist on Friends that wasn’t initially meant to be in the script.
A resurfaced interview with writer and producer Greg Malins via Reddit includes him talking about Ross’ wedding to Emily in the Season 4 finale. He shared that the ending of the wedding was something they had “struggled” with to figure out. And at a taping, David Schwimmer was meant to say “I got the cab waiting, Emily,” but it came out as “I got the cab waiting, Rachel” and he apologized. But that brain fart turned out to be brilliant because that’s when the writers knew that that’s what should happen, “We’re doing this.”
And so, “I, Ross, take thee Rachel” was born, and it only happened “because David flubbed his line,” Malins said. The fact that that line changed the course of Friends for the remainder of the series is pretty incredible, and all because of one little brain fart. It’s hard to imagine how different the show would have been if not for those five words, but it would be unrecognizable.
“The One With Ross’s Wedding” is one of the most ridiculous episodes of Friends but also one of the most iconic. Between Ross’ slip-up and Monica and Chandler sleeping together, it remains as one of the best finales on Friends and certainly the most memorable. The episode brought some significant changes for some characters, and even though there was a lot going on, that’s just what makes it pretty great.
Friends turned 30 this year, and thanks to the show streaming with a Max subscription, fans are able to look back at all of their favorite moments. There is always going to be the “What if?” of TV and luckily, people don’t have to wonder how different the show would be if not for David Schwimmer’s flub. It does make me wonder just how many other iconic moments were made because of a mistake, though.
Meanwhile, it’s very likely more tidbits will resurface during the Friends-themed game show, which will be coming to Max very soon. Only the biggest Friends fans will know just about everything and it should be fun to see who come out on top as the Ultimate Friends fan. For now, people can watch Friends on Max, as it’s a sitcom perfect for the next long binge with 10 seasons and many moments that you will never get tired of.
