The Worst Episodes of Friends
Every episode of Friends ranked from worst to best. Explore the Worst Episodes of Friends!
Six young people from New York City, on their own and struggling to survive in the real world, find the companionship, comfort and support they get from each other to be the perfect antidote to the pressures of life.
Lowest Rated Episodes Summary
The worst episode of "Friends" is "The One with the Invitation", rated 6.9/10 from 5576 user votes. It was directed by Peter Bonerz and written by Seth Kurland. "The One with the Invitation" aired on 4/23/1998 and is rated 0.2 point(s) lower than the second lowest rated, "The One Where Ross Meets Elizabeth's Dad".
6.9/10 5,576 votes#1 - The One with the Invitation
Season 4 Episode 21 - Aired 4/23/1998
As Ross and Emily send out wedding invitations, he and Rachel each look back on their relationship together while Joey and Chandler look for a purpose in life.
Director: Peter Bonerz
Writer: Seth Kurland
7.1/10 5,075 votes#2 - The One Where Ross Meets Elizabeth's Dad
Season 6 Episode 20 - Aired 4/27/2000
Ross meets Elizabeth's father for the first time and unfortunately he takes an instant disliking to Ross. However Paul does hit it off with Rachel and she tries to talk Ross up but does so with mixed results. Joey almost gets fired from "Mac and C.H.E.E.S.E." after offending the operator of the robot. Meanwhile, Phoebe writes a book based on Monica and Chandler.
Director: Michael Lembeck
Writer: Scott Silveri
7.2/10 4,668 votes#3 - The One with the Vows
Season 7 Episode 21 - Aired 5/3/2001
Monica and Chandler are getting married in four weeks and have to write their vows, but neither has a clue what to say, so they reflect on their past. In the end, the only real problem is who will be saying the vows first.
Director: Gary Halvorson
Writer: N/A
7.2/10 4,630 votes#4 - The One with Joey's Interview
Season 8 Episode 19 - Aired 4/4/2002
Joey prepares for an interview with Soap Opera Digest, although he's afraid of saying something stupid and getting himself into trouble, so he enlists his friends to make sure things go well. During the interview, he reminisces about his past acting experiences, his friends and his romantic life.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.2/10 4,629 votes#5 - The One with Christmas in Tulsa
Season 9 Episode 10 - Aired 12/12/2002
Everyone in the gang gets a little upset when Chandler announces that he'll be spending Christmas and New Year's Eve in Tulsa because of work. To make matters worse, Monica gets quite jealous when she finds out that one of Chandler's co-workers is a former Miss Oklahoma runner-up. After doing some retrospection, Chandler decides to quit his job.
Director: Kevin S. Bright
Writer: Doty Abrams
7.6/10 6,241 votes#6 - The One with the Fake Monica
Season 1 Episode 21 - Aired 4/27/1995
When Monica's credit card is stolen, she, along with Phoebe and Rachel, decide to catch the thief. Joey enlists his friends to help him come up with a less ethnic-sounding stage name. And Ross finds out that Marcel has reached sexual maturity and needs to be with other monkeys.
Director: Gail Mancuso
Writer: Adam Chase
7.6/10 4,381 votes#7 - The One with the Donor
Season 9 Episode 22 - Aired 5/8/2003
Rachel and Phoebe take Joey's girlfriend Charlie shopping, where she overhears the two of them gossiping about Joey. Meanwhile, Ross gives a presentation to a fellow professor in the hopes of getting the role of keynote speaker at the paleontology convention in Barbados. Also, Monica and Chandler consider alternate pregnancy options making some people really uncomfortable in the process.
Director: N/A
Writer: Andrew Reich, Ted Cohen
7.7/10 6,194 votes#8 - The One with the Evil Orthodontist
Season 1 Episode 20 - Aired 4/6/1995
Rachel and Barry start dating again, which is kind of awkward since he's now engaged to Mindy, who wants Rachel to be her maid of honor. Meanwhile, Chandler goes nuts when a woman he likes won't return his phone calls.
