These Are The Best And Worst Friends Episodes Ever Made

Maybe the most emotional Friends episode ever – yes, we said it! – centers on Ross and Rachel’s heartbreaking split in season three. In fact, both David Schwimmer and Jennifer Aniston shed tears for real after filming ended. There are still plenty of laughs, though, with the rest of the gang eavesdropping from Monica’s bedroom in between some hair waxing. “The One with the Morning After” is also responsible for the iconic line, “We were on a break,” which you might not remember was actually first uttered by Rachel! Mind blown!

As its title suggests, this fifth-season episode sees the gang set themselves various goals as they head into 1999. Rachel and Chandler want to stop spreading gossip and poking fun at everyone, respectively, and Ross wants to try out a bold new look. Unfortunately, said new look includes a pair of leather pants that end up shrinking on a date. Schwimmer actually smacked himself in the face during the hilarious lotion scene – an accident that producers decided to leave in.

A.k.a. the one where Joey first uses the insult “Va Fa Napoli!” In this episode, he’s devastated when best friend Chandler does the dirty on him with girlfriend Kathy. After initially sentencing him to half a decade of silent treatment as punishment, Joey then decides there’s only one route to forgiveness: spend six hours locked in a box. Chandler duly obliges, and thankfully the pair are soon back to being BFFs again. Aww.

We’re guessing people love this season five episode because it’s peak manic Ross. The paleontologist screams at his boss for the heinous crime of eating his favorite sandwich and is made to see a psychiatrist. And Rachel and Monica don’t exactly cover themselves in glory, either. The former tries to cheat her way through a literature class, while the latter becomes the school swot.

This episode also doesn’t show Ross in a great light. He spends much of its running time creeping up on women while practicing the martial arts he claims is called unagi: its actual name is uranagi. Elsewhere, Monica and Chandler regret promising to handcraft their Valentine’s Day presents, particularly when Chandler regifts a mixtape that he forgets features a certain ex... Yes, although the sixth season is the only not to feature Janice, fans still get to hear that annoying yet lovable nasal voice.

One of the most memorable flashback episodes, this third season offering shows Monica and Phoebe as housemates, Chandler and Joey meeting for the first time and Ross discovering his wife is gay. Fun fact: producers also used this story as a way of gauging viewers’ responses to possible new romances between the six. It’s why Chandler and Monica get together just a season later.

Eagle-eyed viewers may have spotted that both Chandler and Phoebe’s mom have distinctly different hairstyles in this episode and its predecessor. This is despite the fact that both are supposed to take place within the same weekend. Of course, this is because this fourth-season opener was shot months after the third-season finale. The fan favorite also sees Ross and Rachel make up, and then very quickly break up, while Chandler helps Monica to treat a jellyfish sting.

“The One with the Red Sweater” was quite the memorable episode for Schwimmer. It was one of ten he took the director’s chair for. And it was also the one where his character Ross is revealed as the man who got Rachel pregnant. The studio audience were apparently so excited by this news that they had to be calmed down by Jennifer Aniston.

It’s little surprise the more eventful second part of “The One in Vegas” is regarded as superior to the first. Chandler and Monica make up, get lucky in the casino and agree to get married immediately. But just as they’re getting ready to say “I do,” the chapel doors open and out burst a very inebriated Ross and Rachel! Elsewhere, Joey tries to set up a new act with his hand twin and Phoebe invents her businesswoman alter-ego Regina Phalange.

“The One Where Rachel Makes a Beef Trifle” might be a better name for this razor-sharp Thanksgiving episode. Trusted by neurotic Monica with providing the dessert for the gang’s dinner, the novice baker is horrified to discover she’s made half a trifle and half a shepherd’s pie. The rest of the friends’ attempts to disguise their disgust at this hybrid food is hilarious. But perhaps Rachel already subconsciously knew she’d screwed up: you never see her taste her own concoction.

