EVERY “Friends” Character Ranked

At first I was going to rank every guest star in “Friends”, i.e. the famous faces who made cameo appearances … but screw it. I’m gonna go all in. I’m going to rank every character in “Friends”, even if it takes me years to plan and write.

I’ll try to rank every semi-important character and above. What constitutes “semi-important”? Well, if I can remember them that’s a good start. If they’re a celebrity in an episode, or if they were a minor character that appeared in at least a good chunk of an episode, there’s a chance they appear in this list. Wish me luck. And don’t cry if I forget to include one of your favourite minor characters – they clearly weren’t memorable enough.

Before I begin this colossal undertaking, you can check out some of my related blog posts below:

Mistakes

I won’t sugar-coat it – these characters made the show worse.

83 – Earl (Jason Alexander)

Of all the “Friends” characters I could remember, there was one that stood out as the worst. Not only was Earl an unfunny character, but he sapped the fun from every scene he was in.

It’s a risky comedic gambit to have a suicidal character, and in this case it didn’t pay off. Such a waste of Jason Alexander’s talents.

82 – Elizabeth (Alexandra Holden)

Earl was a one-off mis-step, but the “Friends” character that was the biggest mistake overall has to be Elizabeth.

Ross dates an underage girl. It’s as weird and gross as it sounds. The only good thing about Elizabeth is that her dad is Bruce Willis.

81 – Eric (Sean Penn)

Sean Penn is easily one of the biggest guest stars to appear on the show. He’s one of the finest dramatic actors of his generation.

… His comedic chops, on the other hand, were non-existant.

Dull Bobbys

Like Dull Bobby, I’d have to drink to get any enjoyment out of these characters.

80 – Ralph Lauren

Ralph Lauren rocks up a few times, says nothing and leaves. Really ingenious stuff from the writers.

79 – Emily (Helen Baxendale)

Like Elizabeth, Emily is one of those characters that dragged Ross down with her.

She’s probably the single most annoying character on the show – especially since she’s in quite a few Season 4 and 5 episodes.

78 – Dr. Leonard Green (Ron Leibman)

Rachel’s dad was a character that never came close to making me laugh, despite cropping up in what felt like one episode per season. He exists purely to make Ross and Rachel’s life hell.

77 – Charles Bing / Helena Handbasket (Kathleen Turner)

Characters lower down on this list and among this tier may be “worse” and less funny, but no “Friends” character is as controversial as Charles Bing, a.k.a. Helena Handbasket.

It’s a prolonged joke at the transgender community’s expense, and it hasn’t aged well at all. Luckily, Kathleen Turner is a joy and she made lots of her scenes more light-hearted.

76 – Will (Brad Pitt)

Will Colbert was actually what inspired this list in the first place (when it was originally just a guest star ranking). Everyone seems to like his character … but I just don’t see why?

I like Brad Pitt as an actor, and I like the Thanksgiving episode itself, but Pitt’s performance is so awkward and stiff compared to the six comedic masterclasses going on around him.

75 – Ellen the Realtor (Jane Lynch)

Jane Lynch’s loud style of comedy isn’t for me. Maybe if I watch “Glee” I’ll appreciate Ellen the Realtor more … but that’s not a compromise I’m willing to make.

74 – Steve (Jon Lovitz)

Jon Lovitz appears twice in the series, and apparently he’s playing the same guy both times. Both appearances are forgettable.

73 – Charlton Heston

One of the least impactful celebrity cameos in the series.

72 – Kristin (Gabrielle Union)

Gabrielle Union apparently had a bad time on the “Friends” set, which is a shame.

The character itself is a plot device for Ross and Joey to fight over. So yeah, I can see why Union was a bit miffed.

71 – Frank Buffay Sr. (Bob Balaban)

I can absolutely buy that this is Phoebe’s dad. Is he funny? Not in the slightest.

70 – Dr. Benjamin Hobart (Greg Kinnear)

He steals Ross’s girlfriend. In many ways, Ross deserved it.

You Were There, I Guess

These characters came and went, and I couldn’t care less.

