A Look at the Iconic Sitcom’s Best
Friends had an outstanding 10-season run that television networks dream of. Fortunately for NBC, such dreams were a reality as it had Friends, Seinfeld, Frasier, and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air running all at once in the mid-90s. The range and differences between the shows prevented them from being in direct competition with one another. This is an apt demonstration of the creativity that existed in the era. Utilizing a fun naming convention for the episodes, Friends created some of the most all-time quirky and loveable characters in television history.
Through 235 episodes, the writers of Friends took audiences on a journey of laughter, love, hijinks, tears, quotables, heartache, and, of course, friendship. Out of fan-favorite episodes, “The One with All the Thanksgivings” comes to mind for its relationship development and the hilarious imagery of a turkey stuck on someone’s head. “The One with Ross’s Wedding” delivers one of the series’ most memorable two-parters that helped forge the bonds that grew throughout the show. “The One Where Ross is Fine” served as a resounding assertion that the show still had the magic, even in its final season.
5. S6.E25 – The One with the Proposal: Part 2
One of the themes in the writing for Friends is efficiency. Yes, some finales and other stories were told in two episodes, but for the most part, the show was able to accomplish so much in roughly twenty-minute episodes. “The One with the Proposal: Part 2” concludes the highly anticipated engagement between Chandler and Monica. Their love story technically began in their teens and had its share of twists and turns – all the way up to the proposal itself. The foreshadowing of their romance began in the Emmy-nominated episode from Season 1, “The One with the Birth.” When Ross has his first child, Monica begins fretting over her life’s trajectory and fearing she may die alone and childless. Chandler casually offers a pact to Monica that would see the two married should they both be unwed by 40. They share a touching moment in the episode while Chandler consoles her during her exasperation.
In Part 1 of “The One with the Proposal,” Chandler’s plans to propose to Monica during a romantic evening are thwarted by the coincidental appearance of her ex-boyfriend, Richard (played by Tom Selleck (Blue Bloods, Magnum, P.I.). Postponing his plans, Chandler looks to maintain the facade he’s still opposed to marriage. The plan somewhat backfires as Richard professes his love for Monica, which stayed with him throughout their time apart. In addition to his love, Richard asserts he’s ready for marriage and a family. While Monica is torn about how to handle the situation, Joey fills her in on Chandler’s plan, which prompts her to propose to Chandler instead. The characters catch themselves in quite the whirlwind as everything occurs in a single day.
4. S2.E14 – The One with the Prom Video
Friends had always been able to deliver classic moments, even in its earlier seasons. It’s no surprise that the show captivated audiences for a decade. Season 2 delivered “The One with the Prom Video,” which serves as a massive milestone in the love story between Ross and Rachel. Although there have been plenty of memorable slow-burns in television history, Ross and Rachel’s romance stands apart. Known for its heartache, endearment, ups and downs, and eventual long-awaited triumph, the love story arguably overshadows that of Mulder and Scully from The X-Files and even Jim and Pam from The Office.
While recovering from one of their breakups, Ross expresses his dismay to Phoebe, who, in turn, offers consolation. She predicts Ross and Rachel will ultimately end up together and likens them to lobsters who’ve found their lifemates. Ross, perhaps more amused with Phoebe’s words than comforted, continues to wallow. To second the record straight, lobsters don’t actually mate for life, but the popularity of the episode and sentiment led to the myth being propagated for years. When the gang finds a home video of Monica and Rachel’s prom, they see a younger Ross’ valiant effort to take Rachel to prom after her date appears to be a no-show. However, before Ross can complete his grand gesture, Rachel’s date finally shows up, which leaves her blissfully unaware of what Ross has done. Upon seeing the tape, Rachel is overcome with emotion and ends the episode in Ross’ arms as they share a heartfelt kiss. “See? He’s her lobster.”
3. S4.E12 – The One with the Embryos
Although the episode doesn’t advance the overall plot in a meaningful way, “The One with the Embryos” earned a spot for casual and die-hard fans alike through its fun, engaging dialogue and an outrageous premise that sees Monica and Rachel switching apartments with Chandler and Joey after losing a bet.
