The 10 Best ‘Friends’ Episodes, According to Reddit
With so many bangers during its 10 seasons, it’s hard to pick the very best episodes of Friends. Running from 1994 to 2004, the adventures of Ross (David Schwimmer), Rachel (Jennifer Aniston), Chandler (Matthew Perry), Monica (Courteney Cox), Joey (Matt LeBlanc) and Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow) are a definitive part of the 90s zeitgeist – still popular and funny today (even if not every episode has aged well).
Redditor thickredhead27 posted on r/howyoudoin – a popular forum for Friends fans – asking “What is y’all’s all time favorite episode?” The top voted comments include popular favorites but also some obscure, less known episodes that are still comedy gold.
10. “The One Where Eddie Won’t Go” (Season 2, Episode 19)
After Joey moves out, Chandler gets a new roommate – the seemingly more mature and reliable Eddie (Adam Goldberg). Unfortunately, it quickly becomes clear Eddie has some deep emotional problems. This manifests in him watching Chandler sleep, becoming a “dehydrating maniac” and steadfastly refusing to move out.
9. “The One with the Football” (Season 3, Episode 9)
The gang celebrates Thanksgiving with a game of football, girls against boys. It is revealed Monica and Ross were forbidden to play football as children, due to their extreme competitiveness – which quickly reemerges. Long after the others have given up and gone upstairs for dinner, the Geller siblings remain locked in a tackle over the ball.
The football game is funny not just for Ross and Monica’s insane rivalry, but also Rachel’s blatant lack of skill and Phoebe’s immoral tactics (flashing her breasts at Joey and Chandler to distract them). A now-deleted Redditor commented “The scene where Ross and Monica talk about Geller Bowl and the Geller Cup…it’s my favorite scene from the whole show”.
8. “The One in Vegas” (Season 5, Episodes 23-24)
The Las Vegas double episode sees Monica and Chandler almost get married, Ross and Rachel actually get married, Phoebe chasing a slot machine lurker and Joey discovering his identical hand twin.
7. “The One with the Baby on the Bus” (Season 2, Episode 6)
Chandler and Joey babysit Ross’s infant son, Ben, only to leave him behind on a bus while flirting with two women. Meanwhile, Phoebe is replaced by Stephanie (Chrissie Hynde), a professional, as Central Perk’s resident singer. She takes to angrily performing outside the café in revenge.
The episode, which Redditor Fit_Ear8640 described as “highly underrated”, also features the first appearance of Frank Jr (Giovanni Ribisi) – later revealed as Phoebe’s brother. He frantically retrieves a previously dropped condom from her guitar case.
6. “The One Where No One’s Ready” (Season 3, Episode 2)
The friends are attending a fancy work function for Ross’s work – and no one is running on time. Rachel deliberates on outfits while Monica obsesses over an awkward message left on her ex-boyfriend Richard’s (Tom Selleck) answering machine. Joey and Chandler fight over a chair and Phoebe tries to hide a hummus stain on her dress.
5. “The One with the Embryos” (Season 4, Episode 12)
Phoebe is implanted with Frank Jr and Alice’s embryos, and is worried to learn the chance of a successful pregnancy is low. Meanwhile, Ross adjudicates a quiz between Joey and Chandler vs Rachel and Monica, around how much each pair knows about the other. To the girls’ horror they lose, meaning they have to switch apartments with Joey and Chandler.
This episode successfully balances the sobering IVF storyline with the very funny trivia contest. Redditors quoted Chandler’s TV guide delivery label name: “Miss Chanandler Bong” with two users sharing that it was also their WiFi password.
4. “The One with All the Poker” (Season 1, Episode 18)
The friends play poker, with some expert help from Monica’s Aunt Iris (Beverly Garland). Chandler and Joey confront Ross about being in love with Rachel, which he denies. However, when the latter gets a phone call and learns she didn’t get a much-wanted new job, Ross deliberately (it’s implied) loses to let Rachel win.
3. “The One Where Everybody Finds Out” (Season 5, Episode 14)
The truth about Monica and Chandler finally comes out, after Phoebe sees them making out from Ross’s apartment. The no-longer secret couple engage in a confusing farce with Rachel and Phoebe, which sees the latter and Chandler pretend to hook up for a tryst.
The rare pairing of Chandler and Phoebe is highly enjoyable – their awkward seduction scene is sidesplittingly good. One Redditor described the episode as “Comedic excellence”.
2. “The One Where Ross Got High” (Season 6, Episode 9)
It’s Thanksgiving, and Chandler desperately wants to impress Monica’s parents. Jack (Elliott Gould) and Judy (Christina Pickles) disapprove of Chandler due to a lie Ross told them in College – that he, not Ross, was the one smoking marijuana. Meanwhile, Rachel makes an English trifle which is accidentally half shepherd’s pie.
The episode culminates in a hilarious monologue from Judy Geller, which DazzlingBullfrog9 quoted it in full: “‘That’s a lot of information to get in 30 seconds. All right. Joey, if you want to leave, just leave. Rachel, no, you weren’t supposed to put beef in the trifle. It did not taste good. Phoebe, I’m sorry, but I think Jacques Cousteau is dead.'”
1. “The One After Ross Says Rachel” (Season 5, Episode 1)
Season four ends on a massive cliffhanger – Ross says Rachel’s name instead of Emily’s (Helen Baxendale) at their wedding. And, in an even bigger twist, Monica and Chandler hook up. ‘The One after Ross says Rachel’ picks up in the chaotic aftermath, with Ross trying to appease Emily, Rachel questioning the significance of him saying her name, and Monica and Chandler desperate for another chance to be alone.
This season five opener is a shipper’s dream, with quality Ross and Rachel drama and the excitingly new (and very funny) dynamic of Monica and Chandler as a couple. eXistential_dreads said it was “by far the episode I’ve watched the most in the entire series. It’s when things really start to get interesting for me.”
