The importance of February 13, 1997, cannot be overstated for what this date contributed to television history. It was on this Thursday night that Rachel Green suggested taking a break from boyfriend Ross Gellar, who went on to sleep with another woman that same night. The debate about whether Ross cheated or was single to do as he pleased has raged on for nearly three decades, and with Jennifer Aniston reviving the issue on social media, I fear there’s no end in sight. But whose side is she on anyway?
The question of whether or not Ross and Rachel were “on a break” was one that came up repeatedly throughout the remainder of the Friends’ 10 seasons — literally, David Schwimmer’s character even joked about it in the series finale. Time hasn’t done much to heal that divide amongst fans, either, and Jennifer Aniston provided proof of that recently when she reposted the following meme to Instagram Stories:
Jennifer Aniston must have found this meme pretty amusing, as someone displayed their “welcome” mat that asked others to weigh in on who was correct in the argument over whether or not Ross cheated. That’s admittedly a lot easier than writing an 18-page letter (FRONT AND BACK!) on whether or not he should take responsibility.
The photo shows a package on the “No” option, as in “not on a break,” suggesting the anonymous Amazon delivery person thinks Ross was in the wrong. The poster’s comment about needing to have a talk with that person leads me to believe that they disagree, and that Ross and Rachel were broken up when Ross brought Chloe back to his place that night.
So Jennifer Aniston happens upon this meme, finding it funny enough to share … Does this mean she also sides with Ross on the debate? That does seem to be the case. On the Friends reunion that aired in 2021, Aniston said definitively that yes, they were on a break.
Were Ross and Rachel on a break?
It’s a bit surprising that the actress would take the side opposite her own character, but it’s hard to refute when Rachel was the one who suggested “a break from us.” She also told Monica they had broken up on their anniversary, and when she called Ross to reconcile, she asked if she could be his girlfriend again. I mean, honestly, it’s right there in the episode title: “The One Where Ross and Rachel Take a Break.”
(Don’t worry, though, it’s fair to still think Ross is the worst, in spite of the evidence supporting his argument.)
However, Jennifer Aniston hasn’t always stood by that belief. Following the reunion she seemed to backtrack on her comment by posting a photo in which she sported a ballcap that read, “We were SO not on a break!” And we wonder how this can still be in question so many years later.
It’s been 28 years since that fateful night — children who were not born when said break was taken are now able to give fully formed opinions on the debate — and it’s unlikely Friends fans will ever fully agree. If you want to rewatch how things went down (and how the debate showed itself for the rest of the series), all 10 seasons are available to stream with an HBO Max subscription.