Ranking All Of The Couples From "Friends" From “Emotional Hell” To “He’s Her Lobster”

“Could they BE any more suited for each other..."

Last year, I wrote a post where I ranked all of the couples from New Girl.

Now I’m back with another couple ranking list! This time around, I’ll be ranking the couples from the iconic sitcom, Friends!

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Of course, a show following a group of friends from their mid-20s to 30s would have a lot of dating shenanigans, so keep up because I have a lot of relationships to cover!

FYI for the sake of length, I didn’t include all of the people the main characters date. If I did, the list would be ridiculously long. All of the couples that are on the list have been together for at least two episodes.

**WARNING** For those who’ve missed out on the Friends bandwagon or have just started watching the series, there will be major *spoilers ahead*!!!

34. Rachel and Barry

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Barry is, in the words of Jean-Ralphio, "the wooorsst." He was a serial cheater who had an affair with her best friend AND sister! Moreover, Rachel was only with him for the money and the security. She was proud of herself for leaving him at the altar and never looked back.

33. Joey and Ursula

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Ursula was Joey’s first serious girlfriend in the show, and I’m surprised how much he was into her. Ursula was horrible, and poor Joey was too naive to see it. Thank you, writers, for not making this relationship last more than two episodes.

32. Phoebe and Parker

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Overly positive, Parker was not who I expected when they first introduced him. Since Phoebe believed he was meant to be the man of her dreams in the previous episode, I thought the writers would give Parker a fighting chance. Instead, they gave him an off-putting quirk, leaving a sour taste in everyone’s mouth. Take that toxic positivity elsewhere, Parker.

31. Rachel and Paolo

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All we really know about the relationship is that they had a pretty physical one. We get it; he’s a hot Italian man who looks like he belongs on the cover of a romance novel. At the end of the day, he’s a typical womanizer and cheater who wants to sleep with everyone. Glad Rachel knew her worth.

30. Monica and Bobby

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I guess we didn’t get to see what their relationship was like. We only saw Bobby's two sides: “fun” and “sad.” I’m not bummed about it, though. He didn’t add much aside from allowing the group to question Monica’s choices in men. Whatever mood you’re in, you aren’t missed, Bobby.

29. Ross and Mona

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I thought Mona was going to be a one-episode love interest. Surprisingly, the show brought her back and forced a relationship with Ross. I could tell from the beginning that Ross did not care for Mona. I tried to rack my brain around what she saw in Ross, but nothing made sense. Even Ross acknowledges how bad of a boyfriend he was to her! Their relationship was not memorable and the show did not need it.

28. Ross and Bonnie

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Bonnie seemed like a cool gal who rocked a bald head like no other. As much as I liked Bonnie, we saw little interaction between them. She was only there to ignite Rachel’s jealousy and unresolved feelings for Ross. I hope Bonnie found some other fellow who’d appreciate her hairless head.

27. Frank Jr. and Alice

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This couple's significant age difference felt icky, especially considering that Alice was Frank Jr.'s high school teacher. Nonetheless, they were still together for the remaining seven seasons, so there’s definitely love there. Watching them kiss still makes me feel uncomfortable, though.

26. Ross and Elizabeth

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Look, another teacher and student pairing! Sure, college students are technically adults, but I feel like that’s a line you shouldn’t cross. And for someone with a Ph.D., Ross should’ve known better! Elizabeth was alright. I don’t feel she added much to the story and rarely interacted with the core group. I knew they wouldn’t last long term, and eventually, Ross knew it, too.

25. Rachel and Tag

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Another couple with an age gap. This one is problematic because Rachel is Tag’s boss. You would have thought the writers would at least switch Tag to another department or something when they made it official, but nope, they chose to run with the “supervisor-subordinate relationship.” Very unprofessional and a screaming red flag, in my opinion. I did like Tag, but Rachel mostly wanted some cute young thing. Their relationship was nothing but a fun fling.

24. Joey and Kate

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This pairing reminded me of my favorite trope — enemies-to-lovers — except they don’t end up together. The chemistry was solid between them, but it seemed like Kate was just using Joey to feel better about herself. In the end, Kate did not care about him enough to give him a proper goodbye. Ok, bye, Kate!

23. Rachel and Paul

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Once again, a couple with an age gap, and on top of that, Paul happened to be Elizabeth's dad. Even if you removed that weird connection from the equation, Rachel’s feelings for Paul were nonexistent. Their relationship was far from serious, so I had no expectations that it would go anywhere. This bulky love machine was not made to last with Rachel.

