Top 10 Unforgettable Friends Season 1 Moments
#10: Chandler's Blind Date with Janice "The One with the Candy Hearts"
It’s sometimes easy to forget that Janice has been infiltrating the friends’ lives since the very beginning and has in fact appeared in every season of the show. In Season 1, Chandler enlists Phoebe’s help breaking up with her, but a few episodes later it’s Valentine’s Day and he has no idea what he has coming. Joey sets him up on a blind date, basically to be his wingman, and they’re both shocked when they get there and his date is none other than Janice herself. Of course, they end up spending the night together, and this encounter sets the tone for the rest of their relationship to come.
#9: Ross & Rachel Do Laundry Together "The One with the East German Laundry Detergent"
Most of Season 1 is teasing at Ross and Rachel’s relationship development, which will go on to become a major fixture of the show, and in this early episode the two have a bonding moment that is oh so adorable. Because of her cushy upbringing, Rachel doesn’t actually know how to do laundry, so when she finds herself having to deal with a laundromat, Ross comes to the rescue when it comes to separating her colors- and defending her from a woman who is trying to steal her machine. While their big kiss in Season 2 is often considered their “first,” this is actually the first time the two lock lips!
#8: Ross Saying Goodbye to Marcel "The One with the Fake Monica"
The subplot where Ross gets a monkey in Season 1 is admittedly a bit strange, but we had grown just as attached to Marcel as the rest of the gang had when it came time to say goodbye to him. Because Marcel is all of a sudden “sexually mature,” he is no longer satisfied living in a New York apartment, and Ross is advised that he should go be with other creatures of his kind in a zoo setting. Despite the fact that this storyline had been mostly played for laughs, the scene where Ross says goodbye to Marcel at the airport is almost shockingly touching and emotional.
#7: Carol Gives Birth to Ben "The One with the Birth"
The entire first season is leading up to Ross’ son being born, with Carol announcing she is pregnant in the second episode. Ross and Susan spend this episode fighting about who can have more responsibility when it comes to Carol and the baby, but Phoebe tries to put them in their place by locking them in a closet together to sort out their differences. Of course, things don’t exactly go as planned, but everything comes together in time for the birth and the closet confrontation even helps inspire the baby’s name. The subplot where Joey helps out a young single mother is also one of the sweetest storylines this comedic character is ever involved in on the show.
#6: The First New Year’s "The One with the Monkey"
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With New Year’s Eve approaching, the gang decides to attend the party without dates in solidarity with one another. As time goes on however, they pretty much all break the pact, causing tension within the group. There’s a lot going on in this episode, from Ross getting Marcel, to Fun Bobby’s not-so-fun appearance, to Rachel’s airport fight. One of the highlights is definitely the development of Phoebe’s relationship with David, which is a bittersweet story that gets us every time. Chandler yelling “somebody kiss me” until Joey steps up to the plate never stops being funny.
#5: Playing Poker "The One with All the Poker"
In many TV shows, it takes a while for characters to come into their own, but on “Friends”, everyone’s personalities were on display from the very beginning. This episode is a great example of the group dynamics playing out, as the girls compete against the guys for who can best the other at poker. This is also an important moment for Ross and Rachel’s relationship when Ross lets Rachel win in the game because she has just received bad news about the new job she applied for. Knowing how desperately he wants to win, this move shows just how much Ross cares about her.
#4: Rachel Finding Out "The One Where Rachel Finds Out"
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The season finale of the first season sees Rachel celebrating her birthday while Ross is on a business trip in China. When she’s opening her gifts, she receives one from him that pretty much shows how he feels about her - or at least Chandler thinks so! Rachel is shocked to learn that the others know Ross is in love with her, and her reaction lets the audience know that this isn’t exactly unwelcome news. We all know what happens next, but every single time we wish Rachel could have made it and caught him in time.
#3: The Blackout "The One with the Blackout"
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A city-wide blackout overtakes New York, and all six of the friends are affected. It’s hard to choose which storyline is our favorite here. Ross has a cat jump on him right at the moment he’s trying to tell Rachel how he feels about her, Rachel subsequently meets Paolo, thwarting Ross’ plan, and the rest of the gang plays truth or dare. Chandler, however, ends up trapped in an ATM vestibule with supermodel Jill Goodacre, and doesn’t exactly thrive when trying to make the most of the situation. His phone call with Joey is one that we can pretty much quote all verbatim.
#2: Their First Thanksgiving "The One Where Underdog Gets Away"
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Thanksgiving on “Friends” became an annual tradition, and the first one is debatably the very best. There are no plans for the group to all celebrate together, but after a series of unfortunate events they all end up around the dinner table, having formed a new kind of family. Rachel and Monica get locked out of their apartment, which causes the food to be ruined and Rachel to miss her trip to go skiing with her family. Joey winds up on a VD poster and Chandler wants to boycott the whole thing. In the end, he kind of gets his way. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions. Monica & Rachel Dating Doctors "The One with Two Parts: Part 2" The Girls Starting a Fire "The One with the Candy Hearts" Rachel Losing Marcel "The One Where the Monkey Gets Away" The Girls' Sleepover "The One with George Stephanopoulos" Everyone Seeing Each Other Naked "The One with the Boobies"
#1: Rachel Arriving at Central Perk “The Pilot”
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What else could we choose for our top pick? The moment that kicks off all the action of the series is Rachel running out on her wedding and arriving at Central Perk in her wedding gown. It’s the first time we see the whole gang together, and the Ross and Rachel dynamic is set up almost right from the start. We immediately begin to understand Rachel’s character as she argues with her dad about how she doesn’t want to be a shoe. There’s nothing more heartwarming than going back to watch these scenes, knowing just how far the characters eventually come together.
