Top 10 Times Monica & Rachel Were BFF Goals

“The Pilot”
“Friends” begins when a disheveled Rachel arrives at Central Perk one day after running out on her own wedding. She and Monica had fallen out of touch since their days at Lincoln High together, but she needed someone to go to in New York and Monica was the only person she could think of… who wasn’t invited to the wedding. Despite this slight, Monica takes Rachel in without hesitation, giving her a place to live and some valuable life lessons along the way. It was the start of a new chapter in both their lives - one that generated a whole lot of laughs.

"The One with All the Thanksgivings"
In a memorable “Friends” episode, "The One with All the Thanksgivings", we see the gang’s past Thanksgivings in a series of flashbacks. One year, back when he was a college student and was visiting the Gellers, Chandler makes fun of Monica’s weight and it spurs her on to get in shape the following year. In a later flashback, taking place the next year, Monica, having slimmed own, decides she wants to get revenge on him by seducing him and of course, she turns to her bestie Rachel for advice. Monica’s ineptitude with flirting is hilarious, and ultimately the plot turns into a total disaster- but one that will be remembered for many Thanksgivings to come.

"The One Where Rachel Has a Baby, Part 2"
While Rachel is pregnant, she and Ross have a difficult time agreeing on baby names. By the time she actually goes into labor, she still isn’t sure what her baby girl will be called. Monica is reluctant to tell Rachel the name she has always imagined giving to her own daughter, but eventually she relents. As soon as Rachel hears the name “Emma”, she knows it’s perfect. In this touching moment, Monica lets Rachel take the name she’s had picked out since she was a teenager, saying that she loves Rachel more than any baby name.

"The One with the Breast Milk"
Once Rachel finally realizes that she has feelings for Ross, it’s too late. He comes back from a work trip to China with a new girlfriend- Julie. Not only is Rachel jealous for the obvious reasons, but she also has to deal with the fact that Monica and Julie are becoming fast friends. Thinking that she’s going to lose Monica to someone else is almost too much for Rachel and she doesn’t hide her feelings. Of course, everything worked out in the end and Monica assured her that no one could ever replace her. These two are true BFFs, and having a new friend in the mix really reaffirmed that fact.

"The One with Rachel's Going Away Party"
In the final season of “Friends”, Rachel has accepted a fashion industry job in Paris, forcing her to leave everything she knows behind, including her friends. She shares a heartfelt moment of goodbye with each of the other members of the gang individually, but, for obvious reasons, her farewell to Monica was a particularly special one. They’re so overcome with emotions that they actually wind up lightening the mood. The more tearful the two girls get, the less comprehensible they become, and by the end of the scene, we’re pretty sure only dogs could hear them.

"The One Where Dr. Ramoray Dies"
During the period where Monica is dating Richard and Rachel is dating Ross, the girls come across a situation that all roommates dread. Well, only if they share contraceptive devices, that is - which we really don’t recommend. The girls are in a jam when they realize that there’s only one condom left in the apartment and both of them were hoping to get intimate with their boyfriends that night. Their ensuing argument and the juxtaposition of the conversation the boys are having is totally hilarious. The outcome... is even funnier.

"The One with Two Parts, Part 2"
When Rachel hurts her ankle, she realizes only once she’s at the hospital that she’s not covered by insurance. Monica allows her to essentially take her identity and use her insurance plan so she can get the care she needs. Of course, identity swaps never go smoothly in sitcoms, and the attending doctors end up being totally cute. When they agree to go out with them, they decide to stick to their swapped personas to avoid getting caught. Rather than simply switching names however, they decide to fully impersonate each other as things progressively take a turn for the worse. It wasn’t one of their best friendship moments, but it sure was funny.

"The One on the Last Night"
By season six, Rachel and Monica have been roommates for years, but when Monica and Chandler get together, everything changes. Rachel is packing up her things to move out with the help of the girls but they keep getting distracted by their sentimentality. Phoebe tries to remedy the situation by suggesting that they each say something they won’t miss about each other. You can probably guess how this one turns out. The only fight that rivals this one is when the two girls argue about Jean Claude Van Damme in season two. But certain bonds are unbreakable, and sure enough, in both situations, everything works out in the end.

"The One with the Prom Video"
When the gang comes across a home video of Monica and Rachel’s prom night, you know it’s going to be good. The focus of this episode may be how sweet Ross was to Rachel even back in high school- but the true highlight is getting to see the girls in all of their ‘80s teenage glory. Their prom dresses are over the top and ridiculous and it’s also the first time we see Rachel’s “real nose” and Monica’s pre-weight loss body. Always supportive of one another, Monica says she won’t go to the prom either when Rachel’s date seems to have bailed on her.


Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

When Monica Gave Rachel Eye Drops
"The One with Joey's Big Break"


The Yeti
"The One with the Yeti"

"The One with the Embryos"
In this fan-favorite episode, Monica and Rachel start making bets with Joey and Chandler when the guys claim they know the girls better than the girls know them. Things quickly escalate and eventually, Monica and Rachel put their apartment on the line when Ross creates a trivia game to see who really knows the other team best. Monica’s competitive nature is on full display here, and Rachel’s timidity is not going to get in her way. While you could consider this a moment for the entire group, it clearly exemplifies Monica and Rachel’s friendship best.