The cast of Friends is an iconic group of characters, and it's their strong personalities that really pull the show together. From Monica's strict cleanliness to Chandler's sarcastic coping mechanisms, no two characters are alike. Friends is a chaotic and unpredictable show, but each character is well-defined.
However, there are rare moments where a character does or says something completely the opposite of what they would normally do. People aren't always predictable and this is equally true for fictional characters. For example, sometimes Phoebe is scary instead of loopy, and sometimes Joey is actually ... smart?
Chandler Bing: "I'm Hopeless And Awkward And Desperate For Love!"
One of Chandler's defining character traits is his fear of commitment. Before Monica, Chandler had a series of girlfriends who barely lasted more than an episode or two. And of course, Chandler constantly fell back on Janice. He knows Janice and, even though he doesn't particularly like her, she's a safe choice.
The divorce of Chandler's parents led him to feel insecure in all types of relationships. In "The One with the Metaphorical Tunnel," he decides he does want a relationship with Janice, but he takes it too far, too fast. It's weird to see Chandler get clingy and needy when fans are so used to him being aloof towards romantic partners.
Joey Tribbiani: "These Little Women. Wow!"
Joey is not always the sharpest tool in the shed. When Phoebe attempts to teach him French, Joey just speaks gibberish, despite believing he is pronouncing everything correctly. Luckily, Joey doesn't necessarily need to be smart to be an actor and he lands his role as Dr. Drake Ramoray without any knowledge of the medical field.
So when Rachel convinces Joey to read Little Women, it is quite shocking when Joey falls in love with it. It's almost refreshing to see Joey fall in love with a world that doesn't have anything to do with serial killers or ghosts.
Rachel Green: "If You Don't Know What You Are Doing Out At Sea, You Will Die At Sea. Am I Getting Through, Sailor!"
Rachel probably learns the most on her journey of all her friends. She starts a spoiled young woman who doesn't know how to take care of herself but ends the show as a loving mother with a successful career. While her old self sometimes comes through, she always tries her best to be a good friend.
So it's quite shocking when Rachel becomes mean and aggressive when trying to teach Joey to sail. She yells at him and even blows an airhorn directly into his ear. The Rachel fans know is never this confrontational. In fact, she can sometimes be a pushover, and this version of Rachel is definitely not someone fans would like to see again.
Monica Geller: "I Was Thrown Out Of A Hotel! Me!"
From the very beginning, Monica is the rule follower. She keeps a clean home and gets upset if any of her friends break her rules, however odd. She can't stand any kind of mess, so living in Joey and Chandler's apartment for a short time is a nightmare for her.
However, when her identity is stolen, Monica befriends the thief and starts going on crazy nights out. They lie about having hotel reservations, try out for Broadway shows, and come home drunk from parties. This is a completely different Monica than what fans are used to seeing. She has no regard for the rules and leaves a mess wherever she goes.
Phoebe Buffay: "That Donation We Made Earlier, Well We ... We Want It Back."
Phoebe is one of the most quotable, eccentric characters in the cast. She is kind and cares for all living things. When she finds a thumb in a can of soda and receives compensation from the soda company, she gives the money away. She even donates $200 of her own money to a fundraiser Joey participates in.
So when it comes to her and Mike's wedding, they decide to donate the money they would've used for a big wedding. However, Phoebe quickly realizes a big wedding would make her happy and has to talk the charity into giving it back to her. Phoebe is usually such a caring and giving person, it's weird to see her suddenly make a more selfish decision.
Ross Geller: "What She Wants Is For Me Not To See You Anymore."
One of the reasons Friends works so well is because the group genuinely cares about each other. Like all friends, they have arguments and even fights, but they always make up and forgive each other. Unfortunately, Ross does take this too far.
In an attempt to get Emily back, he promises her he won't talk to Rachel anymore. While it can be said that Ross was put in a hard position, what he did to Rachel was terrible. Emily forced Ross to give up lots of things, but she never did the same. It's a shame that Ross was willing to hurt his loved ones for someone who obviously didn't love him anymore.