“Friends” at 25 (Part IV): The One with the Episode Rankings
The first season of Friends ended 25 years ago this month and it returned to streaming via HBO Max today. Thus, there was no better time for me to give my picks for the 25 best episodes of the show’s epic 10 season, 236 episode run (and name the 5 episodes I always avoid).
Author’s Note: This is the fourth part of a five-part series on the legacy of Friends as it reaches its silver anniversary. Click here for Part I, where I analyze the show’s pop culture legacy. Click here for Part II, in which I delve into what the show meant to me personally. Click here for Part III, where I take a deep dive into the classic Thanksgiving episodes. Click here for Part V, where I rank the best acting performances on the series. For my recap of the reunion special that aired in 2021, click here.
The 25 Greatest Episodes of Friends
I have rewatched the series in its entirety three times — its original run, on DVD in 2007, and on Netflix in 2018. Along the way, I meticulously catalogued, graded, and ranked the episodes and have revisited my favorites on dozens of occasions. Below is my ranking of the best 25. I have made a concerted effort to avoid ranking episodes based on the funniest scene or the best twist and instead evaluate them as a whole taking writing, directing, and acting into account.
25.) “The One Where Rachel Has a Baby (Parts 1 & 2)” (Season 8). The eighth season finale is slightly blemished by the contrived, unrealistic cliffhanger where Joey proposes to Rachel, but everything before that is masterful. The method by which Monica and Chandler come to the realization that they are ready to have a baby is expertly handled, and Courteney Cox Arquette and Matthew Perry pull it off beautifully. The succession of five couples that go into labor while Rachel is slowly dilating are truly hilarious, culminating in the ultimate surprise: the arrival of Janice, which is milked to comic perfection. And then there’s the scene where they all meet baby Emma for the first time. It is pure perfection; full of deep laughs and appropriate sentiment. (Note: This is the episode that won Jennifer Aniston the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series.)
24.) “The One Where Monica Gets a Roommate” (Season 1). Many mock the show’s pilot for being dated and slow, but I actually think it is quite remarkable. Sure, it has its problems, but far more that works that doesn’t and it is fascinating to rewatch to see the seeds being planted. Chandler, Phoebe, and Joey are treated as almost completely one-dimensional, but all of the actors — especially Perry — deliver stellar one-liners that are made possible by an excellent script written by series creators David Crane and Marta Kaufman. What is really effective here is the beautifully orchestrated setup of the Ross-Rachel dynamic, which is laid out beautifully from the start and performed with genuine awkwardness and tenderness by Jennifer Aniston and David Schwimmer, who truly shine here. Looking back on this episode, which was helmed by sitcom maestro James Burrows (Cheers), it’s amazing that so many of us doubted what a phenomenon it would become.
23.) “The One with the Proposal (Parts 1 & 2)” (Season 6). This episode has a somewhat slow first half that features the cheaply executed demise of Ross’s age-inappropriate relationship with college student Elizabeth and a very funny but silly and padded charity auction subplot with Rachel, Phoebe, and Joey. However, Ross, Joey, Phoebe, and Rachel are hilarious in their subplot in the second half as they get jealous over Monica and Chandler’s impending marriage and subsequently make backup plans. And then there’s the main plotline: Chandler’s plan to propose to Monica. The convoluted twists and turns that it takes are made brilliant and touching by three fantastic performances by Courteney Cox Arquette, Matthew Perry, and Tom Selleck, who returns here as Monica’s ex Richard. The final proposal scene and the final credits scene showing Monica and Chandler silently dancing to “Wonderful Tonight” is one of the most poignant moments in the show’s history.
22.) “The One Where Rachel is Late” (Season 8). The penultimate episode of the show’s reinvigorated 8th season is a remarkable showcase for Jennifer Aniston’s comic talents. She is truly hilarious as she starts to lose her sanity as her due date comes and goes and she has yet to go into labor. The brief scene in which she tries to seduce Ross to induce labor is one of the most hilarious the show has ever filmed. The subplots are also wonderful, with Joey and Chandler delving into Chandler’s support of Joey’s career over the years and Monica and Phoebe at their most devious as they bet on Rachel’s pregnancy.
