Thirty years ago, a new sitcom hit the airwaves, spawning one of television’s most lasting institutions. Friends tapped into the global consciousness in a way few shows ever did—or ever will again.
Central Perk. “We were on a break.” “How you doin’?” So many references from the show permeated society, proof of its sharp writing and a cast with some of the most organic chemistry put on screen. There were good episodes and not-so-good ones, sure, and plenty of moments that haven’t aged well. But few shows manage to stand the test of time in the same way that Friends continues to do.
Friends was a show that was, pardon the pun, there for you—a reliable pastime of comfort that never waned in its enjoyment.
Three decades after its series premiere in 1994, we decided to embark on a herculean task. Here’s “The One Where The Daily Beast’s Obsessed Ranks Every Friends Episode, From Worst to Best.”
226. Season 6, Episode 18 - The One Where Ross Dates a Student
Ew.
225. Season 9, Episode 12 - The One with Phoebe’s Rats
The episode that might be the most endemic of a series nearing the end. There’s just a dearth of good plots, and the show resorts to nonsense like this to bump up the episode count.
224. Season 1, Episode 19 - The One Where the Monkey Gets Away
Oh joy, a Marcel-centric episode. Seriously, this is so bad. Marcel escapes from the apartment, embroiling everyone in an Animal Control dilemma. Snooze.
223. Season 6, Episode 7 - The One Where Phoebe Runs
Why does Phoebe run like that? I get it’s meant to be funny… but why? There were so many times in Friends the writers just made Phoebe weird for the sake of it, and it’s frustrating because there’s an interesting character there.
222. Season 8, Episode 19 - The One with Joey’s Interview
Friends doesn’t lack faults. Even an avid fan of the show would admit that. One of its most glaring is the number of clip episodes. Deeply frustrating to watch.
221. Season 7, Episode 8 - The One Where Chandler Doesn’t Like Dogs
How has no one discovered over the years that Chandler doesn’t like dogs?! They’re everywhere, and it never came up?
220. Season 5, Episode 13 - The One with Joey’s Bag
One of the more disjointed episodes of television to come from the series. Part is given over to a story that was already pretty dated then about Joey wearing a handbag-esque accessory—the joke being that is un-masculine to do so. The other half is given over to Phoebe finally meeting her father, a story that deserved a better episode.
219. Season 1, Episode 10 - The One with the Monkey
There’s some funny moments, and Hank Azaria’s David is always fun to have on screen, but the introduction of Marcel just doesn’t land.
218. Season 7, Episode 13 - The One Where Rosita Dies
Jason Alexander of Seinfeld fame makes a guest appearance as a suicidal office worker, with the joke being that no-one cares enough about him for him to keep living. Rough stuff.
217. Season 9, Episode 22 - The One with the Donor
Just weird. Bad, bad television.
216. Season 9, Episode 15 - The One with the Mugging
Another episode with a storyline that could have been pulled from a bag that says “BAD IDEAS.” Turns out Phoebe mugged Ross when he was younger, but don’t worry guys, it’s funny apparently.
215. Season 9, Episode 4 - The One with the Sharks
Jesus, Season 9 is a rough ride. Monica thinks Chandler beats off to shark videos, and instead of being normal about it, she tries to play along. Cringeworthy.
214. Season 1, Episode 20 - The One with the Evil Orthodontist
Kind of a weird episode for Rachel, who briefly gets back with Barry, her former fiancé and the world’s most boring man. I get that there’s an argument for familiarity, but it all just feels manufactured. Dud.
213. Season 5, Episode 15 - The One with the Girl Who Hits Joey
The episode’s opening of Ross learning about Chandler and Monica is great—Schwimmer was killing it during this stretch of the show. The rest of the episode is just really dull. Joey has a girl who hits him (not funny), Ross ticks off his new neighbors (also not funny), and Chandler gets worried about commitment (you can probably guess).
212. Season 7, Episode 21 - The One with the Vows
A filler episode of flashbacks to scenes we’ve already seen. One of these in a series is criminal enough, but Friends returned to this particular well a few times.
211. Season 7 , Episode 4 - The One with Rachel’s Assistant
Tag (Eddie Cahill) is introduced as Rachel’s assistant, and so begins Rachel’s season long infatuation with him: dull, dull, dull.
210. Season 6, Episode 12 - The One with the Joke
Season 6 is so up-and-down. This is a down one.
209. Season 8, Episode 7 - The One with the Stain
Phoebe’s relationship with Sean Penn’s Eric comes to an end when he accidentally has sex with her twin sister, Ursula, while Monica and Chandler are stuck in a weird plot about a maid who may or may not have stolen Monica’s jeans.
208. Season 7, Episode 17 - The One with the Cheap Wedding Dress
“Cheap Wedding Dress” commits the cardinal sin of any sitcom episode… It’s boring. Unengaging humor, unengaged performances.
207. Season 4, Episode 21 - The One with the Invitation
The bane of the sitcom: Episodes where characters reminisce about stuff we’ve already seen. Rachel actually deciding to decline the wedding invitation is an effective moment, but the rest of the episode is a snooze.
206. Season 2, Episode 21 - The One with the Bullies
Shockingly bad. Ross and Chandler get bullied by two guys at Central Perk. Monica is unemployed but gets a job in a ’50s diner, with the gag being it’s funny she has to degrade herself, I guess. Phoebe nearly kills a dog.
205. Season 6, Episode 11 - The One with the Apothecary Table
A 22-minute long advertisement for Pottery Barn. One of the stranger episodes in all of Friends.
204. Season 10, Episode 14 - The One with Princess Consuela
While Season 10 sets up the show’s final stretch, for some reason it delivers one of the most obnoxious and annoying plotlines in the whole series: Phoebe changing her name to Princess Consuela Bananahammock. There’s actually interesting moments in the episode, but Phoebe’s story overwhelms the outing so much that it drives the whole thing down the list.
203. Season 6, Episode 20 - The One with Mac and C.H.E.E.S.E.
Season 6 is so bizarre in its varying quality. It has some of the very best episodes of the series, all mixed in with uninteresting tedium like this. This episode features mostly flashbacks, and what is set in the present isn’t any better.
202. Season 7, Episode 5 - The One with the Engagement Picture
There’s an astonishing level of suspension of disbelief required for this episode. It functions on the premise that in their entire relationship together, Monica has never taken a picture with Chandler. I ain’t buying it.
201. Season 5, Episode 20 - The One with the Ride-Along
There’s a lot of Michael Rapaport here, and I just don’t think his comedic style fits with Friends. The episode is fine, and it’s a fun time for the guys—but it’s not all that interesting.
200. Season 2, Episode 8 - The One with the List
Ross has to choose between a woman he’s loved for half of his life or someone he’s been dating for a few weeks. If you’re able to get past how ludicrous that is… no, when you’re past that it’s still pretty dumb.
199. Season 1, Episode 6 - The One with the Butt
The show’s first real dive into Joey’s career as an actor, or lack thereof, is his role in the musical Freud!—I’d buy tickets—before he gets a gig as Al Pacino’s butt double. The episode is actually a better showcase for Chandler though who tangles himself up in a relationship with Aurora, who already has a husband and a lover. Matthew Perry is a great comedic actor, but he brings so much more to his role as Chandler.
198. Season 8, Episode 18 - The One in Massapequa
The episode focuses on Phoebe’s new relationship with her boyfriend, Parker, played by Alec Baldwin. Given the events of the past few years, I’m just going to stick this episode here and we’ll move on.
197. Season 10, Episode 10 - The One Where Chandler Gets Caught
What starts as an interesting episode about Monica and Chandler planning their move out of the apartment descends into a clip show about their memories in the iconic setting. It’s fine, but clip shows are tedious at the best of times.
196. Season 6, Episode 2 - The One Where Ross Hugs Rachel
Like a few episodes in this part of the series, this episode is a brutal one for Ross. He lies about getting an annulment and conceals the fact he and Rachel are still married. The rest of the episode isn’t funny enough to salvage it either. Yuck.
195. Season 6, Episode 3 - The One with Ross’s Denial
While it’s still a bad look for Ross, his scenes with Phoebe in this one are actually quite good - all centered around his love for Rachel, and Phoebe’s recognition of that. Schwimmer and Kudrow have a nice chemistry that isn’t explored often enough throughout the show, which is a shame based on this outing. The rest of the episode doesn’t really work though, particularly Monica and Chandler’s weak storyline about the spare bedroom.
194. Season 7, Episode 6 - The One with the Nap Partners
Maybe I’m reading too much into it, but I think the main joke being “two men napping together is funny and gay” just isn’t a good look. Season 7 is rough.
193. Season 9, Episode 3 - The One with the Pediatrician
Paul Rudd is doing the lord’s work in Friends, and his run as Mike begins here. While that’s a positive for this episode, the rest of it is pretty meh. Ross seeing a pediatrician is meant to be the big “ha-ha”, but, like, why?
