Friends failed to show an important flashback explaining how Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow) met Monica (Courteney Cox) before the events of the series. Both women served as two of the six main characters throughout the show's ten seasons. Aside from centering on a group dealing with adulthood through their twenties in New York City, Friends also documented important moments in their respective pasts. To fill in those blanks, the series relied on flashbacks, and some of them were vital to the group's relationship.
By the time Friends debuted in 1994, Phoebe was already a member of the core group comprising Monica, Ross (David Schwimmer), Chandler (Matthew Perry), and Joey (Matt LeBlanc). Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) was the final person to join the circle after she left her fiancé at the altar, and reunited with Monica in Central Perk during the Friends pilot. Aside from Monica, Rachel was already familiar with Ross and Chandler, but it was her first time meeting Phoebe and Joey. At that moment, they formed a strong foundation as friends, remaining as vital members of each other's lives through the end of the series.
Aside from Pheobe's first encounter with Rachel, Friends only took the time to explain how Kudrow's character met Ross. Though she didn't know who he was at the time, Pheobe mugged a young boy who happened to be Ross when she lived on the streets, stealing his backpack. As for her connection to Ross' sister, Friends revealed that Phoebe was Monica's roommate for a brief time before the events of the series. She moved out of Monica's Greenwich Village apartment due to her roommate's excessive neatness. That said, how exactly Phoebe came to live with Monica was never explained through flashbacks or shared stories.
Why Phoebe Meeting Monica In Friends Was So Important
Technically, Phoebe's connection to Monica was the bridge to her friendship with the rest of the gang. By living with Monica, Phoebe was able to get to know Chandler, who lived across the hall. In time, Joey eventually moved into Chandler's place, so she would have also encountered him either through her living situation or from Monica. Despite her history with Ross, she wouldn't have officially met him if it wasn't for Monica. The same went with Rachel since the figure sought out Monica since they were former best friends. Looking back, Phoebe's connection to Monica was a life-changing opportunity.
Had Phoebe not met Monica and formed a friendship after their time living together, her fate would have been much different. Due to the significance, it was surprising that Friends chose not to show the first encounter between the two women. Maybe she answered a wanted ad for a roommate in the same fashion that Joey became Chandler's roommate. On the other hand, keeping the flashback out of the focus kept up with the notion that Phoebe was a bit of an outsider. Keeping holes in her backstory added to her quirkiness, but maybe fans will get answers regarding Phoebe's journey in becoming part of the group at some point in the future.