Looking for the best Friends episodes ahead of a rewatch? You've picked a good time. This weekend marks the 30th anniversary for the 90s sitcom, with the pilot episode 'The First One' airing on September 22, 1994.
To mark the occasion, we've updated this guide to the best Friends episodes with 10 more entries to total 30 for its 30th anniversary. Wondering where you can stream them? It's one of the best Max shows in the US, alongside Friends: The Reunion, an unscripted one-off reunion event that reunited the Central Perk gang for the first time since they closed the door to Monica’s apartment in 2004. For those in the UK and Australia, you can catch it on Netflix (Aussies can also find it on Stan).
All 10 seasons are worth revisiting, certainly, which is a testament to its consistency, but trying to binge all 236 episodes this weekend is... ambitious. Below, then, we've picked out our 30 best episodes of Friends, so you can stick to the highlights if you fancy a brisk rewatch to see Monica, Rachel, Phoebe, Ross, Chandler and Joey.
30. The one with the morning after (season 3, episode 16)
Proof that the show handles drama as well as comedy and especially with a relationship that earned such emotional investment from fans. After their decision to “take a break” Ross sleeps with the girl from the copy place and Rachel finds out. It’s a simple dilemma that manages to sneak comedy in as the remaining four are trapped in Monica’s bedroom with Joey eating wax to stave off hunger. The meat of the episode lies with the deftly played two-hander by Jennifer Aniston and David Schwimmer out in the living room. It's a testament to their chops that by the episode's end you'll be on the brink of tears. "This can't be it," Ross cries, determined to save their relationship, to which Rachel plainly replies "Then how come it is?"
29. The one with the routine (season 6, episode 10)
When the show looks back at Ross and Monica’s younger years it can highlight their different upbringings (see 'The One Where Ross Got High') so it’s fun to see their shared excitement over a lifelong dream. This ep captures the pair finally set to appear on Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve after Joey's roommate Janine (Elle McPherson) scores them tickets. It's a solid bit that lets Schwimmer and Cox go all-out on the physical comedy. Their attempts to get on TV – ahhh, the good old days – find them ramping up to do 'The Routine. This supposed dance number from their youth teased throughout the episode turns out to be quite the performance.
28. The one with the cop (season 5, episode 16)
Another piece of pop culture history shielded by a title that no-one ever uses – yep, this should be called 'The One When Ross Pivots'. The main storyline follows Phoebe’s dalliances with her new boyfriend, a cop played by Michael Rapaport, who she meets after scrounging his badge from the cushions at Central Perk. As is oft the case, while that plotting works to expand Phoebe’s repertoire of unusual romantic encounters it’s really the subplot about Ross’ new furniture that cements it as a classic episode. After he refuses to pay for his new couch to be delivered, he enlists Chandler and Rachel to help carry it up his narrow staircase with the instruction to "pivot!" only for it to get stuck and eventually sawn in half.
27. The one with all the poker (season 1, episode 18)
Difficult as it may be to reconcile the fact that Monica and Rachel live in that apartment, the show addresses the financial disparity within the group on several occasions. This underrated early episode finds the gang split down gender lines as the girls insist on joining the boys' poker game and lose. They enlist Monica's aunt Iris to school them which results in a hysterical smash cut to later that night when it's revealed she taught them Cross-Eyed Mary. Tension between Ross and Rachel end on a kind note after Rachel doesn't get a job callback and Ross opts to let her win her hand. Jennifer Aniston cites this as one of her favourite episodes.
26. The one with the proposal (season 6, episodes 22 and 23)
Ask anyone about the relationship in Friends and it's typically Ross and Rachel who snag all the oxygen. But really? The longest, most stable pairing in the show is Monica and Chandler and this hour-long story highlights how far they've come since the start of the series. Naturally, it doesn't start that way when Monica's ex Richard (Tom Selleck) interrupts a romantic dinner at the moment Chandler is poised to propose. Chandler's wish to surprise Monica causes him to – in typical Bing fashion – thoroughly bungle things by behaving like he doesn't wish to commit at all. Both of them realise what they truly want, leading to one of the show's most heartfelt moments as Monica proposes to Chandler in her candle-lit apartment.
25. The one where Eddie won’t go (season 2, episode 19)
Joey's success on Days of Our Lives lures him to greener pastures, leaving Chandler in a predicament with his new roommate Eddie. He's bonkers and he won't leave. After watching Chandler sleep all night the pair hash it out and Eddie agrees it's best if he departs. The next day he acts as if nothing's happened and his antics proceed to grow ever more unhinged– he steals a mannequin's head and begins dehydrating food. It's utterly bananas and made all the funnier by the sparring between Matthew Perry and Adam Goldberg, whose chemistry works beautifully. On the girls' side, we learn all about 'stealing wind' which becomes funnier each time they say it.
