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The Best Episodes of Friends Season 5

Every episode of Friends Season 5 ranked from best to worst. Discover the Best Episodes of Friends Season 5!

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Six young people from New York City, on their own and struggling to survive in the real world, find the companionship, comfort and support they get from each other to be the perfect antidote to

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Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Fan Favorite
    Friends Season 5 Episode 1 - The One After Ross Says Rachel
    8.8/10(6392 votes)

    #1 - The One After Ross Says Rachel

    S5:E1

    In the aftermath of his Freudian slip, Ross tries to rescue his marriage with Emily. Meanwhile, Chandler and Monica try and find a moment alone in order to continue their affair while overseas.

    Director:Kevin S. Bright
    Writer:Seth Kurland

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  2. Friends Season 5 Episode 2 - The One with All the Kissing
    8.9/10(6510 votes)

    #2 - The One with All the Kissing

    S5:E2

    Ross continues to try and mend his marriage to Emily. When Chandler accidentally kisses Monica in front of everyone before leaving for work, he tries to recover by kissing Rachel and Phoebe as well. Meanwhile, Phoebe starts getting irritated by everyone's London stories.

    Director:Gary Halvorson
    Writer:Wil Calhoun

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  3. Friends Season 5 Episode 3 - The One Hundredth
    8.7/10(6042 votes)

    #3 - The One Hundredth

    S5:E3

    Phoebe is rushed to the hospital for the birth of her brother's triplets. While there, Joey winds up with severe sympathy pains that turn out to be kidney stones. Meanwhile, Rachel tries to set Monica up on a date with a male nurse.

    Director:Kevin S. Bright
    Writers:Marta Kauffman, David Crane

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  4. Friends Season 5 Episode 4 - The One Where Phoebe Hates PBS
    8.1/10(5396 votes)

    #4 - The One Where Phoebe Hates PBS

    S5:E4

    Joey lands a job with a PBS telethon, which ignites an old hatred Phoebe has towards the network. Meanwhile, Monica tries to convince Rachel that she's dating someone from work to hide her relationship with Chandler. And Ross finally gets in touch with Emily and they try to work it out.

    Director:Shelley Jensen
    Writer:Michael Curtis

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  5. Friends Season 5 Episode 5 - The One with the Kips
    8.6/10(5819 votes)

    #5 - The One with the Kips

    S5:E5

    Monica and Chandler plan an Atlantic City getaway in order to have an intimate weekend away from their friends. Meanwhile, Ross prepares himself to tell Rachel that he can't see her anymore.

    Director:Dana De Vally Piazza
    Writer:Scott Silveri

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  6. Friends Season 5 Episode 6 - The One with the Yeti
    7.8/10(5397 votes)

    #6 - The One with the Yeti

    S5:E6

    Emily decides that the only way to continue her marriage with Ross is to have him get rid of all traces of Rachel in his apartment. Meanwhile, Rachel and Monica mistake a hairy neighbor for a yeti.

    Director:Gary Halvorson
    Writer:Alexa Junge

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  7. Friends Season 5 Episode 7 - The One Where Ross Moves In
    8.1/10(5478 votes)

    #7 - The One Where Ross Moves In

    S5:E7

    Chandler and Joey let Ross move in with them once his marriage to Emily falls apart. Meanwhile, Phoebe gets involved with the local health inspector and Rachel becomes convinced that Danny is trying to seduce her with mind games.

    Director:Gary Halvorson
    Writers:Perry Rein, Gigi McCreery

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  8. Friends Season 5 Episode 8 - The One with All the Thanksgivings
    9.0/10(7397 votes)

    #8 - The One with All the Thanksgivings

    S5:E8

    Although the Thanksgiving meal is great, Chandler is still moody over his parent's divorce during the holiday when he was a boy and Ross is depressed about his second divorce. The group reminisces about their worst Thanksgivings in order to cheer them up, and Monica's worst memory is revealed.