While the first part of “The One with Monica and Chandler’s Wedding” suggests the groom may jilt the bride on the big day, the second proves that things all worked out in the end. No wonder then that it’s the happier ending that Friends fans prefer in the list of all-time great episodes. This season seven finale also features a mini Lost in Space reunion with Matt Le Blanc’s Joey sharing the screen with Gary Oldman’s drunken actor Richard.

The most popular of Friends’ Thanksgiving specials sees the gang attempt to outdo each other in the misery stakes by reminiscing on previous celebrations-gone-wrong. Monica recalls Chandler calling her fat during their first meeting, Rachel remembers when Joey got a turkey stuck on his head and Phoebe flashes back to a past life in the Secession War. This episode also brings up a third origin story when it comes to Ross and Rachel’s first meeting.

Nicknamed “The One Where They Insult the English,” the second part of Friends’ adventures in London may have relied on several tired British stereotypes. But thanks to cameos from the likes of Hugh Laurie, Jennifer Saunders and June Whitfield and an almighty cliffhanger, it remains a popular choice among fans. Yes, this is the episode where Ross accidentally blurts out Rachel’s name while getting married to Emily. And we had to wait months to find out what happened next!

Out of all the guest stars that Friends managed to rope in across its ten seasons, Brad Pitt was the most anticipated. The Hollywood actor was then married to Jennifer Aniston, of course, and this season eight episode was the first time they’d shared the screen together. To make things even more interesting, the show’s writers decided to make them sworn enemies, with Pitt’s Will still holding a grudge against Rachel for the way she treated him in high school.

Ross and Rachel can’t agree on who instigated their one-night stand in this season eight standout. But there’s evidence in the form of a video camera that inadvertently recorded their brief rekindling. Much to her dismay and the shock of the audience, it’s proven that Rachel was the one doing all the running. “The One with the Videotape” was also the first episode to be shot in the wake of 9/11.

Chandler’s risky decision to play it cool when it comes to proposing to Monica almost backfires when her ex Richard nearly swoops in first. Luckily, after a tête-à-tête with his love rival, the gang’s premier japester finally decides to take the plunge and pop the question. And much to viewers’ relief, Monica says “Yes” shortly before the credits roll. This makes “The One with the Proposal” only the second season finale not to end on a cliffhanger.

This second season highlight was the first time we saw the Friends gang in their earlier days, and on videotape rather than in flashback, too. Here, the six watch home footage of Rachel and Monica getting ready for their prom night and a moustachioed Ross making a gesture that would belatedly pay dividends. “The One with the Prom Video” also features Monica’s fatsuit debut. Courteney Cox was apparently so unrecognizable that Matthew Perry walked straight past her without realizing.

Written to accommodate Lisa Kudrow’s real-life pregnancy, the most important storyline in this fourth-season standout involves Phoebe becoming a surrogate mother for her brother Frank and his wife Alice. But the funniest undoubtedly revolves around Monica and Rachel’s quiz battle with Joey and Chandler, a.k.a. Miss Chanandler Bong. Things famously get so heated between the pairs that the girls end up losing their apartment to the boys in the final quickfire round.

Ranked number four on the most-viewed U.S. TV show finales ever, “The Last One Part 2” thankfully gave all six friends a happy ending. Monica and Chandler became adoptive parents. Phoebe had just married Mike and Joey, well, he would later get his own spinoff. But the plot that had fans most invested involved the will they/won’t they between Rachel and Ross. Of course, as Rachel decided against moving to Paris, it turned out that they did.

So the best Friends episode, according to IMDb users, is season five’s comedy of errors. As its title suggests, the story revolves around Phoebe’s discovery that Monica and Chandler are an item and, assisted by Joey and Rachel, her hilarious attempts to get them to come clean. Ross is too busy trying to land Ugly Naked Guy’s apartment. But he eventually becomes the final friend to find out about his sister and best friend in the memorable closing scene.