69 – Jamie Buchman (Helen Hunt)

Helen Hunt was quite a big name in the mid-nineties. Nowadays, with the “Friends” cast a hundred times more famous than she ever was, her cameo is a bit jarring and disingenuous.

68 – Jean Claude Van Damme

Gotta love a Belgian. He’s not funny, but he’s in a great episode.

67 – Rob (Chris Isaak)

It’s a bit weird having a music star as a celebrity cameo, especially in such a prominent role.

Chris Isaak had decent chemistry with Phoebe but it was nothing special.

66 – Stephanie (Chrissie Hynde)

A slightly better music cameo. Phoebe seems to attract the musicians.

65 – Isabella Rossellini

She was on Ross’s “list”, then she wasn’t. I thought she handled it pretty well all things considered.

64 – Tag (Eddie Cahill)

In the same way that Ross dated an underage girl, Rachel dated a younger man for a while.

Tag isn’t as uncomfortable a character as Elizabeth but he doesn’t really fit the cast’s vibe.

63 – Paolo (Cosimo Fusco)

The meddling (and middling) Italian. Points deducted for groping Phoebe.

62 – Cheryl (Rebecca Romijn)

One dirty gal.

Funny plotline, but she herself doesn’t do much – it’s up to David Schwimmer to contort Ross’s face into all sorts of horrified expressions.

61 – Andrea Waltham (Jennifer Saunders)

A “Meh” character, but bonus points for Jennifer Saunders.

60 – Gentleman on Plane (Hugh Laurie)

A slightly better “Meh” character, but he has a string of zinger lines. And bonus points for Hugh Laurie.

59 – Mackenzie (Dakota Fanning)

I didn’t know it on my first “Friends” binge, but Mackenzie is actually played by a young Dakota Fanning.

As for her character? She’s a bit boring, but at least it gave someone for Joey to talk to and relate with.

58 – Duncan (Steve Zahn)

Phoebe’s gay ice skating boyfriend. Quite a nice dude, actually.

57 – Sandy (Freddy Prinze Jr.)

This is one of those characters that hasn’t aged well.

Freddy Prinze Jr. plays it earnestly, thank goodness, but Ross’s dislike of a male nanny is poor even by his standards.

56 – George Clooney & Noah Wyle

“E.R.” was a huge show at around the time of “Friends” Season 1, so having George Clooney and Noah Wyle guest star in a mini-crossover must’ve been quite the event.

They act as generic love interests and don’t leave a mark.

55 – Zack (John Stamos)

Chandler and Monica try to get their friend Zack to be a sperm donor. It does not go well.

54 – Nora Tyler-Bing (Morgan Fairchild)

The less problamatic of Chandler’s parents.

She has a fun storyline early on where she kisses Ross, but from then on in the series she’s set dressing.

53 – Julie (Lauren Tom)

Julie deserved better.

She wasn’t an interesting character, per se, but she did nothing wrong. Ross should’ve never dumped her for Rachel.

52 – Sandra Green (Marlo Thomas)

Rachel’s mother is way more palatable than her father. She’s not a scene-stealer by any means but I didn’t groan when this Green parent turned up on screen.

51 – Malcolm (David Arquette)

Like Sean Penn, David Arquette guest starred as a man who couldn’t tell Phoebe and Ursula apart.

The different between Penn and Arquette is that Arquette can pull off the comedic acting.

50 – Fun Bobby (Vincent Ventresca)

Is Fun Bobby so “Fun” when he isn’t drinking? An interesting philosophical question that would work well on a drama show.

… On a comedy show, however, it’s a little heavy. Dull Bobby was not an uplifting character to have around.

49 – Gavin (Dermot Mulroney)

One of Rachel’s later, more austere love interests. He’s fine.

48 – Susan (Jessica Hecht)

Always an afterthought to a Ross and Carol scene.

Fun Bobbys

Ironically, Fun Bobby didn’t make the cut for this tier. Just goes to show that competition is stiff.