192. Season 5, Episode 6 - The One with the Yeti
Like, I get Ross said the wrong name, but Emily is objectively a bad person and I’ll die on that hill. She’s written out of the show here though, sending Ross into a mini-spiral of depression. The episode is mostly just fine, light on the laughs.
191. Season 7, Episode 15 - The One with Joey’s New Brain
Susan Sarandon appears as an actor fired from Days of Our Lives, with Joey’s returning Drake Ramoray getting her brain in a transplant. It’s a silly look at the absurdity of daytime soap operas, and overall, not a great episode.
190. Season 7, Episode 19 - The One with Ross and Monica’s Cousin
I’m all for TV getting a little weird at times, but I feel like making Ross want to bang his cousin was a bit too much.
189. Season 1, Episode 8 - The One Where Nana Dies Twice
“Nana Dies Twice” has a good reputation among Friends fans, but I’m not really sure why. There’s a couple of funny gags, like Ross falling into an open grave, but overall it’s just not very interesting.
188. Season 1, Episode 22 - The One with the Ick Factor
Ah yes, the halcyon days of the 1990s where you could build a sitcom episode around grooming a high schooler. Let’s move on.
187. Season 3, Episode 4 - The One with the Metaphorical Tunnel
Yeah, “Metaphorical Tunnel” has not aged well. Kids can play with whatever toys they want, and Ross’s aversion to his son Ben having a doll looks bad in hindsight.
186. Season 9, Episode 5 - The One with Phoebe’s Birthday Dinner
It can work when a TV show highlights the selfishness of one of its characters, but “Phoebe’s Birthday Dinner” highlights how selfish every character is, so the episode just becomes annoying. Kudrow plays the frustrated Phoebe really well, though.
185. Season 9, Episode 14 - The One with the Blind Dates
Joey and Phoebe try to set Rachel and Ross up on blind dates so bad that they’ll retreat back to each other. Jon Lovitz returns in his iconic guest star role, Steve, but it stinks of stunt casting.
184. Season 4, Episode 2 - The One with the Cat
I like Chandler and Joey selling their entertainment center. I like Monica going on a date with Chip, the jock of her and Rachel’s high school. I don’t like Phoebe thinking the spirit of her mom is in a cat. Way too weird.
183. Season 8, Episode 10 - The One with Monica’s Boots
For the most part, this episode is pretty bad - mostly because Phoebe comes across as a pretty terrible aunt as she uses Ben to meet Sting, and Chandler comes across as a quite controlling husband which just felt out of character. There is a line from Phoebe about The Police in her scene with Trudie Styler that never fails to make me cackle, though, so points for that.
182. Season 6, Episode 4 - The One Where Joey Loses His Insurance
The show keeps Ross’ secret that he never got the annulment with a Rachel for a little too long, so it’s good that it’s finally revealed here, allowing the plot to mercifully advance. Season 6 has some great episodes, but boy does it have a lot of fluff and filler as well.
181. Season 10, Episode 7 - The One with the Home Study
Season 10 has more good than bad, but “Home Study” falls into the latter category. Phoebe and Mike go back-and-forth on what kind of wedding they want, which is a little boring, while Monica and Chandler are interviewed by an adoption social worker (Maria Pitillo)—who, incidentally, Joey has slept with in the past. Just not all that funny.
180. Season 3, Episode 19 - The One with the Tiny T-Shirt
Aside from a certain cameo in a later episode, the whole of Joey’s arc focused on his new play alongside Kate (Dina Meyer) falls really flat. It’s a shame there wasn’t a better recurring Joey-centric story in the series. This episode does come with the enduring image of Ross in the tiny t-shirt though, so points for that.
179. Season 3, Episode 20 - The One with the Dollhouse
Joey’s lackluster plot with Kate continues, while the show adds the equally dull Joanna (Alison La Placa) to Rachel’s work and Chandler’s love life. La Placa does her best, and the show is self-aware enough to recognize the character’s torpor—but it’s not great.
178. Season 4, Episode 3 - The One with the Cuffs
Joanna returns. Dud. Matthew Perry accidentally slams a filing cabinet into his head, and they keep the shot. Amazing.
177. Season 9, Episode 10 - The One with Christmas in Tulsa
While not as egregious as some of the other clip-show episodes, it still qualifies and therefore goes towards the bottom of the list.
176. Season 5, Episode 10 - The One with the Inappropriate Sister
Overbearing Ross is fun, as is Joey and Chandler’s immaturity creating the game Fireball. The rest of the episode… less fun. Phoebe gets shafted with a dumb plot where she collects money for charity, while Rachel’s bizarre romance with Danny mercifully comes to an end.
175. Season 8, Episode 17 - The One with the Tea Leaves
Kind of a nothing episode. Season 8 is packed with strong work that progresses both characters and story, but “Tea Leave”’ is just a bland filler episode.
174. Season 9, Episode 6 - The One with the Male Nanny
While the episode has aged terribly and it’s a particularly dreadful showing for Ross’ character and his weird homophobia, Freddie Prinze Jr. is a blast as Sandy, the titular male nanny. Still, the episode has to be dinged for obvious reasons.
173. Season 4, Episode 18 - The One with Rachel’s New Dress
From “Embryos” on, Season 4 has an incredible run of episodes. The one detractor is this one right here. Ross comes across as a jealous twerp, and Rachel’s disastrous date with Joshua is awkward past the point of comedy.
172. Season 5, Episode 22 - The One with Joey’s Big Break
“Joey’s Big Break” seems more concerned with putting everything in place for the season finale than it is with being funny in itself. There’s a nonsensical plot where Phoebe is mad at Ross because of a dream, and Rachel is suddenly scared of eyes. Joey and Chandler’s fall out on the bridge is good TV, but otherwise it’s a bit of a dud.
171. Season 8, Episode 11 - The One with Ross’s Step Forward
Ross’ relationship with Mona has been in the background for a lot of Season 8, and when it’s brought to the fore it becomes clear why. It’s just not all that interesting.
170. Season 2, Episode 2 - The One with the Breast Milk
Ross is inexplicably scared of breast milk, Monica goes shopping with Julie, and Joey has a western-style standoff wielding a bottle of cologne. Weird episode.
169. Season 8, Episode 22 - The One Where Rachel Is Late
A penultimate episode that gets us to the finale with Rachel’s water breaking at the end, but one that doesn’t really offer much else. Joey and Chandler have some fun back-and-forth after Chandler falls asleep at a movie premiere, but overall it’s one of Season Eight’s weaker offerings.
168. Season 9, Episode 11 - The One Where Rachel Goes Back to Work
Dermot Mulroney is great, but wow—his character, Gavin, is way worse than I remember. Creepy, unpleasant, and not that funny. There’s some more resonant stuff here like Chandler worrying about his future, but mostly you’re just hoping Season 9 hurries up.
167. Season 3, Episode 10 - The One Where Rachel Quits
It’s Christmas, so Ross breaks a little girl’s leg by knocking her down some stairs with a tennis racquet. I wish I was kidding.
166. Season 5, Episode 17 - The One with Rachel’s Inadvertent Kiss
Rachel accidentally kisses her interviewer for a job at Ralph Lauren, Monica is jealous of Phoebe and Gary’s passion, and Joey searches for a hot woman in Ross’ new building.
165. Season 9, Episode 9 - The One with Rachel’s Phone Number
There’s some great scenes between Ross and Mike, who absolutely nail that awkward vibe where two people just have nothing to talk about, but otherwise this is a dull episode. Rachel wants to start dating and she’s tired of waiting for Ross to make a move, but it just doesn’t really make sense. They have a kid together and they live together—surely they could just discuss it?
164. Season 1, Episode 2 - The One with the Sonogram at the End
There are some great bits in this episode, like Ross with the caveman mannequin and Monica’s difficult relationship with her parents as the second child; Elliot Gould and Christina Pickles are never less than hilarious. Overall, it’s a by-the-numbers episode of Friends.
163. Season 3, Episode 13 - The One Where Monica and Richard Are Just Friends
Anecdote time: One of the bars I used to work in had a customer who wore cycling shorts that left little to the imagination, and this episode gives me flashbacks of taking food to his table. For that unfortunate coincidence, it gets dinged down the list.
162. Season 6, Episode 19 - The One with Joey’s Fridge
Throughout this stretch of episodes, it’s hard to not get caught up in the whole “Ross dating a student” plot, which is just a bit grim, if we’re honest. So everything around this part of the series gets dinged for that. Joey’s whole bit with his broken fridge is pretty funny, but it’s still a quite weak episode.
161. Season 5, Episode 16 - The One with the Cop
The mileage you get from Phoebe’s romance with Gary probably varies based on your opinions of Michael Rapaport, a guest star who seems to be divisive among fans. Based on the episode’s placement, you can probably gauge my own feelings. Having said that… this episode does give us “PIVOT,” one of the single funniest scenes in the whole series.