21.) “The One with the Football” (Season 3). This rib-tickling outing is far from its most mature, but it is certainly one of its funniest and most iconic. Ultimately one extended scene, this inventive outing takes place entirely within the context of a game of touch football and truly established the Friends Thanksgiving episode as an annual tradition. Monica and Ross are hilariously competitive, Chandler and Joey are hilariously cocky, and Rachel and Phoebe are hilariously naïve in this hilarious outing.
20.) “The Last One (Parts 1 & 2)” (Season 10). Repeated viewings do wonders for this finale, which somehow managed to live up to deafening hype. Sure, Joey’s big move to Hollywood could have been set up (although given how poorly his spinoff performed, maybe it’s good that it wasn’t) and Phoebe could have been treated as more than a sideshow. There also could have been fewer lapses in logic (e.g., the whereabouts of Emma are inconsistent from the previous episode, the fact that Monica and Chandler took the twins home hours after they were born, the fact that Rachel would be able to get on and off an international flight so easily). However, everything that needed to happen in the finale did, with the three key relationships of the series gaining closure. Chandler and Joey bonded one last time, over chicks, ducks, and foosball. Monica and Chandler were thrust into parenthood with twins who they would now raise in the suburbs. And Ross and Rachel reunited in a hilarious and dramatically rich, albeit contrived, manner. What elevates this to classic level despite its flaws are the stellar final two scenes. From Rachel and Ross’s gut-wrenching reunion to the returning of the keys to the last group trip to Central Perk to the final elegiac camera glance around the now empty apartment, Friends ended its ten-year run with class, style, and complete and utter respect for the hole it was going to leave in its loyal fans’ hearts.
19.) “The One with the Morning After” (Season 3). This dramatically wrenching episode locks Phoebe, Monica, Joey, and Chandler in Monica’s bedroom and puts them in the same position as the viewer: left there to watch helplessly as Ross and Rachel’s relationship dissolves before their eyes. David Schwimmer and Jennifer Aniston play the episode absolutely flawlessly as an incisive script explores the myriad dimensions of the ever-complicated dynamic that led to this point, which ushered “we were on a break” into the national lexicon. The episode soars when Rachel and Ross are in the thick of things and it becomes as dramatically potent an episode as this show would ever produce.
18.) “The One with all the Resolutions” (Season 5). This hilarious farcical outing has nary a dull moment as each of the Friends tries to keep their New Year’s resolutions. Although Monica’s picture taking is disposable and only good for a laugh or two, Ross’s “new thing” each day results in unforgettable physical comedy regarding a pair of leather pants, Joey and Phoebe’s desire to learn something new results in a series of hilarious scenes, and Rachel’s resolution not to gossip is put to the test when she finally finds out about Monica and Chandler’s secret affair. It is not nearly as monumental as most of the others on this list, but everything works in this crisply witty, well-written outing.
17.) “The One Where the Stripper Cries” (Season 10). This late-series classic features an absolutely hilarious flashback sequence to Ross and Chandler’s college days, with the jaw-droppingly hilarious revelation in the final scene that Chandler and Rachel kissed … and Monica and Ross did, too. In the present, Danny DeVito turns in an absolutely hilarious guest turn as the stripper for Phoebe’s bachelorette party and Joey’s gut-busting (albeit absurd) stint as a contestant on Pyramid make this one of the best episodes of the show’s later years.
