‘Friends’ Fan Theory Suggests The Whole Show Was Rachel’s Dream


Fans have come up with hundreds of crazy theories surrounding Friends over the years, and the newest argument is quite a head-scratcher. After a fan re-examined a promotional photo which appears on the cover of the Season 4 DVD box set, a new theory was born.

Buzzfeed spotted the theory on Twitter where user Ted Fox posted the promo photo. He asked why Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) was the only character to have her eyes open, while the rest of the cast slept. The entire cast is essentially spooning each other while they sleep in their clothes. Rachel is awake and appears naked underneath a white sheet. It didn’t take long for the fan theories to emerge.

Twitter user Phil Dunne came up with the theory that the entire series is a dream of Rachel’s that she has on the eve of her wedding day. He explains her dream happened because of major anxiety about marrying Barry and subconsciously created a fantasy situation where she got out of it.

Many die-hard Friends fans trashed the theory on Twitter and other social media platforms, explaining that the show was just a sitcom and nothing that deep. There are several flaws to consider when pondering this theory. For one, Rachel is the only one awake in the photo. It appears that Ross, Chandler, Joey, Monica, and Phoebe are the ones all dreaming, not Rachel.

Another thing to consider is the episode, “The One Where It Could Have Been,” in Season 6. The two-part episode revolves around the lives of the friends if they had made different life choices in the past. This episode would have been some sort of dream within a dream, and doesn’t coincide with this new theory.

[Image by Warner Bros.]

This isn’t the only outrageous fan theory to ever hit Central Perk. Creator Marta Kauffman shot down a theory suggestion surrounding Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow). Twitter user “strnks” suggested the whole show was the “meth-addled fantasy of a homeless Phoebe as she stared through the window of Central Perk.” Kauffman surprisingly addressed the rumor and called it “the saddest thing I’ve ever heard.”

Other wild fan theories suggest Jack Gellar isn’t Monica’s biological father, Ursula set the fire to Phoebe’s apartment, and Ross loses custody of Ben, which explains his absence in later seasons.

Jennifer Aniston as Rachel Green [Image by Warner Bros.]

Is the Rachel-dream theory possible? Almost definitively not, but it’s still fun to entertain ideas like this to keep the show relevant and alive.

How do you feel about this theory, and do you have any of your own? Let us know in the comments below.

[Featured Image by Warner Bros.]

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