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Ross, Rachel now more than `Firends'

It finally happened.

Viewers of what is probably the most popular TV show in the country have been waiting nearly half a year to see their favorite "Friends" Rachel and Ross get together. And last week's episode was just the beginning.

I would bet a lot of college-aged women watch "Friends" on NBC at 8 p.m. every Thursday, and stay tuned for a blockbuster lineup which also includes "Seinfeld" and "ER." And if they reacted like the girls I was watching with, viewers jumped up, screamed and hugged each other when Rachel crossed the room and embraced Ross.

It's easy to see why this show is well loved. These fun-loving, hip twentysomethings are as captivating as their danceable, overplayed title song, the Rembrandts' "I'll Be There For You." We want to be like them someday, surrounded by a (good-looking) caring and funny group of people. They just hang out together all day long talking, whether it's at the Central Perk coffee shop or at Rachel and Monica's cool apartment.

Some of us have planned our lives around the show all season, praying that Rachel and Ross would realize their feelings, that they are "like lobsters, paired for life" as the spacey Phoebe put it. And anyone who's been watching since September knows what a strange season it's been, plagued by reruns.

The show's writers admitted late last summer that it would be a long road until Rachel and Ross ultimately found each other -- nearly five months. After a few weeks of pre-emption, I was tempted to call the TV station and complain; I know I'm not the only one.

If you remember what happened last year, Ross had a crush on Rachel forever. Everyone else knew, and Ross tried to tell her a million times but couldn't: "Uh, Rachel, uh, I've got to tell you something, um, ok, I, ah, I ... I like your hat!"

He finally became determined to tell her, leaving her an expensive birthday gift when he left on a business trip. When she opened the it, surprised, someone (I think it was ditzy Joey or bigmouth Chandler) let the news slip. Hallelujah, I say.

Rachel was touched and rushed to the airport to welcome him home. Everyone knows what happened next on that terrible episode, which ran twice. She pushed up to the front of the gate, only to see him with another woman he had brought home.

Then for the next couple months we had to watch painfully as Rachel was depressed and Ross was oh-so-happy with his new girlfriend, Julie. (Can I just say one thing? Who brings a woman home from a trip across the globe after knowing her for one week?)

"Look Rachel," Monica said. "I wanted you and Ross to be together, but he's with her now, and you just have to get over it."

"Oh!" Rachel exclaimed sarcastically. "Silly me, that's what I have to do. I just have to get over it. Why didn't I think of that?"

Later Rachel pretty much gave up, went on a date, got drunk, and ... rambled on Ross's answering machine that she was over him. This was the next monumental episode, in which Ross listened to the message while Rachel tried to stop him . Thank goodness it didn't work. But it didn't solve everything for them, as Ross' current girlfriend made things even more confusing.

One of the most romantic scenes was when Ross walked away from Rachel after a fight and then slowly reappeared at the window in the rain. In the semi-darkness Rachel ran to open the locks on the door, and at first couldn't get it open (now that's real life). But when she did, he grabbed and kissed her.

What happened next was frustrating. Joey and Chandler forced Ross to make a pro and con list for Rachel and Julie to see which one he should choose. Ross broke up with his old girlfriend.

Unfortunately, Rachel found the list, misunderstood and was furious. (Joey had made Ross type "chubby ankles" as one of Rachel's "cons"). Then the two were both miserable again.

Rachel wouldn't listen to his apologies, so Ross dedicated a song to her on the radio. As the best love song of all time -- "With or Without You" by U2 -- filled the TV (and I, a diehard U2 fan, nearly fainted), Rachel called the station.

"Ross, Rachel just called to tell us what you did," the DJ said as the song stopped. "And we don't think she should forgive you."

So the last two months' episodes have tiptoed around the relationship, except for Rachel going out with a guy named Russ, who looked (surprise!) a lot like Ross. Rachel claimed it was over between them, much to our hearts' dismay. Until last week.

The gang watched the old prom video of Rachel and an overweight Monica. Big brother Ross, with an early-'80s 'do was there also, gazing longingly at Rachel, donning a tux when her date did not show up. Only she never knew about it, and left when her date finally arrived. Rachel watched how Ross felt about her even way back then, and it finally hit her. Then, the monumental kiss occurred.