As Friends celebrates its 20th anniversary since its finale, Lauren ranks her favourite ten (or slightly more!) episodes from the series.
10) The One With The Blackout (S1:E7)
When New York suffers a blackout, Ross tries to tell Rachel he likes her and Chandler gets trapped in an ATM vestibule with Jill Goodacre. Chandler nervously attempts to impress the model, tries to tell the gang in code his situation over the phone, ends up being saved by Jill after choking on a piece of chewing gum. Meanwhile in Monica’s apartment, the others talk about the weirdest place they’ve done it. Ross tries to tell Rachel about his feelings for her but gets disrupted by a ravenous cat. Phoebe and Rachel go knocking door-to-door for the owner and end up coming back arm-in-arm with the Italian owner Paolo.
9) The One With The Football (S3:E9)
A classic thanksgiving friends episode. Old sibling rivalry is re-iginited between Ross and Monica in a game of football delaying Thanksgiving for the six friends. After watching football on the TV, the gang decide to play a game themselves. Monica chooses Joey and Phoebe whilst Ross selects Chandler and Rachel. Sibling rivalry quickly resurfaces. During the last play of the game, Monica throws it to Rachel who nearly scores a touchdown but fails to remember to place the ball on the ground. The gang realise the ball is still in play and dive for the ball; Monica and Ross refuse to let go, and the episode cuts with them still at it late into the night.
8) The One With All The Thanksgivings (S5:E8)
After Monica’s Thanksgiving dinner, the six friends share each of their worst Thanksgivings. Chandler explains that his gay father causing his parents split is the reason why he hates the holiday. Ross challenges with the present day as he spends Thanksgiving divorced and evicted after Emily’s break-up. Phoebe reminisces from a past life as she lost an arm in 1862 as an American Civil War nurse. Joey got a turkey stuck on his head in 1992. Monica tries to flirt with Chandler in the kitchen but drops a knife and Chandler ends up losing his toe; a hospital trip to reattach the toe was wasted as a carrot was brought in rather than a toe. In modern day, Chandler gets upset after realising he lost his toe because he called Monica fat. Monica knocks on the door with a turkey on her head wearing a fez and sunglasses. Chandler laughs and says “I love you.”
7) The One Where They’re Up All Night (S7:E12)
Ross takes everyone onto the apartment roof to watch the Bapstein-King comet but no one is interested. Rachel and Tag go to bed but argue over a piece of work. They end up going to the office to see who was right about the paper; Rachel realises it was on her desk, decides to sneakily put it in Tag’s drawer but her does the same back. Meanwhile, Chandler can’t sleep and keeps up Monica by reading one of her books; they end up staying awake the whole night. Phoebe’s smoke alarm keeps going off even when she unplugs the batteries. She throws it away but the firemen soon reunite her with the alarm. Joey uses a pipe to look through as a telescope but Ross realises it was the one used to prop the door open. Stuck on the roof, they climb down the fire escape.
6) The One Where Everybody Finds Out (S5:E14)
When Phoebe finds out about Monica and Chandler’s relationship, she and Rachel try to mess with them. Ross goes with Rachel and Phoebe to view Ugly Naked Guy’s apartment for sale. Whilst he gets the paperwork, they see Monica and Chandler having sex – cue MY EYES! Phoebe calms down as Rachel reveals she knows. They get their revenge by planning Phoebe to flirt with Chandler. The whole ‘they don’t know that we know that they know’ starts. At the end of the episode, Ross shows his new place to his old boss but sees them kissing through the window. He yells, “get off my sister!”
5) The One With Monica and Chandler’s Wedding(S7:E23-24)
Chandler gets cold feet as Ross and Phoebe go in search of him, Joey gets stuck on set with a drunk actor and Rachel tries to distract Monica. Phoebe finds a pregnancy test in the bathroom and presumes it’s Monica’s. Ross and Phoebe find Chandler in his office and persuade him to go through with the wedding. Chandler overhears Monica is pregnant and flees again; only to buy baby clothes. Joey arrives just in time to officiate the wedding, all dressed in WWII uniform straight from set. With no notes, he somehow manages to wed the couple. After the ceremony, Monica denies having taken a pregnancy as the camera cuts to Rachel.
4) The One In Vegas (S5:E23-24)
The gang travel to Vegas to see Joey unbeknown that the film ran out of money. Chandler is angry when Phoebe dogs in about Monica having lunch with Richard. Ross and Rachel try to embarrass each other after an awkward encounter; leading to wet pants and permanent marker on faces. Phoebe encourages Monica to speak to Chandler but gets caught in a craps game as she keeps winning. Chandler appears to go to leave with his suitcases but they reconcile and hastily decide to get married. Ross and Rachel get drunk whilst Phoebe deals with a ‘lurker’ at the slot machines. Joey discovers his hand twin and tries to make money from it to relaunch the film. As Chandler and Monica wait by the chapel, a drunk Ross and Rachel come out.
3) The Last One (S10:17)
Erica gives birth to twins, unbeknown to Chandler and Monica. Ross and Rachel sleep together one last time before Rachel heads to Paris to start her new job but Ross realises he still loves her. Joey gives Monica and Chandler a baby chick and duck as leaving presents but they let him keep them. They get stuck in the foosball table which Monica smashes to free the. Phoebe takes Ross to the airport to tell Rachel his feelings but at firstthey go to the wrong airport. Phoebe stalls Rachel on the plane by fearing about the left phalange, this causes the other passengers to leave. They manage to see Rachel but she gets back on the plane. Ross goes back to his apartment alone and listens to a voicemail which cuts off as Rachel is trying to leave the plane; she then appears in the room. For one final time, they all leave Monica’s apartment to get some coffee.
2) The One In Barbados & The One After Joey and Rachel Kiss (S9:E23, S10:E1)
The friends travel to a very rainy Barbados for Ross’ palaeontology conference. Joey’s lack of scientific knowledge draws Charlie close to Ross as they spend the evening writing up Ross’ speech which Chandler had accidentally deleted. Chandler encourages David to propose to Phoebe so Monica calls Mike who comes to Barbados just as he is about to pop the question. Joey and Rachel hang out in one room whilst Charlie and Ross are in another – not realising that the others are listening through the walls in between. Monica plays ping-pong with Mike, Chandler finishes the game off after Monica injures her hand.
1) The One With All The Cheesecakes (S7:E11)
Chandler and Rachel eat a neighbour’s cheesecake that accidentally delivered to them; it turns out to be the best they have ever eaten! They didn’t feel bad enough though as they ate another one that was waiting outside the door. Monica gets annoyed at not being invited to cousin Frankie’s wedding so goes as Ross’ plus one. At the wedding, they soon realise that her husband is Monica’s former ex-boyfriend. Phoebe gets annoyed at Joey for cancelling dinner plans to go on a date. Phoebe meets David, who had come back from Russia for a short time, but feels she can’t go on a date as she would be going against Joey. Joey sees and persuades her to go after David. Chandler and Rachel argue over the cheesecake which ends up being dropped on the floor. The episode finishes with them lying on the floor eating it, Joey walks through and joins as he pulls a fork out of his coat.
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