The first season of Friends succeeded in bringing in a large and excited audience every week for ten years. Without a steady first season that had enough jokes and characters to convince audiences coming back, it is uncertain how long the series would have lasted.
Season one is responsible for some of the show's biggest attributes, such as the beginning stages of Ross and Rachel's relationship as well as her integration into the group. Everyone was also in their mid-twenties at the time, young enough to not have life figured out quite yet but old enough to know what they wanted.
Season ten, on the other hand, is vastly different. By the final season, all the main characters were achieving things they had dreamed of. Joey had a steady acting job, Phoebe had a sturdy family, Monica and Chandler started a family, and Rachel had her dream job. She and Ross had also decided to give their relationship another go too. Season one may be the better choice for watching where it all began as the show begins to take shape and find its rhythm. However, the final season might be a more suitable option for more developed characters, serious life choices, and a finale to fan-favorite characters.
First: Ross And Rachel
In later seasons Ross and Rachel's relationship was overused and tired. But, when it first began, the story was far more simple. Ross was facing the emotional aftermath of his divorce from Carol when his childhood crush reappears in his life.
Rachel had just run away from her wedding and had been looking for a fresh start to her life. Although Rachel is oblivious to Ross's feelings for nearly the entire first season, the finale has Rachel question her own feelings and decide to greet him at the airport. They had not gotten together at this point, so fans were invested in watching how this love story could play out.
Final: Monica And Chandler Growing Up
Monica and Chandler each have comedic storylines in season one, but the final episodes are more emotionally driven. Their final arc surrounds building a family, choosing to adopt a child, and moving into a new house. These are significant steps forward, especially when looking back to season one. In the first season, Monica and Chandler were both uncertain of what the future held for them.
The final season highlights how much they have changed and gave them the happy ending they had each wanted.
First: Ross's Was Likable
Ross was shocked to learn that his ex-wife, Carol, was pregnant with their baby. Given their recent divorce and Carol's relationship with Susan, Ross was unsure how involved he wanted to be with the baby. During a doctor's appointment, Ross decides he wants to be included in raising their child.
Throughout the first season, Ross faces anxiety about the baby and even has a conversation with Jack about when he first felt like a father. In a moment that mirrors Jack's story, Ross races Marcel to the hospital when he swallowed a Scrabble tile, and Marcel grabs Ross's finger, just as Ross had done as a baby.
Final: Emotional Attachment
The first season got viewers hooked; the final would have them say good-bye. By the tenth season, the characters were closer than they were years earlier. Years of experiencing life and going through so much had bonded them. Rachel's good-byes really did feel like it was an end of an era.
But it wasn't just the characters who had gotten closer either. The fans had developed an emotional connection to these people they didn't have during the early days. The last season included callbacks to earlier seasons and episodes while also showing how much the characters had developed over the years.
First: Joey's Acting Struggle
Joey's true talent as an actor was often questionable. He claims to have gotten a big part on Days Of Our Lives because he slept with the casting director. After being fired, he is called back on the show a few years later to reprise his character or Jessica's character within his body. However, the first season shows Joey's conflicts as a struggling actor.
He doesn't have much money, and although Joey does have parts in small plays, it is clear that he still has a long way to go. The first season is also when he meets his agent, who would be with him for nearly the rest of the show.
Final: Continuing Subplots
There are underlying subplots during the first season of Friends. However, there was more room to flesh out those storylines. The following seasons had the opportunity to advance and explore the stories created in season one. But season ten did not have the same chance.
With it being the last group of episodes, any subplot introduced had to be completed within the season, or there was a risk of it being unresolved. However, this just meant that the writers had an opportunity to try something new. Without all the emotional depth, fans saw some hilarious shenanigans occur - including Ross's reaction to Joey and Rachel's relationship during "The One Where Ross Is Fine," Joey's reaction to Monica and Chandler moving, and Phoebe's creepy paintings.
First: Rachel Joining The Group
One of the best parts of season one is Rachel getting accustomed to the group dynamics she has walked into. Having already known Ross and Monica, the rest are basically strangers, so the first season follows Rachel getting to know them - which comes with many comedic moments. The group's initial reaction to Rachel appearing in Central Perk, frantic and in a wedding dress, is a staple of the series. Rachel's early episodes show her trying to find a job and understand a new life after not being trained for anything.
By the end of the season, Rachel is a firm member of the group. These bonds play an integral role in the series. The only issue was that the later seasons of Friends contradicted some of these friendships, especially Rachel and Chandler's, by suggesting the two did, in fact, know each other pre-series.
Final: Concluding Story Arcs
Ten years after premiering, the show was finally coming to an end. With the series ending, the last season needed to complete story arcs for the main characters. Unfortunately, Joey did not get as satisfying an ending as the rest of his friends. After years of going back and forth, Ross and Rachel ended the series together.
Monica and Chandler took their newborn babies home as they packed their apartment to move to their new house. Phoebe and Mike got married, and their last conversation suggested they may have kids one day too.
First: The Gripping Storylines
Early in its run, Friends featured an episode that kept the main characters trapped together. "The One With The Blackout" showed Monica, Joey, Rachel, Phoebe, and Ross stuck in Monica's apartment while Chandler is trapped in a bank vestibule with model Jill Goodacre.
With nowhere to go, the group is forced to develop ways to amuse themselves until the power returns. Their conversations give a little more information about Rachel's history with Barry. However, the episode also showed that it could succeed without constantly moving around as it relied on its characters to carry the story.
Final: The Last Moments
The final moments of Friends acknowledge how far everyone has come since the beginning. With Monica and Chandler moving out, the apartment is empty of everything they own. Their last scenes take place in Monica's apartment and the hallway outside.
The last lines of dialogue suggest they will have coffee at Central Perk, another location that has been a major consistent location. With one last look around the apartment, the final moments bring back memories of all the good times that occurred over ten years.