The Big Picture

• The decline in quality of Friends in its penultimate season could have compromised the show's satisfying ending.
• Paul Rudd's character, Mike Hannigan, played a crucial role in rejuvenating the show and bringing an energy and excitement to the final season.
• Mike's relationship with Phoebe was a breath of fresh air and added a new dynamic that helped Friends end on a high note.

Friends had an incredibly impressive run on NBC for 10 seasons, and the show has only spiked in popularity ever since it hit syndication and streaming platforms. The staggering popularity of Friends in the years that have passed since its finale can be best attributed to the show’s consistency of quality. Shows like Seinfeld or The Simpsons had several egregiously dull or offensive storylines that make them harder to rewatch, and while Friends hasn't aged perfectly, it reached a natural conclusion that felt satisfying given where the characters had gone and how they had changed. However, the penultimate season of the show started to indicate a decline in quality that could’ve threatened Friends’ delightful ending. It took Paul Rudd’s character Mike Hannigan to help put the series back on the right foot.

Season 9 of 'Friends' Had a Big Problem

It’s no surprise that when Friends fans are asked about their least favorite season, Season 9 is often brought up. This was the season that, out of a pure lack of ideas on how to spice up the interactions between the central group, decided to develop a storyline involving Joey Tribbiani’s (Matt LeBlanc) love for Rachel Green (Jennifer Aniston). It was obviously a move of desperation, but it indicated a larger issue: that Friends’ characters no longer had anything new to offer each other. Now that Monica Geller (Courteney Cox) and Chandler Bing (Matthew Perry) were married, the only thing that Friends could do with them was put them in arguments, which generally left at least one of them looking ridiculous or coming off as completely unlikable. Ross’ (David Schwimmer) string of potential romantic partners grew less interesting, and after a while, his heartbroken yearning to find someone to spend the rest of his life with just became obnoxious.

It was clear that Friends needed to change the status quo in a major way, and it seemed like the only way to do so was by developing a romantic storyline for Phoebe Buffay (Lisa Kudrow). Phoebe’s dates and acquaintances were generally amusing — both the physicist David (Hank Azaria) and the goofy police officer Gary (Michael Rappaport) were fun guest stars. But it was evident that their storylines were only intended to be a series of gags. Phoebe developed a lot in the later seasons, between becoming a birth mother to her brother Frank’s (Giovanni Ribisi) children and learning the truth about her father (Bob Balaban), and was forced to think about her future in several instances. It was time for her to find a way to naturally exit the core group. The only challenge was finding a character who was as quirky, charming, and existential as she was.

Enter Paul Rudd. Outside of being one of the most likable (and ageless) comedic actors of his generation, Rudd had a goofy lack of self-seriousness that served as a perfect counterpart to Phoebe. Rudd and Kudrow could match each other’s snarky comments, but it was clear that Mike wasn't just a male version of Phoebe. While Phoebe seems to never apologize for anything, Mike has a very self-deprecating sense of humor and was more than willing to be the butt of a joke. Phoebe was never ashamed to talk about her past and how tragic it really was, but Mike was less willing to speak up about his wealthy upbringing, as he felt a sense of shame about his parents’ intolerance. There were legitimate issues that the two had as a couple that helped make the penultimate season more important. It was clear that the romantic dynamic between Joey and Rachel was never intended to last, but Mike and Phoebe had a real future together.

Paul Rudd Was a Natural Fit on 'Friends'

Whenever sitcoms attempt to insert a new character into an established dynamic, it often goes off the rails, but Mike was incorporated naturally into the group. Mike provided some of the most sincere moments in the series, particularly when he stood up to his family and explained why he loved Phoebe. In a season that largely felt superfluous, Mike added a sense of realism, which somehow felt more sincere. It was also critical that Mike didn’t come in, sweep Phoebe off her feet, and immediately set up a future for her. In fact, Mike and Phoebe initially break up when he reveals that he doesn’t want to get married, given that he’s already been through a divorce. It’s one of the sadder scenes to watch, as it’s evident that the two cared for each other, but that the specifics of their relationship status could interfere.

Ironically, Mike benefits from being included in one of the show’s worst storylines. The two-part season finale, “The One in Barbados,” was highly focused on the strange romantic mix-and-match between Joey, Rachel, Ross, and the new character Charlie Wheeler (Aisha Tyler), with Phoebe, Monica, and Chandler left only to mess around in the background. However, the appearance of Phoebe’s ex-boyfriend David, who intended to propose to her, added a legitimate sense of tension and drama. It was clear that both Phoebe and the audience preferred Mike, and the only question was whether he would actually show up in time. His final reveal appearance and commitment to marry Phoebe not only redeemed the underwhelming season but added a legitimate sense of excitement as to how Friends would wrap up.

Having Mike as a recurring cast member in the tenth and final season of Friends felt natural, as each character was being set up on a new journey. While there were more mature topics that came up during the storyline involving Monica and Chandler’s potential children, the glitz and glamour that went into Phoebe and Mike's eccentric wedding hearkened back to Friends' earlier, sillier seasons. In a season that was largely about reflection, Phoebe and Mike's relationship felt like something new to get excited about, as the series couldn’t end on a purely nostalgic note. Without the critical insertion of Rudd at just the right time, Friends might have been remembered as a series that peaked too soon.

Friends is available to watch on Max in the U.S.

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