EVERY Friends Episode Ranked

I’ve gone through every Friends season to rank their episodes on my blog, and I’ve also done the season rankings. The next logical step, I thought, was to combine everything and rank every single episode of the series. I’m starting to regret my decision …

You should know that these placements are all my opinion, and the categories like “Bad” and “Great” are all relative to what I know the show can do. Let’s get to it!

Before we begin, you can check out some of my related blog posts below:

Bad

I’ll be honest, this category is mainly just skippable clip show episodes … as well as one extra episode that makes me cringe just thinking about it.

226 – The One with Christmas in Tulsa (S9E10)

Would the worst Friends episode be a clip show episode? One with a terrible central plot? Actually, it’s both.

“The One with Christmas in Tulsa” not only has the audacity to suggest that Chandler would ever cheat on Monica, but it’s also a stale clip show episode. The worst episode, and it’s not that close.

225 – The One with the Invitation (S4E21)

The very first clip show episode – points docked for having one in Season 4, not even halfway through the series!

224 – The One with Mac and C.H.E.E.S.E. (S6E20)

After a season off, they did another clip show episode. *Sigh*.

223 – The One with the Vows (S7E21)

Cliiiip shoooow episoooode.

222 – The One with Joey’s Interview (S8E19)

They did a clip show episode per season near the end, so I was expecting this one to come around.

221 – The One Where Chandler Gets Caught (S10E10)

The final clip show episode – at least they had nine seasons of content to pull from by this point.

220 – The One with the Sharks (S9E4)

The only non-clip show episode to plunge into the “Bad” tier, “The One with the Sharks” is an abomination of sitcom TV.

Monica misconstruing the situation as Chandler being into shark porn is outright bizarre, and the other two plotlines are cliché and forgettable.

Meh

At least these episodes weren’t clip shows … or shark porn … but they still bored me out of my mind.

219 – The One with the Cat (S4E2)

The head writer’s mother passed away, and she wrote this lacklustre episode as a way of grieving. The other writers should’ve had the backbone to block it.

218 – The One with Five Steaks and an Eggplant (S2E5)

You know what would be really funny? A class-based divide within the friendship group!

217 – The One with the Evil Orthodontist (S1E20)

Barry is the worst.

216 – The One with the Bullies (S2E21)

A terribly cliché sitcom plotline about some bullies.

215 – The One with the Lottery (S9E18)

Hot take – I don’t like this episode very much. They’re trying way too hard to recapture the bottle episode magic from “The One Where No One’s Ready”, but it falls flat.

214 – The One with the Fake Monica (S1E21)

A bizarre early-season plotline that doesn’t affect Monica in any way moving forwards.

213 – The One Where the Monkey Gets Away (S1E19)

I hate Marcel the Monkey as a character, and the sitcom hijinks to get him back are ridiculous.

212 – The One in Barbados (S9E23)

A finale that focuses too much on the four-way romance between Rachel / Ross / Joey / Charlie and not enough on telling jokes.

211 – The One with the Screamer (S3E22)

Another hot take – I hate “boy who cried wolf” type episodes. Ben Stiller is good, but his exaggerated performance feels out of place in the show.

210 – The One Where Joey Speaks French (S10E13)

The One Where Joey is utterly brain-dead.

209 – The One with Joey’s Fridge (S6E19)

A completely pointless filler episode with nothing going for it.

208 – The One with Monica’s Thunder (S7E1)

My least favourite season opener. It undermines the proposal of the previous finale, and is an unnecessary tease of the Ross / Rachel romance.

207 – The One with the Chicken Pox (S2E23)

Charlie Sheen is a fun cameo, but that’s about it.

206 – The One with the Boob Job (S9E16)

Joey’s boob job excuse is the only good part of this episode.

205 – The One Where Rachel Quits (S3E10)

Rachel quitting is an average plotline, and Ross selling girl scout cookies is dumb.

204 – The One with the Thumb (S1E3)

A poor third episode of the series.

203 – The One with the Monkey (S1E10)

The episode that introduced the dreaded monkey.

202 – The One with the Creepy Holiday Card (S8E11)

Very boring.

201 – The One with the Metaphorical Tunnel (S3E4)

Chandler gets over a messy break-up, and Ross’s views on dolls are outdated.

200 – The One with Phoebe’s Birthday Dinner (S9E5)

Phoebe deserved better.

199 – The One Where They’re Going to Party! (S4E9)

They do not, in fact, party.

198 – The One with Phoebe’s Dad (S2E9)

I don’t care about Phoebe’s familial problems in the slightest.

197 – The One Where Ross Hugs Rachel (S6E2)

A tedious episode that deals with the delayed annulment.

196 – The One with the Donor (S9E22)

Sets up the adoption plotline, but the episode itself is mundane.

195 – The One with Two Parts: Parts 1 & 2 (S1E16/17)

Considering how big the later two-parters go, the first one feels comparatively weak.

