10 Darkest Episodes of Friends

As a therapist who has spent years helping people navigate their emotional journeys, I can confidently say that some episodes of Friends, while hilarious and entertaining, delve into some pretty dark themes.

The TV series “Friends” is renowned for being one of the most beloved sitcoms ever made. It chronicles the lives of several close friends experiencing young adulthood in New York City, primarily during the mid-1990s and early 2000s. The characters and actors from this show have achieved great fame, and numerous jokes from it have become well-known catchphrases in popular culture (“We were on a break!”).

The show “Friends” continues to draw in new audiences, cultivating a fanbase that crosses various age groups. Although it remains a cherished sitcom, some elements of “Friends” have become outdated since its historic series conclusion in 2004. Some humor and plotlines may seem antiquated or confusing to younger viewers. Additionally, certain episodes delve into grimmer storylines, using them as the basis for jokes. Hiding beneath all those laughter tracks are ten “Friends” episodes that become surprisingly dark.

10 The First One

Episode 1, Season 1

This initial installment of “Friends” is known by several titles: “The First One”, “The One Where It All Started”, “The One When Monica Gets a Roommate”, or simply “Pilot”. No matter what you choose to call it, this is the inaugural episode that unveiled an endearing ensemble cast: Rachel (Jennifer Aniston), Monica (Courtney Cox), Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow), Joey (Matt LeBlanc), Chandler (Matthew Perry), and Ross (David Schwimmer). Although much of their backstories remain uncharted in this first episode, we learn quite a bit about the quirky character of Phoebe.

As Rachel found herself heartbroken after abandoning her groom at the altar, the eccentric character Phoebe shared an experience from her past, “I recall moving to this city when I was 14 years old. My mother had taken her own life, and my stepfather was once again behind bars… This led me to live with a man who was albino, working as a window cleaner outside Port Authority. Tragically, he too ended his life.” Throughout the series, Phoebe’s past traumas were often humorously referenced, but her mother’s suicide in particular. Despite her cheerful demeanor when discussing her hardships, it is important to note that Phoebe has a deeply painful and troubled history that might have driven many others towards therapy.

9 The One with Ross’s Wedding

Season 4, Episode 24

“Ross’s Wedding: The Final Episodes of Season 4

Everyone’s eyes widen in astonishment as the crowd lets out a mix of screams and gasps. This moment was truly shocking, to say the least. It definitely heightened the tension for the audience. Unfortunately, poor Emily. This was meant to be one of the most memorable and joyous days of her life, but her wedding day takes an unexpected turn when her groom, the man she adores, slips up and says the wrong name at the altar.

8 The One with Ross and Monica’s Cousin

Season 7, Episode 19

In the episode titled “The One with Ross and Monica’s Cousin,” Denise Richards portrays the alluring character Cassie, Ross and Monica’s cousin. Everyone who encounters Cassie seems smitten by her charm – even her first cousin, Ross. However, their family bond doesn’t deter Ross from attempting to pursue a romantic relationship with her while watching a movie together. To put it mildly, such behavior is considered inappropriate and taboo in today’s society.

7 The One Where Eddie Won’t Go

Season 2, Episode 19

In Season 2, the central plotline revolves around longtime pals Joey and Chandler parting ways, with Joey moving out to live independently in his own apartment. This leaves room for Chandler’s new flatmate, Eddie (played by Adam Goldberg), who initially appears friendly but soon transforms into a problematic and unsettling housemate. Eddie shows signs of instability as he shares his troubling inner thoughts and engages in bizarre actions like swiping mannequin heads from Macy’s and peeping on Chandler while he sleeps. Furthermore, Eddie appears to struggle with delusions, accusing Chandler of infidelity and the death of his pet goldfish, and imagining trips to Las Vegas that didn’t actually occur.

In this rephrased version, when Eddie stubbornly insists on staying put, it requires an extreme trick to get him out, and that’s exactly what Joey and Chandler do. They switch the locks, move Eddie’s belongings into the hallway, and act as if he had never resided there before, leading Eddie to believe that his living situation with Chandler was nothing more than a fantasy. This episode has a grim undertone, not just because of the troubled individual harassing and menacing Chandler, but also due to the portrayal of mental illness, which might be problematic for modern viewers – especially considering that Eddie is essentially left homeless by the end of the episode.

