Worst Episodes
Since it first aired on NBC in 1994, Friends has become one of the most iconic television shows of all time. Following the lives of six young adults in New York City, the show resonated with viewers across the world, becoming a cultural phenomenon. With 11 seasons and 236 episodes, it can be difficult to know which episodes are the best – and even more difficult to decide which are the worst. We have taken the time to rank the worst episodes of Friends and will explain why they deserve to be at the bottom of the list.
Throughout the 11 seasons, some episodes are bound to be better than others. Even with such a large and devoted fanbase, there are still some episodes that rank lower than others. We have taken the time to look through the entire series and have ranked the 10 worst episodes. These are the ones that failed to capture the spirit of the show, and simply didn’t live up to the high bar set by the rest of the series.
From Ross’s unfortunate tanning session to Joey’s infamous “smell the fart” scene, we have taken the time to analyze each episode and have ranked them from worst to best. Read on to find out which episodes of Friends are the lowest ranked, and why they deserve to be at the bottom of the list.
Written by Sophie and last updated on dec 18, 2024.
PS: The following content contains spoilers!
PPS: I will admit that parts of this page was written with the help of AI - it makes my work so much easier to not start from a blank page!
Gavin gives Rachel a birthday gift and Ross makes Joey to stay away from Emma's new nanny. Meanwhile, Mike accidentally kills Phoebe's pet rat.
The episode was rated 7.67 from 1170 votes.
Rachel decides to start smoking in order to avoid missing important meetings with her boss. Joey auditions for a soup commercial with Ross's son Ben. Monica and Phoebe plan a surprise birthday party for Rachel.
The episode was rated 7.67 from 1269 votes.
Monica and Chandler begin sorting through potential sperm donors. Phoebe is nervous about going to a party to see Mike, but runs into someone from her past.
The episode was rated 7.66 from 1122 votes.
Chandler hires a maid, whom Monica suspects is stealing her clothing. Eric has broken up with Ursula and is ready to date Phoebe, except for one problem: he can't look at her without seeing Ursula. Meanwhile, Ross tries to get Rachel an apartment in his building, but the woman living there isn't in a hurry to die, and Joey wants Rachel to stay with him.
The episode was rated 7.66 from 1469 votes.
Chandler and Ross's college friend is coming to town. Joanna squashes Rachel's chance at a promotion. Monica must choose between a steady job as head chef of a restaurant or keeping her catering business with Phoebe.
The episode was rated 7.57 from 1411 votes.
Chandler and Monica are faced with writing their wedding vows. They turn to memories of past events to help them.
The episode was rated 7.57 from 1182 votes.
Joey gets an audition for the lead character in a new TV show. When the audition is rescheduled, Chandler takes the message and forgets to tell Joey.
The episode was rated 7.44 from 1224 votes.
Ross and Emily discuss who to invite to their wedding. Ross and Rachel each reminisce about their up-and-down relationship.
The episode was rated 7.42 from 1293 votes.
Chandler is stuck in Tulsa for Christmas with an attractive co-worker, worrying Monica.
The episode was rated 7.41 from 1164 votes.
Joey prepares for an interview with Soap Opera Digest, although he's afraid of saying something stupid and getting himself into trouble, so he enlists his friends to make sure things go well. During the interview, he reminisces about his past acting experiences, his friends and his romantic life.
The episode was rated 7.40 from 1328 votes.
