Friends: Was Ross right in dating Julie knowing he had feelings for Rachel?

Still from Friends (Image via Netflix)
Still from Friends (Image via Netflix)

Ross and Rachel have always had an on-and-off relationship throughout Friends. But their chemistry was so good that the two always found their way back to each other.

The duo had known each other since before the story of Friends began. They were familiar with each other from their high-school days and Ross always had a crush on Rachel.


How does Julie come into the picture in Friends?

In season 1 of Friends, we all see how Ross is infatuated and in love with Rachel, but she is oblivious to it. Incidentally, during her birthday party, Chandler accidentally lets it slip that Ross had always had a crush on Rachel.

Rachel is absolutely shaken by the news. She wonders why she never saw it and why Ross never told her anything. Rachel is justifiably confused with the whole situation and she wants to have a conversation with him immediately.

Sadly, he was in the airport at that time because he had to go to China for a work related issue. Rachel rushes to the airport to see Ross but misses him by a moment. The latter had earphones on and could not hear Rachel calling out to him. She was stopped because she did not have a boarding pass and thus could not talk to Ross.

During the time Ross was away, Rachel did a lot of thinking and soon realized that she could not stop thinking about him. So, she decides to go to the airport once more, when Ross was scheduled to return, and surprise him.

Sadly, things did not go according to plan. Rachel was at the airport with a lovely bouquet, waiting for Ross, but to her disappointment, he arrived to the city with a girl.

Ross found Julie during his time in China. They were batchmates in grad school and reunited in the dig, instantly hitting it off together. Ross comes back to town with Julie, much to Rachel's dismay.


Should Ross have dated Julie?

Ross was right in dating Julie in Friends. For years, Ross had been in love with Rachel but she never picked up hints or reciprocated his love. So he listened to Chandler and moved on with Julie.

He believed that Rachel always saw him as a friend and was not interested in him beyond a friendship. He could not wait around forever and watch Rachel date other men while he was hopelessly in love with her. But there was a problem.

Although Ross seemed to have moved on with Julie, he was not over Rachel. The moment he finds out that Rachel was in love with him too, he finds his way back to her and breaks up with Julie.

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