It was a good 10 years. From 1994 to 2004, Monica Geller (Courteney Cox), Rachel Green (Jenifer Aniston), Phoebe Buffay (Lisa Kudrow), Joey Tribbiani (Matt LeBlanc), Chandler Bing (Matthew Perry) and Ross Geller (David Schwimmer) made us laugh, cry, and swoon with their perfect timing and undeniable group chemistry. The series created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman is now an iconic part of pop culture, transcending generation, race, and age.
Really, who isn’t familiar with lines like “How do you doin’ ?”
The One Where Monica Gains a Roomate Pilot (Season 1, Episode 1)
Can anyone ever forget how it all began? There are so many things to love about this episode, including Rachel Green’s wedding dress and seeing Central Perk for the first time. Considering how iconic the series was, seeing how it all started will always be something special. The script proved to be one of the funniest, tackling what would eventually be familiar themes e.g. Ross and Rachel. Also, that credit card cutting scene was probably what made most of us start rooting for Rachel in her journey to independence—adulting vibes everywhere, right?
The One Where Ross Finds Out (Season 2, Episode 7)
Speaking of Ross and Rachel, this scene is so popular that even non-fans are familiar with it. This scene happened on Season 2, hence audiences had been rooting for Ross and Rachel for a while now. Not that Jenny was a bad person, but like Ross said, she wasn’tRachel.
The One With the Rumor (Season 8, Episode 9)
Seeing Brad Pitt on-screen is always a treat. As a bit of a trivia, this episode was done when Brad and Jennifer were still married, and so seeing Brad (playing Will Colber) hate Rachel was hilarious. Also, Brad isn’t your typical comedian, so seeing him deliver lines like “Screw it, bring on the yams!” and “Queen Rachel” was so much fun! In the episode, Rachel was apparently not very nice to Will Colbert when they were in high school, so he was anything but pleased to see her again.
The One Where Everybody Finds Out (Season 5, Episode 14)
Apart from Ross and Rachel, Monica and Chandler are also one of the most well-loved pairs in the series. In the episode, they had been hiding her relationship from the group, except for Joey who reluctantly told Rachel and Phoebe. In short, everyone but Ross knew. The window scene is an extremely well-written script, and was recreated during the recent Friends: The Reunion last 2021. Phoebe (Lisa) shone in this scene with her over-the-top expressions we all know and love.
The Last One: Part 2 (Season 9, Episode 18)
Of course, every series has to come to an end, and so just like we love the beginning, we also love this episode that finally shows its main characters all grown up, entering another stage in life.
…and yes, we’ll always remember that touching scene when Rachel said she got off the plane. Swoon much?
Friends will probably be watched for decades to come and we can’t imagine any other people playing these characters. It was a casting decision made in production heaven. Having said that, it’s comforting to know that after a long day’s work, a busy week, or during those times when you feel a little down, we’ll always have these friends to turn to.
Watch Friends on HBO Channel and Friends: The Reunion on HBO GO. Airing schedules vary.
About Friends:
This is a show about love, careers and a time in life when everything is possible … about the search for commitment and security … and the fear of commitment and security. Most of all, it’s about friendship–for when you’are young and single in the city, your friends are your family.
About HBO GO
WarnerMedia’s HBO GO is a regional streaming service in eight territories in Southeast Asia, including Taiwan and Hong Kong. Programming includes award-winning HBO Original series, movies and documentaries, Max Originals which tell compelling stories from around the region and beyond. This is supplemented by exclusive, first-run content from major Hollywood and independent studios that offers a mix of originals and acquired content – including kids and family content from Cartoon Network and Warner Bros. – available to download or stream anytime, anywhere. Log on to www.hbogoasia.com for more information.
