It's no secret why Friends has remained one of the most beloved and celebrated sitcoms in television history. The series aired for 10 years on NBC, but its initial success on the small screen was just the tip of the iceberg. Over 30 years since its premiere, Friends found its way into the homes and hearts of a whole new generation thanks to its continued dominance on streaming.
All six of the lovably hilarious and chaotic characters — Rachel Green (Jennifer Aniston), Monica Geller (Courteney Cox), Phoebe Buffay (Lisa Kudrow), Joey Tribbiani (Matt LeBlanc), Chandler Bing (Matthew Perry), and Ross Geller (David Schwimmer) — are some of the best comedy characters to ever grace the small screen. They're dynamic, flawed, and oh-so quotable.
We all know the obvious Friends quotes, like "How you doin'?" and "They don't know that we know they know we know," and while those quotes definitely still live in our heads rent-free, the show has an endless supply of quotes that have never left our minds. These six quotes, one for each character, are among the funniest, most underrate, and undeniably memorable!
"You remember what happened to the little girl who tried too much too fast, don't you? She died, Jill." -Rachel Green
In season 6, we finally had the chance to meet one of Rachel's two sisters. The show had previously introduced her eccentric and rich parents, but we hadn't met her sisters. Christina Applegate later played Amy (and won an Emmy for her performance in season 9), but Reese Witherspoon was the first to appear as a Green sister in season 6.
Jill arrives in the city and looks to Rachel as a mentor to start a new life, going so far as to date Ross. Obviously, Rachel isn't too pleased with her sister taking over her life and utters this truly hysterical line. Aniston's delivery of Rachel's made-up story about the girl who tried too much too soon never fails to make me laugh out loud no matter how many times I've watched it.
"Oh, I wish I could, but I don't want to." -Phoebe Buffay
You'll be hard-pressed to find a Friends character with as many iconic quotes as Phoebe Buffay. Some of her best moments aren't even quotes but her eccentricity and unique ways of expressing herself. After all, she has quite the lore and often uses her Regina Phalange alias. But this Phoebe quote comes literally in the very first episode and sets the tone for Phoebe's entire persona for all 10 seasons. She's a devoted friend, but she's honest about her boundaries. That's why she's the best!
"She’s my friend and she needed help. If I had to, I’d pee on any one of you!" -Joey Tribbiani
Like Phoebe, Joey has seemingly endless quotes that fans are always spouting off. "Joey doesn't share food!" "It's a moo point." "It hurts my Joey's apple." We could surely list even more, but Joey's funniest and most memorable quotes comes after the group's trip to the beach at the end of season 3. Monica gets stung by a jellyfish, and after Chandler can't urinate on the sting on her leg, Joey steps up. The trio's reveal of this embarrassing moment delivers some of the show's biggest laughs.
"I say more dumb things before 9 a.m. than most people say all day." -Chandler Bing
Obviously, Chandler takes great pride in being the funny one in the group. He always has something quippy and witty to say while the group pokes fun at each other and the crazy situations they find themselves in. His signature phrasing, with the "Could I be..." lilt, produces some of the best Friends quotes. But this quote captures Chandler's true essence. If nothing else, he's self-aware that he can frequently put his foot in his mouth and make a fool of himself from time to time.
"And remember, if I'm harsh with you, it's because you're doing it wrong." -Monica Geller
Can we all agree that Monica's the one character in the show that does get enough love for how downright hilarious she is? She's the real unsung hero of the main characters, and within the show itself, she's the glue that holds this group together. She's known for being the hostess, the entertainer, but she's also very particular and often expresses her Type A personality. This quote is Monica in a nutshell. She lovingly instills fear and accountability in everyone around her.
"Why? Why do bad things happen to good people?" -Ross Geller
Although he likely catches the most heat from fans for being selfish, you just can't hate Ross. He's endearing even if he is a bit self-centered every now and again. Okay, he's self-centered more often than not, but it's played ironically for laughs. In season 10, he discovers toiletries have exploded in his suitcase on the way back from Barbados. He's emphatically overreacting as Rachel attempts to tell him about being with Joey. It's overdramatic and ridiculous, but that's our Ross!