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The Worst Episodes of Friends

Every episode of Friends ranked from worst to best. Explore the Worst Episodes of Friends!

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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 Worst Episode
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    Friends Season 4 Episode 21 - The One with the Invitation
    6.8/10(6388 votes)

    S4:E21

    As Ross and Emily send out wedding invitations, he and Rachel each look back on their relationship together while Joey and Chandler look for a purpose in life.

    Director:Peter Bonerz
    Writer:Seth Kurland

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  2. Friends Season 6 Episode 20 - The One Where Ross Meets Elizabeth's Dad
    7.1/10(5754 votes)

    S6:E20

    Ross meets Elizabeth's father for the first time and unfortunately he takes an instant disliking to Ross. However Paul does hit it off with Rachel and she tries to talk Ross up but does so with mixed results. Joey almost gets fired from "Mac and C.H.E.E.S.E." after offending the operator of the robot. Meanwhile, Phoebe writes a book based on Monica and Chandler.

    Director:Michael Lembeck
    Writer:Unknown

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  3. Friends Season 8 Episode 19 - The One with Joey's Interview
    7.1/10(5202 votes)

    S8:E19

    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.

    Director:Gary Halvorson
    Writer:Doty Abrams

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  4. Friends Season 7 Episode 21 - The One with the Vows
    7.2/10(5288 votes)

    S7:E21

    Monica and Chandler are getting married in four weeks and have to write their vows, but neither has a clue what to say, so they reflect on their past. In the end, the only real problem is who will be saying the vows first.

    Director:Gary Halvorson
    Writer:Doty Abrams

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  5. Friends Season 9 Episode 10 - The One with Christmas in Tulsa
    7.2/10(5200 votes)

    S9:E10

    Everyone in the gang gets a little upset when Chandler announces that he'll be spending Christmas and New Year's Eve in Tulsa because of work. To make matters worse, Monica gets quite jealous when she finds out that one of Chandler's co-workers is a former Miss Oklahoma runner-up. After doing some retrospection, Chandler decides to quit his job.

    Director:Kevin S. Bright
    Writer:Doty Abrams

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  6. Friends Season 1 Episode 21 - The One with the Fake Monica
    7.6/10(7201 votes)

    S1:E21

    When Monica's credit card is stolen, she, along with Phoebe and Rachel, decide to catch the thief. Joey enlists his friends to help him come up with a less ethnic-sounding stage name. And Ross finds out that Marcel has reached sexual maturity and needs to be with other monkeys.

    Director:Gail Mancuso
    Writers:Adam Chase, Ira Ungerleider

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    The 20 BEST Episodes of Friends

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  7. Friends Season 3 Episode 14 - The One with Phoebe's Ex-Partner
    7.6/10(6047 votes)

    S3:E14

    Phoebe is reunited with her former singing partner who thinks "Smelly Cat" has hit potential; Chandler dates a woman with a prosthetic leg who also has some history with Joey. Meanwhile, Ross goes to a fashion seminar with Rachel, so she won't go with Mark, but falls asleep in the middle of it.

    Director:Robby Benson
    Writer:Wil Calhoun

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  8. Friends Season 9 Episode 22 - The One with the Donor
    7.6/10(4916 votes)

    S9:E22

    Rachel and Phoebe take Joey's girlfriend Charlie shopping, where she overhears the two of them gossiping about Joey. Meanwhile, Ross gives a presentation to a fellow professor in the hopes of getting the role of keynote speaker at the paleontology convention in Barbados. Also, Monica and Chandler consider alternate pregnancy options making some people really uncomfortable in the process.

    Director:Ben Weiss
    Writers:Ted Cohen, Andrew Reich

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  9. Friends Season 1 Episode 20 - The One with the Evil Orthodontist
    7.7/10(7141 votes)

    S1:E20

    Rachel and Barry start dating again, which is kind of awkward since he's now engaged to Mindy, who wants Rachel to be her maid of honor. Meanwhile, Chandler goes nuts when a woman he likes won't return his phone calls.

    Director:Peter Bonerz
    Writer:Doty Abrams

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  10. Friends Season 2 Episode 4 - The One with Phoebe's Husband
    7.7/10(6799 votes)

    S2:E4

    The gang is amazed to learn that Phoebe married a gay Canadian ice dancer to help him get his green card. And Ross seeks relationship advice from Rachel.

    Director:Gail Mancuso
    Writer:Alexa Junge

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  11. Friends Season 4 Episode 9 - The One Where They're Going to Party!
    7.7/10(5742 votes)

    S4:E9

    Chandler and Ross's college friend Gandalf is planning to come to town. Gandalf is "the party wizard." Ross and Chandler are very excited until Gandalf cancels. However, they decide to make their own party with Joey's help. Joanna squashes Rachel's chance at a promotion. And when Monica fills in for a friend as food critic for a small newspaper, she must decide between a steady job as head chef of a restaurant she panned or keeping her catering business with her friend Phoebe.

    Director:Peter Bonerz
    Writers:Ted Cohen, Andrew Reich

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  12. Friends Season 5 Episode 18 - The One Where Rachel Smokes
    7.7/10(5509 votes)

    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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  13. Friends Season 8 Episode 7 - The One with the Stain
    7.7/10(5216 votes)

    S8:E7

    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.

    Director:Kevin S. Bright
    Writer:R. Lee Fleming Jr.

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  14. Friends Season 9 Episode 12 - The One with Phoebe's Rats
    7.7/10(5033 votes)

    S9:E12

    Gavin gives Rachel a very interesting birthday gift while Ross begs Joey to stay away from Emma's hot new nanny. Meanwhile, Mike meets and then accidentally murders Phoebe's unusual pet.

    Director:Ben Weiss
    Writer:Unknown

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  15. Friends Season 10 Episode 10 - The One Where Chandler Gets Caught
    7.7/10(5178 votes)

    S10:E10

    After Phoebe and Rachel catch Chandler getting into a car with an unknown blonde woman, they follow them to the suburbs. Fearing that Chandler is cheating on Monica, they inform her and learn that the woman is a real estate agent. The pair has been secretly shopping for houses and struggling with how to tell their best friends about their plans. Together the friends reminisce about their good times in the apartment.

    Director:Gary Halvorson
    Writer:Doty Abrams

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  16. Friends Season 1 Episode 2 - The One with the Sonogram at the End
    7.8/10(9579 votes)

    S1:E2

    Ross's lesbian ex-wife Carol is pregnant with his child, and he doesn't like her choice of last name for the baby. Rachel finds out that her ex-fiancé went on what would have been their honeymoon with her maid of honor.

    Director:James Burrows
    Writers:Marta Kauffman, David Crane

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  17. Friends Season 2 Episode 9 - The One with Phoebe's Dad
    7.8/10(6592 votes)

    S2:E9

    It's Christmas time and Monica tries tipping with cookies, rather than cash, with mixed results. Phoebe tries to track down her real father. And Chandler and Joey wait too late to shop for presents.

    Director:Kevin S. Bright
    Writers:Jeff Astrof, Mike Sikowitz

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  18. Friends Season 2 Episode 10 - The One with Russ
    7.8/10(6903 votes)

    S2:E10

    Monica gets back together with Fun Bobby. Joey lands a role of a neurosurgeon on Days of Our Lives. And Rachel, dating a guy named Russ, can't see his uncanny resemblance to Ross.

    Director:Thomas Schlamme
    Writer:Ira Ungerleider

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  19. Friends Season 3 Episode 3 - The One with the Jam
    7.8/10(6278 votes)

    S3:E3

    Phoebe dates a man who thinks he's stalking her twin sister. Ross and Rachel give Chandler "boyfriend" lessons. Monica decides the best way to get over Richard is to keep herself busy, so she uses her free time to make jam and considers insemination via a sperm bank.

    Director:Kevin S. Bright
    Writer:Wil Calhoun

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  20. Friends Season 3 Episode 4 - The One with the Metaphorical Tunnel
    7.8/10(6051 votes)

    S3:E4

    Phoebe poses as Joey's agent and has some success in getting him auditions. Ross panics when he sees his son with a Barbie doll. Chandler is advancing in his relationship with Janice and, realizing that he has a fear of commitment, goes to the girls for advice.

    Director:Steve Zuckerman
    Writer:Alexa Junge

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  21. Friends Season 3 Episode 23 - The One with Ross's Thing
    7.8/10(5874 votes)

    S3:E23

    Afflicted with a mysterious skin condition on his butt that doctors cannot identify the cause of, Ross seeks advice from Phoebe's herbalist. Phoebe finds herself in a dilemma when she cannot choose between two guys. Monica can't decide about Pete when she thinks he is going to propose.

    Director:Shelley Jensen
    Writers:Ted Cohen, Andrew Reich

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  22. Friends Season 5 Episode 6 - The One with the Yeti
    7.8/10(5651 votes)

    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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  23. Friends Season 6 Episode 12 - The One with the Joke
    7.8/10(5347 votes)

    S6:E12

    After a joke gets published in Playboy, Chandler and Ross have an argument about who came up with it first. Meanwhile, a wayward remark of Phoebe's leads to trouble between the girls and a broke Joey starts working at Central Perk.

    Director:Gary Halvorson
    Writer:Unknown

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  24. Friends Season 7 Episode 5 - The One with the Engagement Picture
    7.8/10(5263 votes)

    S7:E5

    While taking an engagement picture for himself and Monica, Chandler cannot make anything but a weird face. Meanwhile, Rachel enlists Joey to take Tag out for a night on the town. Also, Phoebe and Ross date a couple in the middle of a divorce.

    Director:Gary Halvorson
    Writer:Unknown

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  25. Friends Season 8 Episode 10 - The One with Monica's Boots
    7.8/10(5215 votes)

    S8:E10

    Chandler is peeved when Monica splurges on an expensive pair of boots. Meanwhile, Phoebe learns that Ben and Sting's son attend the same school and she angles to meet the celebrity and get concert tickets. Also, after Joey's sister Dina tells him that she's pregnant, he freaks out and goes to find the father to marry them. Rachel tries to calm him down.

    Director:Kevin S. Bright
    Writer:Unknown

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Worst Episodes Summary

"The One with the Invitation" is the worst rated episode of "Friends". It scored 6.8/10 based on 6388 votes. Directed by Peter Bonerz and written by Seth Kurland, it aired on 4/23/1998. This episode scored 0.3 points lower than the second lowest rated, "The One Where Ross Meets Elizabeth's Dad".