15 Best Friends Episodes, Ranked

"Friends" is one of the most popular sitcoms of all time, and new fans are still discovering it over 20 years after it ended. This is especially true since the tragic loss of Matthew Perry, who died in 2023. Debuting on NBC in 1994, "Friends" starred Perry, Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, and David Schwimmer as six pals living in New York.

The show begins when Aniston's Rachel Green abandons her wedding to try to make it on her own. She moves in with her high school friend, Monica Geller (Cox), a chef. They live across the hall from aspiring actor, Joey Tribbiani (LeBlanc), and the ever-so-sarcastic Chandler Bing (Perry). Together, they frequented the local coffee shop Central Perk along with Monica's brother Ross Geller (Schwimmer) and their eccentric friend Phoebe Buffay (Kudrow). 

"Friends" ran for 10 seasons, totaling 236 episodes. During that time, the show was nominated for 62 Emmys, winning six, including Outstanding Comedy Series in 2002. That's plenty of time to deliver many memorable, hilarious and downright beloved "Friends" episodes. From the Thanksgiving staples to quotable one-offs, there's no shortage of excellent episodes. It's hard to narrow down a decade of TV to a small number of the greatest the series has to offer, but here are the best "Friends" episodes that we can't stop thinking about all these years later.

"The One Where Paul's the Man" is one of three episodes to feature Bruce Willis. Ross starts dating one of his students, Elizabeth (Alexandra Holden), and things get awkward when Rachel begins dating her father, Paul (Willis). 

Paul doesn't approve of Ross dating his daughter and threatens to get him fired if the relationship continues. Ross and Elizabeth go to the Stevens' family cottage together, but Rachel also shows up with Paul. Rachel and Elizabeth try to hide Ross from Paul, which results in some of the show's funniest shenanigans. Ross hides under Paul's bed and witnesses him giving a pep talk to himself in the mirror, resulting in one of the show's funniest scenes.

 Willis' "Friends" performance earned him an Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series. In Perry's autobiography, he revealed that he made a bet with Willis while they were filming "The Whole Nine Yards." If their movie was a hit, Willis would have to do a guest spot on "Friends." It ended up earning $106 million, so Willis played Paul, and the rest is history. 

There was a myriad of celebrity guest stars who appeared on "Friends," including Brad Pitt. When "The One with the Rumor" was released in 2001, "Friends" was already one of the most popular shows on TV, but getting Pitt was still a huge deal. He was one of the biggest stars in the world, and his appearance came mere weeks before the release of "Ocean's Eleven." 

Of course, Pitt was married to Aniston at the time. While they eventually had one of the most publicized breakups in Hollywood history, their real-life romance made "The One with the Rumor" especially funny. Pitt's character, Will Colbert, was an old friend of Ross' from high school who hated Rachel. Watching him be mean to her had audiences rolling, which helped land him an Emmy nomination for Best Guest Actor in a Comedy Series. While a lot has changed in the last two decades, "The One with the Rumor" remains a delightful Hollywood time capsule. 

When it comes to "Friends" quotes, "Pivot" is a huge part of the fandom's lexicon. In "The One with the Cop," Ross buys a couch but refuses to pay for delivery. He recruits Chandler and Rachel to help him carry it up his building, but it gets stuck on the stairs. Ross shouts, "Pivot!" at them over and over, changing the way people view the word forever. Ultimately, Ross gets what he deserves when the couch is ruined. 

It's not uncommon for the best "Friends" moments to be a part of an episode's B or C plot. In this case, a lot was happening beyond the couch. Phoebe finds a police badge and starts to impersonate a cop. The badge belongs to Gary (Michael Rapaport), who ends up dating Phoebe for four episodes. Meanwhile, Joey has a romantic dream about Monica and worries he might have feelings for her. She's able to convince him it doesn't mean anything. If only the same could have happened when Joey had feelings for Rachel. Y

ou won't see any of their romantic episodes on this list, but you'll find one on our list of the worst episodes.

Ross and Rachel had one of the biggest will-they, won't-they romances in television history. Ross' feelings for Rachel dated back to high school, and once she learned about them years later, she started to reciprocate them. The only problem? Ross was in China when she found out, and he came back with a girlfriend, Julie (Lauren Tom). The beginning of season two saw Rachel's feelings deepen in secret. In "The One Where Ross Finds Out," Rachel gets drunk, calls Ross, and tells him she's "over him."

Ross checks his messages in front of Rachel, and she jumps on top of him, trying to stop him from listening. He then delivers the famous line, "You're over me? When were you... under me?" Confused, Ross leaves. However, the episode ends with him coming to Central Perk, and they share their first real kiss. No matter how you feel about Ross and Rachel, there's no denying they had chemistry.

During this episode, Monica also becomes Chandler's personal trainer. "Friends" writer Scott Silveri once said it was this episode that made the writers realize the duo also had great chemistry (via Vulture), but it would be a couple of years before they were paired romantically.