16.) “The One with Ross’s Wedding (Parts 1 & 2)” (Season 4). This monumental episode is at once the best two-part episode Friends ever made, its best season finale, and simply one of its best. Every character gets the chance to shine as Ross realizes what it means to be a good fiancée, Joey learns what it’s like to be homesick, Chandler and Monica sink into depression and each other’s arms, Rachel realizes that she is still in love with Ross, and Phoebe tries to keep everyone involved from calamity (despite being in her third trimester and an ocean away). Augmenting the excellent performances of the main cast are a series of hilarious guest appearances, including the brilliant work done by the actors portraying the Waltham family as well as the always welcome appearance of Monica and Ross’s parents Jack and Judy Gellar. The hilarious union of Chandler and Monica is a bona fine jaw-dropping shocker and, albeit predictable in general, the fallout of Rachel’s rush to London is poignant, beautiful, and expertly executed. On top of all this, the globe-trotting event episode is kept firmly attached to its roots by Kudrow, who literally phones it in, while holed up in Monica’s apartment pregnant, allowing the actress to do some of her most skillful comedic work of the show. (She won a much deserved Emmy for this performance.)
15.) “The One with the Lottery” (Season 9). This absolutely hilarious, change-of-pace episode sees the whole ensemble shine as they wait to hear the results of Powerball lottery after pooling their money and buying a ton of tickets. The farcical setup plays out while more substantive things occur, such as Chandler waiting to hear about a job and what may or may not be Emma’s first word (gleeba). This is one of the sharpest written and overall funniest episodes of the show’s run.
14.) “The One with all the Poker” (Season 1). This classic episode benefits from bringing all six characters into one room for almost the entire episode and a script that features a season’s worth of one-liners. When the great script is combined with four pitch-perfect comedic supporting performances and two highly skilled lead performances from David Schwimmer and Jennifer Aniston, whose dance toward seduction takes an interesting detour during a “battle of the sexes” poker war, the show’s first true masterpiece is created.
13.) “The One with the Cake” (Season 10). This absolutely hilarious episode is easily the best of the final season. Rachel tries desperately to have the perfect birthday party for Emma but several things go wrong, including an obscene mixup with a cake order and everyone growing bitter and restless as Emma’s nap continues endlessly. It features great work from the entire ensemble (including Jack and Judy Gellar) and a poignant final scene.
12.) “The One with the Rumor” (Season 8). Not only is this one of the show’s best Thanksgiving episodes, it is also their best use of an A-list guest star. Although he comes off a bit awkward at first, Brad Pitt (who was married to Jennifer Aniston at the time) warms up to the role quickly and he is cleverly used as a catalyst to expose dark secrets from Ross and Rachel’s past. His chemistry with the group is great, especially with Lisa Kudrow who is fantastic comic relief as Phoebe lusts after him hilariously.
11.) “The One Where Ross Finds Out” (Season 2). Another masterpiece focused on an emotionally charged development in the Ross and Rachel affair, this one features Rachel attempting to move on by going on a hilariously bad date, in which she gets drunk and inadvertently leaves Ross a message revealing her feelings for him. This leads to a series of showdowns and ultimately a kiss that allow David Schwimmer and Jennifer Aniston to deliver tour-de-force, award-caliber performances that run the gamut from slapstick to dramatic power. The episode’s other two subplots are hilarious as well: Phoebe’s attempt to get her new boyfriend to put out and Monica’s attempts to get Chandler in shape. This episode manages to be both a gut-buster and an emotional powerhouse, a rare balance that few shows can strike.
10.) “The One Where No One’s Ready” (Season 3). This farcical outing takes place largely in real time (the first and only time the show tried this conceit) and features one of the sharpest scripts of the show’s history. Each character does fantastic work as they all meander while getting ready for an awards banquet honoring Ross. Joey and Chandler’s fight over the couch is filled with some of the most memorable lines of the show’s run, Monica’s obsessing over a phone message she left for Richard leads to a hilarious resolution, and Ross and Rachel’s fight is expertly performed (“You were going to drink the fat!”). This is one of the best episodes of the show’s run and one of the few times that Friends attempts (and subsequently achieves) farce.
9.) “The One with Ross’s Inappropriate Song” (Season 9). By far the greatest episode of the ninth season, this smashing classic features one of Lisa Kudrow’s finest hours. Her Katharine Hepburn impersonation while meeting Mike’s parents make for some of her character’s best moments. What makes this a masterpiece, however, is that the two other storylines are acted and written with equal brilliance and given the perfect amount of screen time. When Chandler and Monica’s feelings regarding Richard come out over a sex tape and Ross and Rachel can only make Emma laugh by rapping Sir Mix-A-Lot, the laughs soar.
