For years, fans believed that Joey was NBC’s only serious attempt to extend the legacy of Friends. But newly resurfaced insider accounts and cast reflections have reignited conversation about a very different spin-off plan — one centered not on Joey Tribbiani, but on television’s most stable (and arguably most beloved) couple: Monica and Chandler.
And according to producers, it almost happened.
The Spin-Off That Would Have Changed Everything
After Friends wrapped its historic 10-season run in 2004, NBC reportedly explored multiple continuation concepts. One of the most serious? A suburban family comedy built around Monica Geller and Chandler Bing navigating parenthood outside Manhattan.
The idea was simple but powerful: follow the couple as they raise twins in Westchester, blending Monica’s hyper-competitive perfectionism with Chandler’s evolved, dry-witted dad energy. Industry chatter suggests early creative discussions even explored bringing in guest appearances from legacy characters — but shifting the tone toward a grounded, family-first format.
So why didn’t it move forward?
Why NBC Chose Joey Instead
Ultimately, NBC executives leaned toward a more traditional spinoff structure — centering Joey Tribbiani as a struggling actor in Los Angeles, which became Joey. The network reportedly believed Joey’s single-guy freedom offered broader storytelling flexibility and fewer logistical complications than anchoring a series around two major original cast members.
There were also financial realities. Securing both Courteney Cox and Matthew Perry long-term would have required major salary negotiations at a time when the cast had already become some of the highest-paid actors in television history.
Behind the scenes, some creatives reportedly feared that continuing Monica and Chandler’s story risked diluting the emotional finality of Friends’ farewell — widely considered one of the most satisfying series endings in sitcom history.
Fans Now Say NBC Made the “Wrong Call”
Online discussion has surged again, with longtime viewers debating whether a Monica-Chandler domestic series would have succeeded where Joey struggled.
Many argue that Monica and Chandler provided the emotional backbone of the later seasons — evolving from secret romance to marriage to adoption — and that audiences were more invested in their next chapter than in Joey’s solo adventures.
Others counter that part of what made their arc special was its completeness. Extending it may have risked overexposure.
The Emotional Layer No One Can Ignore
In light of Matthew Perry’s passing, the renewed conversation carries deeper emotional weight. Fans reflect not only on what might have been, but on the enduring impact of his portrayal of Chandler — a character who balanced sarcasm with vulnerability in ways that shaped an entire generation of sitcom writing.
Would a Monica and Chandler series have preserved that magic — or stretched it too far?
NBC never officially greenlit the project. No pilot was filmed. No scripts were publicly released. But the fact that it was seriously considered has reopened one of television’s most fascinating “what if” scenarios.
And nearly two decades later, fans are still asking the same question:
Did NBC walk away from the spin-off that could have changed sitcom history forever?