It goes without saying that Friends is one of the most culturally significant sitcoms ever to be produced. Even years after its series finale, Friends ‘ popularity has never wavered.
In order to celebrate some of the more memorable moments, here are 10+ of the most iconic Friends moments of all time. Get ready to laugh once again with the Central Perk six!
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Joey says “How you doin?” for the first time.
Oddly enough, Joey doesn’t even utter his trademark catchphrase until the show’s 4th season in “The One With Rachel’s Crush.”
From that point onward, it became one of the most quotable lines of dialogue of the entire series.
Ross and Rachel’s first kiss.
I don’t think there’s ever been a better “first-kiss.” It was just so perfect!
So much had been building up to this point that when Ross and Rachel finally locked lips, audiences around the world cheered in approval.
Monica proposes to Chandler.
My god, was this scene emotional. I still get teary-eyed just thinking about it.
Fans had been routing for Monica and Chandler’s relationship for so long, and it was so incredibly rewarding to finally have this moment.
Ross’ leather pants get stuck.
I never understood why Ross got so much hate! I always thought he was the funniest!
Watching him apply baby powder and hand lotion in vain to his shrunken leather pants was positively side-splitting. Without a doubt, it’s one of the funniest scenes of the series.
The battle for the apartment.
One of the most iconic moments is simply referred to as “The Apartment Bet.” Chandler and Joey go head-to-head against Monica and Rachel: winner gets the big apartment.
The girls lose after they’re unable to answer the question “What is Chandler Bing’s job?”
When Joey goes commando.
Some people call this a bottleneck episode, I call it one of the funniest Joey moments ever! After Chandler hides Joey’s underwear from him, Joey proclaims that he is now going to do the exact opposite.
Which, according to his logic, meant going “commando” in every single piece of clothing Chandler owned.
Phoebe teaches Joey how to speak French.
Whenever Joey and Phoebe are sharing the screen together, magic ensues. Perhaps the greatest example of this was his French lesson with Pheebs.
I’m honestly not sure what’s funnier: Phoebe’s frustration or Joey’s unflinching confidence as he fumbles through the sentence?
Smelly Cat.
“Smelly Cat, Smelly Cat, what are they feeding you?”
Phoebe has some truly incredible songs, many of which are worthy of discussion. None, however, was more impactful or hilarious than “Smelly Cat.” The only thing better than the lyrics is the music video!
When Rachel got off the plane.
After Ross arrives home from the airport, he screams hilariously at his answering machine for Rachel to be allowed off the plane. The machine cuts before we actually hear the resolution.
From the other side of the room, Rachel appears, bags in hand, and says “I got off the plane.”
“Joey doesn’t share food!”
After explaining this to his date, he attempts to eat a bite of her chocolate torte. She refuses, stating that the same rules apply both ways.
When she comes back from the bathroom, her torte is gone and Joey’s face is covered in chocolate.
PIVOT!
Who would have thought that one seemingly insignificant word would become one of the most hilarious inside jokes of the series?
The only thing funnier than watching Ross haphazardly maneuver the couch is hearing him scream out his ridiculous request for Rachel to “Pivot!” Whatever that means?
Joey knows!
Monica and Chandler did an admirable job of keeping their relationship a secret, but it all comes crashing down when Joey finally puts two and two together.
He tells them how shocked and happy he is but is understandably furious when he realizes how long ago it began.
” IN LONDON ?!”
Santa and Superman meet the Holiday Armadillo.
“What are you doing here, Santa?”
“Well, I’m here to see my old buddy, Ben. What are you doing here? Weird…turtle man?”
Friends doesn’t have many great Christmas episodes, but this is unquestionably a classic.
Seven…Seven…SEVEN!
In a somewhat “delicate” scene, Monica is instructing Chandler on the many secrets of the female body. She starts by numbering the erogenous zones and Chandler is shocked to learn that there are seven!
What starts out as a lesson, quickly ends with Monica lighting a cigarette (metaphorically speaking).
Ross playing the bagpipes.
I can’t make it through ten seconds of Ross playing the bagpipes without tears streaming down my face.
When he exclaims “you know the song, sing along!” and then Phoebe’s starts mimicking his incredibly high, nasally sounding note, I lose it!
Ross’ tan.
This is quite possibly the best thing that has ever happened on the show.
This tan really sat with all of us from the moment it appeared and has us laughing all these years later. It’s truly amazing in every possible way.
When Rachel was introduced to the real world.
Seriously speaking, this line has been used in memes, and in real conversation among people for YEARS since it is so freaking relatable.
Being an adult in the real world DOES suck.
When Rachel found out about Ross having feelings for her.
Not only was it a super sweet moment that would lead to a greater arc, but it showed us who Chandler really was in the show.
Someone who really, really, doesn’t know how to keep a secret.
Monica hires a hooker.
Not only did it make for a hilarious episode, but it actually also allowed us to witness some super sweet moments with Joey, who was really missing spending quality time with his best pal, Chandler.
Ross turns up naked to “Ugly Naked Guy’s” apartment.
Did we expect it? No. Was it one of the greatest moments of the show? Yup.
The best part is that poor Monica is looking out the window and unfortunately gets a full view of her brother naked.
When we found out that Ross was actually Monica’s first kiss.
This show gets strangely incestuous at times.
In an episode where Ross, Chandler, and Monica are revealing secrets to each other, it slips out that Monica’s “midnight mystery kisser” was actually Ross. And it was her first kiss.
When everyone was trapped in Monica’s room.
The first big fight in Friends happened between Ross and Rachel, and involved the iconic line “we were on a break.”
But even more iconic was the oddly funny scenes during the drama that took place in Monica’s bedroom!
Phoebe running.
Was it overdramatic? Yes. Do people actually run like that? Maybe. Either way, we’re not here to judge.
But we had a great time watching Phoebe be her absolute best self and teaching Rachel how to do the same.
Chandler in the box.
When Chandler and Joey get into their first big fight, Joey forces Chandler to stay in a box through Thanksgiving in order to make it up to him.
It’s definitely one of the earliest and funniest moments on the show.
Ross says the wrong name at the wedding.
When Ross said “Rachel” instead of “Emily” when he was getting married…I mean, come ON.
Did any of us NOT gasp when that happened? It’s such an iconic moment! The drama of it all!
When the ladies sat together in wedding dresses.
This has also made its way into memes and has become an iconic scene for all women everywhere, who somehow relate, and wistfully hope for the day that they can actually do this with their own pals.
When Rachel has to move out.
In yet another argument that the girls have, things get heated when Monica doesn’t think Rachel is sad enough when she learns she has to move out.
Eventually, everything bubbles to the surface and it results in a tender moment between the two women.
Rachel put beef in the trifle!
This entire episode was pure gold. Everyone had an iconic line, but what was so sweet about it was Rachel realizing she was never supposed to put beef in the trifle.
So naive. So sweet.
Phoebe and her grandmother’s famous cookie recipe.
Phoebe realizing that her grandmother’s cookie recipe is literally a standard one that can be found on the back of a package was…iconic.
She completely loses it, and a poor tired Monica just gets even more tired.
The entire episode with Brad Pitt.
He is definitely one of the best guest stars that the show ever had.
He completely loses it in the episode and really raises the tension between Ross and Rachel, which is always fun to watch!
Chandler discovering Monica’s messy secret closet.
Did anyone feel closer to Monica once we found out that she was not actually completely perfect and clean all the time?
Chandler discovering the closet made her seem all the more relatable if you ask me.