8.) “The One with Chandler in a Box” (Season 4). One of the series’ most touching episodes is also another Thanksgiving masterpiece that features a flawless script and two of the best plots of the show’s run. The first has Chandler spending Thanksgiving in a wooden box to make up for how he hurt Joey, a plotline that shows a great dynamic of their relationship and has some heartbreaking emotion. The second is played strictly for laughs and finds Monica (in an eye patch) lusting after Richard’s son, which elicits some of the greatest one-liners of season four (and that’s saying a lot considering the Grade-A writing that dominated the show’s best season). Even the show’s third subplot — Ross realizing that Rachel returned every gift he’s ever given her — is milked for great comic and dramatic effect.
7.) “The One with the Videotape” (Season 8). This classic episode has intersecting stories that work beautifully. The mystery of whether Ross or Rachel initiated the sexual encounter that led to Emma’s conception is unraveled through Joey revealing his ploy to seduce women, a sex tape that was filmed accidentally, and a secret alias. All of these threads eventually intersect in an exceptionally clever manner. The whole cast is on point, the revelations are hilarious, and the final scene in which Rachel and Ross watch their accidental sex tape is a true classic.
6.) “The One Where Ross Got High” (Season 6). Easily one of the funniest episodes of the show’s entire run, this terrifically crafted outing features one of the series’ finest scripts and rises to a frenzied climax that contains some of the most memorable dialogue in Friends history. Another Thanksgiving masterpiece, everything works here as Phoebe develops a crush on Jack, Rachel makes the world’s worst dessert (“It takes like feet!”), Joey tries to figure out a way to spend time with his hot roommate, and — most memorably — Monica and Chandler find out why her parents hate Chandler. Every moment of this episode is classic stuff, particularly the scathing Judy Geller monologue that brings it all together at the episode’s end.
5.) “The One with All the Thanksgivings” (Season 5). Not only is this the show’s best Thanksgiving episode, but it’s one of its very best overall. Not everyone loves the flashback episodes and many rightfully take issue with “Fat Monica” but for me everything in this ambitious outing works perfectly both comically and narratively. As the gang reminisces on past Thanksgivings everyone gets moments of hilarious physical comedy: Phoebe reliving her past lives as a war nurse, Joey getting a turkey stuck on his head, Rachel and Ross’s embarrassing high school days, and — in one of the show’s most memorable sequences to date — the origin of Monica and Chandler’s flirtation over a decade before.
4.) “The One with the Prom Video” (Season 2). This astounding episode may just have been the one that pushed the show from mega-popular hit show to widely revered cultural landmark. Chandler and Joey’s bracelet buddies subplot is written and played with hilarious fervor despite being merely a distraction from the episode’s true mission — getting Ross and Rachel together once and for all. They get together through the clever plot device of the recovery of a home video depicting Monica and Rachel getting ready for the prom. Courteney Cox Arquette, Jennifer Aniston, and David Schwimmer fully embrace their amusingly hideous costumes and makeup as they show us a glimpse of what the friends were like long before the camera started rolling. Cementing its masterpiece status is the final scene where Rachel tenderly yet aggressively kisses an embarrassed Ross, a scene that still gives me goose bumps after all these years.
3.) “The One with Ross’s New Girlfriend” (Season 2). This episode rarely makes the “Best of Friends” lists, but it is a personal favorite of mine that I find only gets better with age. Each of the three storylines is hilarious. Phoebe cutting Monica’s hair like Dudley Moore instead of Demi Moore elicits countless laughs, showcasing the brilliance of Lisa Kudrow. The “very bad” tailor storyline brings out the best from the three guys, especially Matthew Perry and Matt LeBlanc and features some of the most memorable lines in the show’s history. And then there’s the fallout from last season’s cliffhanger, where Rachel finally realized Ross was in love with her and went to greet him at the airport, only to realize he fell in love with someone else during his trip. The episode features what may be Jennifer Aniston’s greatest performance on the show. Her explosive performance in the first two scenes alone eclipse anything she had done to date and should have earned her an Emmy.