194 – The One Where Phoebe Hates PBS (S5E4)

Ross is still getting over Emily, and the ‘selfless good dead’ plotline falls flat for me.

193 – The One with the Ick Factor (S1E22)

The worst thing Monica ever did.

192 – The One with the Stain (S8E7)

The second worst thing Monica ever did. Also Sean Penn gives a tame performance.

191 – The One with the List (S2E8)

A forced way to prolong the Ross / Rachel will they / won’t they.

OK

These episodes were nothing special. They have a laugh here or there, but that’s about it.

190 – The One with Ross’s Denial (S6E3)

Another boring Ross annulment episode. Season 6 has one of the weakest starts of all.

189 – The One with the Blind Dates (S9E14)

A cliché storyline about blind dating, and Chandler / Monica looking after Emma goes nowhere.

188 – The One with George Stephanopoulos (S1E4)

Some fun friendship bonding during a gals slumber party, but that’s about it.

187 – The One with the Fake Party (S4E16)

Rachel trying to woo Josh is cringy and unfunny.

186 – The One After Joey and Rachel Kiss (S10E1)

A slight recovery after the trainwreck of Barbados, but not by much. Ross saying goodbye to the wall always makes me laugh.

185 – The One with All the Candy (S7E9)

I’ve always found Monica’s neighbours’ treatment of her in this episode to be far-fetched and mean-spirited.

184 – The One with the Fertility Test (S9E21)

Janice returns, so that’s neat. The other plotlines of Phoebe working in a luxury spa and Monica / Chandler being infertile aren’t very funny.

183 – The One Where Eddie Moves In (S2E17)

The start of the brilliant Eddie arc in Season 2, but we haven’t hit the good stuff just yet.

182 – The One with the Birthing Video (S8E15)

Mona complains about Ross moving in with Rachel, and Chandler and Monica accidentally watch a birthing video. Pretty standard.

181 – The One with the Dozen Lasagnas (S1E12)

Chandler and Joey get the foosball table, but Paolo starts to lose his charm.

180 – The One with the Apothecary Table (S6E11)

The titular apothecary table is a mundane plot point, and Janine not liking Chandler and Monica feels bitter.

179 – The One with the Cheap Wedding Dress (S7E17)

Too broad. The fight over the wedding dresses felt like parody, and Ross and Joey wooing the same lady was very cliché.

178 – The One with the Soap Opera Party (S9E20)

Joey kissing Charlie throws a spanner in the works, but the episode is missing the jokes.

177 – The One Where Old Yeller Dies (S2E20)

Eddie departing left a narrative void in Season 2, and this filler plotline doesn’t scratch the itch.

176 – The One with the Stoned Guy (S1E15)

An odd premise.

175 – The One with Princess Consuela (S10E14)

Rachel interviews for a job next to her old boss, and Phoebe changes her name. Distinctly average.

174 – The One with the Secret Closet (S8E14)

Another odd premise, and Joey teleports between the A and B plots.

173 – The One with Chandler’s Work Laugh (S5E12)

A rare dud in Season 5. Chandler’s work laugh is a nothing plotline, and Ross dating Janice is all sorts of wrong.

172 – The One Where Phoebe Runs (S6E7)

Good for her, I guess?

171 – The One with the Race Car Bed (S3E7)

Weak A-plot, and Janice cheats on Chandler.

170 – The One with Ross’s Inappropriate Song (S9E7)

Overrated. The song gimmick gets old fast.

169 – The One with the Butt (S1E6)

Maybe I got spoilt from the later seasons, but Al Pacino not appearing disappointed me.

168 – The One Where Chandler Takes a Bath (S8E13)

… Sure?

167 – The One with the Sonogram at the End (S1E2)

A heart-warming ending, but that’s about it.

166 – The One with Phoebe’s Rats (S9E12)

Phoebe gets rats, Ross and Rachel get a hot nanny, Gavin starts to tease Rachel. A weak episode, but average for Season 9.

165 – The One Where Ross Dates a Student (S6E18)

One of the weirdest things Ross ever did.

164 – The One with Chandler’s Dad (S7E22)

It hasn’t aged brilliantly, but it could have been worse.

163 – The One with Rachel’s Dream (S9E19)

Patient Zero of the “Rachel fancies Joey” plotline – easily the worst plotline in the series.

162 – The One with the Doll House (S3E20)

The doll house is a cool prop, but that’s it.

160 – The One with the Home Study (S10E7)

Phoebe and Mike keep rescinding their charity donations, Rachel is afraid of swings, and Joey puts a social worker in her place.

159 – The One with the Ball (S5E21)

A boring A-plot, but the scene of Chandler fumbling everything makes up for it.

158 – The One with Russ (S2E10)

Bizarre, but not the strangest thing the series has ever done.

157 – The One Where Rachel Smokes (S5E18)

Rachel smoking is boring, the B-plot of Ben and Joey in the acting commercial is much better.