160. Season 2, Episode 10 - The One with Russ
David Schwimmer does his best in the dual role as both Ross and Russ, but overall the episode just isn’t that funny. It shines a light on how much Rachel wants to be with Ross still, but we’d already figured that out.
159. Season 1, Episode 13 - The One with the Boobies
The entire episode really revolves around trying to catch your friends naked, and it’s all a bit icky. Aside from that, “Boobies” is a bit of a blast. Fisher Stevens makes a cameo as Phoebe’s creepy boyfriend, which bumps the episode up a notch. It provides an interesting examination of Joey’s relationship with his parents, and the theme of infidelity. It’s just a shame it’s all wrapped up in a borderline sexual assault plot.
158. Season 6, Episode 21 - The One Where Ross Meets Elizabeth’s Dad
The only thing that makes the Ross/Elizabeth relationship bearable is Bruce Willis starring as Elizabeth’s dad, Paul. His dourness and disapproval in this episode are a great tonic to what has been a bad storyline.
157. Season 6, Episode 22 - The One Where Paul’s the Man
The Ross/Elizabeth romance got stagnant real fast, and while Willis’ introduction helped, it needed shuffling along quickly by this point. Monica and Chandler’s storyline is okay and the big twist at the end of Chandler planning his proposal is sweet, but Season 6 just feels like its spinning its wheels at this point.
156. Season 6, Episode 23 - The One with the Ring
Chandler and Phoebe’s search for the perfect engagement ring is great, and Oliver Muirhead’s turn as the jeweler is elite. Rachel and Paul’s storyline though…rough stuff.
155. Season 8, Episode 8 - The One with the Stripper
Misunderstanding is a tried and true staple of the sitcom genre, so Monica accidentally hiring a sex worker instead of a stripper for Chandler’s post-marriage bachelor party is a fun twist. Ron Leibman also returns as Rachel’s dad, who isn’t happy about Rachel’s pregnancy unless it’s accompanied with a marriage.
154. Season 9, Episode 20 - The One with the Soap Opera Party
Ross’ insecurity over his lack of a Nobel Prize is actually quite endearing for a character who had a rough Season 9, and Rachel’s desire to finally share a kiss with Joey is equally sweet. Joey and Charlie (Aisha Tyler) getting together makes absolutely zero sense.
153. Season 7, Episode 14 - The One Where They All Turn Thirty
Surprisingly effective, as everyone reflects on their experience turning 30, while Rachel comes to the realization that Tag isn’t the person for her… something viewers of the show figured out much earlier. Still, it neatly taps into the general anxiety that can come with breaking that particular age barrier.
152. Season 3, Episode 7 - The One with the Race Car Bed
Ron Leibman steals the show as Rachel’s father, who brings his contempt for Ross to their dinner for three. His dry cynicism plays really well against Ross’ desperation to meet his approval. Add in Matt LeBlanc’s terrific performance as Joey takes over a soap opera acting class, and you’ve got an entertaining 22 minutes.
151. Season 2, Episode 5 - The One with Five Steaks and an Eggplant
One of the rare times Friends acknowledges the fact that some of these characters should absolutely be broke. It’s super uncomfortable to watch, but that’s the point, and it’s actually effective. It’s maybe not the funniest episode, but it’s trying something different which is admirable.
150. Season 1, Episode 21 - The One with the Fake Monica
There’s something sweet about Monica learning to loosen up a little and embrace a different side of her character. “Fake Monica” is mercifully the end of Marcel, which means we get Harry Shearer’s insane cameo as the proprietor of the fighting animal zoo.
149. Season 5, Episode 12 - The One with Chandler’s Work Laugh
Chandler’s boss (Sam McMurray) being the absolute worst person imaginable is some over-the-top fun, and the episode is an insightful exploration of how people behave at work compared to at home. The other half of the episode sees Ross date Janice, and his whininess is too much even for her—equally funny.
148. Season 8, Episode 20 - The One with the Baby Shower
The baby shower plot is fine, and is a fun look at the panic of having a child for the first time (says the 30 year old man with no kids and no uterus), but it’s the quirky gameshow plot that steals the episode. I really wish Bamboozled was real.
147. Season 9, Episode 1 - The One Where No One Proposes
You have to admire the effort, but the premise of the episode revolves around a genuinely absurd misunderstanding: Whether or not Joey said asked Rachel to marry him.
146. Season 3, Episode 18 - The One with the Hypnosis Tape
Frank Jr. (Giovanni Ribisi) shows up to tell Phoebe about his engagement to Alice (Debra Jo Rupp), Chandler is hypnotized into quitting smoking (and being a “strong, confident woman”), while Monica goes on a date with Pete Becker (Jon Favreau)—a tech billionaire without the eyebrow-raising political leanings of his real-world counterparts.
145. Season 3, Episode 24 - The One with the Ultimate Fighting Champion
This is a mixed bag of an episode. The portrayal of UFC is very dated, but fairly on-brand for the sport at the time of this aired, still years away from it hitting the mainstream. Chandler’s work story is grim, with sexual harassment being the gag. The Billy Crystal/Robin Williams cameo though… TV gold.
144. Season 4, Episode 10 - The One with the Girl from Poughkeepsie
The titular story of the episode is beyond dull. The other two plots, though, are genuinely great. Monica hires Joey, only to fire him. Chandler tries to set Rachel up, but miscommunication over what she’s looking for leads to complications. There are some sweet moments between the two pairings.
143. Season 7, Episode 2 - The One with Rachel’s Book
Joey discovering Rachel’s smutty book provides a few laughs, as does Ross giving a weird massage to one of Phoebe’s clients. The Monica/Chandler plot just doesn’t land, though, much like many of their stories in Season 7.
142. Season 7, Episode 7 - The One with Ross’s Library Book
This is a merciful break from the tedium of Season 7, as Maggie Wheeler returns as Janice and invites herself to Monica and Chandler’s wedding. There’s also a silly story involving Ross’ book being in a part of the library horny students go to in order to have sex. It’s nothing special, but by Season 7 standards, it’s pretty great.
141. Season 2, Episode 20 - The One Where Old Yeller Dies
While the title of the episode focuses on Phoebe’s story of being sheltered from upsetting films as a kid, the best part of the episode focuses on Joey, Chandler, and their new hero, Richard. Tom Selleck was such a smart addition to the show for his half-season run, and his interactions with Joey and Chandler in this episode are a delight.
140. Season 1, Episode 12 - The One with the Dozen Lasagnas
Paolo worked really well as a short-lived character, a kind of anti-Ross foil in his pursuit of Rachel. But by this point he’d served his purpose, so it’s good to move him on.
139. Season 3, Episode 3 - The One with the Jam
Monica responds in a perfectly normal way in trying to get over Richard: She makes jam, then decides she wants to get pregnant via a sperm donor. It’s not the greatest outing, but there’s at least some sweet moments between Monica and Joey. The less said about the David Arquette/stalker subplot, the better.
138. Season 1, Episode 24 - The One Where Rachel Finds Out
It’s interesting that the writers chose to close out Season 1 with Ross and Rachel’s story and not the birth of Ben, but honestly, it works and neatly sets up the main arc of Season 2. The cliffhanger ending, mixed in with Rachel’s back and forth about whether she wants Ross or not plays well, but overall it’s still probably the weakest season finale in the show’s run.
137. Season 9, Episodes 23 & 24 - The One in Barbados
Mercifully, Season 9 ends. The episodes are fine. We get some big moments, like Rachel and Joey linking up romantically, Ross and Charlie starting to get together, Mike and Phoebe reuniting, and so on. But it’s a limp ending to a bad season for the show.
136. Season 5, Episodes 23 & 24 - The One in Vegas
Judging Season 5’s two-part finale is really tough, because a fair chunk of it doesn’t really work. Phoebe has an issue with an elderly casino lurker. Joey gets obsessed with a blackjack dealer he believes is his “identical hand twin.” Ross and Rachel try to embarrass each other on a plane to Vegas. But… that final moment with Ross and Rachel drunkenly getting married?That’s a shock for the ages.
135. Season 6, Episode 1 - The One After Vegas
While Ross and Rachel’s drunken marriage is an interesting twist to their whole dynamic, Ross’ attempts to keep them together so he doesn’t face a third divorce are pretty grim. It’s shockingly self-centered for a character who, while flawed, hasn’t demonstrated that level of narcissism before. Luckily, Joey and Phoebe’s road trip and Monica and Chandler’s relationship progressing salvage the episode.
134. Season 4, Episode 4 - The One with the Ballroom Dancing
A really charming episode for Joey, who helps superintendent Treeger (Mike Hagerty) practice his ballroom dancing for an upcoming event. The show played into Joey’s lovable idiot stereotype a little too much at times, but episodes like this are a gentle reminder that he’s got a big ol’ heart in him.
