Listing the 10 best friends episodes is a challenging task. How to choose just 10 years out of 10 of one of the most watched, praised and loved series of all time? There are 236 episodes that mix lots of laughter, comical and unlikely situations, memorable surprises, beloved characters, famous guests… we laugh, we cry, we get emotional… we live our lives with theirs.
And the most interesting thing is that even after the end, we continue to watch, re-watch and more, Friends continues to win new fans, new generations, almost 30 years after its debut.
This simply proves that when art touches the hearts of people, who identify with it, regardless of their time, the work becomes timeless. And for all this, rather than saying goodbye to the series or Matthew Perry (died 10/28/2023), it is also very difficult to collect just 10 episodes among the best of Friends. Call your friends and prepare to remember, agree or disagree with the choices:
1- The One with All the Resolutions (Season 5, Episode 11)
The six friends make New Year’s resolutions and each decides on their own resolutions. Chandler promises not to joke about everything and everyone, Rachel promises not to gossip anymore. Phoebe wants to learn to fly a plane, Joey wants to learn to play the guitar, and Phoebe decides to give him lessons, but in the end it doesn’t work out. Rachel discovers Monica and Chandler’s affair. Ross is embarrassed because he wears leather pants that end up shrinking.
It’s worth watching because it’s really funny to see everyone’s failed attempts to keep their promises. Especially Chandler’s effort not to make sarcastic jokes with his friends. Ross’ situation with the leather pants shrinking in the heat is worthy of a well-crafted slapstick comedy. Plus, there’s another amazing moment, where Rachel finds out about Monica and Chandler’s relationship.
The highlight is the Ross meme, when he says “This year was supposed to be great.” Without a doubt, one of the best and most remembered episodes of Friends.
2- The One Where Ross Gets High (Season 6, Episode 9)
There has to be a consensus that all Thanksgiving episodes are noteworthy and very entertaining. In this sixth season, Joey and Ross are invited by Janine to spend the holidays with her friends and want to prepare dinner at Monica’s house so they can go.
Monica’s parents arrive to spend Thanksgiving with them. But they don’t like Chandler, much less imagine him living with their daughter. Rachel makes dessert for dinner and gets confused with the recipe. She finally puts the steak and peas in the jelly.
Ross ends up telling him why his parents don’t like Chandler and he tells his family the truth.
It’s worth watching because the whole episode is very entertaining. The scene where everyone pretends the dessert is delicious, Chandler tries (in vain) to impress his in-laws and discovers the truth about why he doesn’t like him.
3- The One with Blackout – (Season 1, Episode 7)
New York suffers a blackout and the gang gathers in Mônica’s apartment to wait for the power to return, except for Chandler, who is trapped in a bank branch with a Victoria’s Secret model. Joey convinces Ross that he is in the “friend zone” with Rachel. Meanwhile, Chandler attempts to strike up a conversation with the model, unsuccessfully in the interaction, but very successfully eliciting much laughter from those watching.
It’s worth watching because from this episode onwards they start to show important relationships that last throughout the series, especially with Ross and Rachel. Already in the first season, fans were enthralled by one of the best episodes of Friends.
4- The one with the voices” (Season 8, episode 9)
A Thanksgiving episode again. And one of those that surprises us with a guest star. Brad Pitt of Thanks, special guest star Brad Pitt plays Will, Monica’s schoolmate. Will was the only student fatter than Monica when she was in high school. He invites him to Thanksgiving dinner, the only one who says he won’t prepare the turkey.
Joey doesn’t like the idea of not having turkey for dinner, so he promises he’ll eat the whole turkey if Monica cooks. Rachel doesn’t recognize Will, who doesn’t have good memories of her, treating him badly at school.
As could not be missing in the Thanksgiving episodes, truths come to light, such as the rumor created by Ross and Will about Rachel in high school.
It’s worth seeing because it’s another Thanksgiving episode and to top it off, with Brad Pitt in the cast.
5- Video The One with the Degree (Season 2, episode 14)
Monica and Ross’ parents bring some souvenirs of Monica to the apartment and the friends end up watching an old video of Monica and Rachel getting ready for prom. One of the best episodes of the series, in which characters begin to appear in flashback scenes, a feature that became notable in Friends.