156 – The One with Phoebe’s Ex-Partner (S3E14)

Again, it’s the B-plot of Chandler dating a woman with a prosthetic leg that almost saves the episode.

155 – The One with the Inappropriate Sister (S5E10)

Nope. Big nope.

154 – The One Where Rachel Is Late (S8E22)

Fine, but clearly a time-waster before the finale.

153 – The One Where Rachel’s Sister Babysits (S10E5)

Christina Applegate returns, but her best material is behind her.

152 – The One with the Male Nanny (S9E6)

A slightly dated episode, but Freddy Prinze Jr. sells it. The friends over-laughing at Chandler’s jokes is the true highlight.

151 – The One with the Breast Milk (S2E2)

A pace-killer at the start of Season 2. Joey fighting the cologne cowboy is much funnier.

150 – The One with Rachel’s New Dress (S4E18)

A thinly-veiled excuse to get Jennifer Aniston into skimpy lingerie. I never said it was a bad thing, did I?

149 – The One with Phoebe’s Husband (S2E4)

A boring Phoebe-centric episode, but not the worst offender.

148 – The One with the Engagement Picture (S7E5)

Chandler not begin able to smile naturally is weird, but the Joey pay-off makes it almost worthwhile.

147 – The One with the Yeti (S5E6)

Monica and Rachel bug-bomb their new neighbour. Sure.

146 – The One with the Mugging (S9E15)

Phoebe mugging Ross as a child is a decent twist, and Jeff Goldblum is always fun to have around.

145 – The One with the Cooking Class (S8E21)

Monica and Joey cook, Chandler fails an interview, Rachel hates Ross’s date. Standard stuff.

144 – The One with the Joke (S6E12)

Fun twist at the end that the joke was mean-spirited, but the episode is very filler.

143 – The One with the Free Porn (S4E17)

In hindsight, a weirdly lackadaisical view of adult films.

142 – The One Where Joey Tells Rachel (S8E16)

A boring instalment of the Joey / Rachel saga, with some Monica soulmate stuff on the side.

141 – The One with the Ride Along (S5E20)

Joey saving his meatball sub is a great twist, and that’s about it.

140 – The One with Joey’s Big Break (S5E22)

A pure set-up to the finale in Vegas.

139 – The One Where Ross and Rachel Take a Break (S3E15)

Again, mostly set-up for the fallout to come.

138 – The One with the Girl Who Hits Joey (S5E15)

Great cold open that follows “The One Where Everybody Finds Out”, but the abusive girlfriend and Ross’s terrible neighbours both feel mean-spirited.

137 – The One with Rachel’s Book (S7E2)

Bit strange that we’re doing a Rachel book episode for the second time in the series.

136 – The One with Rachel’s Date (S8E5)

Chandler’s co-worker not knowing his name is fun, and Monica / Phoebe ruining a guy’s life on the same day is alright, but the Rachel date is weak.

Good

Now we get to the good stuff. I had a fun time with these, and they were all memorable in their own unique way.

135 – The One with the Candy Hearts (S1E14)

A classic Chandler / Janice episode.

134 – The One Where Joey Moves Out (S2E16)

The start of a great arc.

133 – The One on the Last Night (S6E6)

The Cups game is fun, and some of the dialogue is quite wholesome.

132 – The One with the Tea Leaves (S8E17)

A better episode than I remembered. None of it is classic Friends, but it’s some of the boldest comedy of the series.

131 – The One with Joey’s Dirty Day (S4E14)

A fun Charlton Heston cameo, and the girls help Chandler with his breakup.

130 – The One Where Monica Sings (S9E13)

Joey gets some new eyebrows, and the Chandler karaoke outro is golden.

129 – The One with Rachel’s Big Kiss (S7E20)

Winona Ryder comes out of nowhere, and Chandler gets a famous tux.

128 – The One with the Giant Poking Device (S3E8)

A classic image that defines the show.

127 – The One Where Estelle Dies (S10E15)

Phoebe’s Estelle impression is great, and Janice’s final return is glorious.

126 – The One with the Dirty Girl (S4E6)

The dirty girl is an unbelievably unrealistic plotline, but that’s what makes it fun.

125 – The One Where Joey Dates Rachel (S8E12)

Not as bad as some of the later Joey / Rachel episodes – their date techniques are actually quite endearing to watch.

124 – The One with the Ring (S6E23)

Bruce Willis starts to lose his charm, but Chandler buying a ring sets up the finale.

123 – The One with the Pediatrician (S9E3)

Ross still seeing his paediatrician is ridiculous, but they sell it. We also get to meet Paul Rudd’s Mike for the first time.

122 – The One with Joey’s Award (S7E18)

Matt LeBlanc’s acting when Joey loses the award never fails to crack me up.

121 – The One Where Ross Moves In (S5E7)

Ross is just as pedantic a roommate as you’d expect.