The two-part season four finale of "Friends," "The One with Ross' Wedding," gave fans one of the best cliffhangers of the series. Ross marries Emily (Helen Baxendale) in London, and Rachel initially stays behind. However, things get messy when she decides to fly to Europe to stop the wedding. She ultimately changes her mind, but Ross sees her and accidentally says "Rachel" during the ceremony. It's a shocking moment, but it wasn't even the biggest surprise of the episode. 

Monica spends much of her time in London feeling down because she's single and was mistaken for Ross' mother. Chandler consoles her, and they end up sleeping together. It was a move no one saw coming, but their romance ended up being the true love story of "Friends." When all was said and done, both Perry and Cox thought they made the perfect pairing.

The two-parter also featured delightful guest stars. In addition to the return of Elliott Gould and Christina Pickles as Jack and Judy Geller, the episodes included Tom Conti, Jennifer Saunders, Olivia Williams, Richard Branson, Hugh Laurie, June Whitfield, and Sarah, Duchess of York. 

The early days of Ross and Rachel were filled with big moments that culminated in "The One with the Prom Video." After Ross finds out about Rachel's feelings for him, he blows it by writing a pros and cons list about her. Rachel sees the list and is unable to forgive him. Things weren't looking good for the pair until Monica and Ross' parents sent them a video from Monica and Rachel's prom night.

Rachel's date is late, so Ross planned to surprise her by taking her instead. Sady, her date shows up right as he's coming down the stairs. After learning of his previous generosity, Rachel kisses Ross, and their relationship officially begins. This birthed one of the most famous lines, which is Phoebe saying, "He's her lobster." 

In addition to being a seminal episode for Ross and Rachel, "The One with the Prom Video" is just plain funny. While the show's "fat Monica" hasn't aged well, it was always fun to see flashbacks. It's standout episodes like this that keep the "Friends" cast well paid. 

After two and a half seasons, Ross and Rachel's big romance ended. When Rachel got a new job, Ross became jealous. He didn't trust Rachel with her co-worker Mark (Steven Eckholdt), and the couple started fighting. They decided to "take a break," which led to Ross sleeping with another woman. Rachel finds out, and they have a huge fight in Monica and Rachel's living room. 

"The One the Morning After" is one of the more tense episodes of "Friends," but the other four pals add some levity. While Ross and Rachel are fighting, the others are trapped in Monica's room for so long that they resort to eating wax. 

The "we were on a break" debate became a throughline in "Friends," with audiences taking sides in the split. On one hand, Rachel did say they were on a break. On the other hand, it didn't take Ross long to sleep with someone else. Was it cheating or justified? Either way, the "break" changed the show forever. 

Every season of "Friends" had a Thanksgiving episode, and season four's was a doozy. Joey finds out Chandler kissed his girlfriend, Kathy (Paget Brewster), and he decides to punish Chandler by making him spend Thanksgiving in a box. While kissing your best friend's girlfriend is a serious no-no, the result is spectacularly funny. 

While Chandler is in the box, a lot of other drama unfolds. Monica gets ice in her eye and has to go to her eye doctor, who happens to be her ex-boyfriend, Richard (Tom Selleck). However, Richard is unavailable, so Monica is treated by his son, Tim (Michael Vartan). Sparks fly between them, so she invites him over for Thanksgiving. Unsurprisingly, things turn awkward. They kiss, and Monica reveals that Tim kisses like his dad. Big yikes! 

Meanwhile, the Ross and Rachel drama continues when he accuses her of returning gifts. However, it's revealed that she saved mementos that matter, and Ross realizes he underestimated her.  

While "The One with Chandler in the Box" is a timeless staple, the Thanksgiving episode from the year prior is even better. "The One with the Football" sees the titular friends engaging in a football game that gets heated due to Ross and Monica's sibling rivalry. 

Watching the friends play football is a silly, classic setup that provides a lot of laughs. We learn some lore about the Gellers that not only explains their dynamic but leads to some excellent comedy. Their childhood "Geller Bowl" brought out the worst in them, and the tradition was banned by their dad after Monica broke Ross' nose. As adults, they haven't improved. 

While the episode begins in Monica and Rachel's apartment, it's almost exclusively set in the park. This was difficult to film because they had to make the Warner Bros. lot in Burbank look like New York in the fall. Production designer John Shaffner ultimately had to transform a stage into the park (via Entertainment Weekly). 

Many "Friends" fans would agree that the fifth season is the best of the series, and one of the funniest episodes is the first one of 1999. "The One With All the Resolutions" sees everyone setting a goal. Ross wanted to try something new every day, Chandler attempted to stop making fun of his friends, Joey tried to learn guitar, Rachel tried not to gossip, Phoebe wanted to pilot a plane, and Monica attempted to be less neat. Naturally, they all failed.

