For this week’s Throwback Thursday special, I decided to throw it way back to one of my all-time favorite shows, “Friends.” Running for 10 successful seasons from 1994-2004, this show became the first one that got me addicted to watching television!
The show, focusing on six friends — Chandler Bing (Matthew Perry), Joey Tribbiani (Matt LeBlanc), Rachel Green (Jennifer Aniston), Phoebe Buffay (Lisa Kudrow), Monica Gellar (Courtney Cox), and Ross Gellar (David Schwimmer) — navigated us through their ups and down and did it with some great humor.
“Friends” has so many great episodes but they do have a knack for doing some unique holiday-themed episodes. As we are about to embark on the holiday season soon enough, out of the several they have done in its long run, I decided to rank my top 10!
Disclaimer — this is fully my opinion, and a tough one because I love every episode! But please do comment and let me know which ones are your favorite.
10. Season 2, Episode 9 - The One with Phoebe’s Dad
Phoebe tries to track down her father after finally learning from her grandmother where he lives. Chandler and Joey accompany her. Ross, after pissing off Rachel by making a list of her pros and cons, tries to win her over. Rachel and Monica throw a Christmas party but their radiator breaks down so their apartment heats up.
In this episode, the emotional side to Phoebe’s story is wonderful to watch. She has a few of them scattered throughout the show like giving birth to the triplets, the whole David vs. Mike situation. Her part was definitely my favorite, followed by the crappy gifts Joey and Chandler give to the group.
Funniest quotes:
1. Joey: Phoebe here with the cab yet?
Chandler: Yeah, she, she brought the invisible cab…hop in.
2. Chandler: Ho-ho-holy crap it’s hot in here.
9. Season 6, Episode 10: The One with the Routine
Joey, who is majorly crushing on his roommate Janine (Elle MacPherson), accompanies her to Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve special and Ross and Monica, big time fans of the show, tag along. They want to perform “the routine,” a dance they used to do as kids. Meanwhile, Rachel and Phoebe search the apartments forMonica'ss presents, which she is a champion at hiding, and convince Chandler to help them.
This episode is hilarious mainly due to the Gellar siblings and their “dance.” Cox and Schwimmer nailed their performance here. It’s tough to do something special for New Year’s and this episode nails it.
Funniest quotes:
1. Rachel: Chandler, what is this very weird metal “A,” “Z” thing?
Chandler: Those are bookends. That’s a great gift!
Phoebe: Oh, okay. I’m sorry. Thank you for my “az!”
2. Phoebe: Birds have a very good sense of direction. I thought maybe they could help us find where the presents are hidden.
Chandler: Yes, if the presents are hidden south for the winter!
8. Season 1, Episode 14 - The One with the Candy Hearts
Ah, fetus “Friends,” still in its first season glory. In this episode, Chandler and Joey go on a double-date and the former is coincidentally and unwillingly reunited with his ex, Janice (Maggie Wheeler), whom he dumped twice in the last five months. Monica, Rachel, and Phoebe have a ritual to break out of their bad boyfriend cycle. Ross goes on his first date after the divorce only to end up ignoring her when ex-wife Carol is stuck with them.
Without a doubt, Chandler is the funniest in this episode. Poor guy has to dump her for the third time! His anxiety and expressions are hilarious to watch. I also loved seeing Ross and Carol together, it was a glimpse of the love they used to share at some point. As for the women, it’s Valentine’s Day and they’re alone, so they’re sulking, nothing new there. More than anything, I like that it highlighted their growing bond.
Funniest quotes:
1. Janice: By the way, Chandler, I cut you out of all of our pictures. So I have a bag of just your heads!
2. Phoebe: Now we need the semen of a righteous man.
Rachel: You know what Pheebs, if we had that, we wouldn’t be doing this ritual in the first place.
7. Season 7, Episode 8: The One Where Chandler Doesn’t Like Dogs
Thanksgiving always yields some great “Friends” episodes. In this one, Phoebe, who is currently living with Monice and Chandler, is taking care of her friends’ dog, Clunkers. However, Chandler is afraid of them and masks his fear by saying he’s allergic. Ross becomes obsessed with winning the States Game — naming all 50 states in 6 minutes — and won’t eat dinner until then. Rachel invites her assistant Tag (Eddie Cahill) for dinner and tries to hit on him when his girlfriend breaks up with him.