    Director:Kevin S. Bright
    Writer:Greg Malins

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  9. Friends Season 5 Episode 9 - The One with Ross's Sandwich
    9.0/10(6870 votes)

    #9 - The One with Ross's Sandwich

    S5:E9

    Joey starts to get uncomfortable with protecting Monica and Chandler's secret, especially when it places him in embarrassing situations with the rest of the group. Meanwhile, Ross becomes enraged at work when someone swipes his turkey sandwich. Phoebe and Rachel enroll in a literature class.

    Director:Gary Halvorson
    Writers:Andrew Reich, Ted Cohen

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  10. Friends Season 5 Episode 10 - The One with the Inappropriate Sister
    8.0/10(5405 votes)

    #10 - The One with the Inappropriate Sister

    S5:E10

    Joey teaches Ross how to be unemployed. Phoebe is working for the Salvation Army during the holidays. Monica is tired of Rachel's obsessing about Danny and asks him to go out with her. Ross convinces Joey to write a play about himself. Phoebe is distressed after finding out that New Yorkers are mean. Rachel meets Danny's sister and is dismayed when the two seem a little too playful. Phoebe vows a return to "Street Phoebe."

    Director:Dana De Vally Piazza
    Writer:Shana Goldberg-Meehan

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  11. Friends Season 5 Episode 11 - The One with All the Resolutions
    9.0/10(6802 votes)

    #11 - The One with All the Resolutions

    S5:E11

    With the New Year, the friends make New Year's resolutions. Ross resolves to try a new thing every day. Chandler resolves to not make fun of his friends for a week. Joey resolves to learn how to play the guitar, with Phoebe as his teacher. Rachel resolves to give up gossiping. Chandler nearly goes insane holding it all in. Ross is stuck in a sticky situation at his date's apartment, in constricting and hot leather pants. Rachel discovers a big secret (Monica and Chandler) that threatens to spoil her resolution.

    Director:Joe Regalbuto
    Writer:Unknown

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  12. Friends Season 5 Episode 12 - The One with Chandler's Work Laugh
    8.1/10(5372 votes)

    #12 - The One with Chandler's Work Laugh

    S5:E12

    Monica begins to hang out with Chandler during his work functions, since they don't have to keep their relationship a secret among his coworkers. However, she learns that Chandler has a second, more annoying personality when he's around his boss. Meanwhile, Ross learns that Emily is getting remarried and in his grief hooks up with an old nemesis of the gang: Janice.

    Director:Kevin S. Bright
    Writer:Alicia Sky Varinaitis

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  13. Friends Season 5 Episode 13 - The One with Joey's Bag
    7.9/10(5369 votes)

    #13 - The One with Joey's Bag

    S5:E13

    Phoebe's grandmother dies, and Phoebe is shocked when her father turns up at the funeral. Meanwhile, Rachel gives Joey a "man's bag" for an audition, and Chandler is scared to tell Monica he doesn't like her massages.

    Director:Gail Mancuso
    Writer:Unknown

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  14. Friends Season 5 Episode 14 - The One Where Everybody Finds Out
    9.7/10(14703 votes)

    #14 - The One Where Everybody Finds Out

    S5:E14

    When the friends discover that Ugly Naked Guy is moving out of his apartment, Ross leaps at the opportunity to get his own place again. Phoebe finds out about Monica and Chandler's relationship, and tries to get them to reveal the truth by seducing Chandler.

    Director:Michael Lembeck
    Writer:Alexa Junge

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  15. Friends Season 5 Episode 15 - The One with the Girl Who Hits Joey
    8.3/10(5638 votes)

    #15 - The One with the Girl Who Hits Joey

    S5:E15

    Joey starts dating Katie, a little girl who packs a mean punch. When Ross refuses to contribute to the retirement fund of the building's maintenance man, he winds up offending everyone in the building. Meanwhile, Chandler freaks out about his relationship with Monica.

    Director:Kevin S. Bright
    Writer:Adam Chase

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  16. Friends Season 5 Episode 16 - The One with the Cop
    8.5/10(5868 votes)

    #16 - The One with the Cop

    S5:E16

    Joey has a dream about Monica and becomes convinced he is in love with her. Meanwhile, Phoebe finds a police badge in Central Perk and uses it to go on missions of mercy. And Ross buys a new sofa but has trouble moving it up the stairs into his new apartment.

