Top 25 Friends Episodes to Celebrate the 25th Anniversary

Can you believe it's been 25 years since the sitcom Friends debuted? I was admittedly very young when this show started but my parents watched it and have said it was on since it's premier but my first vivid Friends memory is when Ross said, "I take thee Rachel" during his wedding to EMILY. Since then I've watched and rewatched the entire series numerous times over and can quote Friends in every day conversations. There is A LOT going on to celebrate the show's milestone but if you want something that isn't going to cost you anything I say power up Netflix (okay, you may have to pay for that) and watch these 25 episodes of Friends to celebrate it's 25th anniversary.

Top 25 Best Friends Episodes 

....according to me. If you're a casual watcher and need a guide I'm here to help. If you've watched all of the seasons at least 5 times over and feel I missed an episode let me know in the comments. Without further ado,  here are my top 25 favorite episodes of Friends. They are packed with hilarious one-liners and unforgettable scenes.

1 through 5

1. The One with The Embryos (season 4, episode 12)
Why it's funny: In this episode Joey & Chandler challenge Rachel & Monica to a trivia contest to see which pair knows more about the other. Ross creates the questions and we learn that Chandler gets the TV guide delivered to "Ms. Chanandler Bong" and that Joey's stuffed penguin Maurice's occupation is "Spacecowboy".

2. The One Where No One's Ready (season 3, episode 2)
Why it's funny: This entire episode leads up to an event that we never actually see. Ross is being honored at a black tie event and the gang is taking forever to get ready. In this episode we learn that cushions are the "essence of the chair" and Joey really couldn't BE wearing anymore clothes as he's decided to wear everything that Chandler owns at once (if only he wasn't going commando).

3. The One Where Ross Got High (season 6, episode 9)
Why it's funny: No one does Thanksgiving better than Friends and in this season's episode we learn that "Hurricane Gloria didn't break the porch swing, Monica did" and of course Rachel was NOT supposed to put meat in the trifle and according to Judy "it did NOT taste good".

4. The One With Rachel's Assistant (season 7 , episode 4)
Why it's funny: We learn more secrets about Ross, Chandler and Monica. Did you know Chandler "entered a Villain Ice look-a-like contest and won"? While "Ross came in 4th and cried"? It's probably best if we do not talk about what happened in Disneyland and why Ross still can't eat tacos.

5. The One With The Cop (season 5, episode 16)
Why it's funny: One word. PIVOT. 

6 through 10

6. The One Where Ross is Fine (season 10, episode 2)
Why it's funny: Ross is totally FINE with Rachel & Joey forging into a new relationship. So fine in fact he's made FAJITAS!

7. The One With Rachel's Sister (season 6, episode 13)
Why it's funny: Reese Witherspoon guest stars as Rachel's sister and Monica (who never gets sick), tries to seduce Chandler by asking him "don't you wanna get with this" while wearing a robe and being extremely congested.

8. The One With Pheobe's Birthday Dinner (season 9, episode 5)
Why it's funny: All Pheobe wants is a birthday dinner with all of her friends and she ends up spending a majority of the night waiting for them to arrive. Rachel and Ross are late because Rachel can't stand to leave Emma for the first time after accidentally locking Emma inside their apartment alone. Ross goes into vivid detail about how he can hear that "a bald eagle flew into the apartment, landed on the stove and caught fire" all while their precious little girl is inside, alone.

9. The One Where They All Turn 30 (season 7, episode 14)
Why it's funny: Rachel has just turned 30 and is having a hard time. We see how everyone else spent their 30th birthday; Monica gets drunk, Ross buys a sports car and Joey asks "why God, why?!?"

10. The One Where Nana Dies, Twice (season 1, episode 8)
Why it's funny: Nana? She may have died. "They're looking into it."

11 through 15

11. The One With Ross's New Girlfriend (season 2, episode 1)
Why it's funny: It's "kick you in the crouch, spit on your neck fantastic".