Now that we’ve looked at the 20 best Friends episodes, it’s time to look at the 20 worst. So why does “The One with the Girl from Poughkeepsie” make the list? Well, perhaps it’s because most of the friends aren’t exactly showing their best sides. Joey once again proves you should hire him at your peril. Ross ends up two-timing a girl he doesn’t like and another who lives hours away. And Chandler ruins Rachel’s plans for a Christmas romance.

“The One with Ross’s Step Forward” is a prime example of why the older Geller sibling is often seen as the worst friend. The man completely overreacts when new girlfriend Mona reveals that she wants them to send out shared holiday cards. And his attempts to let her down gently ends up with him leading her on even more. Mona gets the last laugh, though, when she makes it clear she’s not as infatuated with Ross as he thought.

Schwimmer pulls double duty in this second-season episode, playing both Ross and the doppelganger that Rachel attempts to make him jealous with. To make matters even more confusing, Russ ends up being paired off with Julie, Ross’s ex-girlfriend. Elsewhere, Monica has to deal with Fun Bobby being not so fun when he’s sober, and Joey lands the part of Dr. Drake Ramoray on Days of Our Lives.

Despite the title, Phoebe’s dad doesn’t actually show up in this season two episode. After learning that her real father isn’t a celebrated tree surgeon living in Burma but a pharmacist from New York, the ditzy blonde ropes in Chandler and Joey into tracking him down. But just as she’s about to knock on his door, she realizes that she’s not ready to meet him. This episode is also notable for featuring barista Gunther’s opening line.

It’s not just IMDb users that don’t rate this season five episode. According to Saul Austerlitz’s book Generation Friends, producers Marta Kauffman and David Crane were so unhappy with this offering that they begged NBC not to air it. The network refused, meaning that viewers got to see Ben follow in his godfather Joey’s acting footsteps, Phoebe and Monica plan a premature surprise party, and Rachel takes up the habit that she’d avoided all her life to improve her career prospects.

Seems like Friends episodes centered around Rachel’s workplace aren’t too popular. Here, Ms. Green chooses to return early from her maternity leave to prevent a new hire from taking her job at Ralph Lauren. Employment is a big theme elsewhere. Joey gets a cash-strapped Phoebe a background gig on Days of Our Lives, and Chandler starts to pursue a career in advertising. Oh, and we finally find out what Mr. Bing actually used to do: statistical analysis and data reconfiguration.

Remember the disappointment you felt when settling down to watch a new episode of Friends only to learn that it was a lazy clip show? This is actually the highest-rated of the six that helped to give the scriptwriters a bit of a break. Perhaps that’s because there’s also an important plot development in between all the scenes we’ve already seen countless times before: Chandler and Monica are moving away from Manhattan and into the suburbs.

The stain in this season eight episode’s title refers to the one Monica believes will prove that her new cleaner has thieved a pair of jeans. As it turns out, the most neurotic friend ends up accusing an entirely innocent woman. The poor cleaner also has to contend with Chandler making a pass at her. Little wonder she leaves of her own accord. And little wonder that an episode showing the Geller-Bings at their most irrational is so unloved.

This season one episode sees Monica play detective to hunt down the woman who stole her credit card. But instead of handing the thief over to police, Ms. Geller ends up becoming her friend. Monica’s brother also has his own unusual mission: find his randy pet monkey Marcel a new home. Ross refers to the San Diego Zoo during his quest, the same place that his character in Madagascar, Melman the Giraffe, believes that the animals reside in.

Rachel briefly reunites with the man she jilted at the altar in this surprising season one offering… Despite the fact he’s engaged to her bridesmaid. We can’t really see how orthodontist Barry managed to convince two women to marry him and his sleazy presence perhaps explains why this episode ranks so low. Jennifer Grey, who appeared as Jeanie in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, plays Barry’s bride-to-be, Mindy. Aniston took on this very same role in its small-screen spinoff.