24. The one with all the thanksgivings (season 5, episode 8)
You cannot go wrong with a Friends holiday episode. This one discards the spirit of Thanksgiving as the gang recount their worst. Chandler's parents announce their divorce, Joey gets a turkey wedged on his head, and a throwback to the Geller's of course means Ross and Chandler's unflattering 80s hair and fashion choices, plus a revelation as we learn Monica loses weight after overhearing Chandler call her fat. Not the most progressive storyline yet we're treated to Chandler losing a toe as a result. Is it a perfect counterbalance? No, but it at least tries to make amends. The ending offers a tender moment between the pair as Chandler tells Monica he loves her. Biggest guffaws of the episode go to Phoebe who recounts her past life as a field hospital medic.
23. The one with Monica’s thunder (season 7, episode 1)
The season seven opener takes place technically the same night as the season six finale and follows Monica's beyond-excited behaviour following her engagement. Like 'The One Where No-One's Ready', this episode hooks in all main cast members and sticks close to home with the action unraveling at the apartment. This is a classic Monica episode as she struggles to share the spotlight with Ross and Rachel who lock lips when they begin to feel the pressure to settle down. Monica's line delivery as she opens the door onto their tryst, "I’m sorry, apparently I’ve opened the door to the past!" proof of Cox's sublime comedic timing.
22. The one with two parts (season 1, episodes 16 and 17)
Crossover episodes are not uncommon but back during season one it felt like an event. The blackout earlier in the season rippled through two other shows on NBC's slate, and this season closer repeats that riff. In the first episode, we meet Phoebe's sister Ursula who originated on the show Mad About You, which featured Kudrow as the no-nonsense waitress. Even more fun is watching Helen Hunt and Leila Kenzie drop into Central Perk and mistake Phoebe for her sister. And, they're not the only big names to make an appearance. Monica and Rachel wind up at the hospital and enter an ongoing insurance bit with a nurse, before bumping into George Clooney and Noah Wyle at the peak of their time on E.R.
21. The one with the race car bed (season 3, episode 7)
A personal favourite of this writer lands early in season three when the series is at its energetic peak – all of the six leads are at the top of their game. And that leads to a sublime mash of physical comedy. Thanks to Phoebe and Joey's tomfoolery, they accidentally accept a race bed delivery for Monica, who karmically gets hers after she purchased it from Janice's ex. "This is not the bed I ordered," she says, aghast at the bright red plastic car, to which Phoebe responds "I know, you must have won a contest or something!" It's a novelty that's just the right side of silly to counter the developing tensions in Ross and Rachel’s fledgling relationship.
20. The One With Ross’ Tan (season 10, episode 3)
This episode offers a classic example of Ross’ academic mind getting in the way of a simple task. After noticing Monica’s bronzed complexion, Ross decides to also pay a visit to the spray-on tan place. Typical of Ross, he botches it and spends the episode getting increasingly more tanned until he looks downright ridiculous. Even in its final season, the show commits to slapstick silliness here brilliantly with Schwimmer acting the clown. Guest star Jennifer Coolidge also crushes it as Phoebe and Monica’s old pal. Points to the show, too, for wrapping up the late-in-the-day Rachel and Joey romance on a tender note.
19. The One With Unagi (season 6, episode 17)
Phoebe and Rachel take a self-defense class, which Ross scoffs at. He believes their skills to be no match for his own ‘ka-ra-tay’ and supposed mastery of the ancient concept of Unagi, a “a total state of awareness” which actually means eel. That doesn’t stop Ross from trying to prove he’s an ultimate badass, but the girls get their own back on him in a hysterical jump scare. Rachel’s line delivery of “Ah, salmon skin roll” is the episode's highlight.
18. The One With All The Cheesecakes (season 7, episode 11)
It’s a shame we didn’t get more Rachel and Chandler episodes, since Jennifer Aniston and Matthew Perry played off of each other so well. In this one, the pair unite over a cheesecake Chandler finds in the hallway that’s the best either of them has ever tasted. Alas, it ends up on the floor, with the two picking at it with forks in a classic Friends moment. Meanwhile, Phoebe and Joey’s side story – involving the return of Phoebe's former lover David (Hank Azaria) – reveals a tender and kind moment between the two that the typically 'silly' duo of the show seldom have.