This was one of the first Thanksgiving episodes that don’t focus on Chandler’s hate for the holiday and instead the gang bands together for the dog — I love how they all pause to think about whom to give up, Clunkers or Chandler! Joey and his dialogues were spot-on in this episode. Mainly, it introduced us to the handsome Cahill, who was great in his role as Tag.
Funniest quotes:
1. Monica: You guys know your oven doesn’t work right
Joey: But the drawers full of take-out menus is okay, right?
2. Joey: The main question is, does he like you. Because if he doesn't like you, this is all a moo point.
Rachel: A moo point?
Joey: Yeah. It’s like a cow’s opinion. It doesn’t matter. It’s moo!
6. Season 7, Episode 10: The One with the Holiday Armadillo
Ross is stoked he gets to spend the holiday with his son Ben and wants to teach him about Hannukah. His son, however, would rather spend time with Santa Claus. When he doesn’t get a costume last minute, Ross dresses up as the “holiday armadillo” and Chandler borrows a Santa costume from a guy at work. Phoebe, after assuming Rachel is having more fun living with Joey because of Chandler and Monica, gives them gifts like drums and a tarantula in order to lure Rachel back.
Ross as the armadillo was one of the funniest things about this episode. His voice and interactions with “Santa” were great. Chandler, trying throughout the episode to “smoothly give some money off” to people was hilarious! Perry always cracks me up. Episodes that have Ben usually give Ross a lesser whiny storyline, and the kid who played him did a wonderful job, too.
Funniest quotes:
1. Phoebe (places skull on dining table): Aah!
Chandler: Pheebs, skull?
Phoebe: Yeah, it’s my mom’s
Rachel: Oh my God!
Phoebe: No, it’s not my mom. It belonged to my mom. She used to put it out every Christmas to remind us that even if it’s Christmas, people still die. And you can put candy in it.
2. Ross: Years and years ago, there were these people called the Maccabees.
Ben: Jingle bells, jingle bells…
Ross: Yes, but on Hannukah we sing dreidel, dreidel, dreidel, I made you out of clay…
Ben: Rudolf, the red-nose reindeer…
Ross: Okay, it’s not a contest.
5. Season 5, Episode 11 - The One with all the Resolutions
In this New Year’s episode, the gang decides to take up resolutions. Ross decides to learn something new each day, Phoebe wants to learn how to pilot a plane, Rachel will not gossip, Joey wants to learn to play the guitar, Monica will take more pictures of the group, and Chandler cannot be sarcastic to his friends — for a week at least in his case.
On a date, Ross debuts his new leather pants which shrink on him at the very wrong time, making him slump even more. Rachel finally learns that Monica and Chandler are secretly dating but can’t do anything about it. Joey and Phoebe argue because she isn’t a very good guitar teacher.
Funniest quotes:
1. Phoebe: My resolution is to pilot a commercial jet Chandler: That’s a good one, Pheebs. Now all you have to do is find a planeload of people whose resolution is to plummet to their deaths.
2. Chandler: Okay, I can’t take it anymore. You win, here. Pheebs, flying a jet? Better make it a space jet so you can get back to your home planet. And Ross, phone call for you today, Tom Jones — he wants his pants back. And Hornswoggle? What are you dating a character from Fraggle Rock? (sighs!)
4. Season 8, Episode 6 - The One with the Halloween Party
At Chandler and Monica’s halloween party, Ross goes as doody and in order to impress his date Mona (Bonnie Sommerville), he goes into an arm wrestle match with Chandler. The latter is dressed as a pink bunny, a costume Monica picked out for him. Meanwhile, Phoebe figures out her twin Ursula is lying to her fiancé Eric (Sean Penn) and because he’s a nice guy, she debates on whether to tell him the truth or not. A pregnant Rachel, in order to bond with trick-or-treaters, puts herself in-charge of distributing candy.
