After nine amazing years, countless romantic ordeals, new additions to the group, heartbreak, and endless laughter, the final installment of Friends premiered in late 2003. Season 10 would be the final one for Ross, Rachel, Phoebe, Monica, and Chandler, the most unique group of friends ever shown on television, who made a home in the hearts of the audiences.
The six people who were once singletons in their 20s trying to figure out love, career, and life in general in New York City, were now married, employed at jobs they loved, and on their way to start building an adult life. It was the end of an era that brought tears to the eyes of fans that had been accompanying the six of the gang for almost a decade. Let's make a toast to what was an amazing series, iconic to this very day, and revisit the best episodes of its final season.
The One After Joey and Rachel Kiss (8.5)
Season 9 ended up quite the cliffhanger and the premiere of season 10 picked up right where the other left off. Monica, Chandler, Phoebe, and Mike are busy spying on Ross, Charlie, Rachel, and Joey.
While Ross comes clean to Joey on the plane back home about his new relationship with Charlie, Joey can't bring himself to tell his friend about him and Rachel. But when the gang is back in New York, Ross ends up walking in on Joey and Rachel kissing.
The One with Princess Consuela (8.6)
Phoebe is about to go change her name, and upon realizing she can choose whatever she wants, she changes it to Princess Consuela Banana Hammock. Meanwhile, Monica and Chandler take Joey to see their new house, prompting him to go on a mission to find anything wrong with it so they won't move.
Rachel is about to be interviewed for her dream job at a restaurant, but when she realizes her current boss is there, she bombs the interview. However, fate smiles at her when another proposal comes her way.
The One with the Birth Mother (8.6)
Monica and Chandler fly to Ohio to meet the mother of a child they can potentially adopt. While she likes them, they soon figure out it's only because the flight got mixed up with that of a doctor and a minister. Even though Monica tries to play the part, Chandler comes clean, resulting in the woman calling the whole thing off.
Joey goes on a date with Phoebe's friends, but when she takes food from his plate, Joey goes ballistic. After giving Ross fashion advice for his date, Rachel accidentally gives him a bag of her clothes instead of a bag with his.
The One Where Ross Is Fine (8.8)
Ross is having a difficult time dealing with Joey and Rachel's relationship during the second episode of the season and ends up embarrassing himself when they go on a double date.
Chandler seems to be on a roll when he accidentally reveals to a kid he was adopted and tells Frank's triplets that their aunt Phoebe was the one who gave birth to them.
The One with Ross's Tan (8.8)
Jealous of Monica's beautiful tan, Ross decides to head out to a tanning salon. However, he fails to follow the instructions and ends up tan on the front and completely white on the back.
In the meantime, Rachel and Joey decide that they are ready to take the next step and sleep together. However, the transition from friends to lovers doesn't seem to work out as well as they hoped and their bodies refuse to do what they want.
The One with Phoebe's Wedding (8.9)
It's finally time for Phoebe and Mike to tie the knot. But after Phoebe gets mad at Monica at the rehearsal dinner, she fires her, meaning that she's now the one who has to deal with the wedding planning.
There's a blizzard, the minister can't make it, Phoebe has to make a thousand decisions, and everything seems doomed. But when she gives Monica the job back, all is right in the world, and the two love birds finally get married.
The One with Rachel's Going Away Party (8.9)
The second to last episode of the season - and the show - sees the gang getting ready to say their goodbyes to Rachel, as she's moving to Paris to pursue her dream job.
Monica throws her a going-away party, and Rachel says goodbye to everyone individually, except Ross. Later, she goes to his apartment and tells him how important he was to her, and the two share a romantic kiss.
The One with the Late Thanksgiving (8.9)
Phoebe talks Monica into cooking Thanksgiving after she announced she wouldn't do it. Helped only by Chandler, she accepts, but then everything seems to go wrong because everyone is an hour late.
Rachel and Phoebe take Emma to a beauty pageant and Ross sneaks out with Joey to watch a game. Monica and Chandler are so pissed that they decide to lock everybody out.
The One Where the Stripper Cries (9.0)
With a guest appearance by none other than the iconic Danny DeVito as a stripper, "The One Where the Stripper Cries" marked the eleventh episode of the season, and featured a hilarious set of flashbacks.
When Chandler and Ross attend a college reunion, it's revealed that Chandler kissed Rachel during a party, which bums Ross, because he also kissed her that night...or so he thought. When they go back to the apartment, it turns out that the kiss Ross experienced was with Monica, leaving everyone feeling somewhat uncomfortable and yucky.
The Last One (9.2)
Nor surprises here, with the final episode of the series being the highest-rated of the season and the entire show alike. After running towards the airport to stop Rachel from leaving, Ross finally ends up with the girl of his dreams.
Monica and Chandler are done packing up the apartment, and Joey buys them a new chick and duck as a present. The audience said goodbye alongside those six fictional characters who became friends of their own in a very sentimental moment.