To begin with, he had an undying love for her and hoped that one day she would see him in the same light. Rachel and Gunther knew each other well and had invested heavily in their working relationship. Now, in most cases, it is difficult to make a transition from a purely professional environment to a romantic one. But his equation would have been the exception to the rule.
Things like playing to each other’s strengths and building the right balance of their personality traits would have worked strongly in their favor. Although Gunther’s feelings were played for laughs, he has now brought to the attention of fans that wasting his romantic potential was tragic. Here’s why they belonged together.
9 friendly co-workers
He always reached out to her and reminded her that he needed additional training if needed, and that ultimately didn’t affect her equation.
Office romances begin when two people who work closely together find themselves compatible. They often lead to long-term relationships because a strong comfort level has already been established between the two of you. Being a casual office space, Central Perk was the perfect breeding ground for Rachel and Gunther’s love and companionship. It was a missed opportunity on the part of the show’s writers not to break this wonderful story.
8 Realistic expectations
Rachel had known Gunther since the day she began her journey in New York City. She had seen it at her weakest point: a wet bride breaking into Central Perk cafe. She had also seen her at her best, that is, as an entrepreneurial fashion executive, a single mother and a great friend.
Gunther (the subject of some of the best memes) was familiar with all versions of Rachel and chose her each time. The strongest romances begin when two people begin with a realistic vision rather than an idealized version of each other in mind.
7 Gunther Would Have Enriched Time After Rachel’s Job
Once Rachel started working in the fashion industry, the coffee shop was no longer her workplace but a meeting place with great coffee. She regularly came in after work and spent time figuring things out.
For Rachel, coming home from work would have been the real deal. If Rachel and Gunther had been in a relationship, she would have gotten back together with her boyfriend right after work. To her, the time spent in the cafe would have been shared equally between her and Guther’s friends.
6 Work-Life Balance Was Achievable
Ross and Rachel are easily the worst sitcom couple. Her downfall started when Rachel found her big break and couldn’t spend time with it.
While relationship roadblocks are inevitable, it’s pretty apparent that Rachel and Gunther would have easily overcome them, while Ross’s emotional baggage held him and Rachel back. He was insecure, suspicious and controlling. However, the same cannot be said for Gunther. Ross got tired of having a relationship with Rachel’s answering machine, she and Gunther on the other hand, would have spent quite a bit of time together at the cafe, thus sparing each other disagreements.
5 Gunther Really Loved Rachel
Ross freaked out that Rachel was living a completely different life, but Gunther would have appreciated Rachel. Not only that, that man would have gone the extra mile to make sure she felt supported during her first few weeks at Bloomingdales.
Ross made the whole process of transitioning to a new job difficult for Rachel, while Gunther was always there for her at the cafe. She flopped down all the time and drank her coffee next to her. If that wasn’t a solid foundation for a solid romance, what was?
4 They Balanced Each Other
Riding the ebb and flow of a relationship is the trick to maintaining a healthy balance.
Gunther was organized, while Rachel was clumsy. She had her own place, a job she cared about and paid her bills on time. It took Rachel a while to find stability, but that’s not to say that she and Gunther repelled each other. Fans think that there was scope and room for disagreement and for understanding others’ perspectives in the equation.
3 Rachel found Gunther cute
In “The One With All The Kisses,” Monica asked Rachel to stop thinking about Ross and look at the other men around her. As it happens, when Monica pointed to Gunther and asked Rachel if she thought he was cute, the answer was yes.
The episode established the fact that Rachel also found Gunther attractive. For once, her timing was perfect, but unfortunately, the only spark missing was Gunther’s inaction. If he had stepped in and asked Rachel out, his story would have been completely different.
2 Rachel’s transition to adulthood and changing priorities
Rachel’s 30th birthday symbolized her transition into full adulthood. Turning thirty was a big deal for her and she had begun to crave stability. She also said that she wanted to get married but her only problem was that she still hadn’t met the man of her dreams.
Rachel talked a lot about her and Tag’s priorities. Guess who wanted the same things as her? Gunther. All he ever wanted was to marry her and make her the happiest woman in the world.
1 Gunther Was The Missing Person In The Group
Gunther was a funny man and has some of the funniest quotes on the show. With his unique insights and his sharp humor, he would have lit up Monica’s apartment every time she invited him over.
Turns out he was everything Rachel was looking for, she just needed to look in the right direction.
