5 supporting characters from Friends who should definitely have been on the OG group

Could we be any more obsessed with Friends?! The show that not only introduced us to the different ways people handle coffee-dates, break-ups and living with the oddest people but also the famous orange couch at Central Perk still keeps making us laugh. The interactions between the six main actors: Rachel, Monica, Phoebe, Joey, Chandler and Ross, looked so realistic and were so close to one another.

Still, there is a "what if" question that is bothering: what if the circle had been slightly larger? What if one recurring character had become part of the "inner circle"? Would it have made the magic of Friends change or would it have existing even more?

Five supporting characters from Friends have made the strongest presence, biggest connection and most significant narrative weight, hence, they might have been the original group. We will see in what ways each character interacts with the six, what their role is in the Friends universe and what reasons might be behind your feeling that they were entitled to have the sofa permanently.

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Here are 5 supporting characters from Friends who should definitely have been on the OG group

1. Janice Litman-Goralnik

Janice (Maggie Wheeler), one of the most recognizable and distinctive voices, begins her love-hate relationship with Chandler at the start of the first season and is present in all seasons of the series (in Season 6, her role is restricted to only the voice/mix-tape cameo).

Her signature “Oh. My. God!” line was branded as the hallmark of the series. The overlap between Janice and her continuity throughout seasons was even more than that of many one-time guest stars. She infused the show with a riotous energy that was at odds with Chandler's dry wit and not infrequently had to deal with various members of the central six.

Along with this great connectivity, the case of "should-have-been" in the main group was also strongly made for her.

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2. Dr. Richard Burke

Tom Selleck’s Richard is introduced as a long-time friend of the parents of Ross and Monica in Season 2 and becomes Monica’s serious boyfriend. He brings a grown-up vibe to the relationships and the whole group. As per Cultured Vultures, Richard is #2 on the list of the all-time best supporting characters in a sitcom. The list even points to the fact of their age-gap relationship and its emotional baggage as the reason for the ranking.

Richard is regarded as a recurring character who continually appears and is vital to Monica's progress. Not only did Richard have scenes and emotional stakes with most of the main characters (especially Monica and Chandler) but also his character journey passed through a few seasons.

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3. Jack Geller

Jack Geller, Ross and Monica's father (played by Elliott Gould), is a character who is present in many episodes of the series and is ranked as the fourth best character among the supporting characters.

Jack is one of the recurring characters who was introduced in Season 1. He constantly mingles with the main group giving comic relief, generational perspective and family background. His sometimes-inappropriate comments, his love for Monica and Ross and being part of many plots make him more than just “parents off-screen”.

In the Friends world where apartment and Central Perk life take up most of the time, having Jack as a part of the regular circle might have broadened the emotional range of the group without compromising the central humor.

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4. Frank Jr.

The character of Frank Jr. (played by Giovanni Ribisi) who is Phoebe’s half-brother is introduced in the Friends’ second season. As per Cultured Vultures, he is placed 9th on the list of “10 best supporting characters” with the mention of the surrogacy storyline (Phoebe carrying his triplets) as a highlight of his emotional significance.

His kinship with Phoebe brings the family feel to the world of Friends, which the sitcom rarely explores with these six. If the show had extended its “found family” theme by making Frank Jr. a regular, the dynamic may have changed slightly but in a way that could have increased the connection between the characters.

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5. Mr. Heckles

Mr. Heckles (Larry Hankin) is the strange downstairs neighbor in the same apartment building where Monica and Rachel live. His passing (in “The One Where Mr. Heckles Dies”) becomes a turning point in Chandler's life, making him ponder over his solitude and life's decisions.

Mr. Heckles' humorous and thematic impact in the early seasons of Friends is undeniable. He was the main six characters’ (mostly the apartment neighbors) interaction partner, and his quirky character made him a plausible “extra friend” if one allowed for group to be expanded by unconventional choices.

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Why these five characters matter

Every single one of these five characters brings in basic traits that imply they could have easily joined the main cast:

They are present in more than just one season, not only in one-off episodes.

They possess significant bonds with more than one member of the original six.

They contribute to the emotional or structural depth of the series beyond mere comedic cameo roles.

They supply another facet, which the six do not entirely represent (e.g., parent figure, older generation, sibling bond, neighborhood/community link).

For Friends, a show that revolves around a tight-knit group of six friends, living, loving and laughing in the New York City, these five characters were interesting alternative pathways into that universe. Their presence would not necessarily lead to the original fingerprint change but it could have perhaps made it richer by widening the emotional or generational spectrum.

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What would have changed in Friends

If these five supporting characters had been formally included in the "core group", several subtle shifts might have occurred in the narrative of the show:

Generational issues could have been more directly explored through the storylines (Jack, Richard).

The group dynamics might have been characterized by more sibling, family or community, neighbour interactions (Frank Jr., Mr. Heckles).

The show's tone might have had slightly more emotional weight or continuity besides romance or apartment jokes (Richard's mature relationship, Jack's parental wisdom).

The Central Perk or apartment universe might have been a bit less limited to the six and more representative of a larger found-family network.

Friends has always been about the beauty of chosen family, at the core of it. These are the people who stand with you in every heartbreak, job crisis and coffee refill. Although the six main characters influenced the television history, the show’s real enchantment was that even its supporting cast had a great impact.

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Hence, Janice, Richard, Jack, Frank Jr. and Mr. Heckles were not full-time members of the group but their characters somehow completed the world of Friends in such a way that Central Perk felt like a home for all the viewers.

At the same time, fans would go back to Central Perk just for their daily dose of laughter and drama, you can always be updated on the latest about Friends as well as other classic shows by just following SoapCentral. It is the ultimate destination for news, character insights and behind-the-scene stories that make it feel like another warm cup of coffee at that familiar orange couch when you are revisiting Friends!

Also read: A list of Guest Stars on Friends