22. Ross and Emily

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As a couple, Ross and Emily’s relationship timeline bothered me. I thought it was wild he would propose to Emily after such a brief period of knowing each other. He didn’t even propose to Rachel, the supposed love of his life. How do you expect me to believe Ross would do this for some British rando he dated for two weeks? Ross did do Emily wrong in the grand scheme of things, but her actions after the wedding did not pull me in her favor. You will not be missed, Emily.

21. Joey and Kathy

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Joey and Kathy were alright together. Joey treated Kathy slightly better than his typical one-night stand partners, but not by much. I still can’t get over the fact that he bought her a pen for her birthday. Kathy knew she was meant for someone else, so she understandably broke up with him.

20. Carol and Susan

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I would like first to acknowledge that their relationship was progressive for its time, and I’m happy for the representation. However, I found this couple a bit boring. Although they show affection and support one another, I didn't quite sense their romantic love. They also sort of disappear in later seasons, so I can’t add too much.

19. Joey and Charlie

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Obviously, this couple did not have a genuine connection, especially intellectually. I will say that I appreciated Joey for trying to impress Charlie. I thought it was so sweet that he went to Ross for advice and remembered everything he learned. Yeah, he may have been speaking about the wrong displays at the museum, but I will give points for the effort! They couldn't make a real relationship work, but I loved seeing Joey's growth.

Side note: I find it hilarious another one of Joey's girlfriends ends up with one of the other guys in the friend group.

18. Phoebe and Eric

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Ok, so Eric was not Phoebe’s boyfriend. He was Ursula's. Long story short, I wish we got to see more of Eric. The heat between these two could light a house on fire. Maybe if he managed to tell Phoebe apart from Ursula, he would've stayed for more than just two episodes.

17. Rachel and Danny

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Danny had so much potential. This was the first time a guy didn’t immediately fall at Rachel’s feet, so I was excited to see an interesting dynamic for her. Then, they added the inappropriate close-sister plotline so he would not be considered a long-term boyfriend. I wanted them to last more than three episodes.

16. Phoebe and Gary

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Former teenage delinquent/felon and a cop in a relationship? This is rom-com gold! All in all, their relationship looked pretty solid. Gary gave me the impression of an easy-going fellow who got along with the group. I was so happy that Phoebe finally found a sensible guy! At least, up until he shot a bird. Killing animals is an unforgivable act, and Phoebe rightfully ended it.

15. Rachel and Joshua

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Oh, JoshOOOa. I enjoyed this relationship primarily because of Rachel’s efforts to woo him. Rachel's pursuit of Joshua led to many memorable moments on the show. I mean, her little routine in her cheerleader uniform was so unexpected, and I loved it. The couple fizzled quickly because Rachel could not move on from Ross.

14. Jack and Judy Geller

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They were problematic parents but solid like a rock as a couple. The comments they would exchange about their marriage, although off-putting at times, showed us they had a very loving relationship. Each time I watch Monica accidentally overhearing their intimate moment, I get secondhand embarrassment. Kudos to them for keeping the passion alive!

13. Ross and Julie

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Ross and Julie made a good match and shared some adorable interactions. While they were sometimes a bit cheesy, I was happy for Ross. He finally stopped pinning for Rachel and found someone who appreciated him. Unfortunately, all it took for Rachel to admit she had feelings for Ross and he left Julie in a heartbeat. They really did Julie dirty on the show. At least she was able to get her second chance with Russ!

12. Ross and Charlie

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They made a lot of sense as a couple. Charlie was a scholar like Ross, and it was nice to see Ross get rightfully acknowledged for his passion for dinosaurs. I was a little disappointed that they broke up because Charlie had feelings for her ex. Considering Ross’s inability to pursue Charlie in the first place was due to his inferiority complex regarding her exes, it sort of justifies his insecurities. No matter how you feel about Ross, he did not deserve that treatment.

11. Joey and Janine

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I liked them at first! Janine didn’t fall for Joey’s “how you doin'” charms and made him realize he wasn’t the hottest playboy out there. Joey persevered and ended up winning Janine over. Unfortunately, their relationship was short-lived since Janine didn’t like Chandler and Monica, and Joey didn’t love her enough to choose her over them.

10. Joey and Rachel

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I know many people think this couple should have never happened, and at first, I thought so, too! However, after my eighth rewatch of the series, I understood why they caught feelings. I saw a lot of growth from Joey during their time living together and how he supported Rachel during her pregnancy. So, while I’m sure people would strongly disagree with me, I did not mind their relationship. What bothered me was how they gave the possibility of them getting together so much attention, only for their actual relationship to be so brief. I wanted to see more of what could have been between them!