12. The One With The Apothecary Table (season 6, episode 11)
Why it's funny: Phoebe hates Pottery Barn, Ross and Rachel can't believe it and Rachel can't stop purchasing items from there. With each item Rachel has to tell Phoebe a story of where it is from, like the days of Yore.

13. The One With The Holiday Armadillo (season 7, episode 10)
Why it's funny: Ross can't find a Santa suit in time for Ben's visit so he dresses up as the next best thing, the Holiday Armadillo who is going to teach Ben all about Hanukkah. Would be fine if Santa (Chandler) and Superman (Joey) didn't show up to confuse the heck out of the poor kid and make it look like, "the Easter Bunny's Funeral".

14. The One With All The Resolutions (season 5, episode 11)
Why it's funny: "No more divorces in '99!" cheers Ross while he also sets out on a difficult task to try a new thing every day. One day he decides he's never worn leather pants and after a mishap in his date's bathroom, he figures out why. 

15. The Last One (season 10, episode 17)
Why it's funny: It's so hard to say goodbye to this group but they go out in style. Phoebe tries to warn Rachel that her plane's "left Phalange" is broken and while driving Ross to the airport discovers her cab's windows are "really clean". The ending is sweet and ends the series with a perfect bow but if anyone has had twins since this episode aired and didn't say "but we only ordered one", their doing it wrong.

16 through 20

16. The One With The Proposal (season 6, episode 24 & 25)
Why it's funny: We see Richard again! Joey declares Chandler is someone he doesn't ever see settling down all in a ruse to trick Monica so she's super surprised when Chandler gets down on one knee. But in the end, it's Chandler who gets the surprise of his life! Afterwards Rachel declares she's so happy and "not at all jealous" well, maybe "90% happy and 10% jealous, but what's 10%?"

17. The One With Barry & Mindy's Wedding (season 2, episode 24)
Why it's funny: Her name was Lola, she was a showgirl.. Here we see Rachel standup as a bridesmaid for her ex-fiancee and ex-best friend's wedding and we also see a whole lot more of her as she walks down the aisle.

​18. The One With All The Cheesecakes (season 7, episode 11)
Why it's funny: An accidental cheesecake delivery finds Rachel and Chandler (who don't often have a 1 on 1 storyline together) feigning for more cheesecake and arguing over who eats more of it until it all ends up the floor. It's in this episode we learn Joey carries a fork on him at all times.

19. The One Where Rachel is Late (season 8, episode 22)
Why it's funny: "Get out. Get out!" It's hot, Rachel is pregnant and passed her due date. She enters the room and says the most relatable greeting an over-due pregnant woman can say, "that's right, still no baby."

​20. The One With The Ball (season 5, episode 21)
Why it's funny: The entire episode centers around a game of catch where no one can (literally) drop the ball. Also, Rachel buys a hairless cat that keeps attacking her so there's that too.

21 through 25

21. The One With Joey's New Brain (season 7, episode 15)
Why it's funny: Ross plays bagpipes, Phoebe tries to sing along and if you look closely, Jennifer Aniston can't hold it together. When Monica asks why CHandler's family had to be Scottish, Chandler asks her "why is your family ROSS?!"

22. The One With Unagi (season 6, episode 17)
Why it's funny: "Ahh, salmon skin roll". Ross tries to prepare Rachel and Phoebe for an attack while also telling them about the art of Unagi.

23. The One With Ross's Tan (season 10, episode 3)
Why it's funny: Ross can't count Mississippilesly. He's been spray tanned and by episode's end he's a 10 on his front and a 0 on his back.
​
24. The One With the Halloween Party (season 8, episode 6)
Why it's funny: Monica as Cat Woman, Phoebe as Superwoman, Ursula is there and Sean Penn guest stars. Also, Gunther is dressed as Charlie Brown and it is literally the most perfect costume.

​25. The One With Phoebe's Ex-Partner (season 3, episode 14)
​Why it's funny: Phoebe spends most of the episode trying to write a holiday song that features all of her friends; "saw Santa Clause, he said hello to Ross". She has trouble finding words that rhyme with Rachel and Chandler and her way around it is uniquely Phoebe.

Blogtober Post Tracker

5/31