47 – Amanda (Jennifer Coolidge)

The kind of loud, obnoxiously entertaining character that could’ve only been played by Jennifer Coolidge.

46 – Charlie (Aisha Tyler)

Ross didn’t have many interesting love interests (usually because they were portrayed as obstacles to Rachel), but Charlie wasn’t half bad.

The whole Ross-Rachel-Joey-Charlie love square was a little sitcom-y and cringe but Charlie herself was a lovely person.

45 – Joshua (Tate Donovan)

Joshua seems like a decent guy. Rachel acted pretty weird throughout his whole tenure so maybe that’s why my memory of him is a little tarnished.

44 – Leonard Hayes (Jeff Goldblum)

Jeff Goldblum is always the most charismatic (and usually the weirdest) person in the room.

43 – Ryan (Charlie Sheen)

I always forget that Charlie Sheen was a decent comedic actor and not just … y’know … a sex-crazed drug-fuelled maniac.

42 – Mr. Heckles (Larry Hankin)

A classic side character that said few words but made them count.

Mr. Heckles was killed off way too early – he’s only in a handful of great scenes, so I don’t feel comfortable putting him much higher.

41 – Cousin Cassie (Denise Richards)

Weird plotline? Yes … but Denise Richards is smokin’ hot. That’s enough to beat half of these characters.

40 – Joanna (Alison La Placa)

Joanna may be a little odd, but Rachel easily had the coolest, most likeable boss of any of the core cast.

… Until she died unceremoniously off-camera.

39 – Phoebe Abbott (Teri Garr)

She’s not an impactful character by any means, but I always thought the scenes with the two Phoebes were really sweet.

38 – Janine (Elle Macpherson)

Fun at first, annoying by the end. It was interesting to see Joey fall so heavily for someone.

37 – Melissa (Winona Ryder)

She came, she saw, she kissed Jennifer Aniston. Winona Ryder had a good deal.

36 – Erica (Anna Faris)

I’ve seen some people say that Erica, and Anna Faris by extension, is too much. I disagree. She’s a bundle of joy and a highlight of the last season.

35 – Billy Crystal and Robin Williams

Is their cameo distracting? Yes, but Billy Crystal and Robin Williams are two of the funniest people to ever walk on this planet, so I don’t mind being side-tracked for a minute or two.

34 – Alice (Debra Jo Rupp)

An older woman with a heart of gold. A bit of an oddball, though.

33 – Mona (Bonnie Somerville)

One of Ross’s better girlfriends.

I could see them settling down together if, y’know, Ross and Rachel didn’t feel obligated to continue their toxic relationship.

32 – Estelle (June Gable)

I can absolutely believe that this is the lady who’s been getting Joey all of his parts.

31 – Parker (Alec Baldwin)

We all know a Parker in our lives. That’s why Alec Baldwin plays the overly-positive confidence so well.

30 – Pete Becker (Jon Favreau)

Monica’s millionaire boyfriend who wants to be a UFC champion. He means well, I’m sure, but I never got the impression he cared about Monica that much.

29 – Erika (Brooke Shields)

A great one-off guest appearance from Brooke Shields. Her inability to grasp that Dr. Drake Ramoray is a fictional character is so funny.

28 – Bonnie (Christine Taylor)

In many ways I don’t blame Ross for breaking up with Bonnie for going bald, but also what the hell Ross? She was so nice to you!

27 – Carol (Jane Sibbett)

Ross’s lesbian ex-wife. She never seemed bitter about the arrangement, and was actually a good mum to Ben.

… Ah. I’ve just realised I forgot to add Ben Geller to this ranking. I don’t really feel comfortable reviewing bad child acting, so I guess he can be ranked here alongside his mum. As otherwise he’d be right near the bottom.

Scene Stealers

Some of the best characters this show has to offer.

26 – Kate (Dina Meyer)

I know it wasn’t meant to be, but a part of me thought Kate would be the first of Joey’s love interests to really stick around.

She and Joey had such great chemistry. This is a great example of two ships passing in the sea.