In an attempt to force Chandler and Joey to give up their pet chicken and pet duck, the girls put up their apartment in a high-stakes bet centered around a game show-type contest hosted by Ross. As host of the quiz game, Ross develops questions about each contestant’s personal life that a member of the opposing team must answer. The categories end up being “Fears & Pet Peeves,” “Ancient History,” “Literature,” and “It’s All Relative.” The questions and subsequent answers provide novel humor as the characters vie to prove who knows more about one another. The seemingly drastic change to the show is undone seven episodes later when Monica and Rachel trick the boys into going to a Knicks game while they switch the apartments back. “What is Chandler Bing’s Job?”
In Phoebe’s world, she has decided to be a surrogate for the child(ren) of her brother Frank (Giovanni Ribisi) and his wife Alice (Debra Jo Rupp). The Friends production team was put to the test as they had to contend with Lisa Kudrow’s (Phoebe) real-life pregnancy. Indeed, it was not the first series to contend with similar situations, so the producers opted to develop a storyline featuring Phoebe carrying a pregnancy to term. How I Met Your Mother dealt with the situation in its fourth season when two prominent cast members, Cobie Smulders and Alyson Hannigan, became pregnant. Contrary to the Friends approach, the show featured the actresses in baggy clothes and used props such as large purses, globes, or pumpkins to conceal the pregnancies.
2. S5.E14 – The One Where Everybody Finds Out
“The One Where Everybody Finds Out” has been praised by both fans and critics to this day, and it has earned two Emmy nominations. The episode saw director Michael Lembeck nominated for Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series and Alexa Junge nominated for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series. Lembeck and Junge lent their talents to the show for an extended period, contributing to dozens of episodes. Junge also earned another nomination for the episode from the Writers Guild of America in Episodic Comedy. The episode is the second-highest rated of the entire series, and for good reason.
In a pivotal moment for one of the most beloved on-screen relationships. As the title implies, all the friends find out about Chandler and Monica’s romance after it has been a secret since the end of Season 4. The event becomes quite a spectacle as everyone except Joey finds out in a shocking fashion. Despite imploring Chandler and Monica to come clean so he no longer has to keep a secret (and continue enduring embarrassing cover-up stories), Joey is relieved that others find out. Hence, he no longer has to keep it to himself. Rachel overheard on a phone call in a previous episode (“The One with All the Resolutions”) and is able to confirm her suspicions with Joey. After Phoebe finds out, she and Rachel devise ways to force Chandler and Monica to tell the truth about their secret relationship. The ensuing hilarity is peak Friends.
1. S10.E17/18 – The Last One: Part 1/2
Although the finale of Friends is in two parts, they were originally aired on the same night in a single event in 2004. The special drew over 50 million viewers – cementing its place in the history books for most-watched television finales. Although it may seem like a cop-out to put the finale at the top of the list, the show delivered a masterful ending and was far from disappointing its fanbase. There are so many revered television shows that had a difficult time sticking the landing, such as Game of Thrones, Dexter, Lost, Seinfeld, The Sopranos, and Two and a Half Men. It’s not easy to end a 10-year run on a high note, but Friends was up to the task.
With the gang prepared to go their separate ways, they all take a moment to wrap their heads around the past 10 years and say, “Goodbye.” Monica and Chandler, preparing to take custody of their adopted baby, are caught off guard in the delivery room when the somewhat dim biological mother (Anna Faris) gives birth to twins instead, a boy and a girl. After the births, the new family has arranged to move into a more suitable-sized home in the suburbs. Phoebe is happily married to a late addition to the show, Mike (Paul Rudd), as they prepare to embark on their own journey. Joey is loveable as ever but is admittedly left in flux as a character. This may have been intentional, as the spinoff show, Joey, would premiere four months later. Although Rachel accepts a job offer in Paris, Ross decides to profess his unyielding love for her in hopes that she chooses to stay. A series of riveting events take place before the story of Rachel and Ross finally reaches its satisfying conclusion.
Friends Reunion (2021) Official Entertainment Tonight Interview
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Elke Simmons' writing portfolio includes contributions to The Laredo Morning Times, Walt Disney World Eyes and Ears, Extinction Rebellion (XR) News/Blog, and Dead Talk News.