Director: Peter Bonerz
Writer: N/A
7.7/10 5,313 votes#9 - The One with Phoebe's Ex-Partner
Season 3 Episode 14 - Aired 2/6/1997
Phoebe is reunited with her former singing partner who thinks "Smelly Cat" has hit potential; Chandler dates a woman with a prosthetic leg who also has some history with Joey. Meanwhile, Ross goes to a fashion seminar with Rachel, so she won't go with Mark, but falls asleep in the middle of it.
Director: Robby Benson
Writer: Wil Calhoun
7.7/10 5,040 votes#10 - The One Where They're Going to Party!
Season 4 Episode 9 - Aired 12/11/1997
Chandler and Ross's college friend Gandalf is planning to come to town. Gandalf is "the party wizard." Ross and Chandler are very excited until Gandalf cancels. However, they decide to make their own party with Joey's help. Joanna squashes Rachel's chance at a promotion. And when Monica fills in for a friend as food critic for a small newspaper, she must decide between a steady job as head chef of a restaurant she panned or keeping her catering business with her friend Phoebe.
Director: Peter Bonerz
Writer: Andrew Reich, Ted Cohen
7.7/10 4,635 votes#11 - The One with the Stain
Season 8 Episode 7 - Aired 11/8/2001
Chandler hires a maid, whom Monica suspects is stealing her clothing. Eric has broken up with Ursula and is ready to date Phoebe, except for one problem: he can't look at her without seeing Ursula. Meanwhile, Ross tries to get Rachel an apartment in his building, but the woman living there isn't in a hurry to die, and Joey wants Rachel to stay with him.
Director: Kevin S. Bright
Writer: R. Lee Fleming Jr.
7.7/10 4,480 votes#12 - The One with Phoebe's Rats
Season 9 Episode 12 - Aired 1/16/2003
Gavin gives Rachel a very interesting birthday gift while Ross begs Joey to stay away from Emma's hot new nanny. Meanwhile, Mike meets and then accidentally murders Phoebe's unusual pet.
Director: N/A
Writer: Brian Buckner
7.8/10 5,902 votes#13 - The One with Phoebe's Husband
Season 2 Episode 4 - Aired 10/12/1995
The gang is amazed to learn that Phoebe married a gay Canadian ice dancer to help him get his green card. And Ross seeks relationship advice from Rachel.
Director: Gail Mancuso
Writer: Alexa Junge
7.8/10 5,716 votes#14 - The One with Phoebe's Dad
Season 2 Episode 9 - Aired 12/14/1995
It's Christmas time and Monica tries tipping with cookies, rather than cash, with mixed results. Phoebe tries to track down her real father. And Chandler and Joey wait too late to shop for presents.
Director: Kevin S. Bright
Writer: Mike Sikowitz, Jeff Astrof
7.8/10 6,022 votes#15 - The One with Russ
Season 2 Episode 10 - Aired 1/4/1996
Monica gets back together with Fun Bobby. Joey lands a role of a neurosurgeon on Days of Our Lives. And Rachel, dating a guy named Russ, can't see his uncanny resemblance to Ross.
Director: Thomas Schlamme
Writer: Ira Ungerleider
7.8/10 5,498 votes#16 - The One with the Jam
Season 3 Episode 3 - Aired 10/3/1996
Phoebe dates a man who thinks he's stalking her twin sister. Ross and Rachel give Chandler "boyfriend" lessons. Monica decides the best way to get over Richard is to keep herself busy, so she uses her free time to make jam and considers insemination via a sperm bank.
Director: Kevin S. Bright
Writer: Wil Calhoun
7.8/10 5,290 votes#17 - The One with the Metaphorical Tunnel
Season 3 Episode 4 - Aired 10/10/1996
Phoebe poses as Joey's agent and has some success in getting him auditions. Ross panics when he sees his son with a Barbie doll. Chandler is advancing in his relationship with Janice and, realizing that he has a fear of commitment, goes to the girls for advice.
