For ten seasons, Friends was one of the biggest shows on television and still remains one of the most beloved shows of all time. The sitcom provided fans with tons of laughs and heartwarming moments which helped to make it such a rewatchable show for years.
While some seasons were stronger than others, there were always plenty of great episodes to look back on. If you’re in the mood to revisit the gang of Central Perk, check out some of the show’s very best episodes. Here are the best episodes of every season, ranked.
The One With Rachel’s Other Sister (Season 9)
Friends is known for having some great guest stars over the years. While the main six characters are always the stars, some people just come in and steal the show. That certainly happened when Christina Applegate showed up as Rachel’s middle sister, Amy.
Amy is a self-centered and inconsiderate person which makes for a hilariously uncomfortable Thanksgiving. Applegate gives such a fun performance and becomes the center of every scene. Her brutal yet low-key insults are hilarious and her entire relationship with Rachel makes for a great episode.
The Last One (Season 10)
After ten seasons of being one of the most popular shows of all time, this episode had the difficult task of bringing it all to an end. Wisely, the show chose to keep things simple and give audiences exactly what they want.
Though a bittersweet goodbye, the finale left fans smiling with some of the storylines tied up in lovely ways and hinting at the future of the characters. In the end, it might not have been ground-breaking, but the show was able to leave on a high note.
The One Where They’re Up All Night (Season 7)
The show is great when we get to see the gang all together in episodes, but it’s also great when they go into smaller groups for smaller stories. In this episode, the gang gathers on a rooftop to watch a comet, but then separate to have their own rough nights.
Joey and Ross find themselves trapped on top of the roof. Phoebe is kept awake by an annoying fire alarm. Rachel gets into a petty argument with her boyfriend. And Monica and Chandler have difficulty sleeping. It’s a clever and entertaining episode that lets everyone shine.
The One With the Blackout (Season 1)
A lot of television comedies can have a difficult time getting their footing in the first season. Viewers are still getting to know the characters and the show is still trying to settle into its tone. However, Friends managed to have several solid episodes in that first season, including this favorite.
During a city-wide blackout, the gang gathers in Monica’s apartment to wait it out together. Things get complicated when an attractive neighbor joins the fun, taking Rachel’s attention much to Ross’ chagrin. However, the funniest moments are with Chandler locked in an ATM terminal with a supermodel.
The One with the Proposal (Season 6)
If a sitcom is around long enough, you know you’ll eventually see a few marriages and a few babies. Friends had plenty of both, but the one fans really wanted to see happen was the marriage of Monica and Chandler. Though it seemed inevitable, the show had fun with keeping audiences on their toes.
Chandler goes too far with his scheme to make the marriage a surprise, leading to Monica having doubts about everything. The whole episode is a nerve-wracking adventure that ends with a lovely and moving scene between the two characters.
The One with the Embryos (Season 4)
Though some criticize Friends as a typical sitcom, the show did embrace its weirder side at times. When Phoebe’s brother and his much older wife have trouble conceiving, Phoebe steps in to be their surrogate. However, the real reason this episode is so memorable is the intense trivia game.
Monica and Rachel square off with Joey and Chandler to see who knows who the best. And the stakes for this little game are Monica and Rachel’s apartment. The game is filled with hilarious revelations and lines making it one of the series’ funniest moments.
The One with the Prom Video (Season 2)
Though Friends is very much an ensemble show, much of the series is focused on the on-again-off-again relationship between Ross and Rachel. Kicking off in the very first episode, there were plenty of hurdles in their road to getting together.
This famous Season 2 features one of the best moments in their long and tumultuous relationship. The whole episode builds to the great payoff as the gang gathers to watch an old prom video of Monica and Rachel, Ross’ true feelings are revealed in a sweet and effective way.
The One With The Videotape (Season 8)
The huge mystery going into Season 8 was how Rachel got pregnant and who was the father. We eventually find out it was Ross (of course) but this episode delves into how that came to be. As Ross and Rachel both insist the other initiated things, a videotape promises to clear things up.
The fact that such a monumental moment comes down to a silly argument between friends is a hilarious idea. Seeing Ross and Rachel bicker about it is great fun but it is the final reveal of the truth that sells the episode.
The One Where No One’s Ready (Season 3)
“The One Where No One’s Ready” is one of those sitcom episodes that works so well mostly due to its very simple premise. Ross is getting honored at a professional ceremony and all the friends are attending together. The problem is, none of them are putting any effort in to getting ready.
The situation grows even funnier the more impatient Ross becomes. Chandler and Joey are busy fighting over a chair, Monica is busy worrying about a phone message and Rachel can’t decide what to wear. It’s a surprisingly entertaining episode that brings all the characters together.
The One Where Everybody Finds Out (Season 5)
Forcing two characters into a romance on a show can be rather risky, but Friends proved it can be done well with Monica and Chandler. Though there was no hint of romance there before, these two really worked together, and their efforts to hide it from the others made for great fun.
In this episode, the secret finally gets out in a hilarious and fun way. After everyone but Ross learns the truth, the others try to trap Monica and Rachel into revealing the truth. This leads to a hilarious and complicated game of cat-and-mouse that gets increasingly wilder.