133. Season 2, Episode 4 - The One with Phoebe’s Husband
There’s a fun scene where everyone’s secrets get revealed: Joey was in a porno, Chandler has a third nipple, and Phoebe has a secret husband, a gay ice dancer from Canada (Steve Zahn). He’s in town after discovering he’s, in fact, straight and now wants a divorce. It’s all very silly, but entertaining.
132. Season 10, Episode 4 - The One with the Cake
A bit of a dip compared the other early episodes of Season 10, but still not bad by any stretch. Monica and Chandler are the frustrated couple who want to get away together, Phoebe and Joey compete over presents, and Rachel and Ross want to give Emma a first birthday party to remember. It’s sweet with some splashes of humor.
131. Season 9, Episode 13 - The One Where Monica Sings
I’m maybe a bit higher on Ross as a character than a lot of other people, in part because I think Schwimmer brings him to life so well. But he’s really hard to defend around this particular story, in which he basically tries to keep Rachel from being happy.
130. Season 9, Episode 17 - The One with the Memorial Service
I hate myself for saying this, but the absurdity of this episode is actually quite funny. “I have sex with dinosaurs” is delivered so well by Schwimmer, it’s amazing he could keep a straight face.
129. Season 4, Episode 20 - The One with All the Wedding Dresses
With Emily’s arrival and Joshua’s (Tate Donovan) presence, Ross and Rachel’s dynamic gets put on the backburner in the latter half of Season 4, but it comes back here with good effect. Rachel comes to grips with Ross’ looming wedding and realizes that she isn’t okay with it.
128. Season 2, Episode 11 - The One with the Lesbian Wedding
There’s a few good gags, but the episode is more important for its representation. It’s one of the very first depictions of a normalized same-sex marriage on TV, and while it eschews showing the newlyweds kiss, it’s still ahead if it’s time for 1996.
127. Season 7, Episode 20 - The One with Rachel’s Big Kiss
A little gay-bait-y for my taste, but Winona Ryder is a lot of fun as Rachel’s friend from college.
126. Season 7, Episode 22 - The One with Chandler’s Dad
While I’m not overly keen on the portrayal of Chandler’s father, dutifully delivered by Kathleen Turner, the pay-off of their reconciliation and invite to the wedding is a sweet one.
125. Season 5, Episode 18 - The One Where Rachel Smokes
While the titular story doesn’t really land, there is still a fun bit with Joey and Ben auditioning for a commercial together.
124. Season 3, Episode 11 - The One Where Chandler Can’t Remember Which Sister
There’s the whole “Chandler gets drunk and forgets which of Joey’s sisters he fooled around with” story, which isn’t all that interesting. But there’s also the prelude to one of the show’s best and most enduring storylines: Ross and Rachel’s break-up.
123. Season 7, Episode 3 - The One with Phoebe’s Cookies
It’s really hard to not enjoy the dynamic between Aniston and LeBlanc, who work closer and closer together on-screen in the later seasons. Overall though, it’s not the best episode.
122. Season 4, Episode 6 - The One with the Dirty Girl
The Kathy/Chandler/Joey love triangle progresses when Chandler gets her a beautiful birthday present before realizing Joey won’t have gone to such effort. Being the guy he is, Chandler tells Joey to give her the good present, but naturally, Kathy guesses. The episode does a good job of balancing the comedy with our growing sympathy for Chandler.
121. Season 4, Episode 13 - The One with Rachel’s Crush
Rachel starts working as a personal shopper and becomes infatuated with her new client, Joshua, while Chandler becomes concerned about Kathy’s new on-stage partner. The first of those stories is fun and continues to be so. The second… not so much, as Chandler comes across as a little pathetic.
120. Season 6, Episode 5 - The One with Joey’s Porsche
While I don’t think the episode is the show’s funniest, the way Joey pronounces “Porsche” never fails to elicit a giggle. Ross and Rachel’s marriage arc dragged on a little too long, but there is a tender moment at the end where they share some home truths about their relationship.
119. Season 9, Episode 2 - The One Where Emma Cries
A lot of Season 9 revolves around a different member of the gang being stupid, and it’s quite frustrating. There’s some humor in it, sure, but it does get a little tedious. Chandler falling asleep in a meeting and agreeing to move to Tulsa just feels really silly.
118. Season 7, Episode 1 - The One with Monica’s Thunder
Season 7 is a tough one to analyze, with several storylines hitting a lull and Matthew Perry noticeably struggling. It makes a lot of the season hard to watch, but everyone is giving it their best. “Monica’s Thunder” is a snapshot of this: some okay plots, and one highlight with Joey’s story where he firmly believes he can play a twenty-year-old on screen, but overall there’s an air of something not being quite right.
117. Season 3, Episode 14 - The One with Phoebe’s Ex-Partner
We’re one episode away from Ross and Rachel taking a break, and two episodes away from the Friends episode with more raw emotion than any other, so it’s strange that this one is so lackluster. Ross’ jealousy continues, but the season could’ve done with pulling the trigger earlier and just skipping this episode altogether.
116. Season 4, Episode 9 - The One Where They’re Going to Party
It taps into the realization we all hit eventually that we’re just not as vigorous as we used to be, and a Friday night in reading a book or watching a documentary about bumblebees is actually a great way to spend an evening.
115. Season 6, Episode 14 - The One Where Chandler Can’t Cry
Rachel tries to get in-between Ross and Jill, but it’s hard to look past how weird that mini-romance was. Ursula is doing porn under Phoebe’s name (Buffay the Vampire Layer is an excellent title). Chandler is dead inside, and Monica makes it her mission to make it cry. A fun, simple episode with humor and a surprising amount of heart.
114. Season 3, Episode 5 - The One with Frank Jr.
I don’t know why, but all of the scenes with Joey building the entertainment unit and nearly lobotomising Chandler in the process never fail to crack me up. The rest is fine, although the Isabella Rossellini cameo is one of the series’ best.
113. Season 1, Episode 11 - The One with Mrs. Bing
You just know Book-Tok would have loved Nora Tyler Bing. Morgan Fairchild is a delight in every cameo appearance. This one doesn’t hit the heights of other Chandler-centric episodes, with the show still finding its feet, but it’s a fun time.
112. Season 10, Episode 5 - The One Where Rachel’s Sister Babysits
Christina Applegate returns, and while it isn’t as epic as her Season 9 appearance, it’s fun all the same. Mike keeps trying to propose to Phoebe, but it never quite goes to plan, and Joey writes a letter of recommendation to an adoption agency for Monica and Chandler.
111. Season 8, Episode 1 - The One After ‘I Do’
This is quite a muted start to Season 8. Rachel’s pregnancy is confirmed but not elaborated on (although if you couldn’t guess, have a word with yourself), while everything else just ticks over.
110. Season 1, Episodes 16 & 17 - The One with Two Parts
There’s a lot going on in the show’s first two-parter, but at its core it’s a sweet examination of Joey and Phoebe’s relationship. Joey asks out Ursula and it gets in between the two friends. Plus George Clooney and Noah Wyle cameo at the peak of their E.R. fame, and it’s wild to see Clooney as a TV star and not the global megastar he is now.
109. Season 5, Episode 7 - The One Where Ross Moves In
Rachel’s mini-romance with Danny (George Newbern) continues, and if you’d forgotten that ever happened, it’s totally understandable. The rest of the episode works better though, with Ross moving in with the guys and upsetting the balance of the apartment.
108. Season 7, Episode 18 - The One with Joey’s Award
The two more traditional comedy plots of “Joey’s Award” fall pretty flat: Ross has a male student claiming to be in love with him, and Joey takes home another actor’s award from a ceremony. But Monica and Chandler’s story is packed with heart and taps into the love the two characters share for each other.
107. Season 2, Episode 23 - The One with the Chicken Pox
Charlie Sheen is objectively excellent in “Chicken Pox” as a Navy Lieutenant on a submarine who spends his shore leave with Phoebe, and Chandler and Joey’s subplot of working together in the former’s office is goofy fun.
106. Season 7, Episode 10 - The One with the Holiday Armadillo
Whatever your other thoughts are on this episode, one of the show’s great enduring images is David Schwimmer kitted out as the titular “Holiday Armadillo.” It’s actually quite a sweet depiction of the lengths parents will go to make their children happy around the holidays.
105. Season 5, Episode 21 - The One with the Ball
When you boil it down, it’s an episode about how easily amused most guys are. A real “dudes being dudes” plot. Then for some reason, Gary—a character who hasn’t really clicked—is written out of the show when he inexplicably shoots a bird. It’s a tonally weird episode, but the silliness of Ross and Joey just throwing a ball back-and-forth for hours on end is still a fun bit.
