– Satyakam Ray

How you doin’? – The iconic hook-up line of Joey will ring a bell in the minds of friends’ generations- the 1990s youths. The all-time best sitcom aired between 1994 to 2004 for over ten seasons. But the show’s power is so great that it’s still in the top 10 trending on Netflix India and is still watched by billions worldwide. The enigmatic Central Perk coffee house and the six friends’ quirky but emotional exploits made the show watch-worthy even after the last episode was shot in 2004.

Jennifer Aniston as Rachel Green, Courtney Cox as Monica Geller, Lisa Kudrow as Phoebe Buffay, Matt LeBlanc as Joey Tribianni, Matthew Perry as Chandler Bing, and David Schwimmer as Ross Geller was the perfect cast for the sitcom, so much so that fans remember the character name rather than the actors’ names. The side characters like Janice, Gunther, and Robert made this show unique and loved by fans across the globe. 

On May 27, 2021, HBO aired The Friend’s Reunion, including the original six stars plus the quintessential side characters talking about the show and reenactments of some famous acts from the show. While all the crew members called this reunion a satisfying yet emotional episode, Joey called it “melancholy.” Who better knows than Doctor Drake!?  

The author finds the cast’s top 10 friends’ moments and traits on this occasion to sample the essence of the beautifully written evergreen sitcom.

• We were on a break(relationship chaos)– Paleontologist Ross fell in love with his younger sister Monica’s best friend Rachel in high school. Over time, the duo eventually realized their chemistry and accepted it, with some on-and-off relationship dilemmas. But the most iconic scene is when Rachel finds out that Ross had a one-night stand with a girl at the bar when both were supposedly on break. Ross, in his defense, was often heard saying we were on a break to justify his action to upset Rachel. That line is one of the most famous lines in the entire series. It reflects the complexity of the relationship in the ’90s.
• Phoebe’s Smelly Cat jingle– The quirky, slightly eccentric, yet sweet Phoebe is the most unexpected character in the series. She is a part-time musician working as a masseur for a living. The original composition, with some weird lines about a smelly cat with Phoebe playing it with her guitar solo, makes the song quite popular. Taylor Swift played the Smelly Cat song at one of her concerts with the original rock star Lisa Kudrow.
• Joey doesn’t share food– Drake ramoray, the eternal foodie and womanizer, is a little dumb and less educated than the other characters. But the struggling actor is the most trustworthy person as he conceals the affair between Chandler and Monica, taking all the blame for quite a time. But when it comes to the food, Joey doesn’t like to share a morsel of food. Remember the size of the turkey Joey gulps down on Thanksgiving! After all, he’s a Tribianni! Thanks to memes, if Joey doesn’t share, it will be eternal.
• Chandler and his sarcasm– As it’s challenging to figure out the exact job of Chandler, so is his dry, sarcastic humor, which is rarely understood by others. The jokes he often delivers are pin-pointed satire. Maybe he can be the godfather of the current satirists. But deep down, Chandler is sorrowful, contrary to his outward laughter. Matthew Perry has also suffered a lot after his friends’ success in real life. But the whole world will remember Chandler Bing as the king of sarcasm.
• Monica Geller “the bossy chef”– Whether handling the day-to-day activities in the work front of the restaurant kitchen or her friends’ love lives, Monica embodies the bossy, annoying, but too caring attitude. Her carefree attitude during the honeymoon with Chandler is one exception. “I know” – the usual Monica line often binds the whole group together as Monica is the backbone of the bunch.
• The fashionista– When Rachel decides to go to London to express her love for Ross when the latter is about to marry Emily, it is one of the most beautiful things on the show. From working as a café waitress to working in one of the best fashion brands, Rachel Green has gone a long way. Ross’s marriage ceremony blunder speaks volumes about the love between Ross and Rachel.
• Joey’s French learning– To get a role in a play where Joey has to say some French lines, he takes the help of Phoebe. But after many trials by Phoebe, Joey learns not a thing in French and speaks his unique dialect of French. The scene is very adorable and memorable.
• Janice- Oh my Gawd -Chandler’s ex-girlfriend Janice, the annoying high-pitched one, comes off in the show a few times. Her pronunciation of “Oh my Gawd” is hilarious and well-known in her friends’ universe.
• Central Perk and Monica’s apartment– Almost all the scenes occur in two places. The friends gather for a coffee or muffin in the coffee house, and the events unfold eventually. However, Gunther’s love for Rachel is unspoken throughout the series, which is a little sad.
• The theme song– When the theme song of Friends, “I Will be There for You,” is played, the whole vibe of the friends comes to play in a melancholy manner.

The Friend series has dozens of memorable best scenes; fans cherish them all. If you haven’t seen Friends yet, please watch it. For the ardent fans, the author’s question- what’s your favorite friend’s moment??

Here are the best clips of friends. (Should I say the eternal memes?)