It’s surprising that “Friends” hasn’t done a Halloween-episode earlier but this one wins hands down as one of their funniest holiday-themed episodes. They all dress up, there’s light banter, we get to see Ursula — and did I mention Chandler in a pink bunny costume?
Funniest quotes:
1. Chandler: You think you’re strong, why don’t you prove it Ross: Oh, I’ll prove it. I’ll prove it like a theorem.
2. Trick-or-treater: My friend Louis told me you were giving out money Rachel: We were but now we’ve got candy
Trick-or-treater: I’d rather have the money
Rachel: That’s not your choice. Happy Halloween.
Trick-or-treater: That’s not fair
Rachel: Is it fair that all you did was put on a cape and now I have to give you free stuff?
3. Season 6, Episode 9 - The One where Ross Got High
Another Thanksgiving episode, another joyride. In this one, Ross doesn’t want to admit to his parents he smoked pot in college. He blamed it on Chandler so they haven’t approved of him since then, but now that Monica is living with him, they want the parents to know the truth. Ross and Joey want to go to Janine’s party instead and Rachel is in-charge of dessert, which she unknowingly screws up.
Everything about this episode is genius. From Ross and Monica’s confessions to the gang pretending to like Rachel’s trifle to Phoebe’s inappropriate crush on Jack Gellar, the craziness is insane! It’s no wonder the episode is #3 on this list.
Funniest quotes:
1. Monica: Dad, that mailman you got fired, he didn’t steal your Playboys. Ross did!
Ross: Hurricane Gloria didn’t break the porch swing. Monica did!
Monica: Ross hasn’t worked at the museum in a year!
Ross: Monica and Chandler are living together!
Monica: Ross married Rachel in Vegas, and got divorced, again!
Phoebe: I love Jacques Cousteau!
Rachel: I wasn’t supposed to put beef in the trifle!
Joey: I want to goooo!
Judy: That’s a lot of information to get in 30 seconds
2. Chandler: Ross sure is a great guy. I’ve always felt that the way a young man turns out is a reflection on his father.
Jack: I always thought that too. Tell me what does your father do? Chandler: He’s the headliner of a gay burlesque show.
2. Season 8, Episode 9 - The One with the Rumor
In this episode, not only do we get Brad Pitt as a guest star, but we also see just how far back the Ross/Rachel story goes once again. It’s Thanksgiving and Monica invites their high school buddy Will for dinner. He used to be heavy and has lost a “bunch of weight.” He hates Rachel because she picked on him a lot in school and along with Ross and an exchange student, they formed the “I Hate Rachel” club. Joey challenges himself to eat almost a whole turkey.
Pitt was incredible — with his dialogue delivery and expressions — in this episode. Along with Ross and Rachel, the trio stole the whole episode. We also get to understand just how much Rachel has progressed in life from the person we met in the pilot.
Favorite quotes:
1. Will: Look at her standing there with those yams. My two greatest enemies, Ross. Rachel Green and complex carbohydrates.
2. Rachel: Can we please put the chicken and the turkey and everything on the other side of the table. Everything is just ugh. Will: (coughs the word typical) Rachel: I’m sorry, what? Will: I said it was typical. Typical of you Rachel Green, Queen Rachel, does whatever she wants in little Rachel land. (hair flip).
1. Season 9, Episode 8 - The One with Rachel’s Other Sister
I absolutely love this episode, it’s my favorite probably in the whole show. Partly because of Christina Applegate’s fantastic performance as Rachel’s sister Amy, partly because of the whole fight for “who gets baby Emma” once Ross and Rachel die and partly because of Monica’s obsession with her fancy plates. All the characters get fun storylines, including Phoebe who has to teach Joey how to lie.
Amy visits Rachel on Thanksgiving and is invited for dinner at Monica’s. She proves just how crazy and obnoxious she is, causing a fight with Rachel. They all argue about who will get Ross and Rachel’s baby when the two of them die, and they announce they want Monica and Chandler to raise her.
Favorite quotes:
1. Rachel: You decorated dad’s office and now you’re a decorated? Okay. I went to the zoo yesterday and now I am a koala bear!
2. Chandler: I got to say, this means so much to me. That you would trust me with your child. We all know Monica and I have been trying to have a baby of our own and I’ve had my doubts about my skills as a father, but that you two.. but that you two..