    Director:Andrew Tsao
    Writer:Unknown

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  17. Friends Season 5 Episode 17 - The One with Rachel's Inadvertent Kiss
    8.3/10(5416 votes)

    #17 - The One with Rachel's Inadvertent Kiss

    S5:E17

    Monica becomes jealous of Phoebe and Gary. Rachel has an awkward encounter when she interviews for a new job. Joey tries to meet a girl living in Ross's building, but has trouble with finding her apartment.

    Director:Shelley Jensen
    Writers:Andrew Reich, Ted Cohen

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  18. Friends Season 5 Episode 18 - The One Where Rachel Smokes
    7.7/10(5260 votes)

    #18 - The One Where Rachel Smokes

    S5:E18

    Rachel decides to start smoking in order to avoid missing important meetings with her boss. Meanwhile, Ben gets offered an audition for a soup commercial, and Joey auditions to be Ben's father during the ad. Also, Monica and Phoebe plan a surprise birthday party for Rachel together, but Monica takes over.

    Director:Todd Holland
    Writer:Michael Curtis

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  19. Friends Season 5 Episode 19 - The One Where Ross Can't Flirt
    8.6/10(5793 votes)

    #19 - The One Where Ross Can't Flirt

    S5:E19

    As Joey's Italian-speaking grandmother visits to watch him on TV, Ross has trouble flirting with the pizza delivery girl, and Rachel tries to find an earring of Monica's that she has misplaced.

    Director:Gail Mancuso
    Writer:Doty Abrams

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  20. Friends Season 5 Episode 20 - The One with the Ride Along
    8.1/10(5251 votes)

    #20 - The One with the Ride Along

    S5:E20

    While the guys go on a ride-along with Gary, Rachel accidentally deletes a message from Emily on Ross's answering machine.

    Director:Gary Halvorson
    Writers:Seth Kurland, Shana Goldberg-Meehan

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  21. Friends Season 5 Episode 21 - The One with the Ball
    8.3/10(5445 votes)

    #21 - The One with the Ball

    S5:E21

    Phoebe learns that Gary is going to ask her to move in with him and thinking this is way to fast, she tries to get Chandler to talk him out of this decision. Rachel buys an expensive sphynx cat but is disappointed when it doesn't behave as she hoped it would. Meanwhile, Ross and Joey start throwing a ball while they are bored but it changes from a time-filler to a super-competitive obsession when Monica joins in.

    Director:Gary Halvorson
    Writer:Greg Malins

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  22. Friends Season 5 Episode 22 - The One with Joey's Big Break
    8.1/10(5210 votes)

    #22 - The One with Joey's Big Break

    S5:E22

    Joey seems to have finally hit big when he gets offered a lead part in a movie shooting outside of Las Vegas. However, when Chandler begins expressing doubts about the film's legitimacy, it causes a rift in their friendship. Also, Rachel gets an eye infection but is reluctant to seek treatment because of her eye phobia. And Phoebe is mad at Ross, but doesn't know why.

    Director:Gary Halvorson
    Writer:Wil Calhoun

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  23. Friends Season 5 Episode 23 - The One in Vegas
    8.6/10(5875 votes)

    #23 - The One in Vegas

    S5:E23

    Chandler decides the only way to mend his friendship with Joey is to fly out to Vegas and visit him. Phoebe is determined not to be left out on another adventure, so everyone winds up going. Trouble is in the water, however, when Chandler finds out that Monica had lunch with Richard. Meanwhile, Ross and Rachel try to embarrass each other after an awkward encounter. Chandler and Monica reconcile and hastily decide to get married. Ross and Rachel get drunk and roam the casino. Phoebe deals with a 'lurker' on the slot machines.

    Director:Kevin S. Bright
    Writers:Andrew Reich, Ted Cohen

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Season 5 Ratings Summary

"The One After Ross Says Rachel" is the best rated episode of "Friends" season 5. It scored 8.8/10 based on 6392 votes. Directed by Kevin S. Bright and written by Seth Kurland, it aired on 9/24/1998. This episode is rated 0.1 points higher than the second-best, "The One with All the Kissing".