15 Years After the Friends Finale Let's Settle the Debate: Were Ross and Rachel on a Break?

Christina Pickles, aka Judy Geller, weighs in on the show's polarizing issue

By Chris Harnick May 06, 2019 6:16 PMTags
Watch: "Friends'" Ross & Monica Gellar's Mom Settles Break Debate

On this day 15 years ago, May 6, 2004, the world said goodbye to Ross, Rachel, Monica, Phoebe, Chandler and Joey when Friends ended its 10-season run on NBC.

Since then, Friends—and actors David Schwimmer, Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matthew Perry and Matt LeBlanc—has remained a part of viewers' lives thanks to syndicated reruns and Netflix. The quotes live on—even Cox brought back the iconic "PIVOT!" via Instagram—as do the great debates. For example, were Ross and Rachel on a break?

To celebrate the 15th anniversary of the series finale, E! News turned to someone who would know all about the Ross and Rachel dramatics: Ross's mother, Judy Geller (Christina Pickles).

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Friends Cast Reunions

In the video below, Pickles gets into the nitty-gritty of the break debate and says Rachel caused the whole thing.

"Let us not forget, Ross would not have gone and screwed that random girl from the bar if Rachel didn't invite her super steamy coworker Mark over," she says. "Once you find out information like that, you pivot!"

Friends is currently streaming on Netflix in its entirety (the streaming site reportedly shelled out a sum around $100 million for the rights for 2019), but despite its continued popularity there will be no revival.

"There are several reasons. One, the show is about a time in your life when your friends are your family. It's not that time anymore. All we'd be doing is putting those six actors back together, but the heart of the show would be gone," co-creator Marta Kauffman told Rolling Stone. "Two, I don't know what good it does us. The show is doing just fine, people love it. [A reunion] could only disappoint. 'The One Where Everyone's Disappointed.'"