This season nine episode suggests scriptwriters were running out of ideas toward Friends’ latter stages. For one thing, its main storyline revolves around a bunch of orphaned rats. Second, the on/off Rachel and Ross saga continues to dominate when the latter spots the former giving her new co-worker Gavin a kiss. They also appeared to have forgotten how Ms. Green’s surname was spelled. On her office door’s name plate, it’s been given an additional “e.”

The fourth and final episode from season one to make the worst list reveals that Phoebe is married, albeit solely for green card purposes. And the rest of the gang are also spilling secrets left, right and center with Joey disclosing he was in a blue movie and Chandler admitting to having a third nipple. Steve Zahn, who plays the surprise husband now needing a divorce, would later star opposite another friend, Jennifer Aniston, in the comedy movie Management.

Friends wasn’t entirely averse to killing off notable characters. But while grumpy neighbor Mr. Heckles and agent Estelle both died peacefully, Rachel’s boss Joanna met a surprisingly brutal end. Yes, Joanna was written out by being fatally knocked down by a car. And some fans believe that assistant Sophie’s glee the next day is a sign that she was responsible. This unusually dark story perhaps explains why “The One Where They’re Going to Party” is one of the most unpopular episodes.

John Stamos joined the long list of celeb cameos in this season nine offering as the potential sperm donor Chandler brings home from work. The man best known as Full House’s Uncle Jesse should have felt right at home on set: it was the one used on his own hit sitcom. In a busy episode, Rachel takes Joey’s girlfriend Charlie shopping, Ross attempts to land a keynote speaker gig and Phoebe briefly reunites with the man who left her for Minsk.

“The One with Phoebe’s Ex-Partner” is the lowest-ranked Friends episode that doesn’t follow the clip show format. That may be surprising considering how prominent the iconic song “Smelly Cat” is throughout. We even get to hear it on a commercial for kitty litter. Perhaps viewers didn’t appreciate the story of Joey accidentally throwing the prosthetic leg of Chandler’s new girlfriend onto a fire before running away.

As you would expect, the five least favorite Friends episodes are all trips down memory lane. In this season eight offering, a Soap Opera Digest magazine interview allows Joey the opportunity to reminisce about his years with the Central Perk gang. Mind you: we’re not sure why the reporter would be so interested in hearing about the escapades of five people whom she doesn’t know and who aren’t in the slightest bit famous.

Friends’ final ever festive episode seems like a bit of a wasted opportunity. Instead of adding one last feelgood Christmas story to the show’s canon, producers rather depressingly keep Chandler holed up at work in Tulsa. You have to pity his poor employees more than anyone, though. Not only do they learn that their Christmas bonus has been donated to the New York ballet, they also have to listen to their boss droning on about his life back home.

As the title of this clip show episode suggests, “The One with the Vows” focuses on the lead-up to Monica and Chandler’s wedding. Both parties are struggling to find the right words to say at the altar. But with a little help from their friends, the bride and the groom-to-be end up nailing it. It’s a sweet but slight way of interlinking yet more scenes from the previous six seasons.

We’d prefer to watch an actual episode of Joey’s lame-sounding TV series Mac and C.H.E.E.S.E. (Computerized Humanoid Electronically Enhanced Secret Enforcer) than yet another clip show. This sixth season episode sees Chandler forget to tell his BFF about an audition for the weird sci-fi crime drama. Cue a whole lot of reminiscing about other mistakes the friends have made. Luckily, or perhaps unluckily, Joey is then given another opportunity to star opposite a robot.

So out of the 236 episodes of Friends, it’s “The One with the Invitation” that gets the wooden spoon. Airing toward the end of season four, perhaps viewers thought producers opted for the clip show approach just a little too early. Its storyline seems a little misjudged too: Ross starts reminiscing about his relationship with Rachel just weeks before he’s due to walk down the aisle with Emily. And we all know how that turned out.