My unpopular opinion.

Phoebe and Mike are the ultimate sitcom

couple:

I know! The title has thrown many of you off already but hear me out. When it comes to

legendary sitcoms, Friends is “The one that won all the hearts.” From Monica being a

cleanliness freak; to Ross being the overachiever; to Rachel and Joey being goofballs; to

Phoebe and Chandler being erratically awesome: We all grew up with a blurry cup of Central

Perk coffee.

And like every other legendary show, Friends has millions of fans divided in harmonic unison,

each validating and petting an opinion of their own. I am here to share one such opinion (with a grain or two of salt as well) with you: When it comes to romantic relationships, Phoebe and Mike

are the torchbearers of true love and understanding in Friends. Here’s why:

1) They are mature when it comes to respecting one another’s limits: Even though the

separation is short lived, Mike and Phoebe leave each other alone when they realize

their views on the future do not match. Mike understands Phoebe’s priorities regarding

marriage in a loving and understanding manner unlike Monica who goes rushing to

Richard after a mere misunderstanding with Chandler; or Ross who refuses to get his

marriage with Rachel annulled.

2) They radiate true love: You cannot deny it! All the major characters are mostly clueless

about what they want from their partners in the sitcom. Sometimes it is unimaginable

commitment and at other times, it is delusional contentment. None of the Friends are on

a real plane regarding love. But not Phoebe and Mike. They are not a fantasy couple

with sparks flying everywhere. They are real, raw, and grounded to the fact that love

should be humane enough to last.

3) They accept each other’s quirks with patience: How would you rather prefer to be

treated: the way ‘Crap Bag’ convinces ‘Princess Consuela’ to change her name back to a

sane one-, or the-way Ross and Rachel hate on each other’s professions? Phoebe and

Mike teach us the necessity of acceptance and patience in relationships. They entertain

one another like two people getting to know each other should in the real world. (Do not

get me started on Mike’s dog being the groomsman as proof of their mutual weirdness)

4) They value the other person against all odds: From Mike rushing to Barbados to let

Phoebe know of his emotions before deciding for herself, to Phoebe being proud of

every little achievement of Mike’s, to them deciding to donate their wedding funds to the

charity: Phoebe and Mike know what to value in a loving relationship. They are

supportive and forgiving in their own ways towards their imperfections.

To conclude, I shall agree that Ross and Rachel gave us a wildfire romance that we all crave at

some point and Monica and Chandler summed up a dream relationship. But it is only Phoebe

and Mike that teach us what real relationships should look like. They are the epitome of calm

love that we need but do not realize the necessity or importance of, before it sweeps us off.