Joey/Rachael Terrible idea. Not every character has to get with every other character! I wish shows would learn this. Sure, sometimes it works out like with Monica/Chandler (in my opinion) but other times just leave. the. friendship. alone! Besides the fact that Rachel had previously dated/been in love/was later with Ross. That kind of messing up a FRIENDS (ironically) dynamic? not cool show. Not to mention R/J had no chemistry! And it's like each character made the other more stupid while together. Great idea.
Angel/Cordelia Speaking of another example where a show needed to try and make everyone romantic, and in doing so only ruined a really good male/female friendship for some forced and lukewarm at best, romance. When a show is telling (the 'Krumption!' and Lorne's stuff), not showing --never a good sign. The best Angel/Cordy moment I felt was her last episode where her character is actually dying/dead. That should tell you something. While its reasons were icky, I will always love the Veronica/Wallace friendship. I thought Angel/Cordy could have been one of the really good m/f friendships. I loved how Cordy could call out Angel on his stuff, and Angel could see beyond Cordy's supposed shallowness. So sigh, for another show ruining a perfectly good male/female friendship, for some mediocre (at its BEST!) romance.
This is different than couples I hate who sucked as a couple, and ruined a "friendship" by being romantic, but where the "friendship" was about as real and organic as Twinkies. Because those "friendships" were just a step to setting up a romance (sometimes setting them up for a chemless, ratings disaster, show-killing romance). But yeah,
I hate when shows make bad romantic couples, from true friendships, like
Angel/Cordy. Such a waste.