25 – Judy Geller (Christina Pickles)

The matriarch of the Geller family. Her deadpan expressions and dry responses always enhanced any scene.

24 – Gunther Central Perk (James Michael Tyler)

The guy that ran the best darn coffee place in the world. He didn’t get to do much, but his sparse lines of dialogue here and there were rare delights.

… What do you mean his last name isn’t “Central Perk”?

23 – Cecelia Monroe (Susan Sarandon)

Susan Sarandon absolutely nailed the older / diva actress schtick. Like Kate, Cecilia had great on and off-screen chemistry with Joey.

22 – Tommy (Ben Stiller)

I don’t really like the episode itself, as “boy who cried wolf” storylines always get on my nerves.

As for Ben Stiller’s performance, however, he’s fantastic in the role. He’s charming when he needs to be and insane when push comes to shove.

21 – Jack Geller (Elliott Gould)

The patriarch of the Geller family.

Jack has a similar sort of dry, sobering, straight-man humour to his wife, but he has a few moments where he shares his heart of gold.

20 – Roy the Stripper (Danny DeVito)

Danny DeVito is always a win in my books. I docked him nineteen places for not following through with the stripping.

19 – Susie (Julia Roberts)

Apparently Julia Roberts only agreed to the part of Susie if she got to romance Chandler. She then went on to date Matthew Perry in real life. Mission accomplished.

She plays the earnest girl so well, which makes the vindictive twist all the funnier.

18 – Mr. Treeger (Mike Hagerty)

He didn’t appear much, but my god was Mr. Treeger always a joy.

That kind of dry, sardonic humour is exactly my thing, and his dance with Joey is one of my favourite sub-plots.

17 – Richard Crosby (Gary Oldman)

Gary Oldman disappears into – and nails – every role he does. He’s a magician when it comes to acting.

He taught Joey a little of that secret acting sauce. Sauce, of course, referring to saliva.

16 – Janice (Maggie Wheeler)

I’m pulling this fact off the top of my head so it might be innaccurate, but I believe Janice is the only character outside of the core cast to appear in all ten seasons of the show.

Whilst not a likeable character by any means, the distress and discomfort she bestows upon others always put a smile on my face.

15 – Jill Green (Reese Witherspoon)

Rachel Green had a pair of really funny sisters – the other Green hasn’t even appeared on this ranking yet!

Reese Witherspoon is perfectly cast in the role. She plays the spoilt but well-meaning sister so well.

14 – Kathy (Paget Brewster)

The cast themselves really wanted Paget Brewster to stick around longer. I can see why.

The Katy-Chandler-Joey love triangle is one of the best love plots in the show. You can absolutely see how a guy like Chandler could fall for a girl like her.

13 – Amy Green (Christina Applegate)

The other Green sister, and I think Christina Applegate as Amy Green is slightly better cast than Witherspoon.

She’s annoying and catty (but in a funny way), and it showed just how far Rachel’s character had matured until that point.

12 – David the Scientist Guy (Hank Azaria)

He was clearly never destined to be with Phoebe, but David the Scientist Guy gave Mike a run for his money.

I like Hank Azaria a lot in everything he does – here, he excels as the nervous, stuttery recurring love interest.

11 – Frank Buffay Jr. (Giovanni Ribisi)

There’s an argument to be made that Frank Buffay Jr., Phoebe’s brother, doesn’t fit the tone of the show. He’s too weird and outright stupid.

I, on the other hand, loved the energy and weirdness he injected into every scene.

I’ll Be There For You

These lot deserve recognition as some of TV’s best comedic characters.

10 – Eddie (Adam Goldberg)

“The One Where Eddie Won’t Go” is one of my favourite episodes – one of the most underrated ones, actually.

The whole saga of Eddie becoming Chandler’s roommate and then showing his psychopathic tendencies is amazing. Adam Goldberg killed it in the role.

9 – Paul (Bruce Willis)

Bruce Willis only appeared on the show after losing a bet to Matthew Perry. It’s scary that we might never have seen “Love Machine” Paul Stevens grace our screens.