9. Rachel and Ross

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Ah, our main couple, and boy, did these two have problems! Yet, no one can deny the chemistry they shared. To this day, their first kiss at Central Perk is lauded as one of the most iconic first kisses in sitcom history. Despite the intense passion, their relationship journey was nothing short of toxic. The breakup was a mess, and the whole “will they or won’t they” situationship for the rest of the series was exhausting. Emotional Olympics aside, it was evident from the beginning that Ross was Rachel’s lobster.

Side note: I quickly wanted to share that I was definitely Team Rachel during the “we were on a break” debacle. Both made mistakes, but Ross made a pretty unforgivable one, IMO.

8. Monica and Pete

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My bias for Jon Favreau might be showing here, but I was so disappointed this relationship didn't pan out. Pete was head over heels for Monica and would do anything for her. I'm not going to lie; on their first date in Rome, getting pizza made me swoon a little. I selfishly wanted Monica to get spoiled a little bit longer. Too bad Pete's ambitions led to their downfall. Oh well, I hope Pete eventually becomes the Ultimate Fighting Champion.

7. Rachel and Gavin

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This is another couple that would have benefited from more time. I loved their chemistry together. Gavin and Rachel were the perfect example of the enemies to lovers trope. While Gavin is first seen as an arrogant jerk at first, he makes up for it with all of the sweet gestures he does for Rachel. I mean the scarf Gavin gifts her was the first gift Rachel didn't want to return! Their first kiss on the balcony also looked straight out of a Christmas romcom. I was so annoyed that they didn't continue their potential love story. Ross really does ruin everything.

6. Chandler and Janice

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OH. MY. GOD. I actually liked this couple. I understand that Janice's voice might not be everyone's cup of tea and her laugh hits a different octave altogether. But I thought Chandler and Janice were fun together. They were loving and cared about each other. Chandler showed some serious commitment, and I was here for it. I mean, he gave her a drawer in his nightstand! Ultimately, their breakup was justified, and Chandler was reminded of her annoying habits and moved on without hesitation.

5. Chandler and Kathy

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I don't approve of cheating or dating your best friend's ex, but I'll admit the sparks were flying when these two were together. I could tell Chandler would go above and beyond for Kathy. Chandler's thoughtful gift and the longing stares between them left me breathless. Sadly, Chandler's insecurities got the best of him and were not meant to be. It's okay because his true love stood beside him the whole time.

4. Monica and Richard

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From what I’ve shared so far, I am clearly not a big fan of large age-gap relationships, but I’ll make an exception for Monica and Richard. These two had a very mature, meaningful relationship, and their love for each other was undoubtedly there. The amount of tension during Monica’s eye exam had me on edge! They naturally gravitated towards each other, and I was convinced Richard would return for Monica. Which he did, but it was too late. Monica has already found the love of her life.

3. Phoebe and David

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I’m 100% positive the writers initially planned for David to be with Phoebe. He was the sweet scientist guy who was awkward in an almost endearing way. David’s love for Phoebe could be seen from Minsk! In the little time they spent together, they had such a distinct attraction to one another. More than anything, I wanted David to complete his research and get back to Phoebe. If Mike never existed, I would have liked them to be together at the end.

2. Phoebe and Mike

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At first, you want Phoebe to be with someone equally as weird as she is. Then Mike shows up. When Mike started playing air piano, I knew he was the one for Phoebe. A partner who not only embraced Phoebe's wackiness with open arms but actively participated in her wild antics. Their wedding looked like a stunning winter fairytale, and their vows never fail to bring me the cheesiest smile. We love "Princess Consuela Bananahammock" with her precious "Crap Bag."

1. Monica and Chandler

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Could they BE any more perfect? I never thought this pairing would happen, let alone last. Then, they instantly became a fan-favorite and proved to be the primary couple of the series everyone was rooting for. We watched their beautiful relationship journey and the remarkable growth they experienced together. Watching Monica and Chandler say "I love you" for the first time and their heartfelt proposal to one another truly is a chef's kiss of touching scenes that make you yell "aww" every time. The hardships they go through as a couple also deserve all the recognition. They are the living definition of a couple's goals, and I would protect their relationship with my life.

Again, these are my personal rankings and opinions, so let me know in the comments which couple was your favorite in the series!