The 25 Best Episodes Of Friends Ever

With over 200 episodes spread across 10 seasons, the best Friends episodes deliver outstanding, hilarious, and timeless stories that show why the series was so popular. The sitcom stands as one of television’s most popular, binge-worthy sitcoms, and the extent to which it gripped the worldwide cultural zeitgeist when it first aired in the 1990s and 2000s cannot be overstated.

Not even the passage of time seems to affect the significance and relatable nature of Friends, with the recent reunion episode only revitalizing things even further. To this day, people are re-watching Friends, referencing characters, events, and lines from the show, and discussing it with other fans.

The brilliance of Friends is that it is so consistently entertaining that every episode has a rewatchable quality, but the best Friends episodes of all time are among the funniest comedy offerings to ever grace the small screen.

Whether it’s emotional moments, such as a wedding, or the excitement of trying to keep a relationship secret, there’s something for everyone in each episode, with all the main characters having clear roles. However, certain episodes have become iconic over time, truly standing out and helping the show become the high-quality sitcom everyone knows it as today.

25

The One With Rachel’s Other Sister

Season 9, Episode 8

While Reese Witherspoon’s role as Rachel’s younger sister was a memorable one, Christina Applegate stole the show when she was introduced in season 9 as the third Green sister. “The One with Rachel’s Other Sister” finds Amy (Applegate) showing up on Thanksgiving, hilariously just to borrow a hair straightener, only to be forced to spend the holiday with the gang when her married boyfriend chooses to spend it with his wife and kids instead.

It is rare that a guest actor takes over the show in such a big way, but Applegate commands so much attention in her hilarious role that it earned her an Emmy. She is a glimpse at the kind of vain and mean-spirited person Rachel might have become if she had stuck with her old life. It also ignites a funny conversation in the group about who gets custody of Emma if Rachel and Ross were to die.

24

The One Where No One’s Ready

Season 3, Episode 2

“The One Where No One’s Ready” is one of the famous sitcom bottle episodes that has a lot of fun with just having the characters interacting in one room. The episode finds Ross nervously preparing for an important function at his museum and attempting to hurry things along, only to become increasingly frustrated that none of them are getting ready with the urgency he was hoping for. This includes Joey and Chandler having a childish argument over who gets to sit in a chair, and Rachel going through endless wardrobe choices.

What is fun about the episode is that it’s possible to feel the tension and anxiety that Ross feels as he attempts to wrangle his friends and girlfriend for this important occasion. Of course, Ross takes things too far in his frustration, leading to a funny response from Rachel. However, Chandler and Joey’s rivalry steals the show, especially when Joey wears all of Chandler’s clothes in order to get back at him.

23

The One With All The Poker

Season 1, Episode 18

In “The One With All The Poker”, the guys try to teach the girls how to play poker while Rachel attempts to get a job at Saks Fifth Avenue. Everything comes to a head when Rachel loses out on the job and takes her anger out on Ross with one big hand of cards. The slow, agonizing attempts to explain poker or have poker explained should be hilariously recognizable to anyone who has tried their hand at cards.

22

The One With All the Cheesecakes

Season 7, Episode 11

While it is always fun to see the group hanging out together in episodes like “The One Where No One’s Ready,” some of the best episodes see the six main characters pairing up for their own adventures. Such is the case with “The One With All the Cheesecakes”, which finds Rachel and Chandler conspiring over a delicious cheesecake that was mistakenly delivered to them, Monica forcing Ross to bring her to their cousin’s wedding she wasn’t invited to, and the revelation that Joey and Phoebe have a monthly dinner together to discuss the others.

While the likes of Joey and Phoebe are a pairing that is always fun, the highlight of the show comes from Rachel and Chandler, who do not often get storylines with just the two of them. Their escapades of stealing cheesecake from neighbors and then fighting over the dessert is simple but hilarious, with the great ending in which Joey finds them pathetically eating the last of the cake off the floor and joins them without a second thought.

