As Friends celebrates its 30th anniversary on September 22, the iconic sitcom remains one of the most beloved shows in TV history. Created by Marta Kauffman and David Crane for NBC, the series captured the ups and downs of six friends navigating life in New York City. With stars like Jennifer Aniston (Rachel), Courteney Cox (Monica), Lisa Kudrow (Phoebe), Matt LeBlanc (Joey), Matthew Perry (Chandler), and David Schwimmer (Ross), the show ran for ten seasons from 1994 to 2004, resonating with audiences and becoming a cultural phenomenon.
The series embodies a special time when friendships are like family, and its humor and relatable moments have kept it relevant. In celebration of Friends, here’s a look back at some of the show’s funniest episodes—moments that have left fans laughing for decades.
Here’s an otaku an-inspired list of the 10 funniest episodes of Friends, listed in broadcast order, and all available to stream on Max:
Funniest Episodes of Friends
6. The One with the Home Video (Season 2, Episode 14)
In “The One with the Home Video,” Monica’s parents decide to turn her old bedroom into a gym, so they return a box of her old keepsakes. Among the items, the group finds a home video from Monica and Rachel’s high school graduation. This brings back memories of Rachel’s pre-surgery nose and Monica’s time as “Fat Monica.”
As they watch, the friends get a kick out of Ross, who once dreamed of becoming a musician. However, a surprising moment on the tape reveals a secret about Ross that makes Rachel see him in a new light.
Meanwhile, Joey gifts Chandler a bracelet that reads “For my big friend.” Though Chandler isn’t a fan of the bracelet, he tries to hide his true feelings to avoid hurting Joey.
5. The One Where No One’s Ready (Season 3, Episode 2)
In one of the most iconic episodes of Season 3, “The One Where No One’s Ready,” Ross desperately tries to get everyone dressed for an important museum dinner. However, chaos ensues as Rachel can’t decide on an outfit, Monica is obsessing over a message from Richard (Tom Selleck), and Chandler and Joey are locked in a petty argument over who gets to sit in a particular chair.
As tensions rise and Ross becomes increasingly frantic about being late, Joey escalates the situation by putting on every single one of Chandler’s clothes as payback for Chandler hiding his underwear.
4. The One with the Embryos (Season 4, Episode 12)
In “The One with the Embryos,” Phoebe finds out she’s ready to receive the embryos from her brother Frank (Giovanni Ribisi) and his wife Alice (Debra Jo Rupp), marking a huge moment as she begins the fertilization process.
However, the episode’s highlight comes when Joey and Chandler boast that they know more about Monica and Rachel’s lives than the girls know about theirs. This leads to a hilarious quiz game, hosted by Ross, where the stakes are high. In the end, Monica and Rachel lose, and as a result, they have to swap apartments with Joey and Chandler, much to their dismay.
3. The One with All the Resolutions (Season 5, Episode 11)
In “The One with All the Resolutions,” the friends make New Year’s resolutions for 1999, leading to some hilarious moments. Monica promises to take more class photos, Chandler vows to stop making fun of his friends (at least temporarily), Joey decides to learn guitar, and Ross commits to doing something different every day.
Ross’ resolution takes a memorable turn when he buys a pair of leather pants for a date. Overheating, he removes them in the bathroom of his date’s apartment but then struggles to get them back on. In a panic, he smears himself with talcum powder and Vaseline, only to make things worse, resulting in an embarrassing disaster.
Meanwhile, Rachel uncovers the secret that Chandler and Monica are having an affair. Shocked, she turns to Joey, the only other person in the group who knows the truth, leading to some comical and awkward conversations.
2. The One That Could Have Been (Season 6, Episodes 15 and 16)
In the two-part episode “The One That Could Have Been,” the show explores an alternate reality where the characters’ lives take very different directions.
In this version of events, Rachel marries Barry (Mitchell Whitfield) but unexpectedly crosses paths with Ross, who is still married to Carol (Jane Sibbett). Monica remains overweight, and Chandler is trying to make it as a stand-up comedian.
Phoebe, rather than working as a massage therapist, is a high-powered stockbroker, while Joey has become a major star on Days of Our Lives, playing “Dr. Drake Ramoray.” Rachel, a fan of Joey’s character, begins to take an interest in him. Meanwhile, Monica and Chandler start a romance, and Ross and Carol discuss having a threesome, which leads them to involve Susan (Jessica Hecht) in their marriage.
The episodes provide a humorous and entertaining glimpse into how different choices could have drastically changed the dynamics between the friends.
1. The One with the Routine (Season 6, Episode 10)
In “The One with the Routine,” Janine (played by Elle Macpherson) gets invited to perform on a New Year’s Eve TV special and brings Joey along, as well as Monica and Ross, who are huge fans of the show. Excited by the opportunity, the siblings try to get extra attention by performing an old, over-the-top dance routine they created during their childhood in hopes of getting featured on the platform.
Meanwhile, back at Monica and Chandler’s apartment, Rachel, Phoebe, and Chandler team up to hunt for the Christmas presents Monica bought for them. However, their search becomes increasingly difficult as Monica has cleverly hidden the gifts, anticipating their every move.
