Friendsis an iconic TV show for a reason, but what are its best episodes? What are themostessential episodes to understand and encapsulate what makesFriendsso great? That’s no easy task, but we were up to the challenge.
With all 10 seasons ofFriendsnow streaming on the newly launched streaming service HBO Max, now feels like as good a time as any to look back on the best episodes of the Emmy-winning series. Whether you watched it for the laughs, the tears, or the will they/won’t they of Ross and Rachel,Friendsreally does have something for everyone.
Season 1, Episode 1
This is where it all started, so it’s only natural that your binge-watch would start here too. Plus, it holds up as a great sitcom pilot. “And I just want a million dollars!”
The One with the Blackout
Season 1, Episode 7
This episode features everything that was so great about earlyFriends— a big ensemble episode, Phoebe’s (Lisa Kudrow) songs, angsty Ross (David Schwimmer) — and adds in Chandler (Matthew Perry) off on perhaps the greatest solo side plot of the show’s entire run. “Gum would be perfection.”
The One with All the Poker
Season 1, Episode 18
A personal favorite, this episode combines some of the best one-liners (“The fifth dentist caved and now they’re all recommending Trident?” and “Phoebe just threw away two jacks because they didn’t look happy”) with some great stuff between Ross and Rachel (Jennifer Aniston), back when people were still super into Ross and Rachel. Also, it introduces the running gag of how competitive Monica (Courteney Cox) can be.
The One Where Rachel Finds Out
Season 1, Episode 24
Friendsdefinitely knew how to do cliffhangers and Rachel rushing to the airport to greet Ross after finding out he has feelings for her, only to see him kissing another woman was one of the best.
The One with Ross’s New Girlfriend
Season 2, Episode 1
The opening scene where Rachel breaks it to the gang about Julie (Lauren Tom) is some of Aniston’s funniest work in all 10 seasons. “Isn’t that just kick-you-in-the-crotch, spit-on-your-neck fantastic?” There are also two really solid side plots — Phoebe cutting Monica’s hair to look like Dudley Moore instead of Demi Moore and Joey (Matt LeBlanc) finding out he’s been being molested by his tailor for years. Which is not funny, of course, but… it’s funny on the show. “That’s how they do pants!”
The One Where Ross Finds Out
Season 2, Episode 7
EarlyFriendswrote really great stuff for Aniston and Schwimmer, not least of which is when Ross gets Rachel’s drunken answering machine message where she tells him she’s over him. “Over me? When were you… under me?”
The One with the Prom Video
Season 2, Episode 14
Again with the Ross-Rachel stuff, but it was just so good in the early seasons! This one also introduced the great use of flashbacks on the show. “He’s her lobster!”
The One Where No One’s Ready
Season 3, Episode 2
Bottle episodes can sometimes force TV shows to do some of their best work because the stories are contained, there are no recurring characters or guest stars to muddy things up and the writers are able to just drill the show down to its most basic elements. This is one of the greatest bottle episodes in sitcom TV history.
The One with the Football
Season 3, Episode 9
Another personal favorite, this is the episode that launchedFriends’string of excellent Thanksgiving fare. Sure, Season 1 had the one where Underdog got away, but then Season 2 skipped Thanksgiving. This is the one that started the wonderful Turkey Day tradition.
The One Where Monica and Richard Are Just Friends
Season 3, Episode 13
This one is on here mostly because it features one of the best C-plots of the entire series when Rachel and Joe read each other’s favorite books,Little WomenandThe Shining, respectively. “Do you want to put the book in the freezer?”