104. Season 5, Episode 4 - The One Where Phoebe Hates PBS
“Phoebe Hates PBS” brings Ross and Emily’s failed marriage back to the foreground, and in doing so, puts a strain on Ross and Rachel’s friendship—Ross has to promise to never see her again. It’s the start of the manic Ross that Schwimmer brings to life for a stretch of episodes, an iteration of the character that works really well.
103. Season 4, Episode 14 - The One with Joey’s Dirty Day
“Dirty Day” does a lot of heavy lifting setting up the major arc of Season 4’s back-half, and it fits it into a well-paced, funny episode of television. Emily (Helen Baxendale) is introduced, Chandler deals with his break-up with Kathy, and Rachel continues to struggle getting Joshua’s affection. Solid episode.
102. Season 8, Episode 13 - The One Where Chandler Takes a Bath
Just putting this out there, as a man who has very recently discovered the joys of a well-run bath, I feel this episode in my bones. 10/10.
101. Season 2, Episodes 12 & 13 - The One After the Superbowl
The cynic in me recognizes that this two-parter is a pure ratings ploy (which worked, as it was the most-watched episode of the series, by the way), throwing Jean-Claude Van Damme, Julia Roberts, Chris Isaak, and more starpower at the wall hoping some of it sticks. The other side of me recognizes that while this is the case, it’s still immensely enjoyable.
100. Season 3, Episode 6 - The One with the Flashback
After a question from Janice, the show takes us back three years to see some encounters between the group, different dynamics, and bonds being formed. It’s inconsequential to the story in almost every way, but it’s fun in that it offers a fresh perspective to their connections.
99. Season 10, Episode 6 - The One with Ross’s Grant
Greg Kinnear guest stars as Charlie’s ex-boyfriend, Nobel Prize winner, Benjamin Hobart, and he brings a really devious energy that works so well against Ross’ sincerity. The storyline involving Phoebe’s terrifying, nightmare-fuel painting doesn’t gel, but overall the episode works well.
98. Season 6, Episode 8 - The One with Ross’s Teeth
Phoebe’s storyline of thinking she made out with Ralph Lauren—a brilliant cameo—doesn’t work all that well, nor does Joey’s where he fights off the feminization of his apartment. Ross’ crazy storyline about going on a date with fluorescent teeth though… it’s so ludicrous it’s basically impossible to not laugh.
97. Season 1, Episode 3 - The One with the Thumb
Away from the whole “thumb in a can” plot and Phoebe’s dealings with the bank, the rest of the episode is great. Monica’s one-episode boyfriend of Alan is great, and it helps explore how invested the group is in her love life, in turn investing us in it. Smart, strong, funny early episode.
96. Season 9, Episode 16 - The One with the Boob Job
I’ll say something nice about Season 9: Apart from the weird bit with the rats, Phoebe and Mike’s story is handled really well. Phoebe’s desire to one day get married clashes with Mike’s post-divorce wish to not do so again, and it makes for a tender storyline
95. Season 2, Episode 9 - The One with Phoebe’s Dad
The episode keeps the Ross and Rachel drama ticking, but it succeeds way more in portraying the complexities of Phoebe’s upbringing and how little she knows about where she comes from. Her desire to not be disappointed by her father and her choice to not go through with meeting him is one of the more quietly poignant moments of the show.
94. Season 6, Episode 13 - The One with Rachel’s Sister
Oh look, it’s The Morning Show. Reese Witherspoon is a lot of fun as Rachel’s sister, Jill, in her two-episode run.
93. Season 8, Episode 15 - The One with the Birthing Video
Anecdote time (again): When I was in school, we were shown a birthing video in biology class at around the age of 13 or 14. Two guys fainted, and a girl threw up. There’s a baked-in silliness to the episode, but it does leave you with an interesting moment as Joey confesses his feelings about Rachel to Ross.
92. Season 2, Episode 1 - The One with Ross’s New Girlfriend
Ross returning from China with Julie obviously affects the Ross/Rachel arc, but the funniest parts of the episode are the little sub plots. Phoebe cutting Monica’s hair to look like Dudley Moore instead of Demi Moore is genius, and while it’s not aged well, Joey’s tailor being a pervert is objectively funnier than it should be.
91. Season 8, Episode 21 - The One with the Cooking Class
It would be easy for Friends to just keep the wheels spinning as the show built to the season finale and Emma’s birth, but “Cooking Class” is a good episode standing on its own two feet. Monica and Joey get paired off for the titular class after she got a bad restaurant review, while Rachel gets jealous at Ross for some flirting.
90. Season 1, Episode 1 – Pilot
Character establishment, long-term story set-ups, and the introduction of the most iconic location in television history. The Friends pilot episode does a lot of hard work to make it feel as if you already have a rapport with the characters.
89. Season 3, Episode 1 - The One with the Princess Leia Fantasy
A great depiction of post-relationship depression as Monica struggles to move on from Richard. All of that plays in stark contrast to the burgeoning Ross and Rachel relationship, which is diving into the headwaters of sexual fantasy as Rachel dons the iconic gold bikini.
88. Season 4, Episode 16 - The One with the Fake Party
Every now and then, Friends leans into the chaos and delivers an episode like this. It’s all over the place, but the energy Aniston brings is so contagious and effective in making it work. The whole fake party is so silly, and every character gets their humor in.
87. Season 8, Episode 3 - The One Where Rachel Tells…
Rachel tells Ross about their child, and it’s the first reminder the show has given us in a while of how strong the romantic chemistry between Schwimmer and Aniston was. It plants the seeds for the final fate of their relationship and moves the story along really nicely.
86. Season 10, Episode 1 - The One After Joey and Rachel Kiss
Both of the new couples decide to back off while they assess what the bigger picture is, but while Ross tells Joey about him and Charlie, he neglects to tell Ross about him and Rachel. It’s a strong season opener and a strong start for the show’s final run.
85. Season 3, Episode 17 - The One Without the Ski Trip
This is a great post-break up episode for Ross and Rachel, but also focuses on the rest of the gang as they’re pulled in different directions. It understandably lacks the power of the show’s break-up episodes themselves, but it’s a worthy follow that returns the show to its usual tone.
84. Season 9, Episode 8 - The One with Rachel’s Other Sister
Christina Applegate, as the kids say these days, understood the assignment. Her fit in the show, and with Aniston, was absolutely seamless. There is a real sadness to the episode though, with a chunk of it centring around what would happen should Chandler die. Given Matthew Perry’s untimely passing, it’s tough to watch.
83. Season 3, Episode 21 - The One with a Chick and a Duck
The chick and the duck arrive causing friction between Joey and Chandler, and it’s just a sweet episode watching them basically be parents. Away from that, Ross sacrifices a TV appearance to help Rachel, and it’s a welcome moment for his character.
82. Season 6, Episode 6 - The One on the Last Night
Season 6 struggles a lot of the time, but “Last Night” is one of the better episodes. Chandler tries to give Joey money so he can stand on his own two feet once Chandler has moved in with Monica, while she and Rachel argue on their last night together. It ends up being quite sweet at both apartments across the hall.
81. Season 7, Episode 12 - The One Where They’re Up All Night
One of the few highlights of Season 7, where a comet viewing on the roof of the apartment building devolves into everyone having a sleepless night for one reason or another. Phoebe’s smoke alarm is enjoyable, Rachel and Tag’s story, less so. But Joey and Ross bring it all together as they get trapped on the roof.
80. Season 8, Episode 14 - The One with the Secret Closet
A really good exploration of the dynamic between Rachel, Ross, and Joey. Her contractions begin, and Ross feels like he’s missing out on his role as the father, while Joey’s internal conflict over his crush on Rachel continues. Good episode.
79. Season 9, Episode 19 - The One with Rachel’s Dream
Aside from an irritating story between Monica and Phoebe about the latter’s music, “Rachel’s Dream” is effective. It keeps Chandler and Ross together, letting Perry and Schwimmer really shine, while also developing a new twist in Rachel and Joey’s late-series romance.
78. Season 8, Episode 4 - The One with the Videotape
Ross and Rachel get into a debate about who came onto whom the night they got together, and it turns out Ross has a video of the evening’s activities. Friends typically succeeds when it puts everyone together in one room for an episode, and “Videotape” is no different.
77. Season 7, Episode 9 -The One with All the Candy
As a 30-year-old man who can’t ride a bicycle, there’s a bizarre affection for this episode, and Phoebe’s arc in particular. Chandler and Monica get stuck in a fun story about pleasing their neighbors with homemade candy, too, and it’s one of Season 7’s better outings.
76. Season 10, Episode 11 - The One Where the Stripper Cries
Danny DeVito, what a guy. You can see the seeds for the figure who’d dive into Always Sunny in Philadelphia with such wonderful, reckless abandon. Along with DeVito’s astonishing turn as an aging stripper, the rest of the episode has its moments, too. Joey goes on a gameshow and Chandler and Ross attend a college reunion.
