Friends: Every Two-Part Episode, Ranked | ScreenRant
Two-parters were a staple of Friends that brought countless laughs and a lot of drama. Here are the sitcom's two-part episodes, ranked.
In Friends' 10-season-long run, the series aired only ten two-part episodes. They aired close to one of these double-feature episodes every season, with the first literally being titled, "The One With Two Parts," which was a season 1 two-parter that aired in 1995. After this, the show's two-part episodes became somewhat of an iconic phenomenon, only used when the series was in the middle of a particularly significant or dramatic storyline.
Friends is just as well-loved today as it was decades ago when it first aired. The sitcom is often praised for not only being hilarious and relatable but also for having a lot of heart. The following two-part episodes mark some of the most heartfelt, important, and unforgettable moments in the beloved series.
10 The One With Two Parts (Season 1, Episodes 16/17)
"The One With Two Parts" was Friends' very tongue-in-cheek first attempt at a two-part episode. This would later be a trend that the series would repeat nearly every season, but back in its first year, the sitcom was testing the waters and took on a lighthearted approach.
"The One With Two Parts" introduces Phoebe's twin sister, Ursula, for the very first time. The episode delves into the issues that the sisters have with one another, and when Joey starts dating Ursula, a strain is put on his relationship with Phoebe. That particular storyline is one most fans probably prefer to forget.
9 The One After The Superbowl (Season 2, Episodes 12/13)
This double-length episode premiered in Friends' second season and, thus, was the crew's second attempt at a two-part episode. "The One After The Superbowl" got its title for the simple reason that it served as the lead-out for NBC's broadcast of the Super Bowl XXX in 1996. The Super Bowl does not, in fact, play any kind of role in this episode.
"The One After The Superbowl" featured a guest appearance by Brooke Shields who stars as Joey's crazed superfan and also marks the temporary return of Ross' monkey, Marcel, who is revealed to have gotten a job in show business.
8 The One With Ross's Wedding (Season 4, Episodes 23/24)
Friends' fourth season started the trend of every season finale following being a two-part episode. "The One With Ross's Wedding" chronicled Ross and Emily's rocky journey as they attempted to have their wedding in London. Their venue of choice wound up being torn down, which presented some drama between the two.
None of this would compare to the fact that this season finale ends on Ross accidentally saying Rachel's name at the altar. But perhaps the best thing to come out of these London-themed episodes of Friends was the beginning of Monica and Chandler's romance.
7 The One In Vegas (Season 5, Episodes 23/24)
The end of Friends' fifth season presented the gang on yet another group trip; this time to Vegas, as they planned on visiting Joey since he was supposed to be filming a new movie. Instead, Joey's film got canceled and he wound up working at a hotel, where the gang ultimately spends most of the finale.
In "The One In Vegas," there's a lot going on; Joey finds his "hand-twin," Phoebe gets kicked out of the casino, Chandler and Monica almost get married, and Ross and Rachel drunkenly get married. There was not a dull moment in this season finale.
6 The One That Could Have Been (Season 6, Episodes 15/16)
In season 6, Friends aired a two-part episode that broke the norm and differed from any other episode they'd ever released before. "The One That Could Have Been" was the fifteenth and sixteenth episode of season 6, and for the double-feature, the series' changed everything, including its opening credits.
"The One That Could Have" explored the alternate fates of the Friends' gang, if the major events that brought them together had never occurred or had played out differently. Rachel never ran out on her wedding, Monica didn't lose weight and started dating losers, Ross stayed with Carol, Joey never got fired from Days Of Our Lives, Phoebe worked in stocks, and Chandler was a struggling writer. The episode is easily one of the most unforgettable in the entire series.
5 The One With The Proposal (Season 6, Episodes 24/25)
"The One With The Proposal" holds its iconic status to this day for being one of the most emotional, satisfying episodes in Friends' history. Fans had been watching the romance between the beloved Monica Gellar and Chandler Bing develop since season 4, and it was in the season 6 finale that the couple finally got engaged.
However, Chandler's proposal was not easy, due to his misguided plan of surprising Monica. This backfired when Richard came back into the picture, serving as some drama on the couple's somewhat rocky road to engagement.
4 The One With Monica And Chandler's Wedding (Season 7, Episodes 23/24)
Season 7 of Friends was revolved significantly around the planning of Monica and Chandler's wedding. After competing with Phoebe while Ross and Joey served as "judges," Rachel was chosen to be the maid of honor. Joey got certified as a minister on the Internet and planned to officiate the wedding, while Ross served as Chandler's Best Man.
This wedding was easily one of the most anticipated events in the entirety of Friends. By the time it rolled around, in the season 7 two-part finale, it seemed that the celebration would go off without a hitch. But for some added drama, Chandler got cold feet, Joey got stuck at work, all the while the infamous misconception that Monica was pregnant floated about. Despite all this, Monica and Chandler's wedding turned out to be a beautiful moment.
3 The One Where Rachel Has A Baby (Season 8, Episodes 23/24)
Rachel got pregnant with Emma at the end of Friends' seventh season, and this served as the main plot throughout season 8. It was quickly revealed that Ross was the father, and thus, the "will-they-won't-they" element of Ross and Rachel's relationship reared its head once again.
By the end of the season, Rachel gave birth to Emma in the very dramatic episode, "The One Where Rachel Has A Baby." Though by this time, the quality of Friends has started to diminish, the two-part episode was still quite touching.
2 The One In Barbados (Season 9, Episodes 23/24)
"The One In Barbados" was the finale of Friends' penultimate season. It was one of the more dramatic, almost soap opera-esque additions of the typically light-hearted sitcom, featuring storylines such as Rachel's crush on Joey, and Phoebe's dilemma with Mike and David.
There was both a love triangle and a love quadrangle evident in this double-feature; the love triangle concerned Phoebe, Mike, and David, while the quadrangle involved Rachel, Joey, Ross, and newcomer Charlie (Aisha Tyler).
1 The Last One (Season 10, Episodes 17/18)
The very last episode of Friends was a double-feature and aired on May 6, 2004. It was time to say goodbye to the beloved Friends gang that had been there to make fans laugh for a decade, and would be there for new generations for decades to come; fittingly, many considered this series finale to be the end of an era.
There was a lot happening in "The Last One." Rachel left for her new job in Paris, and Ross realized he was still in love with her. Monica and Chandler's surrogate, Erica, gave birth two their twins, who they named Jack and Erica. Phoebe and Mike had their future ahead of them. And Joey was left as he was, sadly to pursue the dead-in-the-water spinoff, "Joey", in later years. The last couple seasons of Friends suffered from rushed writing and cheap storylines, but "The Last One" reminded fans why they fell in love with the show in the first place, and never fails to tug at the heartstrings.