Willis displays a wide range of talents across his three episodes – he goes from stern father to awkward guy to crybaby in a matter of on-screen minutes.

8 – Dr. Richard Burke (Tom Selleck)

There weren’t many side characters with as much screen time and screen presence as Dr. Richard Burke.

Tom Selleck is a legend in his own right, and while he was never outwardly hilarious he was a solid, mature backbone to a young cast.

7 – Rachel Green (Jennifer Aniston)

It might be controversial to have Rachel Green as the worst ranked Friend, but I’m sure it’s outright blasphemous to have one of the core cast outside of the top six of a character ranking. Put down your pitchforks – let me explain.

Her character suffers in two big areas – she starts as a spoilt brat (an archetype I hate) and her relationship with Ross is so toxic and belittling to her character. She does grow more mature across the series, however, and she obviously has a lot of funny moments across the 236 episodes.

6 – Mike (Paul Rudd)

It was extremely jarring at first when Paul Rudd turned up (as he’s obviously a huge movie star these days). That initial shock passed immediately once I saw how earnest and charming his character was.

Phoebe couldn’t have found a better partner in Mike. He’s funny and sincere, and he could match Phoebe’s freak when it mattered.

5 – Phoebe Buffay (Lisa Kudrow)

Oftentimes last place in people’s ranking of “Friends” main characters, and I probably agreed with that after my initial viewing. Phoebe is the one out of the core cast who feels least like a main character. This ends up being her greatest strength.

She would spend entire episodes in the periphery, only to come out with the funniest joke of all. Lisa Kudrow’s performance in “The One Where Everybody Finds Out” alone is worthy of a place in this top five.

By the way, I’m not ranking Ursula separately as there’s no point. She can ride the coat-tails of her sister … like she did the whole series.

4 – Ross Geller (David Schwimmer)

In terms of the pure funniest Friends characters, Ross Geller has to be up there. I would’ve put him in the top three of this ranking if he wasn’t such a douche most of the time.

Things I loved – David Schwimmer’s line deliveries and physical acting. Unagi. His sandwich. His leather pants. The fact he’s fine.

Things I hated – his toxic relationship with Rachel. Him trying to kiss his cousin. Dating a student. His fragile masculinity when it came to his son playing with a doll or the prospect of a male nanny. Not getting the annulment.

Basically, David Schwimmer is the best comedic actor and Ross is the worst human being on the show.

3 – Monica Geller (Courtney Cox)

Out of the ladies, it’s not a close competition at all – Monica often felt like the heart and soul of the show.

She was never afraid to tussle with the guys on a comedic level, and her relationships with Richard and then Chandler led to some of my favourite heartfelt moments in the series.

Best Friends

The best of the best. Sometimes these two carried entire seasons of television. Whenever I rewatch the show, these are the two characters that always stand out.

2 – Joey Tribbiani (Matt LeBlanc)

Everyone loves Joey. He’s a charming doofus with a heart of gold, and he always made time for his friends. There comes a point in the latter seasons where he even becomes the outright MVP (surpassing the number one spot in this list!).

The only thing holding him back from the top spot is his flanderisation. A lot of his funniest moments involve him being a bit dim, but he’s dumber than a bag of rocks by the final season.

1 – Chandler Bing (Matthew Perry)

There’s a popular argument that “Friends” would not have survived past the first couple of seasons if but one of the cast members were replaced. I agree with that take – they’re all perfect in the role … But let me tell you, this show wouldn’t have made it past the first couple of episodes if it wasn’t for Matthew Perry as Chandler Bing.

The sarcasm. The one-liners. The odd accentuations on the line deliveries. Chandler was, more often than not, the crux of the joke. The centrepiece of the whole scene. The writers and cast must’ve known they’d struck gold with Matthew Perry. It’s no exaggeration to say he made the show’s comedy what it was.

Thank you, Matthew Perry. For bringing your brand of humour into this world and making it a better place to live in.

Aaaand that’s my list! Blimey, that took a while … During my lengthy recovery from such an undertaking, you can check out some of my latest blog posts below: