the reason for this entry is threefold

Attempting to compile this list for this entry was so much harder than I thought it would be. I tried to do a list like this for my website a few years ago, and then I'd considered doing a Top 50 list - that seems a little excessive, but trying to cut this down to 10? Like choosing between children.

Kerri's Top 10 Favorite Episodes of Friends

10. The One With The Ultimate Fighting Champion. (Season 3) This episode in general isn't one of the best. I mean it has Jon Favreau, which is pretty great. And it has the whole Ross/Rachel/Bonnie storyline going, which sets up the scene for my #3 favorite episode. But truth be told, what sets this episode above so many of the rest is the introductory scene featuring Billy Crystal and Robin Williams. While the scene itself is an absolute gem, I think my favorite part of it is when Phoebe turns to Monica at the end and says "what were you saying?" and Monica says "I have no idea." Because really? What do you say after this?


9. The One With The Prom Video. (Season 2) A "best of Friends" list could not be complete without this episode. This is arguably one of the best moments in Friends history, and let's face it, the episode had a little bit of everything: the series' first flashback, our first glimpse of Monica pre-weight loss, some awesome Chandler jokes, Phoebe's lobsters, and Ross and Rachel. Who didn't cheer at the end of this episode?




8. The One With Chandler In The Box. (Season 4) It pained me to not put this episode higher on this list because it's just that good. Chandler spends 90% of the episode in a BOX for crying out loud! (The reasons for the box were threefold).

(see me, reenacting this scene circa 2003 in Carlyle? Good times, good times)

This is one of three Thanksgiving episodes that made the list and again, it pained me not to put it higher, because aside from the whole Chandler in the box storyline, it also guess starred Michael "Vaughn" Vartan - swoon!




7. The One Where Everyone Finds Out. (Season 5) Again, it pained me to not put this episode higher. Everything about this episode was brilliant. And I really mean brilliant. Two of my favorite lines ever from this show come from this episode: "Yeah, listen, Joey isn't gonna be here tonight so why don't you come over and I'll let you uh, feel my bicep. Or maybe more." and "When you say things like that it makes me wanna rip that sweater vest right off". So, so, soooo good. Chandler and Phoebe trying to outdo each other, Joey's frustration at being caught in the middle, not to mention Ugly Naked Ross - I love this show so, so, sooo much.




6. The One With The Rumor. (Season 8) Another brilliant Thanksgiving episode. Every time I start to get down on Brad Pitt, I remind myself of this episode - I think I could watch it over and over and love it more each time. Not to mention it inspired me to create my own "I Hate _______" Club. (I later felt guilty and attempted to disband it, but Ray insisted on being its sole member and president after I left). So much fun. I just remember catching this on TV when we were in New Orleans, and my brother, who hates this show, sitting there cracking up. It's THAT GOOD. (If I'm this enthusiastic about #s 10-6, wait 'til I get to #1).



5. The One Where Ross Got High. (Season Six) Final Thanksgiving episode on the list - for this one to top episodes with Brad Pitt and Michael Vartan, you know it's good. I love when Monica and Ross fight like brother and sister - I feel like they were way too good of "friends" through most of the show's run (which, don't get me wrong, is really nice) and sometimes it was nice to be reminded that he's a jerk of a big brother and she's an obnoxious little sister. On top of their "fight" scene, we have Rachel's trifle disaster, which is one of those classic Friends moments that gets referenced in my every day life at least once or twice a week (seriously - just eat a meal with me and wait for me to rub my stomach and say "Mmmmmm").


4. The One With The Embryos. (Season 4) First off, if you haven't watched the "Super Friends" video a few entries back, do it immediately after watching this scene. Or before. It doesn't matter, because the original is so good that mocking it only makes it better. The trivia game might be one of the funniest things to happen on this show. As if the entire thing wasn't hilarious (and enlightening) enough, "Ms. Chanandler Bong" and "That's not even a word!" are two phrases that can make me laugh out loud to this day. And if you hang around with Mary and me long enough, you will inevitably here one of us yell at the other to "Use your head!"


3. The One With The Jellyfish. (Season 4) Oh my God, so much happens in this episode, just thinking about it makes me laugh. Ross and Rachel getting back together. The 18 page letter (front and back!) Ross and Rachel breaking up again. And with all of that going on, the writers still had time to squeeze in an entire subplot involving Monica getting stung by a jellyfish and Chandler peeing on her to make the stinging go away. The scene where they confess to the others at the end is, in my opinion, one of the funniest scnes from any TV show ever.


2. The One Where Ross Finds Out. (Season 2) I can't believe YouTube doesn't have a clip of just Rachel's message to Ross (it starts at about 3:25 - if you're not going to watch this whole clip, you have to at least watch that scene). It is one of my goals in life (sad, but true) to leave that exact message on somebody's voice mail some day. All of the Ross/Rachel scenes in this episode are fantastic. And on top of that, we have the subplot of Monica trying to help Chandler work out. In the uncut edition, there's a great scene of Ross and Julie in the pet shop, trying to decide which cat to get, where Ross can't decide but knows that he can't have "two cats" - everything about this episode is so great. And Michael? I wish we saw more of him. I loved every minute of his scene with Rachel.


1. The One With Ross's Sandwich. (Season 5) Everything about this episode is perfect. I'm not even going to explain why. Watch the clips. Then, watch the entire episode because the clips just don't do it justice. Trust me - if you watch one episode of this show in your lifetime, make it this one. DO IT!