On 6 May 2024, the iconic American sitcom Friends completed 20 years of its series finale. A critically acclaimed sitcom that propelled several of its actors to cult status and made the characters they essayed unforgettable in the hearts of millions around the world, Friends continues to be the toast of the Internet for some of the best one-liners ever spoken on television.
The show’s fame has been such that in 2021, the prayers of millions of fans were answered when the official Friends Instagram account posted that the filming for a reunion special had been wrapped up. Fans of the immensely popular sitcom had been waiting for a long time for the reunion to take place. The special was eventually aired on 27 May 2021.
The reunion brought together the original cast, who appeared as themselves and not their beloved characters since it was not a Friends episode.
Nevertheless, fans got to see Jennifer Aniston (who played Rachel Green), Courteney Cox (Monica Geller), Lisa Kudrow (Phoebe Buffay), David Schwimmer (Ross Geller), Matt LeBlanc (Joey Tribbiani) and Matthew Perry (Chandler Bing) once again. They were joined by series creators David Crane and Marta Kauffman and host James Corden.
A starry guest list comprising industry icons such as David Beckham, BTS, Justin Bieber, Cara Delevingne, Lady Gaga, Reese Witherspoon, Julia Roberts and Brad Pitt among others, were also part of the reunion special.
While fans are surely excited about the 20th anniversary of the sitcom’s conclusion, everyone will be missing Perry. The charming actor passed away on 28 October 2023 leaving millions of Chandler Bing fans heartbroken.
Nevertheless, memories must remain fond and, therefore, while we are excited to binge-watch Friends once again in celebration of the 20th year of ending, here are some of the best Friends one-liners we love and, perhaps, will get you warmed up in case you share out enthusiasm.
How many of these one-liners from Friends do you remember?
“How you doin’?”
— Joey in several episodes across seasons
“I’m not so good with the advice… Can I interest you in a sarcastic comment?”
— Chandler in Season 8, Episode 17 (The One with the Tea Leaves)
Here are Matthew Perry’s best quotes and one-liners as Chandler in Friends
“A moo point?” “You know, like a cow’s opinion. It doesn’t matter. It’s ‘moo.’”
— Rachel and Joey in Season 7, Episode 8 (The One Where Chandler Doesn’t Like Dogs)
“We were on a break!”
— Ross in Season 3, Episode 15 (The One Where Ross And Rachel Take A Break)
“Oh… my… God!”
— Janice in Season 1, Episode 14 (The One with the Candy Hearts)
“Pivot. Pi-vot. PI-VOT.”
— Ross in Season 5, Episode 16 (The One with the Cop)
“No uterus, no opinion”
— Rachel in Season 8, Episode 14 (The One with the Secret Closet)
“Guys can fake it? Unbelievable! The one thing that’s ours!”
— Monica in Season 9, Episode 11 (The One Where Rachel Goes Back to Work)
“I don’t want my child’s first words to be, “How you doin’?”
— Rachel in Season 8, Episode 7 (The One with the Stain)
“I got off the plane.”
— Rachel in Season 10, Episode 17 (The Last One)
“Damn The Jellyfish! DAMN ALL THE JELLYFISH!”
— Monica in Season 4, Episode 1 (The One with the Jellyfish)
“Va fa Napoli”
— Joey in Season 4, Episode 8 (The One with Chandler in a Box)
“Oh, Pheebs is short for Phoebe? I thought that’s just what we called each other.”
— Phoebe in Season 4, Episode 9 (The One Where They’re Going to Party!)
“Oh, I wish I could, but I don’t want to.”
— Phoebe in Season 1, Episode 1 (The One Where Monica Gets a Roommate/The One Where It All Began)
Read how Jennifer Aniston is acing fitness goals in her 50s
“Welcome to the real world. It sucks. You’re gonna love it.”
— Monica in Season 1, Episode 1 (The One Where Monica Gets a Roommate/The One Where It All Began)
“You have to stop the Q-Tip when there’s resistance.”
— Chandler in Season 2, Episode 1 (The One with Ross’s New Girlfriend)
“Could I BE wearing anymore clothes?”
— Joey in Season 3, Episode 2 (The One Where No One’s Ready)
“Do you have a plan?” “I don’t even have a pla—”
— Monica Geller and Phoebe Season 1, Episode 4 (The One with George Stephanopoulos)
“If we were in prison, you guys would be, like, my bitches”
— Phoebe in Season 2, Episode 13 (The One After the Superbowl: Part 2)
“Joey doesn’t share food!”
— Joey in Season 10, Episode 9 (The One with the Birth Mother)
“You don’t own a TV? What’s all your furniture pointed at?”
— Joey in Season 9, Episode 23 (The One in Barbados: Part 1)
“I’m Chandler. I make jokes when I’m uncomfortable.”
— Chandler in Season 6, Episode 24 (The One with the Proposal: Part 1)
“I grew up with Monica. If you didn’t eat fast, you didn’t eat.”
— Ross in Season 8, Episode 3 (The One Where Rachel Tells…)
“They don’t know that we know they know we know.”
— Phoebe in Season 5, Episode 14 (The One Where Everybody Finds Out)
“You got a job?” “Are you kidding? I’m trained for nothin.”
— Ross and Rachel in Season 1, Episode 1 (The One Where Monica Gets a Roommate/The One Where It All Began)
“You can’t live off your parents your whole life.” “I know that, that’s why I was getting married.”
— Monica and Rachel in Season 1, Episode 1 (The One Where Monica Gets a Roommate/The One Where It All Began)
“I say more dumb things before 9 a.m. than most people say all day.”
— Chandler in Season 4, Episode 16 (The One with the Fake Party)
“She’s my friend and she needed help. If I had to, I’d pee on any one of you!”
— Joey in Season 4, Episode 1 (The One with the Jellyfish)
“See? He’s her lobster.”
— Phoebe in Season 2, Episode 14 (The One with the Prom Video)
“Well, maybe I don’t need your money. Wait, wait, I said maybe!”
— Rachel in Season 1, Episode 1 (The One Where Monica Gets a Roommate/The One Where It All Began)
Watch Friends on Netflix here.
(Hero and Featured images: Courtesy of Netflix)
Manas Sen Gupta writes at the intersection of tech, entertainment and history. His works have appeared in publications such as The Statesman, Myanmar Matters, Hindustan Times and News18/ETV. In his spare time, Manas loves studying interactive charts and topographic maps. When not doing either, he prefers reading detective fiction. Spring is his favourite season and he can happily eat a bowl of noodles any time of the day.