Monica is out of work, has terrible job interviews, and is having trouble paying her rent. Joey gives Chandler a hideous gold bracelet as a way to celebrate their friendship. Chandler, for a change, makes fun of the bracelet for Rachel and Phoebe, which saddens Joey.
It’s worth watching especially for fans of Rachel and Ross. During the episode, moments that will influence other situations between the couple. It is in this episode that the phrase “you are my lobster” appears, which Ross will use to declare himself to Rachel later. In the graduation video, Rachel discovers that Ross was in love with her.
6- The One with All the Thanks (Season 5, Episode 8)
Since there are many Thanksgiving episodes, this one couldn’t be left out and is perhaps the most iconic episode of the series. They remember their worst Thanksgivings. Phoebe dates back to 1862. Elaborate stories are told to try to uncover Monica’s worst memory.
Chandler is still hurt by his parents’ divorce on the same day when he was still a child, and Ross remembers his second divorce. Rachel also tells the story where Joey decided to put a turkey on his head to scare Chandler.
The entire episode is worth seeing, the funny stories, the characterizations of the characters and especially for fans of the couple Monica and Chandler. It’s in this episode that Chandler first says he loves Monica, when she puts a turkey on her head, one of Friends’ most memorable scenes.
7- The one where everyone finds out (Season 5, episode 14)
Phoebe discovers Monica and Chandler’s romance, and she and Rachel decide to test Chandler. Ross wants to rent the naked man’s apartment, which is located in the building across the street from his friends’ apartment. Ross finds out about Chandler and Monica, much to the relief of Joey, who can no longer keep the secret.
Phoebe begins to seduce Chandler to see if he will reveal his affair with Monica. Chandler and Monica end up finding out about Rachel and Phoebe’s prank and plan a situation until they deliver the game.
It’s worth watching because this is the episode where everyone finds out about Monica and Chandler’s relationship. The seduction schemes are also very entertaining.
8- The One Where No One Is Ready (Season 3, Episode 2)
One of the most popular episodes of the series and always remembered by fans. It plays out as if it were “in real time” and shows Ross trying to convince the entire group to wear formal clothes for a business dinner. Meanwhile, Joey and Chandler fight over the job.
Since Ross has an important speech to give during the museum dinner, he is desperate because no one is ready in advance, only Phoebe and him are ready. Phoebe spills food on her dress, Rachel doesn’t know what to wear, and Monica worries about Richard’s message on her answering machine.
Watch it because the entire episode takes place in a few minutes, with everyone rushing to get ready in time. And the best scene where Joey wears all of Chandler’s clothes at once.
9- Ross’ wedding (Season 4, episode 24)
It’s the last episode of this season. Rachel goes to London where Ross and Emily’s wedding will take place. Rachel has realized that she still loves Ross and she doesn’t want her to get married. She takes a last-minute flight and Phoebe wants to tell her other friends about Rachel’s plan.
It’s worth watching because that’s where Chandler and Monica’s involvement begins, there’s another emblematic scene of the wedding, where Ross calls Emily Rachel during the ceremony and leaves doubt about the upcoming events for the following season. There is a scene on the plane in which the actor Hugh Laurie participates.
10- The Last (Season 10, episodes 17 and 18)
There’s no way to leave the final act off the list and agree that it’s one of the best Friends episodes. In the final episode of the series, Ross and Rachel still haven’t made up and he tries to stop her from going to Paris. It’s only at the end that she doesn’t come on board, she comes back and they’re finally together.
Monica’s dream of becoming a mother went through several situations, frustrating and sad and, at the same time, unusual. After she and Chandler hire a surrogate, she has a set of twins, leaving Chandler terrified, but they are ultimately happy with both children.
The final scene is sad, it couldn’t be otherwise, 10 years ended in the empty apartment, where almost everything happened. The six friends leave the keys on the counter. And they go out to do what they’ve always done, go for a coffee. But the best thing is to end with a joke from Chandler, in his style, so as to combine tears with laughter, as Friends has always been and will continue to be.
Many other episodes were remarkable, funny, touching, each with its own peculiarity. And the most important thing is to leave a memory here for you, a Friends fan, to talk about it with your friends, remember moments or, as a new fan, have more desire to watch these everyday but entertaining stories. and get involved…
Friends (United States)
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Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
