All 18 Major Romantic Relationships on Friends Explained and Ranked By Normalcy (3 of 9)

Monica and Richard (Seasons 2 and 3)

Monica and Richard Burke had a passionate yet complicated relationship. Their 21-year age gap caused friction, with Richard content with his life and Monica yearning for a family. Despite their undeniable chemistry and shared fondness, Monica ultimately ended things, prioritizing her desire for children over a comfortable present, leading to a heartbreaking but necessary decision for both. They briefly rekindled their relationship during season 3, and Richard returned one last time in season 6 to say he was ready to have children, but by then Monica was in a relationship with Chandler.

Joey, Ross and Charlie (Season 9)

The Charlie romance caused a whole lot of chaos for both Joey and Ross. Ross’s intellectual compatibility with Charlie initially sparked his interest, while Joey’s charisma and fun-loving personality also caught her attention. A charming scientist, Charlie dated Joey first. However, Joey, uncomfortable with her intelligence, ended things. Ross, smitten with Charlie, then pursued her, leading to a double-date disaster. Their contrasting approaches to dating the same woman exposed their insecurities: Joey’s fear of inadequacy and Ross’s struggle to move on from Rachel.