Amy: This guy? Seriously?
The show, focusing on six friends — Chandler Bing (Matthew Perry), Joey Tribbiani (Matt LeBlanc), Rachel Green (Jennifer Aniston), Phoebe Buffay (Lisa Kudrow), Monica Gellar (Courtney Cox), and Ross Gellar (David Schwimmer) — navigated us through their ups and down and did it with some great humor.
“Friends” has so many great episodes but they do have a knack for doing some unique holiday-themed episodes. As we are about to embark on the holiday season soon enough, out of the several they have done in its long run, I decided to rank my top 10!
Disclaimer — this is fully my opinion, and a tough one because I love every episode! But please do comment and let me know which ones are your favorite.
10. Season 2, Episode 9 - The One with Phoebe’s Dad
Phoebe tries to track down her father after finally learning from her grandmother where he lives. Chandler and Joey accompany her. Ross, after pissing off Rachel by making a list of her pros and cons, tries to win her over. Rachel and Monica throw a Christmas party but their radiator breaks down so their apartment heats up.
In this episode, the emotional side to Phoebe’s story is wonderful to watch. She has a few of them scattered throughout the show like giving birth to the triplets, the whole David vs. Mike situation. Her part was definitely my favorite, followed by the crappy gifts Joey and Chandler give to the group.
Funniest quotes:
1. Joey: Phoebe here with the cab yet?
Chandler: Yeah, she, she brought the invisible cab…hop in.
2. Chandler: Ho-ho-holy crap it’s hot in here.
9. Season 6, Episode 10: The One with the Routine
Joey, who is majorly crushing on his roommate Janine (Elle MacPherson), accompanies her to Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve special and Ross and Monica, big time fans of the show, tag along. They want to perform “the routine,” a dance they used to do as kids. Meanwhile, Rachel and Phoebe search the apartments forMonica'ss presents, which she is a champion at hiding, and convince Chandler to help them.
This episode is hilarious mainly due to the Gellar siblings and their “dance.” Cox and Schwimmer nailed their performance here. It’s tough to do something special for New Year’s and this episode nails it.
Funniest quotes:
1. Rachel: Chandler, what is this very weird metal “A,” “Z” thing?
Chandler: Those are bookends. That’s a great gift!
Phoebe: Oh, okay. I’m sorry. Thank you for my “az!”
2. Phoebe: Birds have a very good sense of direction. I thought maybe they could help us find where the presents are hidden.
Chandler: Yes, if the presents are hidden south for the winter!
8. Season 1, Episode 14 - The One with the Candy Hearts
Ah, fetus “Friends,” still in its first season glory. In this episode, Chandler and Joey go on a double-date and the former is coincidentally and unwillingly reunited with his ex, Janice (Maggie Wheeler), whom he dumped twice in the last five months. Monica, Rachel, and Phoebe have a ritual to break out of their bad boyfriend cycle. Ross goes on his first date after the divorce only to end up ignoring her when ex-wife Carol is stuck with them.
Without a doubt, Chandler is the funniest in this episode. Poor guy has to dump her for the third time! His anxiety and expressions are hilarious to watch. I also loved seeing Ross and Carol together, it was a glimpse of the love they used to share at some point. As for the women, it’s Valentine’s Day and they’re alone, so they’re sulking, nothing new there. More than anything, I like that it highlighted their growing bond.
Funniest quotes:
1. Janice: By the way, Chandler, I cut you out of all of our pictures. So I have a bag of just your heads!
2. Phoebe: Now we need the semen of a righteous man.
Rachel: You know what Pheebs, if we had that, we wouldn’t be doing this ritual in the first place.
7. Season 7, Episode 8: The One Where Chandler Doesn’t Like Dogs
Thanksgiving always yields some great “Friends” episodes. In this one, Phoebe, who is currently living with Monice and Chandler, is taking care of her friends’ dog, Clunkers. However, Chandler is afraid of them and masks his fear by saying he’s allergic. Ross becomes obsessed with winning the States Game — naming all 50 states in 6 minutes — and won’t eat dinner until then. Rachel invites her assistant Tag (Eddie Cahill) for dinner and tries to hit on him when his girlfriend breaks up with him.