17. The One Where Ross Finds Out (season 2, episode 7)
A must-see episode in the Ross and Rachel journey. Having finally given up on Ross now that he’s dating Julie, Rachel gets winedrunk on a date who inspires her to seek closure. She leaves Ross a drunken voicemail confessing that she’s now “over him.” In one of the show’s perfect setups, he plays back the message with a hungover Rachel nearby. The episode ends with the pair kissing in the rain outside of Central Perk. It's an iconic image that’s cemented in the Friends canon as a pivotal moment in their relationship – and indeed, it comes up in the reunion special.
16. The One With All The Resolutions (season 5, episode 11)
The gang makes New Year’s resolutions, perfect fodder for some truly great gags that tie together several story strands while never scrimping on comedy. That said, this really should be called 'The One With Ross’ Leather Pants', as it’s his storyline that everyone remembers (that moment comes up in the reunion special, too). Vowing to try something new every day he dons his new leather pants on a first date, but gets too hot so escapes to the bathroom to cool off. With his leather pants around his ankles, legs spackled in lotion and powder paste... Ross creates a look.
15. The One With The Jellyfish (season 4, episode 1)
This big episode wraps up the season 3 finale cliffhanger – will Ross end up with Rachel or Bonnie? As it turns out, neither. Ross falls asleep reading an 18-page letter from Rachel (“Front and back!”) and mistakenly agrees to take responsibility for all their previous problems, birthing the iconic “We were on a break!” line. Elsewhere, unconventional seeds of Monica and Chandler’s relationship are planted through him peeing on her jellyfish sting. The biggest heart moment here is when Phoebe meets her birth mom, in a twist no one saw coming.
14. The One With The Rumor (season 8, episode 9)
This episode is best known as 'The Thanksgiving One With Brad Pitt'. Jennifer Aniston’s then-husband appears as Ross and Monica’s friend Will, who Rachel bullied all throughout high school. It’s revealed that Will co-created the 'I Hate Rachel Green' club, and is dismayed to learn that its co-founder, Ross, is the father of Rachel’s child. Pitt’s turn is great as the seething, resentful Will. And, while the rumor the club spreads about Rachel is in poor taste, Joey’s insistence on eating an entire turkey adds that familiar Friends holiday feeling.
13. The One After the Superbowl (season 2, episodes 12 and 13)
Season 2 welcomed a slew of guest stars and crammed most of them into this star-studded and memorable two-parter. The wraparound story involves the fictional Outbreak 2 shooting on the streets of Manhattan, where Ross tries to reconnect with his monkey, Marcel. Meanwhile, Monica and Rachel chat up Jean Claude Van Damme, who tries to ensconce Monica into a threesome with Drew Barrymore. Elsewhere, Phoebe dates Chris Isaak briefly, Joey gets stalked by a fan played by Brooke Shields, and Chandler encounters Susie, played by Julia Roberts, who agrees to date him despite their rough playground history.
12. The One With Chandler in the Box (season 4, episode 8)
Chandler kisses Joey’s girlfriend, Cathy, and as “punishment” he spends Thanksgiving in a box. That’s Joey logic for you. Joey changes his mind at the last second as Chandler waves goodbye to Cathy (with one finger through a hole), realizing how much the two care for one another. Meanwhile, Monica invites Richard’s son to dinner and things get weird, leading her to dispense this classic comeback: “Fine, fine, judge all you want. But – married a lesbian, left a man at the altar, fell in love with a gay ice dancer, threw a girl’s wooden leg in a fire, live in a box!” Vintage Friends.
11. The One With The Fertility Test (season 9, episode 21)
Monica and Chandler’s infertility made for a truly great storyline that arced over several seasons. Friends bungled sensitive topics frequently over its ten years, but the Bings’ family planning was handled deftly, starting with this episode. The pair share a final moment closing out the episode that’s one of the gentlest, most compassionate of the series. Speaking of, Ross’ compassion makes a rare appearance when he helps Joey plan the perfect date for Charlie. A sweet episode.
10. The One with the Flashback (season 3, episode 6)
Friends dabbled with flashbacks aplenty over the years. We catch a glimpse in the season 2 prom video, but this is the first dedicated episode, prompted when Janice asks the gang if any of them have ever almost slept together. What results is a historical tapestry of moments with the six. Back when Central Perk was a bar, Ross and Phoebe made out on the pool table, Chandler and Rachel almost did the same, and Monica and Joey… had a misunderstanding about inviting someone in for lemonade.
9. The One Where Everybody Finds Out (season 5, episode 14)
Everyone except for Ross learns that Monica and Chandler are together, yet no one will admit out loud to the other that they know, prompting one of the show’s silliest competitions of sexy chicken. Phoebe pretends to hit on Chandler, he pretends to like it, resulting in an awkward showdown where they’re each trying to outlast the other. What’s perfect is Chandler’s breaking point, when he cries out that he can’t do it because he loves Monica.