75. Season 8, Episode 6 - The One with the Halloween Party
You guys remember when Sean Penn was in Friends? Yeah, that was odd. While I don’t think his off-kilter affectations really fit the show, “Halloween Party” is still a good episode in the pantheon of Friends holiday specials.
74. Season 1, Episode 9 - The One Where Underdog Gets Away
Friends Thanksgiving episodes are always special. Our first one gives us a burned turkey, a flying Underdog balloon, and Joey getting VD… sort of. It’s funny throughout between the core cast, plus a crackling little side plot with Ross, Carol (Jane Sibbett) and Susan (Jessica Hecht), as Ross tries to bond with his unborn kid.
73. Season 2, Episode 16 - The One Where Joey Moves Out
Splitting Chandler and Joey up is a divisive plotline, but one I think works really well as a short-term move. Their fallout over something as trivial as spoon hygiene feels a bit silly in hindsight, but the image of Joey coming back in after leaving to give his friend one last hug is wonderfully sweet.
72. Season 2, Episode 17 - The One Where Eddie Moves In
Joey living in the most ostentatious apartment imaginable is a great bit, but Eddie’s introduction is the only thing that should be remembered. Adam Goldberg’s unhinged, manic energy is a welcome addition to the show for his three-episode run.
71. Season 2, Episode 18 - The One Where Dr. Ramoray Dies
There’s some fun back and forth with the Ross/Rachel and Monica/Richard relationships, mostly over the last condom, which is funnier than you’d expect. But once again, Adam Goldberg’s Eddie absolutely steals the show. His energy is so out of left field within the confines of Friends, and it provides such a fun new tone.
70. Season 2, Episode 19 - The One Where Eddie Won’t Go
Eddie being a psychopath (and a dehydrating maniac), the girls discovering a book on female empowerment, and Joey dealing with his unemployment and mounting bills: It’s brilliantly funny on all three sides, with a celebratory ending as Joey and Chandler reunite.
69. Season 10, Episode 13 - The One Where Joey Speaks French
Aside from spawning a great meme format, Joey and Phoebe’s story is a touch annoying. The rest of the episode is pretty great, though. Ross and Rachel have a sweet story that builds on their ever-complex relationship after her father has a heart attack, while Chandler and Monica fret over the identity of whoever got Erica pregnant: He’s either a cool jock, or a guy who killed his own dad with a shovel.
68. Season 4, Episode 22 - The One with the Worst Best Man Ever
The episode is split by gender, which usually works really well for the show, but “Worst Best Man Ever” only hits on one of the plots. The guys throw a bachelor party for Ross and think the stripper stole the engagement ring, while LeBlanc delivers some elite Joey Tribbiani acting. The girls’ plot is just a major bummer though, despite Kudrow bringing some great chaos to the role as her mood swings and hormones kick in.
67. Season 1, Episode 14 - The One with the Candy Hearts
Another gender split episode, and it works really well. The guys have dates for Valentine’s Day, with Joey and Chandler on a double date, and Ross at a teppanyaki joint opposite Carol and Susan. The girls decide to have a cleansing ritual. It’s Matthew Perry and Maggie Wheeler who steal the episode, though, with their quirky brand of chemistry on full display.
66. Season 4, Episode 5 - The One with Joey’s New Girlfriend
The Joey/Chandler/Kathy triangle is great. It just is. For the most part, Joey and Chandler’s friendship is too perfect at times, so adding a little conflict into the mix for a brief stretch is a welcome change. Perry and LeBlanc continue to do great work together, and Paget Brewster’s Kathy provides an interesting character in their dynamic.
65. Season 6, Episode 10 - The One with the Routine
It’s a fun episode centered around Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve, with Janine inviting Joey, Ross and Monica along. Humor is good, Joey and Janine get their moment, but the only takeaway is that dance routine. Good on Cox and Schwimmer for committing to the bit so hard.
64. Season 9, Episode 21 - The One with the Fertility Test
It’s a nice look for Ross that despite being the one passed over by Charlie, he’s still there as a friend for Joey. Rachel and Phoebe’s massage plotline leaves a little to be desired, but it’s better than a lot of other stories in Season 9. Monica and Chandler’s storyline, all centered around their inability to naturally conceive a child is one of the rare times the season displays some maturity, and it’s a refreshing change.
63. Season 1, Episode 5 - The One with the East German Laundry Detergent
I unashamedly love Janice, and I love Maggie Wheeler, so her first introduction here is always getting a bump just for that. It’s also one of the sweeter Ross and Rachel encounters of the first season. That easy chemistry between Schwimmer and Aniston is on display from the get-go.
62. Season 10, Episode 15 - The One Where Estelle Dies
Ross tries to get Rachel re-hired by Ralph Lauren so that she doesn’t have to move to Paris, Phoebe tries to keep Estelle’s death from Joey, and Monica and Chandler try to ensure Janice doesn’t move in next door. It’s the last standard-esque episode of the series, and it’s really strong.
61. Season 9, Episode 18 - The One with the Lottery
This is a return to form for the show, as it reverts to an old-school bottle episode, pushing everyone into the same place and allowing it to play out with the core cast together. The lottery backdrop is a fun one. It’s fun, breezy, with some real stakes too in Chandler’s mini subplot.
60. Season 4, Episode 17 - The One with the Free Porn
While it may not have aged all that well, the free porn is still pretty funny—particularly how it affects everyone’s expectations of day-to-day life. But it’s also the episode where we learn Phoebe will be having triplets, and where Ross tells Emily he loves her, so you can add in consequential as well as hilarious.
59. Season 1, Episode 15 - The One with the Stoned Guy
This is one of those episodes that isn’t top tier but has a few laugh out loud moments to remember. Jon Lovitz’ heat check performance as the stoned restaurateur always kills, plus there’s Joey coaching Ross on how to talk dirty and Chandler’s despair at his current job. It’s the latter that actually has some resonance to it: how much of a bummer it can be to be stuck in mundanity day-to-day.
58. Season 7, Episode 16 - The One with the Truth About London
Hey, Season 7 can be fun at times! Rachel becomes a prankster and passes her ways onto an impressionable Ben (Cole Sprouse), while Monica and Chandler dive into her original intentions all the way back in London when they first got together. Snappy, smart, funny.
57. Season 2, Episode 24 - The One with Barry and Mindy’s Wedding
This is a weird episode in that it isn’t particularly funny… at all. But the emotion comes through really well, elevating it significantly. Chandler finds himself back with Janice, and happy. Rachel stands up for herself at the titular wedding. Monica and Richard split over his desire to not have children. It’s almost a different show for one episode, but it works.
56. Season 3, Episode 9 - The One with the Football
As someone who lives in the U.K., this was genuinely my first introduction to American football (or football, if you prefer), and somehow I’ve been a fan of the actual sport ever since. Away from my own anecdote though… this is a delightful episode. It’s one of the show’s best depictions of sibling rivalry.
55. Season 3, Episode 8 - The One with the Giant Poking Device
Even with the absurdity of the episode, it’s a great demonstration of Matthew Perry’s acting chops: in my opinion, the show’s strongest performer. Funny, sweet, heartfelt, vulnerable… Perry brings it all to the table, and then some.
54. Season 6, Episodes 15 & 16 - The One That Could Have Been
Obviously there are zero consequences in a fantasy episode like this—the downside to alternate reality-esque storytelling—but it’s hard to not admire the charm of this two-parter. All of the different versions of the gang feel wholly on brand for how they would be in the circumstances, and there’s just a lot of humor that works well.
53. Season 10, Episode 9 - The One with the Birth Mother
There’s some fun comedy, like “Joey doesn’t share food,” but the episode hinges on Monica and Chandler’s interview with Erica (Anna Faris), who’s chosen them as prospective parents. Thinking they’re people they’re not, she chooses them before Chandler comes clean, and it’s an incredible performance from Matthew Perry. Chandler’s love for Monica comes across as so pure in this episode, and it’s such a beautiful moment.
52. Season 9, Episode 7 - The One with Ross’s Inappropriate Song
Season 9 is a mostly silly affair, but it gets it right every now and then. “Ross’s Inappropriate Song” is one of those occasions, with enough comedy within the stories to propel the episode forward. Joey and Chandler find a potential sex tape of Monica in Richard’s apartment, Phoebe meets Mike’s parents, and Ross and Rachel can only make Emma calm down by singing “Baby Got Back.”
51. Season 3, Episode 23 - The One with Ross’s Thing
A mostly nothing episode in terms of the long run, but one that’s so funny it doesn’t matter. Phoebe juggles a burly-yet-sensitive fireman and an intelligent-yet-jacked teacher. Monica panics that Pete is about to end things with her. Ross has a benign growth that stumps the medical community. Silly episode, but buckets of fun.