This was one of the first Thanksgiving episodes that don’t focus on Chandler’s hate for the holiday and instead the gang bands together for the dog — I love how they all pause to think about whom to give up, Clunkers or Chandler! Joey and his dialogues were spot-on in this episode. Mainly, it introduced us to the handsome Cahill, who was great in his role as Tag.
Funniest quotes:
1. Monica: You guys know your oven doesn’t work right
Joey: But the drawers full of take-out menus is okay, right?
2. Joey: The main question is, does he like you. Because if he doesn't like you, this is all a moo point.
Rachel: A moo point?
Joey: Yeah. It’s like a cow’s opinion. It doesn’t matter. It’s moo!
6. Season 7, Episode 10: The One with the Holiday Armadillo
Ross is stoked he gets to spend the holiday with his son Ben and wants to teach him about Hannukah. His son, however, would rather spend time with Santa Claus. When he doesn’t get a costume last minute, Ross dresses up as the “holiday armadillo” and Chandler borrows a Santa costume from a guy at work. Phoebe, after assuming Rachel is having more fun living with Joey because of Chandler and Monica, gives them gifts like drums and a tarantula in order to lure Rachel back.
Ross as the armadillo was one of the funniest things about this episode. His voice and interactions with “Santa” were great. Chandler, trying throughout the episode to “smoothly give some money off” to people was hilarious! Perry always cracks me up. Episodes that have Ben usually give Ross a lesser whiny storyline, and the kid who played him did a wonderful job, too.
Funniest quotes:
1. Phoebe (places skull on dining table): Aah!
Chandler: Pheebs, skull?
Phoebe: Yeah, it’s my mom’s
Rachel: Oh my God!
Phoebe: No, it’s not my mom. It belonged to my mom. She used to put it out every Christmas to remind us that even if it’s Christmas, people still die. And you can put candy in it.
2. Ross: Years and years ago, there were these people called the Maccabees.
Ben: Jingle bells, jingle bells…
Ross: Yes, but on Hannukah we sing dreidel, dreidel, dreidel, I made you out of clay…
Ben: Rudolf, the red-nose reindeer…
Ross: Okay, it’s not a contest.
5. Season 5, Episode 11 - The One with all the Resolutions
In this New Year’s episode, the gang decides to take up resolutions. Ross decides to learn something new each day, Phoebe wants to learn how to pilot a plane, Rachel will not gossip, Joey wants to learn to play the guitar, Monica will take more pictures of the group, and Chandler cannot be sarcastic to his friends — for a week at least in his case.
On a date, Ross debuts his new leather pants which shrink on him at the very wrong time, making him slump even more. Rachel finally learns that Monica and Chandler are secretly dating but can’t do anything about it. Joey and Phoebe argue because she isn’t a very good guitar teacher.
Funniest quotes:
1. Phoebe: My resolution is to pilot a commercial jet Chandler: That’s a good one, Pheebs. Now all you have to do is find a planeload of people whose resolution is to plummet to their deaths.
2. Chandler: Okay, I can’t take it anymore. You win, here. Pheebs, flying a jet? Better make it a space jet so you can get back to your home planet. And Ross, phone call for you today, Tom Jones — he wants his pants back. And Hornswoggle? What are you dating a character from Fraggle Rock? (sighs!)
4. Season 8, Episode 6 - The One with the Halloween Party
At Chandler and Monica’s halloween party, Ross goes as doody and in order to impress his date Mona (Bonnie Sommerville), he goes into an arm wrestle match with Chandler. The latter is dressed as a pink bunny, a costume Monica picked out for him. Meanwhile, Phoebe figures out her twin Ursula is lying to her fiancé Eric (Sean Penn) and because he’s a nice guy, she debates on whether to tell him the truth or not. A pregnant Rachel, in order to bond with trick-or-treaters, puts herself in-charge of distributing candy.
It’s surprising that “Friends” hasn’t done a Halloween-episode earlier but this one wins hands down as one of their funniest holiday-themed episodes. They all dress up, there’s light banter, we get to see Ursula — and did I mention Chandler in a pink bunny costume?
