15 Ridiculous Ways The Characters On “Friends” Found Dates

Once upon a time, in a world without Tinder, six friends found people to date in totally improbable ways.

1. When Joey receives fan mail from a crazy person...and goes out with her.

NBC / Via Netflix

This girl (played by Brooke Shields) stalks Joey and thinks he is actually Drake Ramoray, the character he plays on Days of Our Lives. But since Joey Tribbiani is a notorious horndog, he goes out with her anyway.

2. When everyone is on a movie set just to visit Marcel and Jean-Claude Van Damme asks Rachel out.

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Somehow everyone is allowed to wander around a major film set, just because Ross knows a famous monkey. And then the film's star, Jean-Claude Van Damme, asks Rachel out on a date. Much realistic. Very believe.

3. When Monica dates Richard, her father's best friend.

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Netflix

Age is but a number? But the really weird part of this relationship isn't the 21-year age gap but the fact that Richard is good friends with Monica's parents. SO it was kinda like dating her uncle.

4. When Monica then has a crush on Richard's son.

NBC / Via Netflix

After Monica and Richard break up, Monica goes to the ophthalmologist only to find that Richard's son, Tim, is her doctor. She invites him over for dinner because she thinks he's cute (because he is played by Michael Vartan). Everyone thinks it's gross and eventually Monica thinks so too. For the record, it definitely is.

5. When Phoebe dates her twin sister Ursula's stalker.

NBC / Via Netflix

Phoebe.

Girl.

You're better than this.

6. When Phoebe dates Ursula's fiancé.

NBC / Via Netflix

Phoebe.

This is embarrassing.

7. When Ross has a meet-cute after he falls asleep on the train.

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Who the fuq says that anyway? Not anybody you'd wanna go out with. Also, his eyes ain't nothin special.

8. When Rachel bug-bombs her neighbor because she thought he was a yeti but ends up dating him.

NBC / Via YouTube

He has to cut his hair and shave his beard because of all the bug poison shit in it. When he does, Rachel thinks he's cute. UGHHHHH.

9. When Phoebe impersonates a cop but then he asks her out.

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Instead of arresting her for committing a felony in the state of New York, he looks her up and ASKS HER OUT. Glad to see the justice system is fair and stuff.

10. When Ross' student gives an inappropriate teacher evaluation but she ends up being his girlfriend.

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Tbh, good for her for having the balls to do that and then confess to it.

11. When Rachel dates Ross' girlfriend's dad.

NBC / Via Netflix

Does she not know that dating your ex-boyfriend's current girlfriend's dad is just weird and rude?

12. When Rachel decides to hire a cute assistant over a more qualified one because she wants to date him.

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This is not what a professional lady does! She should have just not hired him and then dated him anyway! But that's too logical and would not make for a good sitcom plot!

13. When Ross fools around with a girl in the student hook-up corner of the library.

NBC / Via Netflix

Note that Ross is a professor! For shame.

14. When Joey shouts a name at Central Perk in order to find a date for Phoebe.

NBC / Via Netflix

Joey was supposed to set Phoebe up with a friend but of course forgot so he made up a name and then shouted it in hopes of finding someone for her. Shitty thing to do but he ended up finding Pheebs' future husband, Mike (played by Paul Rudd)!

15. When Phoebe and Joey purposely set Rachel up on a garbage date.

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YouTube

Phoebe and Joey had good intentions (they wanted Ross and Rachel to get back together) but friends don't subject each other to this sort of shit!

I guess if they survived without dating apps, then you can too?

NBC / Via friends.wikia.com

Probs not.