2.) “The One with the Embryos” (Season 4). Perhaps the most iconic episode of the show’s run, it is also among the finest episodes of television comedy in history. It centers on the trivia game that pits Monica and Rachel versus Joey and Chandler in a battle of who knows who better. Not only does the game reveal absolutely hilarious personal information in witty, rapid-fire dialogue but it also exposes many nuances of the characters and their inter-relationships. As the stakes are raised and the tension increases, Phoebe begins the surrogacy process in a subplot that garners its own share of laughs but has enough heart to counterbalance the farcical antics of the rest of the gang.
1.) “The One Where Everybody Finds Out” (Season 5). In the seven decade history of the situation comedy, few episodes hold a candle to this one. This flawlessly written, directed, and acted farce features the fallout from Phoebe finding out that Monica and Chandler are having an affair and employing Rachel in an all out war to “out” their relationship. Every joke of the story line works and it leads to a deduction showdown between Chandler and Phoebe that should have garnered them both Emmys. Ross’s storyline — the episode’s sole subplot — is hilariously executed as it ties in the oft-mentioned Ugly Naked Guy, Ross’s sabbatical from the museum due to his rage issues, and the Monica-Chandler storyline in exceedingly clever fashion. I have seen this episode literally dozens of times and it never fails to make me laugh hysterically.
BONUS: 5 Episodes I Always Avoid. Clearly, I love Friends. But that doesn’t mean they didn’t produce a few stinkers along the way. Here are a few of the worst offenders.
“The One with Russ” (Season Two). Although the other two subplots are just fine, this episode produces one of the most ill-conceived and poorly executed subplots in the show’s history: Rachel unintentionally dating an identical clone of Ross (played unconvincingly by David Schwimmer).
“The One with Ross’s Thing” (Season Three). This episode includes one of the worst arcs in the show’s history (Monica’s billionaire boyfriend Pete trying to become the Ultimate Fighting Champion) and one of the most icky and pointless subplots (Ross having a bizarre growth on his butt). Lisa Kudrow does her damnedest to salvage things with her subplot, but it is clear how much the writers were grasping at straws by this point in Season Three.
“The One with the Mugging” (Season Nine). When Monica walks in the room wearing a sweatshirt with a question mark on it, she symbolizes the viewers’ question: What the hell is going on? Between Matt LeBlanc’s painful overacting (and ridiculous storyline that ends with him peeing on Jeff Goldblum) and the unrealistic and more-sad-than-funny mugging storyline between Phoebe and Ross, this is a really painful outing.
“The One Where Ross is Fine” (Season Ten). David Schwimmer gives the single worst performance in the ten-year history of Friends in this cringe-inducing outing, where he tries to show Joey and Rachel how fine he is with their new relationship by drunkenly hosting a dinner party for the two couples. Equally over the top is Giovanni Ribisi, whose storyline finds Frank Jr. trying to give Phoebe one of the triplets in what was supposed to be a clever homage to the classic birth episode, but instead falls flat.
“The One Where Joey Speaks French” (Season Ten). I know my hatred for this episode is not universally shared (based on how often I see it get the meme treatment, I assume some people like it), but when Joey is incapable of repeating simple French words uttered by Phoebe, leading to her having to tell the casting director that he is intellectually disabled, the dumbing down of Joey hits an all-time low, so low that it makes his depth in season eight (and the fact that anyone thought a spinoff would be a good idea) incomprehensible. Also failing is the Ross-Rachel sympathy sex subplot, which yielded no laughs and a forced, unrealistic renewal of sexual tension between the legendary couple.
Thankfully, generating a list of stinkers was much, much harder than generating a list of masterpieces.
Check out recent articles by this author on the second seasons of streaming hits Dead to Me and Homecoming and the recent series finales of Schitt’s Creek, Modern Family, Will & Grace, Homeland, and How to Get Away with Murder.