8. The One With Joey’s New Brain (season 7, episode 15)
Joey learns how to play a bitchy mom when his Days of our Lives character Dr. Drake Ramoray emerges from his coma, following a brain transplant. Snagging Susan Sarandon to play his soap co-star still doesn’t top the best part of this episode. The b-plot has Ross learning how to play “Celebration” on the bagpipes as a surprise for Monica and Chandler’s wedding. He shows the gang his progress, and asks them all to join in and sing along, prompting one of the series’ funniest moments as Phoebe screeches to imitate the bagpipes. Lisa Kudrow is laugh-out-loud hysterical in this sequence.
7. The One With the East German Laundry Detergent (season 1, episode 5)
'The One Where Ross Finds Out' is considered to be where Ross and Rachel first kiss, but technically? It’s this one. Rachel plants one on the flustered paleontologist after her first-time success at the laundromat. Elsewhere, Chandler struggles breaking up with Janice after guzzling countless espressos then accidentally swatting her in the face. In classic Friends fashion, Joey convinces Monica to double-date with his ex and her new man, but tells Monica they are siblings.
6. The One With the Prom Video (season 2, episode 14)
The gang gather to watch Monica and Rachel’s prom night video, shakily lensed by Jack Geller, where we learn Ross was going to take Rachel to the prom when her date failed to show. The back and forth between Ross and Rachel feels dizzying in the first half of season 2. It finally reaches its apex when, despite having shunned him when he made a pros and cons list, Rachel changes her mind about Ross immediately upon seeing the tape. She walks slowly to him, and they kiss. Aw.
5. The One With the Football (season 3, episode 9)
Of all the Thanksgiving episodes Friends gave us over the years, this one spends the most time outside of Monica’s kitchen – although her trusty timer makes a repeated appearance. Inspired by the football on TV, the gang ventures to the park for a friendly game which swiftly grows competitive. Ross and Monica’s childhood rivalry emerges when they introduce the gang to the coveted Geller Cup, a vile troll-looking memento. The game features excellent plays, including Phoebe’s circle around Ross and Rachel flapping the ball away from her. Although Monica wins with her cruel motivational barb: “Come on you hairy-backed Marys!”
4. The One Where Ross Got High (Season 6, Episode 9)
Arguably the best Friends Thanksgiving episode which, like Rachel’s catastrophic beef trifle, is packed with layers. The early stages of Monica and Chandler’s romance is milked to maximum effect, here, as Chandler tries to win over the Gellers but accidentally tells them that Ross got high as a teen and pinned it on him. The “meet the parents” schtick takes a backseat once Ross and Monica’s sibling bickering kicks into gear. A slew of revelations come forth as they out-tattle each other. Christine Pickles' Judy Geller steals the show in the genuinely laugh-out-loud climax where Rachel also learns that she wasn’t supposed to put mince in the dessert.
3. The One Where No-One’s Ready (season 3, episode 2)
A bottle episode to rival them all. 'The One Where No-One’s Ready' unravels at Monica’s apartment on the night of an important work engagement for Ross. His worries over being late sends the night into a shambles. Chandler and Joey engage in a tussle over a chair, which spirals into a fight over clothes, ending in Joey lunging in Chandler’s entire wardrobe. Monica breezes in and embarks on a voicemail game with her ex Richard’s answering machine, while Phoebe’s dress gets hummus stained, Rachel takes umbrage with Ross’ snippy tone... and in short? Everything falls apart, Ross gets annoyed and it’s hilarious.
2. The One With the Blackout (season 1, episode 7)
A season 1 classic. This action-light episode showcases the series’ gift for sharp, relatable humor as the city falls under a blackout. Ross, Rachel, Monica, Joey, and Phoebe hang out at the apartment, where we first learn of Phoebe’s skill for on-the-fly songwriting (“New York City has no power, and the milk is going sour, but to me that is not scary, ‘cause I stay away from dairy”) and Ross’ feelings for Rachel. But it’s all about Chandler, who spends the whole episode stuck in an ATM vestibule with Victoria’s Secret model, Jill Goodacre. A segment so good it gave us the unforgettable line: “Gum would be perfection.”
1. The One With The Embryos (season 4, episode 12)
This should be called 'The One With The Housemate Trivia'. The best episode of the series begins, like all the other greats, with an innocent wager between Monica and Rachel and Joey and Chandler, and escalates into a trivia game designed by Ross. It’s here we learn of Joey’s imaginary childhood friend Maurice, of Miss Chanadler Bong, and that no one really knows what Chandler’s job is. That last one loses the girls their apartment, prompting much bickering. But Phoebe’s good news at the end of the episode cuts through any bitterness, as she announces she’s pregnant. It's still a true classic, all these years later.
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