Right from the start, Joey was a fan favorite due to his incredible one-liners, his amazing personality, and his heart of gold. While he was often used as the comedic relief at times early on in the show, that wasn’t always the case for him.
The show provided some very serious storylines for him at times, but he always had the underlying immature moments that would crack up the audiences on a regular basis. However, despite his hilarious moments, his character did change an awful lout throughout the series.
He wasn’t just the comedic man who couldn’t grasp the French language or cope on a game show, he developed as a person which is why so many people related to him. Here are Joey’s 10 biggest changes throughout Friends.
His Maturity Grows
Joey is always seen as the joker of the pack, right from the very beginning. This is mainly due to the fact that the show highlights him as being quite dumb, with the character coming out with some ridiculous comments throughout the series.
While he still acts silly at times even in the final season, there is no doubt that he becomes more mature. Whether it’s serious conversations with his friends or work-related growth, it is very clear that he is growing as a person, which makes him an even greater character by the end.
He’s Selfless
As long as the situation doesn’t involve sharing food, you can guarantee that Joey will do anything for the people that he loves and cares about. It doesn’t matter if it’s paying for things (despite being poor,) or just being there for someone to talk to, Joey proves he is incredibly selfless repeatedly.
It’s arguably Joey’s best quality and he has it better than anybody else. He might not be the smartest person, but he is easily the kindest, which is a brilliant trait for anyone to have.
He Learns To Forgive
Early on in the show, Joey certainly shows that he can hold a grudge, and if someone upsets him, even over something trivial he’s not likely to forget. However, throughout the show, he is put through a lot of tough situations where he proves his forgiveness.
Chandler having an affair with his girlfriend Kathy is a great example, with Joey eventually forgiving him for the betrayal. Or when he learns about his father having an affair (and having to tell his mom), which is a very serious and emotional situation, yet he comes out on the other side forgiving people.
He Becomes Independent
At the start of the series, Joey could barely function on his own, constantly needing help with one situation or another. Even the most simple of tasks often required him to work with another friend, but throughout the series, he really does become an independent person.
He does a lot of activities on his own and spends more time meeting other people than anyone in the group, proving he is more than confident alone. This is proven even more with his spin-off show, Joey, where he moves to Los Angeles all on his own.
No Longer Needs Money
Something that Joey has to do throughout Friends is borrowing money from people. Because of his job he often has spells where he isn’t working, or he is doing so for very low money. However, by the end of the series, he actually gets to a point where he is financially secure.
With nobody living in his apartment, it proves that Joey is able to financially look after himself. He even offers to lend Phoebe money at one stage, proving just how stable his situation has become, which is a major development for him.
Great With Kids
This is something that you wouldn’t really expect at the start of the series. Joey doesn’t strike anyone as a father figure, but that doesn’t mean that he isn’t a great role model. Anytime we get to see Joey interact with any of the group’s children, it is clear that Joey is great with kids.
Perhaps it’s because he sometimes still acts childish, which allows him to connect easier, or just that he really is great with children. Either way, it’s a fantastic trait as he becomes a proud Uncle Joey to his best friends’ children.
His Friendship With Rachel
Even though they briefly turn their friendship into a romance, that is something that eventually fizzles out as they realise they are better together as friends. However, it cannot be overlooked how close they become as friends, with the two sharing an amazing bond.
They have a clear love for each other which provides a really heartwarming friendship. While they get along just fine at the start of the show, there’s no doubt that this is one of the friendships that really develop over time.
Letting Chandler Go
This isn’t to say that Joey and Chandler stop being friends at the end of the show, because they certainly do not. However, there’s no doubt that life is starting to see them drift apart slightly as Chandler becomes more responsible with his new role as a father.
He and Monica move homes, away from the city and because of that, it means the best friends will hang out less. However, despite initially being very sad about the situation, Joey shows how his maturity has developed and accepts the situation and happily embraces the next stage of their friendship.
He Becomes A Successful Actor
While the early seasons provide a lot of jokes for the show about Joey and his failing acting career, by the time Friends wraps up, Joey actually develops quite an impressive career for himself. He achieves a lot during the show and gets to the point, as previously mentioned, that he isn’t financially dependent on others.
It shows a real message of hard work to people, as despite how many knockbacks Joey suffers, he consistently gets back up and tries for another job. He’s never out of work for long and eventually begins to land bigger parts, which he deserves.
Takes Love More Seriously
One of the big traits of Joey’s character throughout the show is the fact he is a bit of a womanizer. He doesn’t take relationships seriously which is why he goes through a string of very short flings and one night stands. However, as the show develops, this is something that begins to change.
Joey falling in love with Rachel provides how huge turning point for him as a person. It’s in this moment he realizes that he should be looking for a relationship, and with all of his friends in committed couples by the end, this is something he clearly seeks to change.