120 – The One with the Birth Mother (S10E9)

Joey doesn’t share food!

119 – The One with Mrs. Bing (S1E11)

A weird conflict to wedge between Chandler and Ross so early on, but it’s handled well.

118 – The One Where Monica Gets a Roommate (S1E1)

The pilot is a weird one to judge when compared to the rest of the episodes, but I think it sets up the series decently well.

117 – The One Where Emma Cries (S9E2)

A boring episode saved by Ross and Joey’s dynamic – Joey doesn’t understand “air quotes”, and accidentally punches Ross numerous times.

116 – The One Where Rosita Dies (S7E13)

Almost great. Rachel breaking Joey’s chair is a fun low-key plot, Monica gets some good luck for once when her dad gifts her his car, but Phoebe talking to a depressive drags the whole thing down.

115 – The One with Ross’s Teeth (S6E8)

Ross’s teeth are a fun visual gag, and Rachel gets in trouble for gossiping about Phoebe’s kiss with “Ralph Lauren”.

114 – The One with the Jam (S3E3)

Just a love story about a man and his jam.

113 – The One Where No One Proposes (S9E1)

A bit of a weak follow-up to the Rachel pregnancy finale, but it has its moments.

112 – The One with Rachel’s Sister (S6E13)

Reece Witherspoon is great casting as Rachel’s sister, Monica gets sick, and Joey gives out too many freebies at work.

111 – The One with Rachel’s Assistant (S7E4)

Enter Tag, everyone’s favourite Rachel love interest … You do remember Tag, don’t you?

110 – The One Where Rachel Goes Back to Work (S9E11)

Three fun job-related plots here – Rachel goes back to work (duh), Chandler learns the ropes of advertising, and Phoebe acts as an extra on Days Of Our Lives.

109 – The One with Rachel’s Phone Number (S9E9)

Chandler needing to avoid Joey to reach Monica is one of the best plotlines of Season 9. “Time difference, Joe“.

108 – The One with Joey’s New Girlfriend (S4E5)

The Kathy arc is one of my favourites, but this is just the beginning. Phoebe also gets ill and sings low, and the Geller FU fists make their first appearance.

107 – The One with Rachel’s Inadvertent Kiss (S5E17)

Joey steals the show by trying to find the woman in the opposite apartment building.

106 – The One with the Baby Shower (S8E20)

The B-plot with Bamboozled is a classic.

105 – The One Without the Ski Trip (S3E17)

The aftermath of the Rachel / Ross breakup is a little bitter, but Chandler’s coping dance is amazing.

104 – The One Where Monica and Richard Are Just Friends (S3E13)

Tom Selleck is always fun to have on screen, but his A-plot isn’t even the second best thing about this episode. Rachel and Joey swap books, and Phoebe’s boyfriend’s revealing shorts is a classic gag.

103 – The One After Vegas (S6E1)

A slightly tame season opener, but it has some good jokes.

102 – The One with Rachel’s Crush (S4E13)

How you doin’?

101 – The One with Ross’s Thing (S3E23)

A stupidly weird plotline, but it works. I actually like Phoebe’s plotline more where she has to pick between two perfect guys.

100 – The One with Rachel’s Other Sister (S9E8)

Christina Applegate makes another great first impression as Rachel’s second sister, and the Thanksgiving episode around it is solid.

99 – The One Where Ross Meets Elizabeth’s Dad (S6E21)

Bruce Willis makes an excellent first impression, and Joey meets his robot co-star.

98 – The One with the Girl from Poughkeepsie (S4E10)

Ross’s A-plot where he sleeps on the train is alright, but the B-plot of Monica firing Joey (… eventually) is what sells this episode.

97 – The One with All the Cheesecakes (S7E11)

It’s episodes like these that makes me wonder why Rachel and Chandler didn’t get more plotlines together. Monica also finds out the hard way why she didn’t get invited to her cousin’s wedding.

96 – The One Where Heckles Dies (S2E3)

It was a crime killing Mr. Heckles so early, but Chandler’s existential break-down almost made it worthwhile.

95 – The One with Rachel’s Going Away Party (S10E16)

An emotional penultimate episode to the series, with a fun handcuff B-plot to boot.

94 – The One Where Chandler Can’t Remember Which Sister (S3E11)

We’ve all been there, my friend.

93 – The One with Frank Jr. (S3E5)

An underrated episode, mainly due to Joey’s DIY scenes.

92 – The One Where Chandler Can’t Cry (S6E14)

Reece Witherspoon is still here, and her second outing is stronger. Chandler’s utter indifference towards Bambi is great, and I love how Phoebe used Ursula’s “hobby” against her.

91 – The One with Ross’s Library Book (S7E7)

Three good plotlines that ramp up over the episode – Joey sticks with a date for the first time ever, Janice invites herself to Chandler and Monica’s wedding, and Ross’s book is receiving some unwanted attention.

90 – The One with the Worst Best Man Ever (S4E22)

Great title, and a solid set-up to the London finale.

89 – The One with the East German Laundry Detergent (S1E5)

The first episode to really showcase Ross and Rachel’s chemistry.

88 – The One with Monica’s Boots (S8E10)

Phoebe tries to meet Sting, and Joey’s sister getting pregnant leads to some great foreshadowing of the Joey / Rachel relationship … as much as I hate to admit it.

87 – The One with Phoebe’s Cookies (S7E3)

The B-plots of Chandler stripping in front of his father-in-law and Joey running a boat with an angry Rachel’s supervision are the highlights.

86 – The One with the Ultimate Fighting Champion (S3E24)

Pete Becker leaves the show before outstaying his welcome. The true stand-outs are the Robin Williams / Billy Crystal cameos, and Chandler’s boss giving his booty a nice ol’ slap.

85 – The One After I Do (S8E1)

Rachel’s pregnancy reveal is handled well, and I love how Ross has to sit at the kids table to impress Mona (although based on his previous track record with minors, maybe he should’ve kept his distance).

84 – The One with the Cake (S10E4)

An underrated bottle episode, where every character gets their moment to shine.

83 – The One Where Ross Can’t Flirt (S5E19)

Both the Ross flirting and Joey home video gags are two golden moments in an otherwise standard episode.

82 – The One with the Kips (S5E5)

Joey finding out about Chandler and Monica’s relationship is easily one of the best scenes of the series.

81 – The One in Massapequa (S8E18)

As controversial as it may be these days, I really like Alec Baldwin’s overly-positive Parker in this episode.

80 – The One with Ross’s Grant (S10E6)

Greg Kinnear gives another strong guest performance, and Joey reveals he was ambassador for Ichiban – Lipstick For Men!

79 – The One with the ‘Cuffs (S4E3)

Fun fact – Chandler hitting his head on the filing cabinet was a complete accident. That trivia alone bumps this up ten places.

78 – The One Where Dr. Ramoray Dies (S2E18)

Eddie goes off the rails, and Joey getting killed off Days Of Our Lives by bragging he writes his own lines is a perfect way to end that arc.

77 – The One with the Stripper (S8E8)

No, not Danny DeVito. And no, not the one that stole the ring. The prostitute. Ross’s calamitous phone call in front of Rachel’s dad and Mona is glorious.

76 – The One Where They All Turn Thirty (S7E14)

Some fun vignettes – I love Joey’s utter despair at aging.

75 – The One with Joey’s Bag (S5E13)

Lots of plotlines crammed into this one – Monica gives bad massages, Phoebe meets her dad, Chandler is more sarcastic than usual, and Joey has some great gags with 3D glasses and a unisex bag.

74 – The One Where Chandler Doesn’t Like Dogs (S7E8)

A solid Thanksgiving episode. Ross naming states is a fun B-plot, and Joey gets confused about “moo” points.

73 – The One with the Red Sweater (S8E2)

Joey keeps proposing to people, Chandler and Ross fake all of the wedding photos, and we find out who the father of Rachel’s baby is.

72 – The One That Could Have Been: Parts 1 & 2 (S6E15/16)

Quite a weak flashback (ish) two parter, but it’s still amazing seeing the friends in a parallel universe. The updated intro for the second part is fantastic.

71 – The One with All the Haste (S4E19)

A fun end to the apartment swap plotline, and Ross and Emily’s engagement sets up the finale.

70 – The One with Phoebe’s Wedding (S10E12)

We’d seen a lot of weddings by this point, but Phoebe’s was still heart-warming. Monica’s erratic planner persona is an underrated highlight.

Great

We’re into classic Friends territory now. Each of these episodes were a blast, with almost no faults.

69 – The One with the Baby on the Bus (S2E6)

I’m glad they started doing some more high-budget gags, and the B-plot of Phoebe and the singer is great too.

68 – The One with the Lesbian Wedding (S2E11)

The first Friends wedding, which will always have a special place in my heart. Monica freaking out over catering and Chandler failing miserably to flirt with lesbians are two personal highlights.

67 – The One with the Boobies (S1E13)

The kind of low-key sitcom hijinks I can get behind.

66 – The One with Joey’s Porsche (S6E5)

Matt LeBlanc is amazing here – Joey pretending to own a Porsche is one of my favourite A-plots in the series.

65 – The One with the Hypnosis Tape (S3E18)

The start of the Pete Becker saga, but I’ll always remember this episode for Matthew Perry’s feminine acting.

64 – The One Where Nana Dies Twice (S1E8)

An early hit – all of the stuff at Nana’s wake is golden.

63 – The One Where They’re Up All Night (S7E12)

A really fun episode from start to finish. Every character gets their moment in the spotlight, and it’s all good stuff.

62 – The One with All the Wedding Dresses (S4E20)

The girls in the wedding dresses is an iconic image, and Chandler’s whip sound (whuppah!) is my guilty pleasure joke.

61 – The One Where Rachel Tells … (S8E3)

David Schwimmer’s reaction when he finds out the news is amazing, and both of Ross and Joey’s overreactions to the condom failures are glorious.

60 – The One with All the Jealousy (S3E12)

The beginning of the end for Ross and Rachel, but the start of Joey’s blossoming career in tap dance – that audition scene never fails to crack me up.

59 – The One with Barry and Mindy’s Wedding (S2E24)

I’d always remembered this as being one of the weaker season finales, but Richard and Monica’s tough conversation is well acted and really grounds the whole thing.

58 – The One with the Late Thanksgiving (S10E8)

Everyone ends up being late to Thanksgiving, and what follows is twenty minutes of brilliant dialogue and slapstick comedy.

57 – The One Where Ross and Rachel … You Know (S2E15)

Three strong plots – Monica meets Richard, Joey and Chandler glue themselves to their armchairs, and Ross and Rachel … you know. They bang.

56 – The One with the Truth About London (S7E16)

Strangely, the A-plot about London is the least interesting thing about this episode. Joey “gives” and “receives” as a minister, Rachel looks after Ben and starts a prank war, and I really love the alternate universe ending where fat Joey is married to Monica.

55 – The One with the Halloween Party (S8E6)

All of the costumes are fantastic, and Sean Penn gives a good guest performance.

54 – The One with Phoebe’s Uterus (S4E11)

Seven! Seven! SEVEN!

53 – The One with the Princess Leia Fantasy (S3E1)

The writers knew exactly how to rake in viewers for the season opener.

52 – The One Where Paul’s the Man (S6E22)

The best of the Bruce Willis trilogy. His dance in front of the mirror is great, and the other plotlines of Joey at the drycleaners and Monica putting her name down for marriage work well.

51 – The One with the Birth (S1E23)

Ross and Susan’s feud is one of Season 1’s most underrated aspects, and the rest of the friends’ interactions are great too. Packed with enough emotion and drama to be the season finale.

50 – The One After Ross Says Rachel (S5E1)

A great follow-up to a legendary cliff-hanger. Monica and Chandler’s repeated failures to hook up get progressively funnier, and it all culminates in them confirming the relationship back in New York.

49 – The One Where Joey Loses His Insurance (S6E4)

Matt LeBlanc starts to become the series MVP at around the Season 6 mark – his physical acting in this episode is incredible, and the B-plot of Ross teaching in an English accent leads to a great finale where Rachel humiliates him in front of his students.

48 – The One with All the Rugby (S4E15)

The rugby plot is good, the Yemen stuff is even better.

47 – The One Where Underdog Gets Away (S1E9)

A great first Thanksgiving episode, with a heart-warming ending where the friends learn to love each other’s company rather than the holiday.

46 – The One Where Ross Is Fine (S10E2)

A.K.A. “The One with the David Schwimmer Masterclass”.

45 – The One with Ross and Monica’s Cousin (S7E19)

Denise Richards is great in every scene, Phoebe and Rachel plan a last-minute baby shower, and Joey’s new role needs a … completed member.

44 – The One with the Proposal: Parts 1 & 2 (S6E24/25)

It gets bogged down a little with generic sitcom melodrama, but the proposal scene alone is emotional enough to carry the two-parter.

43 – The One Where the Stripper Cries (S10E11)

Danny DeVito is the GOAT, and on top of that we have two strong plotlines of Chandler and Ross realising they broke a college pact and Joey going on a gameshow.

42 – The One with Ross’s Sandwich (S5E9)

The sandwich plot was almost enough on its own to give this episode a top 20 finish, but the B-plot of Rachel and Phoebe attending literature class is very dull.

41 – The One with the Tiny T-Shirt (S3E19)

An underrated gem. Joey does a funny little dance, Ross gets pulled back from a door, and Chandler’s sarcasm is at an all-time high.

40 – The One with the Cop (S5E16)

PIIIVVOOOOOT!

39 – The One with the Ballroom Dancing (S4E4)

People always forget about this one – Joey’s ballroom dancing is great, and the B-plot of Chandler and Ross trying to leave the gym is the perfect kind of ridiculous.

38 – The One Where Rachel Has a Baby: Parts 1 & 2 (S8E23/24)

Janice makes her triumphant return, Monica and Chandler try for a baby, Phoebe crushes on a patient (with Dr. Drake Ramoray’s help), and Joey proposes to Rachel by accident. All in all, a really great season finale.

37 – The One Where Rachel Finds Out (S1E24)

The Friends writers were so good at teasing the Ross / Rachel relationship in the early seasons, and this was a turning point for the show. Chandler also gets some amazing one-liners.

36 – The One with Chandler in a Box (S4E8)

I didn’t appreciate them shoving my favourite character into a box for the whole episode, but the Chandler / Joey feud ends on the most heart-warming note possible.

35 – The One with All the Kissing (S5E2)

It’s a testament to the cast’s incredible chemistry that this episode works as well as it does.

34 – The One with the Flashback (S3E6)

The first attempt at an experimental episode, and they knocked it out of the park. There are lots of great on-the-nose jokes about the friends’ futures, and every scene has at least one really funny moment in.

33 – The One Where Ross Finds Out (S2E7)

There’s a good argument to be made that the Ross / Rachel drama peaked here. Their kiss in the coffee house is an all-time great sitcom moment.

32 – The One Where Eddie Won’t Go (S2E19)

Eddie’s borderline psychopathic actions work amazingly against Chandler’s over-the-top reactions, and Joey returning is one of the show’s most satisfying moments.

31 – The One with the Memorial Service (S9E17)

The best Season 9 episode by a country mile. Joey loves his Hugsie, Phoebe gets back with Mike against Monica’s will, and the alumni war between Chandler and Ross – culminating in a fake memorial service – is absolutely glorious.

30 – The One Where Chandler Crosses the Line (S4E7)

Chandler’s feud with Joey is one of the most natural and genuine of the series, and Ross’s keyboard playing is one of the funniest things I’ve ever seen.

29 – The One with the Nap Partners (S7E6)

Matt LeBlanc and David Schwimmer’s expressions during the nap scenes never fail to make me laugh. The other plotlines of Phoebe and Rachel choosing maid of honour and Chandler’s ex being fat are good too.

28 – The One with the Rumor (S8E9)

Brad Pitt’s pettiness against Rachel is fantastic, the rumours are amazing, but it’s Joey bursting into the scene in maternity pants that always gets the biggest laugh out of me.

27 – The One Hundredth (S5E3)

The Happy Days doctor is funny, Joey passing a kidney stone is a perfect B-plot, and Lisa Kudrow more than earnt her Emmy for her performance during the birth.

26 – The One at the Beach (S3E25)

It feels weird not having a two-part finale, but “The One at the Beach” packs in enough jokes and relationship drama to be worthwhile.

25 – The One with All the Poker (S1E18)

An early classic, it’s amazing to see the friends in one room with their incredible chemistry. David Schwimmer cites this as a favourite, so that’s neat.

24 – The One with the Routine (S6E10)

Chandler, Phoebe and Monica try to find presents, Joey tries to woo Janine, and the titular routine dance is one of the best moments in the series.

23 – The One with the Morning After (S3E16)

Not only do David Schwimmer and Jennifer Aniston act their heart out, but the jokes from the side room are a perfect contrast to the drama. I’m really glad the writers were brave enough to commit to this risky episode.

22 – The One with All the Resolutions (S5E11)

Rachel can’t gossip, Chandler can’t joke, Joey can’t touch a guitar without incurring the wrath of Phoebe, and Ross’s struggles with leather pants lead to some of the best slapstick comedy in the series.

21 – The One with Chandler and Monica’s Wedding: Parts 1 & 2 (S7E23/24)

Monica and Chandler are my favourite romantic pairing in the show, and their time in the spotlight is just as wholesome as you’d expect. The B-plot where Joey spit-acts alongside Gary Oldman was great too.

20 – The One with the Prom Video (S2E14)

The true start of the Ross / Rachel relationship. The prom video, with Chandler’s snarky comments, is such a fun gag, and the ending proved that Ross and Rachel were each other’s lobsters.

19 – The One with Ross’s Tan (S10E3)

David Schwimmer once again perfects the art of comedy, Chandler is more sarcastic than usual, and Jennifer Coolidge makes a fun cameo.

Amazing

Here we are – the best of the best. These are the episodes that have stuck with me in the many years since watching them.

18 – The One with the Videotape (S8E4)

Season 8 has a really strong start, and the aftermath of Rachel’s pregnancy reveal is handled well. After three great episodes, it all leads to “The One with the Videotape”.

It’s an episode that doesn’t even need a B-plot – the friends reacting to the videotape, as well as the stories of backpacking in western Europe, are both absolutely incredible.

17 – The One with Joey’s New Brain (S7E15)

Most of the episodes in my top 20 are widely considered to be Friends classics, but I think people forget just how golden the entirety of “The One with Joey’s New Brain” is.

Rachel and Phoebe trace a phone’s hot owner, Susan Sarandon has some great chemistry with Joey, and Ross plays the bagpipes – if you haven’t seen the bloopers for the latter, you’re missing out!

16 – The One After the Super Bowl: Parts 1 & 2 (S2E12/13)

This two-parter aired straight after the Super Bowl, and as a result it had one of the highest viewer counts of any Friends episodes. The writers knew they had to go big, and they delivered.

It’s filled to the brim with great plotlines and star-studded cameos – Chandler getting his clothes stolen in the bathroom stall by Julia Roberts is a personal favourite.

15 – The One with the Two Parties (S2E22)

What should have been a passable late-season filler ends up being one of the best episodes of the series.

“The One with Two Parties” is peak sitcom shenanigans, with an energy that never lets up and culminates in some uproarious moments by the end. A slept-on classic.

14 – The One with Unagi (S6E17)

Once you accept the fact that Ross is a complete psychopath and his friends shouldn’t stick with him, he becomes a really funny character.

All of the “unagi” stuff is absolutely amazing, and the two B-plots of Joey hiring a twin and Chandler needing a last-minute Valentines gift work really well.

13 – The One in Vegas: Parts 1 & 2 (S5E23/24)

One of the classic Friends finales, “The One in Vegas” is where an entire season of relationship building comes to a head.

Monica and Chandler plan to elope, Ross and Rachel surprise everyone by actually being the ones to marry, and I really love Phoebe and Joey’s antics in the casino.

12 – The One with the Football (S3E9)

As is typical in the series, Season 3’s Thanksgiving episode – “The One with the Football” – is a thrill-ride from start to finish.

I really love the sibling rivalry between Ross and Monica, and Chandler and Joey competing over a lady is amazing. All of the jokes land, and the big match is handled well.

11 – The One with All the Thanksgivings (S5E8)

Yet another incredible Thanksgiving episode – the Friends writers must have been particularly fond of this holiday!

I love all of the little stories, even if Joey’s turkey-head gag is a clear rip-off of Mr Bean, and it ends on the heart-warming note of Chandler admitting his love for Monica.

10 – The One with the Holiday Armadillo (S7E10)

Maybe it’s just me, but “The One with the Holiday Armadillo” absolutely cracked me up on my first – and every subsequent – viewing.

Phoebe gifts a drum kit and spider to Joey in the hopes of driving Rachel away, Chandler is terrible at subtly handing money to someone, and the final few minutes of the holiday armadillo was the hardest I laughed at this show.

9 – The One with the Jellyfish (S4E1)

“The One with the Jellyfish” picks up where the fantastic Season 3 finale left off, and somehow improves upon it.

It’s a brilliant climax to the Ross and Rachel saga (for now), and the jellyfish storyline – especially those final few chaotic minutes – was peak Friends.

8 – The One with the Blackout (S1E7)

The first season of Friends was off to a decent start, but it wasn’t until “The One with the Blackout” that I fell in love with the show.

Paolo is a great spanner-in-the-works type character, the cat mauling Ross is hilarious, and Chandler locked in an ATM vestibule with Jill Goodacre may just be the funniest part of Season 1.

7 – The One with Ross’s New Girlfriend (S2E1)

My favourite season opener, “The One with Ross’s New Girlfriend” felt like an entirely new era of the show.

You can tell the writers crammed all of their best jokes into these twenty minutes – Monica’s haircut, Chandler visiting Joey’s tailor, Rachel’s pettiness … it’s gold standard stuff, and a sign of the great things to come.

6 – The One Where Ross Got High (S6E9)

In the pantheon of Friends Thanksgiving episodes, “The One Where Ross Got High” reigns supreme. If that’s not the highest praise, I don’t know what is.

Rachel making the wrong trifle and everyone being forced to eat it is fantastic, but it’s the chaotic minute of everyone snitching on each other that’ll go down as one of the series’ finest moments.

5 – The One with Ross’s Wedding: Parts 1 & 2 (S4E23/24)

Friends finales were always electric, especially in the early seasons, but “The One with Ross’s Wedding” may just be the most iconic of all.

The London adventures are amazing, Chandler and Monica start my favourite romantic pairing in the show, and Ross saying Rachel’s name at the altar was a cliff-hanger for the ages.

All-Time Great

Only a few sitcom episodes can be among the pantheon of TV greats, but these four episodes thoroughly deserve it.

4 – The One Where No One’s Ready (S3E2)

One of the most iconic bottle episodes in TV history.

Every character gets their moment to shine, like Joey with his mountain of clothes and Monica declaring herself “breezy”, and it’s undeniable proof that these six actors only need to share a room together for comedy gold to ensue.

3 – The Last One (S10E17)

I’ve re-watched Friends numerous times in my life, but I’m always devastated when the final credits in “The Last One” roll.

It perfectly ends everyone’s arcs and plot threads, whilst still giving some classic moments and gags. It’s known as one of the best sitcom finales for a reason.

2 – The One with the Embryos (S4E12)

When you think of peak Friends, “The One with the Embryos” is likely what comes to mind.

The apartment quiz is the writers and actors firing on all cylinders, and the emotional ending of Phoebe’s pregnancy is the perfect way to cap off a perfect episode.

1 – The One Where Everybody Finds Out (S5E14)

An absolute roller-coaster triumph of an episode.

Every single scene in “The One Where Everybody Finds Out” has at least five hilarious moments, and the cast all bring their A-game – especially Lisa Kudrow, who carries the episode on her back at point. A contender for funniest TV episode of all time.

Aaaand that’s my list! You can check out some of my latest bog posts below: