There’s a reason Friends is considered one of the best sitcoms of all time. Monica herself Courtney Cox attributes it to the show’s talented team of writers. While I have no doubt that contributes to the comedy’s continued success, I think the close cast dynamic had more impact, mostly because of how much fun they seemingly had together on set. As a result, Friends always had some of the best BTS moments, and there are some that just never get old, like Jennifer Aniston ironically "blowing" this scene over and over while trying to get through one specific joke.
In Season 2 of Friends, we see Ross and Rachel together as a couple, having given up the will they, won’t they bit (for the first time at least). After reading a book called “Be Your Own Windkeeper,” Rachel is emboldened by the message to take a stand against Ross about her independence. Unfortunately, in typical Rachel Green fashion, it doesn’t come out as smooth as she intended, as she accidentally makes an innuendo.
Now, after seeing the bloopers from Season 2, Episode 19 on Instagram, I think it is safe to say I’ll never get tired of Aniston trying to get through the dirty line with a straight face:
What I love most about this is the fact that her fellow cast members aren’t laughing at her, but laughing with her. Everyone always seems so comfortable in behind-the-scenes videos like this, and it really is telling of their close bonds to each other in real life.
It’s not every day you get an environment like that, especially in film and TV. So it makes sense The Morning Show star has stated she would only do another sitcom if it had a similar cast dynamic, which let’s be honest, isn’t likely.
The real question is, how many takes were there before she was able to say that line with a straight face? In the scene, Rachel Green is oblivious to the innuendo she’s making until it is already out of her mouth. Jennifer Aniston, however, is well aware of the joke, which seems to have affected her ability to keep a straight face while filming. They eventually got the line though, as the clip below is what actually aired on TV, but clearly not without some setback first:
I imagine the Murder Mystery actress’ co-stars didn’t make it any easier, given the amount of jokes and hijinx they were always pulling on set. Over the course of its 10-season run, a number of planned pranks, like the one pulled off by David Schwimmer and Cole Sprouse, or unplanned moments, like this pantsless encounter with Chandler, were kept in the final cut because of the genuine reaction they got out of Aniston. They were so similar to how her character would actually respond, and she was able to stay in character in the aftermath (the majority of the time). No wonder she secured the role of Rachel less than 24 hours after her audition.
I honestly can’t imagine anyone else playing any of the six besties. I can’t believe the sitcom turns 30 this year. Is it too soon for another reunion? Amid the Friends cast's other projects, I would love it if they could take a moment to get a quick coffee at Central Perk. While it wouldn’t be the same without the late Matthew Perry, I can’t think of a better way to honor his memory.
However, there’s no rush, as I’m certain Friends will remain relevant for many years to come, despite some of its more wacky episodes. You can binge all the hilarious apartment hijinx, scripted and unscripted -- including this hilarious dirty joke that Jennifer Aniston could barely get through -- now with a Max subscription.
