# Friends question - Ross's first marriage ending before series start **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 20, 2007, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/friends-question-rosss-first-marriage-ending-before-series-start/400999 "2007-04-20T21:08:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Dunderman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@Dunderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunderman)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2007, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/friends-question-rosss-first-marriage-ending-before-series-start/400999/1 "2007-04-20T21:08:58Z")
The other day I saw what I took to be the first episode of _Friends_, and was surprised to see that Ross and Carol had already broken up. I checked an episode guide and sure enough, that’s the first episode, and they did break up before the series started. So: Have I hallucinated the episodes I remember where they’re still together? Specifically, I remember Ross telling Joey about a threesome he had with Carol and another woman. He said that his part was over really quickly and then he just watched, got bored, and made a sandwich. Was this some kind of “alternate reality” episode? ---
**Author:** ![JSexton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/96bed5/32.png) [@JSexton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JSexton)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2007, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/friends-question-rosss-first-marriage-ending-before-series-start/400999/2 "2007-04-20T21:11:09Z")
There were flashback episodes. There were also “what-if” episodes, and I think that’s where it came from. What if Ross never realized Carol was gay (lots of karate), what if Monica never lost the weight, what if Phoebe was a stockbroker, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2007, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/friends-question-rosss-first-marriage-ending-before-series-start/400999/3 "2007-04-20T21:11:15Z")
[QUOTE=Priceguy] The other day I saw what I took to be the first episode of _Friends_, and was surprised to see that Ross and Carol had already broken up. I checked an episode guide and sure enough, that’s the first episode, and they did break up before the series started. So: Have I hallucinated the episodes I remember where they’re still together? Specifically, I remember Ross telling Joey about a threesome he had with Carol and another woman. He said that his part was over really quickly and then he just watched, got bored, and made a sandwich. Was this some kind of “alternate reality” episode? [/QUOTE] That was a “what if” episode. In the same one, Rachel got married to Barry, Phoebe was a stock broker, Joey was a successful soap actor, Chandler was a comedy writer, and Monica was still fat. -Joe ---
**Author:** ![PastAllReason](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f07891/32.png) [@PastAllReason](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastAllReason)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2007, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/friends-question-rosss-first-marriage-ending-before-series-start/400999/4 "2007-04-21T01:06:45Z")
[QUOTE=Merijeek] That was a “what if” episode. In the same one, Rachel got married to Barry, Phoebe was a stock broker, Joey was a successful soap actor, Chandler was a comedy writer, and Monica was still fat. -Joe [/QUOTE] I seem to recall that while Chandler was writing, he didn’t do it very well. He was writing for Archie comic books, and was largely being supported by Joey. ---
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2007, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/friends-question-rosss-first-marriage-ending-before-series-start/400999/5 "2007-04-21T02:16:57Z")
[QUOTE=PastAllReason] I seem to recall that while Chandler was writing, he didn’t do it very well. He was writing for Archie comic books, and was largely being supported by Joey. [/QUOTE] if memory serves he hadn’t sold any of his writing and was struggling. Joey hired him as his assistant and abused him. Chandler sold a story to Archie comics based on the situation. Joey was too dumb to see it. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2007, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/friends-question-rosss-first-marriage-ending-before-series-start/400999/6 "2007-04-21T02:48:04Z")
> [@](#): > > I seem to recall that while Chandler was writing, he didn’t do it very well. This was back before he hooked up with Bradley Whitford, who at the time was still working on Jimmy Smits’ presidential campaign. ---
**Author:** ![blinkingblinking](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea5d25/32.png) [@blinkingblinking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blinkingblinking)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2007, 7:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/friends-question-rosss-first-marriage-ending-before-series-start/400999/7 "2007-04-21T07:38:42Z")
They had broken up before the first ever episode. I was surpised at how good the writing was for the first few episodes. The characters are realistic and have back-stories.