A big moment of the episode is when Rachel finds out about Monica and Chandler's romance. However, the reason it's iconic is because of Ross' leather pants. He wears them on a date, but when he goes to the bathroom in her apartment, he's unable to get the pants back on. He calls Joey for help, which leads to more trouble. Ross ends up rubbing lotion and baby powder on his legs, and they form a "paste" with disgusting results. There's nothing more satisfying than watching Ross fail, and this was one of his biggest blunders. 

Two "Friends" episodes got banned across multiple networks, but somehow, that didn't include Ross' pantsless mishap. 

"The One Where Ross Got High" is the sixth season's Thanksgiving episode, and it features some of the biggest laughs of the series. Moinca and Ross' parents come over for the holiday, and a lifetime of secrets is revealed. Monica learns her parents hate Chandler because Ross once blamed him for having pot in the house. In an attempt to set things straight, the Gellers end up learning that Ross got divorced for a third time and that Monica has been living with Chandler. When everything comes out, Christina Pickles gives her best performance as Judy Geller. She was only nominated for her "Friends" role once in 1995, but this episode should've been recognized. 

A fan-favorite element of this episode is Rachel's trifle. She attempts to make a dessert, but she doesn't realize the pages of the cookbook were stuck together. She accidentally makes the sweet treat with a layer of ground beef sautéed with peas and onions. The friends all try to make her feel better by eating it, but Joey genuinely likes it. This leads to the famous line, "Custard, good. Jam, good. Meat, good!"

The season four episode "The One With the Embryos" was a major "Friends" turning point. Lisa Kudrow was pregnant, and the show used it in a unique way. Pregnancies have been affecting shows since the "I Love Lucy" days, but no series had an outcome like "Friends." It was decided that Phoebe would be the surrogate for her brother Frank (Giovanni Ribisi) and his wife Alice (Debra Jo Rupp). In "The One With the Embryos," the IVF procedure takes place, and Phoebe reveals that she's pregnant.

While Phoebe's pregnancy is a big moment for the show, the real reason "The One With the Embryos" is considered one of the best episodes is because of the trivia game. Monica and Rachel bet that they know Joey and Chandler better than Joey and Chandler know Monica and Rachel. The bet starts at $100, and Ross is recruited to write questions. However, things get overly competitive, and they end up wagering their apartments. The girls ultimately lose and have to swap living spaces. 

The final Thanksgiving episode on our list is season five's "The One with All the Thanksgivings." This flashback episode takes the audience back to Thanksgiving at the Geller's when Monica and Chandler first met. One year, Monica overhears Chandler calling her fat. The next year, she loses weight and decides to seduce and humiliate him. Unfortunately, her plan goes awry, and Chandler ends up losing the tip of his toe. 

In the present day, Monica tries to make Chandler feel better by showing up with a turkey on her head. Not only is this a seminal moment, but it's also the first time Chandler tells Monica he loves her. While "Friends" was only halfway through its run at this point, this episode is what solidified "Friends" as a Thanksgiving staple. In fact, the Warner Bros. lot in Burbank now has "Friends" themed tours in the fall. 

Over the years, there's been some confusion about what constitutes a "bottle episode" of television, and "The One Where No One's Ready" is a perfect example. The episode takes place exclusively in Monica and Rachel's living room and is set in real time. The group gets ready for an event at Ross' museum, but they encounter some hurdles.

Rachel struggles with what to wear, Phoebe spills hummus on her dress, and Joey and Chandler fight over a chair. Chandler tries to get back at Joey for taking his seat by hiding his clothes, so Joey "does the opposite" and puts on all of Chander's clothes. This leads to the iconic line, "I'm Chandler, could I be wearing any more clothes?" 

Ultimately, "The One Where No One's Ready" is a simple episode that stands out for its witty writing, unique pacing, and memorable moments. 

When Monica and Chandler hooked up in London, no one could've foreseen the hilarious aftermath that would unfold throughout the show's fifth season. Joey is the first to find out, then Rachel, and finally Phoebe and Ross in "The One Where Everybody Finds Out." When Ross moves into the apartment across the street from Monica and Rachel, they have a direct view into each other's homes. Phoebe sees Monica and Chandler having sex, and she freaks out.

Phoebe and Rachel decide to trap Chandler into revealing the truth by making him think that Phoebe wants to have sex with him. Monica instantly realizes their plan, and it turns into a game of sex chicken. It also leads to the iconic line, "They don't know that we know they know we know." 

When Chandler finally gives in, he admits he's in love with Monica, and the truth is finally out in the open... except Ross still doesn't know. Ross spends season five going through a tough time. He gets divorced again and gets put on sabbatical at work. When his boss comes to his new apartment to confirm he's doing better, Ross spots Chandler and Monica through the window, and the episode ends on a cliffhanger of him yelling.

"The One Where Everybody Finds Out" is the perfect example of why "Friends" worked. The show would be nothing without the chemistry between its six leads. It's clear they all loved each other in real life, which was showcased in their 2021 reunion special.