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Need to introduce someone to Friends now that it's on Netflix? This should help.

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by Annie Paige



It’s 2015 and you might be single, career-confused, and going through a quarter life identity crisis, but everything will be okay because Friends is now on Netflix! The 90s NBC sitcom didn’t break any barriers or change the nature of television forever (it must be acknowledged that it is no Seinfeld or Arrested Development), but it did introduce us to the TV comedy staple: a group of 20-something pals hanging out and not really doing much. Plus, it’s very funny.

Friends is the perfect show to binge watch this winter, whether you’re watching it for the first time or you have every line of dialogue memorized. The Friends characters definitely do not have their lives together, so it will make you feel better that you don’t either. I recommend watching the series from the beginning, but if you aren’t sure you can get hooked, here are the best episodes to start with:

1. Season 3, Episode 2, “The One Where No One’s Ready”: Ross, scheduled to give an important speech at his museum that night, hurries his friends to get ready in time. Why this episode? Friends is at its best when all of its characters are together in one place for the entire episode. The characters each have their own personal dramas in the episode, and the plots weave together with the six pals wandering in and out of Monica and Rachel’s living room. Also featuring: Ross and Rachel at their peak lovebird status, Joey and Chandler fighting over who gets to sit in a chair in Monica’s apartment, and everyone trying to get everyone else to drink fat. Best line of dialogue: Monica, leaving a message for her ex, tells him: “I’m breezy!”

2. Season 4, Episode 8, “The One With Chandler in a Box”: Joey, angry at Chandler for kissing his girlfriend, makes Chandler spend Thanksgiving in a cardboard box. Why this episode? Another thing Friends does really well is Thanksgiving episodes, and this might be the best one. Also featuring: an appearance by the Chick and the Duck, Richard’s son, a tension-filled dinner, and a happy conclusion. Best line of dialogue: Monica defends her romantic decisions by attacking those of her friends: “Fine, judge all you want to, but—married a lesbian. Left a man at the altar. Fell in love with a gay ice dancer. Threw a girl’s wooden leg in the fire. Live in a box!”

3. Season 4, Episode 12, “The One with the Embryos”: Monica and Rachel compete with Chandler and Joey to see which set of roommates knows the other best. Meanwhile, Phoebe gets implanted with embryos in hopes that she will get pregnant with her brother and sister-in-law’s baby (go with it, Kudrow was pregnant, what do you want from these writers?). Why this episode? Season four of Friends might be its strongest—the characters are well established, the actors have settled into their roles, and the audience has come to know what to love from each friend. This episode features the famous trivia contest (“Monica categorizes her towels. How many categories are there?”) and a bet with an unfortunate consequence. Also featuring: Phoebe gives a pep talk to the embryos.

Best line of dialogue: “What is Chandler Bing’s job?”

READ THE REST AT A Beginner's Guide to "Friends" — The Thoroughfare