6 The One with the Fertility Test

Season 9, Episode 21

Every devotee of “Friends” is aware that Monica harbors a strong desire for motherhood. In “The One with the Fertility Test,” Chandler and Monica receive the heart-wrenching revelation that they both struggle with fertility problems, which might prevent them from having biological children. This news brings an unexpected mix of laughter and serious reflection as the show’s most comical pair ponders this distressing information side by side.

5 The One with Russ

Season 2, Episode 10

In “The One Featuring Russ,” Monica spends time with a fellow named Fun Bobby (played by Vincent Ventresca), who earned his nickname due to his lively and comedic attitude. However, this episode takes an unexpectedly grim turn when it’s disclosed that Bobby’s jovial persona is merely a façade for his chronic alcoholism. Monica tries to motivate him to give up drinking, but this results in Bobby becoming gloomy and dull. The gang teases his transformation, with Chandler renaming him Boring Bobby. Feeling down due to Bobby’s melancholic state, Monica begins to drink excessively to cope with their relationship.

In this episode, a lighthearted approach is taken towards a widespread insight among many individuals battling alcohol addiction: they often perceive themselves as hollow vessels in need of liquor to feel whole. However, the narrative seems to trivialize Bobby’s battle with alcoholism by making it the subject of humor instead of acknowledging its gravity. Moreover, the portrayal of Monica as a partner doesn’t present her as overly supportive during this challenging time.

4 The One Where Rachel Quits

Season 3, Episode 10

In the episode titled “The One Where Rachel Leaves,” there are some somber scenes. At a particularly grim moment, I unintentionally hit a Girl Scout (portrayed by young Mae Whitman) with a tennis racket, causing her to tumble down the stairs and fracture her leg. If that’s not enough to convey a sense of gloom, let me share another heavy scene: Later in the episode, I find myself visiting the injured Girl Scout, who reveals her father’s problematic gambling habits. She talks about his frequent trips to Atlantic City and how he’s using her college savings for more bets, which she refers to as “doubling down.” Quite a distressing situation, indeed.

3 The One Where Rosita Dies

Season 7, Episode 13

In the sitcom “Friends,” character Phoebe finds herself entangled with suicidal themes again when she’s a telemarketer. During “The One Where Rosita Dies,” she encounters Earl, a despondent supply manager contemplating suicide. He shares his feelings of being unimportant and imminent plans to end his life with Phoebe. The rest of the episode revolves around Phoebe’s attempts to prevent Earl from carrying out his plan. Although the show conveys an important message about suicide prevention, offering hope and compassion for those struggling, it remains a dark and heavy storyline.

2 The One with Ross’s New Girlfriend

Season 2, Episode 1

Season 2 of Friends opens with Ross acquiring a new love interest who leaves Rachel heartbroken, and unfortunately, it also introduces an uncomfortable topic: sexual abuse. In “The One With Ross’s New Girlfriend,” Joey sends his close friend Chandler to a reputable tailor. However, instead of the simple alterations he requested, Chandler encounters unwanted advances when the tailor inappropriately touches him. It falls upon both Chandler and Ross to educate Joey that tailors should never touch private areas during fittings. Shocked by this revelation, Joey discovers that he has unknowingly been a victim of sexual abuse for years, with his tailor taking improper measurements and groping various members of the Tribbiani family over several decades.

1 The One with the Baby on the Bus

Season 2, Episode 6

By an unusual turn of events, Ross assigns his newborn son, Ben, to the inexperienced and juvenile pair, Joey and Chandler, for care. The humorous duo seems competent in their role as caretakers until they inadvertently lose track that they’re handling a baby, and accidentally leave Ben on a Manhattan bus. Panicked, Joey and Chandler watch helplessly as the bus pulls away without them. They eventually locate Ben at a baby center, but face another challenge: they can’t tell which infant is their charge.

In a humorous twist, Joey and Chandler playfully choose a baby at random, hoping for the best in an episode titled “The One with the Baby on the Bus.” While this scenario provides plenty of laughs, upon closer inspection, it raises some ethical concerns. Essentially, these characters have potentially taken another person’s child, which could have catastrophic consequences in a real-world setting like New York City. Fortunately, this is just a television show, and the baby belongs to Ross all along. Nonetheless, it’s an intriguing plotline that hints at the complexities and potential risks inherent in such a situation.

2024-11-06 04:02