Regarded by many as the funniest sitcom of all time, Friends has reached legendary status. The TV show about six 20-somethings living in New York City has left a permanent mark on pop culture and amassed a following of loyal fans.
Every season of the popular show had its funny moments, with no season being truly unfunny or boring (despite sometimes having plotlines that angered fans). It’s no easy to task to decide which episodes are the funniest, and which season as a whole has the highest number of funny moments. But we’ve given it a try!
The Least Funny: Season One
To be clear, every season of Friends is funny. Every season has its funny episodes and a wide range of hilarious moments. Season One isn’t what you’d call unfunny or boring. It’s just that little bit less funny than the rest of the seasons because it always takes a little time for the writers to find their way and figure out what works and what doesn’t.
There are still a few stand-out moments in Season One. Some of the funniest revolve around Chandler’s relationship with Janice and Ross’s preparations for Ben’s birth.
Season Nine
Originally, Season Nine was intended to be the final season of Friends. Jennifer Aniston was tossing up whether or not to return for the final season and it’s obvious from some of the storylines that the writers were trying to tie some loose ends and wrap things up.
Many moments in the ninth season are still hilarious, but the issues with the plot sometimes distract from the humor. In Season Nine, while Rachel adjusts to parenthood and Phoebe has a nightmare birthday dinner, we find out that Ross still sees his pediatrician and Phoebe once mugged Ross.
Season Ten
A lot of Friends fans would rate the tenth season as one of the worst, thanks in large part to the brief but unforgettable romantic relationship between Rachel and Joey. Some of the most comical moments in the season occur when Ross tries and fails to get a good spray tan and Joey tries and fails to speak French.
By this time, the characters had been sufficiently mined and the writers appeared to be struggling to come up with material that was as funny as it had been in the past.
Season Two
While not as funny as many later seasons, the second season of Friends definitely had its moments. The most memorable episodes include "The One with the Prom Video" and "The One with Russ", but there are examples of great comedy in all of them.
There were also quite a few prominent guest stars in the second season that had entertaining roles and lines. Among them, Brooke Shields, Julia Roberts, Jean-Claude Van Damme, and Lea Thompson of Back to the Future fame. It’s also the first time we meet Richard, Monica’s older lover.
Season Four
Season Four is often considered one of the best Friends seasons ever. As far as hilarity goes, it definitely has its share of side-splittingly funny moments. The season finale is among the most iconic episodes, taking place at Ross’s wedding to Emily in London. Of course, this is where Ross says Rachel’s name instead of Emily’s, leading to a series of consequences.
"The One with the Embryos" from the fourth season, featuring the trivia quiz that Joey, Chandler, Monica, and Ross take, is widely considered to be one of the best episodes of the series.
Season Five
Airing between 1998 and 1999, the fifth season of Friends is often regarded as iconic, focusing on the growing relationship between Chandler and Monica after their union in London. Some of the most hilarious moments include the trouble Ross gets into with his leather pants and Rachel buying a hairless Sphynx cat
Among the most highly rated episodes in the season are ‘The One Where Everybody Finds Out’ and ‘The One in Vegas’, where Rachel and Ross finally get hitched after a night of drinking.
Season Three
The third season of Friends contains countless moments of hilarity, with nearly every episode comedy gold. Many fans regard the season as the beginning of the show’s golden years, particularly in 'The One with the Football' where the gang plays football on Thanksgiving. Plot-wise, the season is also quite prominent as this is when Ross and Rachel take the infamous break that goes on to define the rest of their relationship.
The most unforgettable episode in the season is ‘The One with the Morning After’ where Ross and Rachel break up after Ross sleeps with the copy girl. Even with its heavy content, it manages to have its funny moments.
Season Six
Season Six features a string of iconic episodes that each contain their share of comical moments. The season revolves around Chandler and Monica becoming more serious with their relationship, resulting in the eventual engagement between them in the season finale.
The sixth season offers several hilarious episodes including ‘The One with the Unagi’, ‘The One with the Apothecary Table’, and ‘The One Where Ross Got High’. This is also the season where Joey’s fridge breaks, Monica and Ross perform their routine, and we meet Rachel’s younger and spoiled sister Jill, played by Reese Witherspoon.
Season Eight
Following the timelines of Rachel’s pregnancy, Season Eight contains some of the most hilarious moments in Friends history. During this season, Monica and Chandler host a hysterical Halloween party, Chandler realizes the joys of a bath, and Rachel becomes incredibly irritable as her baby is late.
The standout episode that many consider being the funniest of the series is "The One with the Rumor" which features Brad Pitt guest-starring as Will, an old friend of Ross’s who despises Rachel. In real life, Pitt was married to Jennifer Aniston at the time.
The Funniest: Season Seven
The funniest season of Friends has to be the seventh season that begins with Monica and Chandler’s engagement celebration and ends with their wedding. There were several highlights throughout the season, including Monica struggling to make holiday candy for the neighbors, Ross dressing up as the holiday armadillo for his son Ben, and Phoebe asking for Monica’s help to recreate her grandmother’s famous cookies.
"The One with Monica and Chandler’s Wedding" is often thought of as the best episode of the season, though there are several other outstanding episodes, including "The One Where They’re Up All Night" and "The One with All the Cheesecake".