We’re missing Friends big time. Waiting for HBO Max to bring back all those great episodes is tough. The only way we’re getting through this dry spell is by remembering the worst episodes.
So, as we’re one big streaming family of Friends fans, these are our 10 worst episodes that should keep your addiction under control until May 2020, when the binging can begin again.
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#10. “The One with Ross’s Tan” – S10:E3
It’s the fake British accent that Stiffler’s mom (Jennifer Coolidge) uses which drives us insane. Throw in the fallout between Phoebe and Monica and this episode becomes a chore — except for Ross’s Mississippi counting failure. That’s one heck of a tan.
#9. “The One Where Ross Can’t Flirt” – S5:E19
Talk about being awkward around the opposite sex. If only his flirting skills were this bad with the photocopy girl, perhaps we wouldn’t have had to wait 10 seasons for Ross and Rachel to finally make it happen (properly). Any episode where the highlight is someone talking about gas isn’t great.
#8. “The One with the Ultimate Fighting Champion” – S3:E24
The amazing Jon Favreau, who plays Pete, isn’t exactly the most interesting character in the show. Yes, he’s a millionaire who tips big, but the whole UFC story is bad. Did anyone actually care about this man killing himself in the Octagon? We didn’t. He was nothing more than a guest in a relationship destined to fail, especially as Monica was only ever semi-into him.
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#7. “The one with the secret closet” – S8:E14
The secret of that closet may have been solved in this episode, but the payoff is poor. So what if Monica is a closet hoarder? It was expected, considering how OCD she was with crumbs. Throw in another awkward massage scene, this time between Phoebe and Monica (previously it was Ross and some old man), and the episode isn’t up to the show’s usual high standard.
#6. “The One with the Metaphorical Tunnel” – S3:E4
Little Ben plays with Barbie, and Ross doesn’t like it. Ross trying to force an action figure onto his son is ironic, considering his own father wanted him to play outside like a normal boy (different episode). Is this parental bullying being passed down, or just a cheap way to throw in some gender commentary? Either way, this is an episode I always skip.
#5. “The One with the Stain” – S8:E7
in the first few seasons, the neurosis of the gang was entertaining. By the eighth season, they were exploring wacky scenarios, and this episode takes it to another level. Putting your head between a maid’s legs to check out her crotch stain is 12 months in prison these days. Why couldn’t she just ask? All in all, this is a very strange episode. Skipped.
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#4. “The One with Mac and C.H.E.E.S.E.” – S6:E20
The robot was deliberately awful; the plot of the episode accidentally bad? A failed message, a missed audition, a nerd struggling with the opposite sex, and Joey struggling with work. This episode was like a trip down memory lane, combining things we’ve seen before, but masked with a robot that looked like Short Circuit after a very severe illness.
#3. “The One with the Vows” – S7:E21
Yet another flashback episode, this time masked around Chandler and Monica’s search for vows inspiration. It can’t just be me, but almost all flashback episodes are dull. They could have easily put the vow search in with another episode. Instead, we got filler.
#2. “The One with the Invitation” – S4:E21
What’s worse than just getting filler? A pure unadulterated episode of reminiscing. This one is like a refresher course on Ross and Rachel, throwing up events from the first four seasons. We’ve seen it all before, but what tops it off is the ultimatum evil Emily delivers to Ross. Let’s all boo Emily. Boo! The English really do make good villains.
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#1. “The One with the Evil Orthodontist” – S1:E20
This episode is all about selfish people and unfortunately, Rachel’s story gets sucked into it. She ends up in the arms of Barry, her ex-ex-fiance, a man (and life) she ran away from. Each time I see this episode, I can’t help but think of the b*tch Rachel was, which is crazy considering she’s not a real person. That’s why this episode is an instant skip, realizing you’re thinking about a Friends character as if they were real is definitely one of the signs of madness.
Which episodes of Friends are your worst? Let us know on social media — the links are below. Or, check out this unofficial Friends video for a quick fix to get you through:
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