The essential episodes of Friends
Watch these 15 in order and you've got Friends — each pick states its reason.
- 01
The One Where Monica Gets a Roommate
Monica's old friend Rachel moves in with her after leaving her fiancé.
- 02
The guys let the ladies in on a sacred ritual -- their poker game. Meanwhile, Rachel has an interview with Saks.
- 03
Monica brings some things home from her parents' house, including a prom video; Rachel tells Ross that she doesn't think it will work out between them.
- 04
The show flashes back to when the friends were acquaintances and pairing off was a possibility.
- 05
Phoebe undergoes in-vitro fertilization; Monica and Rachel go up against Joey and Chandler to determine which pair know the other better.
- 06
The One Where Everybody Finds Out
Phoebe finds out about Monica and Chandler's romance; Ross plans to rent Ugly Naked Guy's apartment.
- 07
Monica's parents come for Thanksgiving, which is a problem because, not only do they not like Chandler, they don't know where he's living. Rachel makes a dessert--with beef. Phoebe develops a crush on Mr. Geller. Joey and Ross can't wait for dinner to end so they can go to Janine's "Thanksgiving with models".
- 08
The One That Could Have Been: Part 1
Barry and Mindy's impending divorce prompts the gang to fantasize about what their lives might be like if they'd all taken different courses. Ross is still married to Carol, and Rachel is married to Barry, but fawning over famous soap star Joey Tribbiani. Monica is still fat and dating a doctor. Chandler is an aspiring writer and Phoebe is a Wall Street shark for Merrill Lynch.
- 09
The One With the Proposal, Part 1
Chandler plans to propose to Monica at dinner, but his plans go awry when Richard shows up. Phoebe and Joey join Rachel at a charity auction.
- 10
The One Where They All Turn Thirty
When Rachel turns 30, the gang reminisces about their 30th birthdays. While trying to patch things up with Ursula, Phoebe discovers that she is 31. Ross buys a sports car to look cool. Monica gets drunk in front of her parents.
- 11
Rachel won't tell anybody who the father of her baby is until she tells him. Joey tells Monica and Phoebe that a guy slept with Rachel a few weeks earlier, and left a red sweater behind. Ross and Chandler attempt to recreate the wedding pictures, after Chandler loses the disposable cameras. Monica opens all of her and Chandler's wedding presents.
- 12
The One With Rachel's Other Sister
Rachel's self-centered younger sister, Amy, ruins everyone's Thanksgiving dinner with her uncensored observations.
- 13
Hoping to win a huge jackpot, the friends pool their money and buy dozens of lottery tickets.
- 14
The One Where the Stripper Cries
Phoebe's bachelorette party features a rather unexpected surprise when the stripper shows up. Joey is on ""Pyramid."" Chandler and Ross flash back to 1987 to reflect on a pact they made when they were in college.
- 15
Ross and Phoebe chase Rachel to the airport, but end up at the wrong one. They narrowly make it to the right airport, where Ross declares his love for Rachel, but she gets on the plane anyway.
Shows like Friends
The closest matches on shared genres, ranked by match strength and popularity.
- 01Comedy·Romance·DramaThe essential episodes of How I Met Your Mother2005–2014·CBS
How I Met Your Mother is a comedy about Ted and how he fell in love. - 02Comedy·Romance·DramaThe essential episodes of Gilmore Girls2000–2007·The CW
Gilmore Girls is a drama centering around the relationship between a thirtysomething single mother and her teen daughter living in Stars Hollow, Connecticut. - 03Comedy·RomanceThe essential episodes of Younger2015–2021·Paramount+Younger follows 40-year old Liza, a suddenly single mother who tries to get back into the working world, only to find it's nearly impossible to start at the bottom at her age.
- 04Comedy·Romance·DramaThe essential episodes of Hacks2021–2026
Hacks explores a dark mentorship that forms between Deborah Vance, a legendary Las Vegas comedian, and an entitled, outcast 25-year-old. - 05Comedy·Romance·DramaThe essential episodes of Rivals2024–present·Disney+
Rivals dives headfirst into the cut-throat world of independent television in 1986, where the shoulder pads are big and ambitions even bigger. - 06Comedy·Romance·MedicalThe essential episodes of The Mindy Project2012–2017The Mindy Project is a single-camera comedy series which follows a skilled OB/GYN navigating the tricky waters of both her personal and professional life.