50. Season 7, Episodes 23 & 24 - The One with Monica and Chandler’s Wedding
On the whole, Season 7 is one of the weakest of the series, but it does end on a high note. Monica and Chandler’s wedding has some manufactured drama that it didn’t really need, but we get Gary Oldman as an eccentric British actor, Rachel’s pregnancy revealed, and Joey officiating the service between two of his best friends.
49. Season 8, Episode 2 - The One with the Red Sweater
Just an immensely fun episode that reveals Ross as the father of Rachel’s baby, centered around a red sweater owned by both him and by Tag. The subplots aren’t as engaging as the central “mystery,’ but it continues a good start for Season 8 after the subpar Season 7.
48. Season 5, Episode 5 - The One with the Kips
This is such a good episode, giving some real development to Monica and Chandler’s new relationship. They take a weekend away but end up arguing the whole time, and it’s a great insight into Chandler’s insecurities in relationships. Perry and Cox have such an easy chemistry, and both their comedy and affection dovetail really well together.
47. Season 3, Episode 22 - The One with the Screamer
Ben Stiller, everyone. A genuine treasure. His commitment to the bit in “Screamer” is so good and so deranged, it’s impossible to not love this episode—even with the tedious Joey/Kate story still lingering in the foreground.
46. Season 1, Episode 4 - The One with George Stephanopoulos
It’s wild to consider a time where George Stephanopoulos was a genuine sex symbol in America, but this episode taps into it perfectly. Splitting the gang by gender, with the fellas going to a hockey game (and to the emergency room), while the girls help Rachel deal with her current lot in life before fawning over the nearby Stephanopoulos. It’s a method Friends would master across the seasons, and it gives us the show’s first truly great episode.
45. Season 4, Episode 15 - The One with All the Rugby
Featuring the most insane depiction of rugby every put to screen, this episode is such a great performance from David Schwimmer. His physical comedy is on point, as are all of his chaotic mannerism as he tries to impress Emily. Add in Chandler and Janice reunited for one episode before he leaves for… Yemen, and Rachel and Monica obsessing over a rogue electric switch in their new apartment—it’s a sleeper episode.
44. Season 8, Episode 12 - The One Where Joey Dates Rachel
Joey and Rachel’s romance goes through a few different stages. When they do get together at the end of Season 9/beginning of Season 10, I think it’s handled quite poorly. When it is Joey’s initial crush in Season 8 though, it’s a strong storyline. You can’t always control how you feel about another person, and it taps into that with a lot of clarity.
43. Season 5, Episode 19 - The One Where Ross Can’t Flirt
In a similar vein to “No One’s Ready,” “Ross Can’t Flirt” is a fun little bottle episode that gives every character great material to work with. Nothing comes close to topping Ross’ awkward flirting though, which is somehow cringeworthy yet so bad you can’t take your eyes from the screen.
42. Season 4, Episode 19 - The One with All the Haste
A kind of reverse from the superior “Embryos,” it’s still a great episode, as Rachel and Monica try to get their apartment back from Joey and Chandler. It’s really enjoyable watching the places get reset as the girls outsmart the guys, plus we get the “Morning’s Here” Guy, which puts the episode into the greatest of all time consideration by itself.
41. Season 8, Episode 5 - The One with Rachel’s Date
While the main focus is on Rachel’s date with one of Joey’s co-stars, it’s actually Matt LeBlanc that really gets to shine. Joey has developed a lot as a character in the later seasons, and we get a great look at his caring nature and the maturity he’s developed over the years.
40. Season 4, Episode 7 - The One Where Chandler Crosses the Line
Chandler’s love for Kathy comes to a head when they share a kiss, and he becomes racked with guilt over it, while Joey dates another woman on the side. It’s actually a weird wrinkle that Joey is seeing another woman, because the show had already made it clear he and Kathy weren’t well-suited. Still, a great episode within a strong mini-story.
39. Season 2, Episode 6 - The One with the Baby on the Bus
One of those Matthew Perry/Matt LeBlanc masterclasses. It really is hard to put into words how good their chemistry is on-screen. From taking Ben for a walk to collecting him from Human Services, every gag of theirs lands with ease.
38. Season 10, Episode 12 - The One with Phoebe’s Wedding
As with any Friends wedding, naturally there has to be some chaos. But while it can all feel a little manufactured, Phoebe and Mike’s wedding is a really beautiful episode, and a celebration of sorts for how far her character has come since we first met her back in Season 1.
37. Season 3, Episode 12 - The One with All the Jealousy
David Schwimmer plays the jealous boyfriend to a T. His smothering behavior plays as comedy thanks to the laugh track and lines like, “Can’t a guy send a barbershop quartet to his girlfriend’s office anymore?” But on a deeper level, it’s a surprisingly astute insight into masculine fragility in relationships.
36. Season 5, Episode 9 - The One with Ross’s Sandwich
Ross gets put on sabbatical leave on account of his rage after his boss eats his special Thanksgiving sandwich. While the episode is hilarious in general, it does tap into the insane things you cling to when you’re depressed that get you through the day. Smart writing with all the wit to match, and one of many incredible Schwimmer performances throughout the series.
35. Season 5, Episode 1 - The One After Ross Says Rachel
Season 5 has some high points and low points, but the opening episode qualifies for the former, thankfully. Emily runs away because of Ross' snafu on the altar, Monica and Chandler try to find time alone to keep having sex, and Rachel obsesses over what it all means for her and Ross.
34. Season 6, Episode 9 - The One Where Ross Got High
Friends works at its best when it puts everyone together in one place and gives them all plenty to do. “Ross Got High” is no different, with everyone together for Thanksgiving in Monica’s apartment. Rachel makes her “traditional English trifle,” Monica’s parents don’t like Chandler, Joey and Ross want to get away and drink with Janine (Elle Macpherson). Super fun on all counts.
33. Season 3, Episode 25 - The One at the Beach
A really strong season finale that offers a fresh twist in the ever-evolving Ross and Rachel dynamic, as Ross is forced to pick between her and Bonnie (the ever-excellent Christine Taylor). Phoebe’s story takes an interesting turn with the reveal of her real birth mother. Finally, there’s another smattering of seeds for Monica and Chandler’s eventual relationship. Long-term storytelling… we love it, people.
32. Season 1, Episode 23 - The One with the Birth
This one is wonderfully sweet without ever being saccharine, as Carol goes into labor and everyone proves less than helpful. There’s some hint at Monica and Chandler’s eventual romance, a greater look at Joey’s kindness… all of the friends get their moment. It’s the closing scene as they all look down at Ben that ties it all together though that really touches you, with all six characters sharing this moment of joy together.
31. Season 10, Episode 16 - The One with Rachel’s Going Away Party
Funny and emotional, Jennifer Aniston and David Schwimmer really step up to the plate to push the stakes up before the series finale. Their closing scene is one of their very best together.
30. Season 5, Episode 3 - The One Hundredth
As Phoebe goes into labor, the show gives Joey kidney stones and manufactures some conflict for Monica and Chandler. Lisa Kudrow carries this episode, her best performance in the series. It’s heartfelt, joyous, sad, with a touch of that Friends comedy peppered in.
29. Season 4, Episode 11 - The One with Phoebe’s Uterus
An incredible episode that is somehow topped by what follows. “Phoebe’s Uterus” sets up the Frank/Alice surrogacy plot, pairs Joey and Ross up as co-workers at the museum, and Monica gives Chandler advice on how to give Kathy an orgasm. Everything works, and Monica’s “SEVEN!” scene is one of the show’s most iconic.
28. Season 4, Episodes 23 & 24 - The One with Ross’s Wedding
London, baby! A jam-packed two-parter with fun moments, an incredible cliffhanger ending, and the show’s greatest twist. The cameos feel a little shoehorned—except Jennifer Saunders and Hugh Laurie, you’re perfect, guys—but that’s really nitpicking what is objectively an excellent season finale for each and every character.
27. Season 1, Episode 18 - The One with All the Poker
Just a really strong episode from top to bottom, examining Ross’ growing infatuation with Rachel, Rachel’s desire for independence, and Monica’s innate competitive streak. The poker game is set against the backdrop of Rachel trying to get a job in fashion. While she will obviously get there later in the series, she falls short here, so Ross gives her a win to keep her spirits up. It’s a really tender moment in their early back-and-forth relationship.
26. Season 4, Episode 1 - The One with the Jellyfish
One of the best season openers in all of Friends. It’s hilarious on all counts: Rachel’s letter to Ross (“Eighteen pages! Front and back!”) and their reconciliation and immediate break-up. The whole jellyfish plot and the budding tension between Monica and Chandler. Phoebe’s newfound connection with her birth mother.
