The creators of Friends have revealed that Monica and Chandler’s relationship was never planned.
Of all the relationships on Friends, Chandler and Monica’s has got to be the most solid. What started out as a secret fling shaped up to be one of the most caring and honest relationships on the show. The couple went on to become husband and wife and then parents. Although the characters ended up going the distance together, none of this was actually planned.
Showrunners Marta Kauffman and David Crane revealed at the Tribeca Film Festival that they never actually intended for the relationship to unfold as it did. In fact, they were planning on leaving the Monica and Chandler story as a one-night stand.
“The audience reaction was so strong, and their chemistry was so good that we ultimately had to listen to the show. We knew there’s a real relationship here,” Deadline quoted them as saying.
Chandler and Monica’s relationship developed into a driving force in the show. It opened up so many more jokes and enabled the writing team to explore the intricacies of a relationship through a comedic lens. It also allowed for some of the most moving moments of the show.
Elsewhere in the interview, the showrunners reminded us once again to let go of our hopes for a reboot. “The show was about that time in life when friends are your family,” they said. “It’s not going to beat what we did.”
