Entertainment
Now that we've all watched Friends as certified grown-ups, it's nice to know people are catching on to the idea that Ross and Rachel were the show's worst couple. With that in mind, let's take a moment to recognize some '90s couples that make more sense than Ross and Rachel. As you might imagine, there's a fair amount of them. And though it would be easy to simply highlight some of the best TV couples of the '90s with the healthiest, most functional relationship going, that would hardly be fair.
So instead, these are couples who, at least by TV standards, were deemed dysfunctional in some way. Couples who don't make sense on paper, but who do on screen. Couples who don't scream "we were on a break" at each other, showcase horrifying possessiveness, or break up a million times without realizing maybe that's for good reason. Maybe a certain issue should be worked on or the romance gets trashed forever.
Ostensibly, these are also couples who, like Ross and Rachel, appear to have very little in common. The difference with these '90s couples, however, is that they actually make sense on at least one level — which is one more than what Ross and Rachel ever made sense on.
1
Buffy & Angel ('Buffy The Vampire Slayer')
He was a vampire. She was a vampire slayer. Their love was basically held hostage by a thousand-year-long curse that would remove his soul again if he experienced too much happiness. And yet, they still make more sense than Ross and Rachel.
2
Carrie & Big ('Sex & The City')
She was a problematic socialite with a bad habit for shoes, and he was a problematic ass with a bad habit for... well, being an ass. And at the same time, these two were actually kind of perfect together.
3
Lisa Simpson & Ralph Wiggum ('The Simpsons')
She was a childhood intellectual and he ate paste. They only went out for a few dates and she broke his heart live on live television. Still, still make more sense than Ross and Rachel.
4
Jen & Dawson ('Dawson's Creek')
She was wild and experienced, and he was a Spielberg fanatic who spent a lot of time alone in his bedroom. They were on-and-off for a few seasons (mostly off, because yikes), and she even took his virginity in a scene that is still uncomfortable to watch. And yet, they still make more sense than Ross and Rachel.
5
Peggy & Al Bundy ('Married With Children')
He was disgusting. She was lazy. They drove each other insane. And yet, they make way more sense than Ross and Rachel.
6
Niles & Daphne ('Frasier')
He was a snob and she was working class housekeeper from Manchester, England. But they still make more sense than Ross and Rachel.
7
Xena & Gabrielle ('Xena Warrior Princess')
Because it was the '90s and homophobia was still rife on TV, Xena and Gabrielle's relationship was only ever really suggested through visual innuendo. Their relationship made absolute sense, though. And yet we had to watch Ross and Rachel have their "romance" validated on TV instead.
8
Darlene & David ('Roseanne')
She was caustic, he was sweet, they were adorable. Unlike... oh, you know.
9
Felicity & Ben ('Felicity')
She gave up on the Ivy League just to be close to him; they weren't even dating at that point. Meanwhile, he came with a lot of baggage, and they broke up and got back together too many times to count. But yeah, they make more sense than Ross and Rachel.
10
David & Donna ('Beverly Hills 90210')
She spent a long time pretending that she was too good for him. Then, when they finally got together, he cheated on her several times. Nice going, bud. But they still make more sense than Ross and Rachel.
11
Angela & Jordan ('My So-Called Life')
She was a dreamer from a good home and he was a (really great) leaner in a (really bad) band. They were never meant to be together forever, but for their moment, they were exactly right for each other. You know who wasn't? Ross and Rachel.
12
Sabrina & Chad Corey Dylan ('Sabrina The Teenage Witch')
Sabrina and her aunts made him out of dough and he disintegrated within a day. And despite all that, these two still made more sense than Ross and Rachel.
13
Daria & Trent ('Daria')
They didn't even date, but they didn't even have to. Their unconsummated (and potentially one-sided) love still makes more sense than Ross and Rachel's.
14
Mulder & Scully ('The X Files')
Him, a believer. Her, a skeptic. It could never work — except it totally did. And they worked way better than Ross and Rachel.
15
Cory & Topanga ('Boy Meets World')
Some might say that being with the same woman from childhood to adulthood is a little limiting. But it absolutely worked for them. And it still makes more sense than... oh, you get it by now, right? Good.
These couples were legit, my friend. Even if not all of them were successful, completely healthy, or actually existent, they had value and romance. And not once did any of them scream "we were on a break" at each other.