Director: Steve Zuckerman
Writer: Alexa Junge
7.8/10 5,169 votes#18 - The One with Ross's Thing
Season 3 Episode 23 - Aired 5/1/1997
Afflicted with a mysterious skin condition on his butt that doctors cannot identify the cause of, Ross seeks advice from Phoebe's herbalist. Phoebe finds herself in a dilemma when she cannot choose between two guys. Monica can't decide about Pete when she thinks he is going to propose.
Director: Shelley Jensen
Writer: Andrew Reich, Ted Cohen
7.8/10 4,975 votes#19 - The One with the Yeti
Season 5 Episode 6 - Aired 11/5/1998
Emily decides that the only way to continue her marriage with Ross is to have him get rid of all traces of Rachel in his apartment. Meanwhile, Rachel and Monica mistake a hairy neighbor for a yeti.
Director: Gary Halvorson
Writer: Alexa Junge
7.8/10 4,841 votes#20 - The One Where Rachel Smokes
Season 5 Episode 18 - Aired 4/8/1999
Rachel decides to start smoking in order to avoid missing important meetings with her boss. Meanwhile, Ben gets offered an audition for a soup commercial, and Joey auditions to be Ben's father during the ad. Also, Monica and Phoebe plan a surprise birthday party for Rachel together, but Monica takes over.
Director: Todd Holland
Writer: Michael Curtis
7.8/10 4,698 votes#21 - The One with the Joke
Season 6 Episode 12 - Aired 1/13/2000
After a joke gets published in Playboy, Chandler and Ross have an argument about who came up with it first. Meanwhile, a wayward remark of Phoebe's leads to trouble between the girls and a broke Joey starts working at Central Perk.
Director: Gary Halvorson
Writer: Andrew Reich, Ted Cohen
7.8/10 4,439 votes#22 - The One with Ross's Step Forward
Season 8 Episode 11 - Aired 12/13/2001
Ross starts to panic when Mona suggests that the two of them could send out a holiday card together, thinking that their relationship is starting to move too fast. Chandler's newly divorced boss tries to get Monica and Chandler to go out to a dinner with him, but Monica can't stand him, so Chandler steps up to cover for her. Meanwhile, Rachel's hormones start acting up due to her pregnancy, causing her to hit on almost every guy she meets.
Director: Gary Halvorson
Writer: Robert Carlock
7.8/10 4,359 votes#23 - The One Where Rachel Goes Back to Work
Season 9 Episode 11 - Aired 1/9/2003
Chandler starts looking for a job and is anxious about having a baby with Monica while uncertain about his career prospects. Meanwhile, Rachel visits work and finds out that during her leave, a guy named Gavin has been temporarily assigned to take care of her job. She starts to feel insecure about her job position and decides to come back from her leave early. Also, Phoebe works as an extra on Joey's TV show and brings even more drama to the set.
Director: Gary Halvorson
Writer: N/A
7.8/10 4,614 votes#24 - The One Where Chandler Gets Caught
Season 10 Episode 10 - Aired 1/15/2004
Phoebe and Rachel catch Chandler getting into a car with a blonde woman, they follow him to the suburbs. Fearing that Chandler is cheating on Monica, they inform her--and learn that the woman is a real estate agent. The pair has been secretly shopping for houses and struggling with how to tell their best friends. The friends reminisce about their good times in the apartment.
Director: Gary Halvorson
Writer: N/A
7.9/10 8,169 votes#25 - The One with the Sonogram at the End
Season 1 Episode 2 - Aired 9/29/1994
Ross's lesbian ex-wife, Carol, is pregnant with his child, and he doesn't like her choice of last name for the baby. Rachel finds out that her ex-fiancé went on what would have been their honeymoon with her maid of honor.
Director: James Burrows
Writer: Marta Kauffman, David Crane