When season 9 o Friends premiered, audiences couldn't wait to see where things were going. The ending of the beloved show was fas approaching, and after little Emma was born, the question of what would happen between Rachel, Joey, and Ross was burning on everyone's minds. And many unexpected things took place during the second to last season of what still remains one of the most iconic shows of all time, with each member of the group facing new and unexpected challenges.
From Rachel and Ross raising a child together to there former's relationships with Joey, Phoebe facing unprecedented challenges in her love life, and Monica and Chandler deciding what the future would hold for their marriage, tensions were high but the laughs were louder. Take a little trip down memory lane and revisit the best episodes of season 9 of Friends.
The One with the Male Nanny (8.4)
Phoebe's relationship with Mike is in full swing, but things get confusing when she meets with her ex-boyfriend David, the scientist she fell in love with many years ago but had to move to Minsk for research purposes.
Meanwhile, Chandler doesn't like it when Monica tells him there's a guy at work who's the funniest man she's ever met, prompting him to feel jealous and insecure. Rachel finds the perfect nanny, but Ross doesn't like the fact that he's a man because...well, because it's Ross.
The One with Phoebe's Birthday Dinner (8.5)
It's Phoebe's birthday and she can't wait to celebrate with the gang at one of the fanciest restaurants in town. However, the only person who seems to be on time who, in typical Joey fashion, is very much hungry.
Chandler can't resist smoking, which makes Monica furious, but she still makes a point to have sex with him because she's ovulating. Ross and Rachel locked themselves out of the house before Judy arrived, and Phoebe has to fight off the staff who wants her to give up her table for a group of people waiting.
The One with the Memorial Service (8.5)
When Ross annoys Chandler, the latter and Joey decide to get revenge on him through the college website. A war ensues that ends up with Chandler saying Ross is dead, and when the two makeup, they decide to throw a fake memorial for Ross, which doesn't go according to plan.
In the meantime, Joey refuses to give his favorite stuffed animal to Emma and goes to great lengths to replace it, and Phoebe enlists Monica to help her stay strong and not call Mike after their breakup.
The One in Barbados (8.5)
Everyone is excited to head out to Barbados for Ross's conference, but when they arrive, the weather is terrible and Monica's hair gets all puffy with the moisture, prompting her to become the butt of several jokes.
After seeking advice from Chandler, David decides to propose to Phoebe, but Mike shows up and proposed instead. Phoebe gets back together with him, although she doesn't accept his marriage plans. Rachel struggles with how to tell Joey about the feelings she harbors for him.
The One with the Lottery (8.6)
Everyone but Ross decides to put money together in order to try and win the lottery, with an exciting prize of $300 million dollars. Monica eventually gets Ross to in, but chaos amongst the gang ensues when they find out she bought extra tickets.
Phoebe loses half the tickets in an accident, and Chandler, who'd been stressing out about getting a new job, finds out he was offered an even better position.
The One Where Emma Cries (8.6)
The second episode of the season opens with a crying Emma and Rachel, Monica, and Phoebe trying to calm her down. Monica finally manages, but when Chandler comes home with news that they have to move to Tulsa for his job, she struggles to yell at him so as to not wake up the baby.
In the meantime, Ross is angry at Joey due to the proposal debacle, and Joey does everything in his power to save the friendship, including allowing Ross to punch - which doesn't end too well.
The One in Barbados Part 2 (8.6)
Joey and Charlie don't seem to be a good fit together, which prompts her to get together with Ross. The two spend the day running away from the other academics who want to follow the tradition of throwing Ross in the pool.
Rachel finally gets the courage to tell Joey how she feels, and after seeing Ross and Charlie kiss, Joey runs off to Rachel and the two share a romantic kiss. Plot twist - Phoebe, Chandler, Mike, and Monica spied on the four of them through the wall.
The One Where No One Proposes (8.6)
The season 9 premiere picked up where the finale left off, and Rachel, Ross, and Joey get into a conundrum trying to figure out who was going to propose to who after all while constantly being interrupted. In the meantime, Ross and Monica's dad accidentally walks in on Ross and Monica having sex - not a good moment for anyone involved!
The One with Ross's Inappropriate Song (8.7)
The seventh episode of season 9 saw Ross finding the perfect way to make baby Emma laugh - by singing the somewhat inappropriate song "Baby Got Back", which infuriates Rachel.
Phoebe sets out to meet Mike's fancy parents, but she can't help being her usual self. Monica tells Joey to invest his money in Richard's old apartment, but when they find a tape named 'Monica', Chandler is ready to explode with rage.
The One with Rachel's Other Sister (8.8)
In this episode, the gang finally meets Rachel's other sister, Amy. She shows up for Thanksgiving and begins a discussion with Rachel and Ross about who will care for Emma in case something happens to both of them.
While the role will fall back on Monica and Chandler, Jill isn't happy about it, and the argument escalates. In the meantime, Monica goes to great lengths to protect her China, only Chandler ends up breaking it by accident.