Funniest quotes:
1. Chandler: You think you’re strong, why don’t you prove it Ross: Oh, I’ll prove it. I’ll prove it like a theorem.
2. Trick-or-treater: My friend Louis told me you were giving out money Rachel: We were but now we’ve got candy
Trick-or-treater: I’d rather have the money
Rachel: That’s not your choice. Happy Halloween.
Trick-or-treater: That’s not fair
Rachel: Is it fair that all you did was put on a cape and now I have to give you free stuff?
3. Season 6, Episode 9 - The One where Ross Got High
Another Thanksgiving episode, another joyride. In this one, Ross doesn’t want to admit to his parents he smoked pot in college. He blamed it on Chandler so they haven’t approved of him since then, but now that Monica is living with him, they want the parents to know the truth. Ross and Joey want to go to Janine’s party instead and Rachel is in-charge of dessert, which she unknowingly screws up.
Everything about this episode is genius. From Ross and Monica’s confessions to the gang pretending to like Rachel’s trifle to Phoebe’s inappropriate crush on Jack Gellar, the craziness is insane! It’s no wonder the episode is #3 on this list.
Funniest quotes:
1. Monica: Dad, that mailman you got fired, he didn’t steal your Playboys. Ross did!
Ross: Hurricane Gloria didn’t break the porch swing. Monica did!
Monica: Ross hasn’t worked at the museum in a year!
Ross: Monica and Chandler are living together!
Monica: Ross married Rachel in Vegas, and got divorced, again!
Phoebe: I love Jacques Cousteau!
Rachel: I wasn’t supposed to put beef in the trifle!
Joey: I want to goooo!
Judy: That’s a lot of information to get in 30 seconds
2. Chandler: Ross sure is a great guy. I’ve always felt that the way a young man turns out is a reflection on his father.
Jack: I always thought that too. Tell me what does your father do? Chandler: He’s the headliner of a gay burlesque show.
2. Season 8, Episode 9 - The One with the Rumor
In this episode, not only do we get Brad Pitt as a guest star, but we also see just how far back the Ross/Rachel story goes once again. It’s Thanksgiving and Monica invites their high school buddy Will for dinner. He used to be heavy and has lost a “bunch of weight.” He hates Rachel because she picked on him a lot in school and along with Ross and an exchange student, they formed the “I Hate Rachel” club. Joey challenges himself to eat almost a whole turkey.
Pitt was incredible — with his dialogue delivery and expressions — in this episode. Along with Ross and Rachel, the trio stole the whole episode. We also get to understand just how much Rachel has progressed in life from the person we met in the pilot.
Favorite quotes:
1. Will: Look at her standing there with those yams. My two greatest enemies, Ross. Rachel Green and complex carbohydrates.
2. Rachel: Can we please put the chicken and the turkey and everything on the other side of the table. Everything is just ugh. Will: (coughs the word typical) Rachel: I’m sorry, what? Will: I said it was typical. Typical of you Rachel Green, Queen Rachel, does whatever she wants in little Rachel land. (hair flip).
1. Season 9, Episode 8 - The One with Rachel’s Other Sister
I absolutely love this episode, it’s my favorite probably in the whole show. Partly because of Christina Applegate’s fantastic performance as Rachel’s sister Amy, partly because of the whole fight for “who gets baby Emma” once Ross and Rachel die and partly because of Monica’s obsession with her fancy plates. All the characters get fun storylines, including Phoebe who has to teach Joey how to lie.
Amy visits Rachel on Thanksgiving and is invited for dinner at Monica’s. She proves just how crazy and obnoxious she is, causing a fight with Rachel. They all argue about who will get Ross and Rachel’s baby when the two of them die, and they announce they want Monica and Chandler to raise her.
Favorite quotes:
1. Rachel: You decorated dad’s office and now you’re a decorated? Okay. I went to the zoo yesterday and now I am a koala bear!
2. Chandler: I got to say, this means so much to me. That you would trust me with your child. We all know Monica and I have been trying to have a baby of our own and I’ve had my doubts about my skills as a father, but that you two.. but that you two..
Amy: This guy? Seriously?