21

The One With The Holiday Armadillo

Season 7, Episode 10

Friends‘ Christmas episodes are always fun, but “The One With the Holiday Armadillo” ranks as the best of them all. The episode’s main storyline revolves around Ross attempting to get his son excited about Hanukkah when Ben is just focused on Christmas. In an attempt to teach him about his Jewish heritage as well, he tries to rent a Santa Claus costume only to be stuck with an armadillo costume instead.

Ross is likely the most underrated character in the ensemble, as he can sometimes be seen as too serious, but this is a perfect episode to highlight how funny he is as a man who is constantly humiliated yet keeps trying his best. There is also an enjoyable subplot with Phoebe worrying that Rachel won’t want to move back in with her after she’s been having so much fun with Joey.

20

The One With the Morning After

Season 3, Episode 16

The time Ross sleeps with another woman while he and Rachel are “on a break” is a pivotal moment in the series and in the timeline of Ross and Rachel’s relationship. However, as memorable as that is, the episode that follows is even more notable. The installment begins with Ross regretting the incident as he learns Rachel wants to get back together, then goes on a mission to ensure she doesn’t find out. However, when she does, the episode becomes a heartbreaking confrontation.

The episode is a great example of how the show is able to mix comedy and drama effectively. The implications of what Ross did are clear and have high stakes in the show, but there is a lot of humor in seeing him trying to cover his tracks. Even the fight between Ross and Rachel has its moments of comedy, with the rest of the friends trapped in the bedroom during the whole thing.

19

The One With The Red Sweater

Season 8, Episode 2

Following the cliffhanger ending of Friends season 7 that reveals Rachel is pregnant, season 8’s second episode addresses the other pressing question in the matter. The entire episode is all about the audience guessing who the father of Rachel’s baby might be, with the only true clue being the red sweater that the father left behind. This ends up being picked up by Ross, which provides an amazing reveal as fans realize he and Rachel got back together for at least a night.

The beauty of this Friends episode is that it is packed with mystery. Friends is a show that is all about comedy in the end, and there are moments of that in this particular episode. However, it’s the tension and anticipation of who is at the center of this big secret that makes this particular episode such a standout.

18

The One With All The Thanksgivings

Season 5, Episode 8

Every Friends Thanksgiving episode feels like a special event, but the one that stands out is the season 5 installment titled “The One with All the Thanksgivings”, which brings a lot of fantastic comedy and some truly iconic moments from the series. After having their traditional Thanksgiving dinner at Monica’s, the friends start reminiscing about their worst Thanksgiving.

There are several hilarious flashbacks, like Joey putting his head inside a dead turkey and Ross and Chandler’s unforgettable 1980s hairstyles. There is an unfortunate inclusion of jokes about Monica’s appearance when she was younger, which has aged poorly, including some that Chandler made about her. However, this results in a hilarious accident which is finally revealed to Chandler, but the sweet resolution between the couple at the end is a big moment for them.

17

The One With All The Resolutions

Season 5, Episode 11

New Year’s Eve episodes of the show are often entertaining, and “The One With All The Resolutions” was a great example of that. The episode is all about New Year’s resolutions, as the title suggests, and the group all struggle to keep them from a very early point in the night. This includes Chandler’s attempts to not make snarky comments about his friends as well as Phoebe wanting to pilot a commercial aircraft.

However, the funniest part of this episode is all about Ross’s leather pants. His decision to get them to be a bit different did not work out well for him in the long run. Seeing his struggles with getting them off is a scenario that brings some of the show’s best physical comedy, with Ross trying all manner of ideas inside a bathroom during a date. There is also another big moment in the secret about Monica and Chandler coming out, which is one of the show’s best storylines.

16

The One With Ross’ Tan

Season 10, Episode 3

In “The One With Ross’ Tan”, Ross decides to get himself a spray tan after he sees Monica’s. Joey and Rachel have a date, but it doesn’t end up working out, and Phoebe and Rachel have someone from their shared past come for a visit. It’s an episode held together by Schwimmer’s hilarious, absurd performance.