The Most Shocking Moment from Every Season of Friends
Season 1: Julie’s Arrival "The One Where Rachel Finds Out"
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There were two pretty shocking moments in the final episode of the first season. The first was Rachel finding out that Ross was in love with her. But given that the audience had known about that for quite some time, it came as more of a surprise to her than to us. Seeing Ross get off the plane with a partner we’d later get to know as Julie when he got back from China, on the other hand? Well, that was a twist we definitely didn’t see coming. We were so hoping and ready to see Ross and Rachel together, but alas that would have to wait.
Season 2: Prom Video Reaction “The One with the Prom Video”
Season 2 sees Ross and Rachel finally get together - only to have things abruptly end when she discovers an insulting pros and cons list he wrote about her. So when the gang watches a video of Monica and Rachel prepping for their high school prom some episodes later, we aren’t expecting it to lead to a reconciliation. But that’s exactly what happens after Rachel sees how sweet Ross was that night, and how much he cared for her even back then. She gets up, walks over to him, and shocks everyone — in a great, happy cry way — with what she does next!
Season 3: Ross & Chloe "The One Where Ross and Rachel Take a Break"
We’re not here to rehash the age-old Ross and Rachel break debate, and whether what he proceeded to do constitutes cheating. No, the shocking nature of this moment has very little to do with whether or not you think that they were broken up. As Ross and Chloe dance, there’s a sense that something might happen, but you don’t really believe it will — until it does. When she goes in for the kiss and he reciprocates? Well, we lose it. The event sent shockwaves through everyone watching when the episode aired, and those waves reverberated throughout the rest of the series.
Season 4: Name Mix-Up "The One with Ross's Wedding"
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“I, Ross, take thee, Rachel”. These were words “Friends” fans had been waiting to hear for four seasons. The only issue is that Ross utters them during his wedding to Emily! You know that look on the wedding guests’ faces, and the audible gasps you hear from the studio audience? There’s little doubt that viewers at home were having the exact same reactions. Interestingly, the moment was even a surprise to the show’s writers when production on the fourth season began. It reportedly wasn’t until actor David Schwimmer had a Rachel/Emily slip of the tongue while rehearsing a different line that the team came up with the season-ending twist.
Season 5: Ross & Rachel’s Vegas Wedding "The One in Vegas"
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Even fans expecting Ross and Rachel to end up married one day certainly didn’t imagine it would happen like this. During the season five finale, it’s clear there’s the possibility of a wedding taking place. However, we assume that it’d be Chandler and Monica tying the knot. So when Ross and Rachel come through those chapel doors — intoxicated and having the time of their lives — we’re as flabbergasted as the aforementioned Chandler and Monica. Of course, this rash wedding sets up a whole storyline that adds even more layers to Ross and Rachel’s complex dynamic.
Season 6: Monica’s Proposal "The One with the Proposal"
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In the season 6 finale, Chandler is gearing up to propose to Monica. But in an effort to throw her off the scent, he starts acting like he hates the idea of ever getting married. The plan works a little too well, though. It sends Monica into a state of distress over their future, and even has her contemplating the possibility of rekindling things with Richard. Given all that, we believe Joey when he tells Chandler, who’s arrived home desperate to fix things, that she’s gone. But she hasn’t!! As a distraught Chandler walks through their apartment door, we get one of the most smile-inducing surprises the series ever provided.
Season 7: Someone Is Pregnant "The One with Monica and Chandler's Wedding"
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Seeing Chandler’s scarily awkward picture smile never stops being wild. But something even more surprising occurs in season 7. It comes at the end of the first part of the finale, and happens when Phoebe and Rachel are in the bathroom. Get your minds out of the gutter, we’re talking about Phoebe uncovering a pregnancy test. And yes, it’s positive! At that moment we, like Phoebe, think Monica is the one expecting. But we get another twist at the end of the season finale’s second part, as we realize that it’s actually Rachel who's going to have a baby.
Season 8: Ross' Red Sweater “The One with the Red Sweater”
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When we first found out Rachel was pregnant, there were probably a number of us who assumed Ross was the father. But we didn’t have a whole lot to go on. Plus, thinking and knowing are two very different things, so we remained on the edge of our seats. It’s only when Ross notices his red sweater (the one we’ve established belongs to Rachel’s baby daddy), that we finally KNOW, though! We also can’t talk about season eight without giving a shout out to Monica’s secret messy closet. Given her unrivaled cleanliness and amazing organizational skills, that was something we certainly never saw coming.
Season 9: Rachel & Joey Kiss "The One in Barbados"
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The Joey-Rachel relationship is rather polarizing among “Friends” fans. But regardless of how you feel about it, there’s no denying it catches a lot of us off guard at first viewing. Joey realizes he has feelings for Rachel after they go out to dinner halfway through season 8, but it initially doesn’t go anywhere. Many viewers probably figured it never really would! But it does in Barbados, as the end of the season 9 finale sees the two passionately embrace. This was probably the only thing that could beat out the shock of learning that little Emma is a fan of Sir Mix-a-Lot’s “Baby Got Back”.
Season 10: Wrong Airport “The Last One”
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The biggest shock to Ross and Monica in season 10 is probably when they realize that they unintentionally kissed at a college party years ago. But as disturbing as that is for the audience to hear, nothing surprises us more than learning Ross is at the wrong airport. He’s gone to tell Rachel he loves her, and that he doesn’t want her to go to Paris. But his romantic airport moment is ruined when they realize Rachel is leaving from Newark airport and they’re at JFK. We were expecting a big pronouncement of love and Rachel and Ross getting together for good. While that all does happen eventually – this setback had our jaws on the floor.
