The success of Chandler and Joey. The guys consistently positioned themselves as the torchbearers in the comedy department and they did so, flawlessly, for the better part of a decade.
However, this doesn't tell the entire story, because there were also three main female characters, as well as a string of other popular stars who helped to make Friends the juggernaut it still is to this day. The show featured quite a few prominent and influential female characters. Some were loved because they were hated, whereas others set the standard for the kind of jokes that soon became second nature to fans of the show from around the world.
Carol
There’s a debate to be had about what Carol actually wound up doing to Ross because, in addition to leaving him for Susan, she also treated him pretty poorly in the years following their divorce.
Alas, she is the mother of his son Ben and therefore had an important role to play in the show - and no amount of dishonesty can change that. She deserved to be ridiculed far more than she was, but she still served a purpose.
Nora
There was something about Nora’s energy on screen that was incredibly powerful to watch, even if she didn’t make too many appearances throughout the course of the show's 10 seasons.
From her turbulent relationship with her son Chandler to drunkenly kissing Ross, she assisted in giving some background to the character of Mr. Bing. It wasn’t 100 percent clear why he had so many issues, but it became far more obvious once Nora - and then later - his father showed up.
Jill
Jill was another character that would’ve benefitted greatly from showing up on a more regular basis than she did, but during her stint on the show, she certainly made an impact.
The potential connection between her and Ross was there for all to see and while Jill may not have gotten exactly what she wanted, she did reaffirm that Ross and Rachel will always have feelings for one another.
Amy
From a ‘chaos’ perspective, Amy definitely knew how to cause a stir whenever she and Rachel were in the same room together.
There was a distinct lack of empathy in her character, and for a split second, fans were able to see what Rachel was probably like before she burst into Central Perk wearing that wedding dress. If nothing else, this was a warning sign from the stars for good old Rach.
Ursula
Ursula was the devil to Phoebe’s angel and the role was played to perfection. It was obvious that the two sisters weren’t particularly close and neither one had any desire to be, and all it took was a quick two-minute scene between them for fans to understand why.
She also helped to cement the strength of Phoebe’s friendship with Joey, even if it did take her being an unpleasant person to achieve that goal.
Janice
"Oh. My. God." These three words will forever be enshrined in Friends folklore, and it may even be the most popular phrase to come out of the show’s 10-year run.
Outside of a brief fling with Ross, the core of Janice’s screen time came through Chandler. At one point they seemed destined to be together, but then time and time again, one of the two did something to screw it up. She was iconic from the moment she arrived, right up until her very last scene.
Judy
Mothers around the world will forever strive to be the exact opposite kind of Judy Geller. She may have been a good mom to Ross, but for whatever reason, she never did seem to bond with her daughter, Monica.
This theme played throughout most of the show, despite them having a few nice moments here and there, confirming that the relationship between a parent and a child can often be complicated.
Rachel
If one had to pick a central character in the story of Friends, Rachel would probably be who most people would choose. She goes from being a spoilt young girl to an incredibly successful woman and she does so in New York City, one of the hardest cities in American in which to make it.
Alas, that doesn’t take away from how rude she can be, but there’s a constant evolution with her character, which is hard to ignore.
Monica
Monica is smart, funny and a little bit crazy, and this combination is what makes her character so unique. Things rarely seem to go her way in the first few seasons, so when she meets Chandler and falls madly in love, fans are only too happy to go on the ride with her, all the way through to their wedding and beyond.
She can rub some people the wrong way, but she sticks to her values and it’s hard not to ire that.
Phoebe
Without Phoebe’s weird and wonderful nature, Friends wouldn’t have been the success story it turned out to be. And the core of almost every TV show ever made, there’s an underdog who rises up and fights back against the obstacles life throws at them, and the audience loves to watch this happen.
Phoebe has this enigmatic persona and she uses it to her advantage. Plus, in the end, she gets the happily ever after that she so richly deserves.