25. Season 2, Episode 3 - The One Where Heckles Dies
I love, love, LOVE this episode. It’s a great showcase for both Chandler and Matthew Perry, focusing on male loneliness. Mr. Heckles is such a sad character, deployed really well as quasi-comic relief, and the writers play on Chandler’s own fear of dying alone so well in contrast to him.
24. Season 4, Episode 8 - The One with Chandler in a Box
There’s a really weird subplot where Monica gets a crush on Richard’s son that sucks some energy out of the episode, but the tension between Joey and Chandler works really well as the latter is sentenced to six hours in a box as punishment for kissing Kathy. It’s the most fraught we’ve ever seen their friendship, and it’s excellent television watching that bond play out.
23. Season 8, Episodes 23 & 24 - The One Where Rachel Has a Baby
Jennifer Aniston’s favorite episode of the series, and it’s understandable why. She’s exceptional in it. Her work got her an Emmy, and it’s her best performance of the series. She brings so much heart, warmth, and energy to the role, taking you from comedy to sympathy with incredible ease.
Away from that, it has all of the consequences you want in a season finale. A shocking twist, Emma’s birth, Ross’ realization about being with Rachel, Monica, and Chandler’s decision to try for children. There’s a lot going on, and it balances it all very well.
22. Season 5, Episode 2 - The One with All the Kissing
I like it when Friends commits to a silly bit and just makes a whole episode out of it. Chandler kissing Monica in front of everyone, then having to kiss everyone else to maintain their secret relationship, is so absurd, but somehow they pull it off. Add in Rachel and Ross’ conversation about their situation, and Phoebe’s water breaking: It’s a hell of an episode.
21. Season 2, Episode 15 - The One Where Ross and Rachel… You Know
Following on from one of the show’s very best episodes is no easy feat, but “Ross and Rachel… You Know” brings a lot of great comedy to the table, introduces us to Richard (Tom Selleck), and delivers Ross and Rachel’s first time in the best possible way.
20. Season 8, Episode 16 - The One Where Joey Tells Rachel
Matt LeBlanc is the star of Season 8. His character was given room to grow, and he himself demonstrated the acting chops to grow with him. There’s also an interesting look at Ross’ still persistent desire to one day end up with Rachel, and the insecurity he feels about it not happening. It’s all well-executed, while Aniston and Schwimmer support LeBlanc’s star turn really well.
19. Season 5, Episode 8 - The One with All the Thanksgivings
The gang reminisces on their worst Thanksgivings, and it’s a real highlight of the annual holiday episode. We get Chandler’s childhood trauma, people shoving turkey’s on their heads, flashbacks to Ross, Rachel, Monica and Chandler in their iconic ’80s outfits. Absolute blast.
18. Season 1, Episode 7 - The One with the Blackout
An all-around excellent episode for every character, with a fresh setting thanks to the blackout. Chandler’s time in the ATM vestibule with Jill Goodacre is genius, while Ross and Rachel’s relationship looks to develop before the swarthy Paolo enters. The performances, the comedy, the creation of the “friend-zone” as a thing—you could say the episode is “perfection”.
17. Season 10, Episode 8 - The One with the Late Thanksgiving
A near-perfect episode of Friends, combining a holiday setting, snappy humor, ideas of family and togetherness, and character moments for each of the gang. The scene where Rachel, Phoebe, Joey and Ross stick their heads through the door is one of the best of the series.
16. Season 8, Episode 9 - The One with the Rumor
There’s an elephant in the room, given how both Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston’s relationship ended, and how much more we now know about Pitt given allegations raised over the past few years. But in the isolation of Friends, “Rumor” is the kind of episode few shows can pull off. A megastar guest appearance provided the spine of the episode, delivering some of the best comedy in the series’ run.
15. Season 10, Episode 2 - The One Where Ross is Fine
Like a lot of Friends’ very best episodes, David Schwimmer absolutely carries it to the peak of sitcom television. His hysterical “I’m fine” line deliveries get more and more unhinged, and his commitment to excellent physical comedy elevates everything further. To add to it, there’s some hefty emotional stakes between himself, Rachel, and Joey. Schwimmer delivers the goods here, too.
14. Season 10, Episode 3 - The One with Ross’s Tan
So absurd that it works beautifully. Ross, envious of Monica’s new spray-on tan, tries it out for himself but messes up the instructions and darkens on only one side. Schwimmer’s despair is palpably hilarious, and the writing is back to the snappiness of earlier seasons.
13. Season 7, Episode 11 - The One with All the Cheesecakes
The unquestionable highlight of Season 7, “Cheesecakes” is the episode the show had been crying out for: Heart and humor in equal measure, a great showcase for Joey and Phoebe’s friendship, a returning guest star, and a new-ish pairing for Chandler and Rachel who never really got enough time together on-screen.
12. Season 3, Episode 15 - The One Where Ross and Rachel Take a Break
You can absolutely feel the end coming for Ross and Rachel throughout the episode, yet it somehow finds time to be funny, even if it is in a manic sort of way. Everyone has their own opinions on the relationship between these two, but one undeniable thing is the chemistry between Schwimmer and Aniston is so incredibly human.
11. Season 2, Episode 7 - The One Where Ross Finds Out
The Ross and Rachel episode we’d been waiting for, and one of many in Season 2 of the highest quality. Rachel drunkenly declares her feelings for Ross and it leads to that incredible moment in Central Perk, perhaps one of the most iconic moments in the whole show.
10. Season 3, Episode 2 - The One Where No One’s Ready
When this episode was in the can, you’ve got to imagine everyone was high-fiving backstage. “No One’s Ready” is a near-perfect episode. No one is going to mistake it for the greatest Friends episode of all time, but it’s hugely rewatchable.
9. Season 6, Episode 17 - The One with Unagi
Just joyous television. Everything involving Ross, Rachel, and Phoebe is wonderful in its comedy, its absurdity, and its performances. Schwimmer nails that off-kilter, overbearing weirdness the episode called for, and Aniston and Kudrow counter it perfectly.
8. Season 2, Episode 22 - The One with the Two Parties
One of those rare episodes where pathos and hilarity are found in equal measure. As a child of divorce, “Two Parties” always resonates a little more for its true-to-life depiction of the torn feeling you get between your two parents. One of Aniston’s best performances on the show.
7. Season 10, Episodes 17 & 18 - The Last One
The One with the Happy Ending. True to form for Friends, “The Last One” stays true to the core ethos of the show by delivering the happily-ever-after the gang deserved. Ross and Rachel are finally together again, Monica and Chandler move to the suburbs with their twins, Phoebe is happily married, and Joey sees his friends thriving. (We’ll ignore his sojourn to LA in the spin-off.) While it’s maybe not the funniest episode, there’s so much charm and heart to it, making exactly the series finale you could have hoped for.
6. Season 5, Episode 11 - The One with All the Resolutions
If I had to narrow down what I thought the funniest single bit was in all of Friends, I’d find it so hard to look past Ross and his leather pants debacle. Schwimmer’s comedic timing is always on point, but his physical comedy is just as great. Incredible showing within an excellent episode all around.
5. Season 6, Episodes 24 & 25 - The One with the Proposal
Excluding the merciful end of Ross and Elizabeth’s relationship, “Proposal” is what we’d been waiting for all of Season 6. It’s that episode where the comedy, the chemistry, and the romance all coalesce into a seamless whole. The re-introduction of Richard fits perfectly in the context of the story, adding stakes to Chandler and Monica’s arc, and the eventual proposal really is a beautiful scene.
4. Season 5, Episode 14 - The One Where Everybody Finds Out
Maybe the most iconic episode, the one people think of the most when they think of Friends. Phoebe finds out about Monica and Chandler, and together with Joey and Rachel, they try to convince the couple to come clean in a back-and-forth of one-upmanship. It’s so silly and sweet and funny and romantic. Friends at its best.
3. Season 3, Episode 16 - The One with the Morning After
Like a lot of people, I’ve been in this scenario, I’ve lived it… and it’s remarkable how human and how accurate “Morning After” is. There’s so much raw emotion on display from Aniston and Schwimmer as they progress through the final stages of the end. And in an incredible twist, Crane and Kauffman somehow managed to make the episode funny. Astounding achievement of television.
2. Season 4, Episode 12 - The One with the Embryos
One of the most electric episodes in the entire series, paced to perfection, with a major set-piece that felt wholly organic for the show. The trivia contest itself would elevate the episode to the upper echelons of the list, but when you add in Phoebe’s story and Lisa Kudrow’s incredible work—it’s an all-time episode.
1. Season 2, Episode 14 - The One with the Prom Video
One of the most towering achievements of the series, delivering Ross and Rachel’s relationship in an unexpected way while seamlessly switching between hilarity to sadness to outright romance in its climactic scene. From the direction to the performances, the heartfelt dialogue and the wonderful humor, culminating in that ending, every aspect of ‘Prom Video’ is perfect.
