Before They Were On a Break
Even to this day, Friends continues to endure as a sitcom beyond sitcoms, one that features hilarious characters, endearing romances and more quotable lines than we know what to do with them. While some of its more iconic scenes wouldn’t occur until much later down the line, the first season still has some gems not to be overlook!
#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 “Friendsâ€, 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.Â
#4: Rachel Finding Out
“The One Where Rachel Finds Out”
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”
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”
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.Â
#1: Rachel Arriving at Central Perk
“The Pilotâ€
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.
Be sure to check out the video below to see our picks for the Top 10 Seasons of Friends.
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