10 Biggest Ways Friends Changed Between Season 1 & The Final Episode

NBC’s timeless sitcom Friends changed several ways between season 1 and the show’s final episode, sometimes in surprising ways. Friends ran for 10 seasons and over 200 episodes. During that time, the show explored various storylines, including absurd situations and iconic romances. These plots had many moments that defined Friends, including hilarious running gags, memorable lines, and unexpected twists. Friends became a cultural staple over the years, eventually earning a spot as one of the best sitcoms of all time. Although Friends has some storylines that would not work today, the show has overcome modern criticism and remains a classic.

Given that Friends ran for so long, there were bound to be several changes during the ten years the show aired. Some aspects never changed, such as Friends‘ iconic Thanksgiving episodes, Janice Litman-Goralnik’s sudden reappearances, or the chaotic and messy season finales. However, for every tradition that the show kept from season to season, just as many aspects illustrate how much Friends has changed between season 1 and the final episode, whether it is evolving dynamics or incredible character development.

10 Phoebe Married Into Wealth

Phoebe Struggled Financially But Marries Mike Hannigan, Who Comes From A Wealthy Family

In Friends season 2, episode 5, “The One with Five Steaks and an Eggplant,” the group becomes divided due to how much money they earn from their jobs. Just like Joey and Rachel, Phoebe does not make a lot of money, and often struggles with finances, especially compared to Chandler, Monica, and Ross. Throughout the show, Phoebe has the least stable income—Rachel eventually finds a steady job with a good income at Bloomingdale’s, while Joey has had several big projects, including Days of Our Lives and a couple of big films.

Therefore, it is surprising that by the end of Friends, Phoebe marries Mike Hannigan, who comes from family wealth on the Upper East Side. Regardless of Mike’s finances, it is clear that Phoebe and Mike are meant for each other in Friends season 9, episode 3, “The One with the Pediatrician,” when Mike improvises air playing piano after Phoebe suggests a lack of a piano would not stop a real pianist. However, it does not change the fact that after marrying Mike and being accepted by his family, Phoebe has become arguably the most financially secure of the group.

9 Joey Was A Lot Smarter

Joey’s Character Became Dumber Over The Years

From the beginning of Friends, Joey Tribbiani is known as a dimwitted character, but it does not necessarily make him stupid. Despite his slow grasp of situations, Joey still had epiphanic moments, such as discovering Chandler and Monica’s secret relationship before anyone else. However, as the show continued, Joey’s unexpected flashes of intelligence became less frequent, and the writers made him dumber—one of several aspects in Friends that makes Joey Tribbiani less understandable. While Joey’s dimwittedness made him lovable, by the end of the show, the writers overexerted this characteristic to the point where it began to hinder Joey’s character.

8 Ross Gained Much More Confidence

Ross Began Friends As A Sad & Insecure Person

When Friends began, Ross was in the midst of a divorce after his soon-to-be ex-wife, Carol, came out as a lesbian and admitted to having a partner named Susan. When Ross develops feelings for Rachel, he allows his insecurities to get the best of him, not believing he is good enough to be with her. There is an entire episode dedicated to Ross’ inability to flirt in Friends season 5, episode 19, “The One Where Ross Can’t Flirt.” However, as the show progressed, so did Ross’ confidence with women, and his melancholy “Hi” greetings diminished.

7 Monica Finally Became A Mom

Monica Had Always Wanted To Be A Mother

Monica is known as the mom friend, but she also always wanted to be a mother. She even broke up with her love Richard in Friends season 2, episode 24, “The One with Barry and Mindy’s Wedding,” because he did not want to have more kids, while Monica did. Monica even considered being a single mother and having a kid through artificial insemination in season 3, episode 3, “The One with the Jam.” In Friends season 9, Monica and Chandler struggle with fertility, eventually deciding to adopt because they could not conceive naturally.

Monica is so desperate to become a mother that upon meeting Erica in Friends season 10, episode 9, “The One with the Birth Mother,” she continues a ruse after realizing that Erica had mixed up Chandler and Monica’s papers. However, everything works, and in the series finale, Monica finally becomes a mother when Erica gives birth to twins, and she and Chandler adopt them. It is a full-circle moment for Monica, who deserves to be a parent more than anyone. Chandler said that Monica is “a mother without a baby,” and the statement rings true until she actually becomes one.

6 The Gang Grew To Love Rachel

The Friends Did Not Like Rachel In The Beginning, But She Quickly Became One Of Them

Rachel is an essential part of the Friends gang, and it is hard to believe the others once did not like her. In the series premiere, Monica is bitter about not being invited to Rachel’s wedding, and the others do not immediately warm up to Rachel. When Rachel suggests staying with Monica, they exhibit unenthused reactions, thinking it would be a disaster. However, it did not take long for Rachel to fit in with the group. Her irreplaceable nature is evident in Friends season 10, episode 16, “The One with Rachel’s Going Away Party,” when they say goodbye to Rachel because she is moving to Paris.

5 Rachel and Ross Are Parents

Rachel & Ross Have A Kid Together And Ross Also Has A Child With Carol & Susan

Given that Rachel never seemed like parent material or wanted to be a mother, it is shocking to realize that she was the first to become a parent after Ross, who has his first child, Ben, with Carol and Susan in Friends season 1, episode 23, “The One with the Birth.” If anything, Rachel seemed the least likely to have kids before the others, especially after that fight she has with Ross over their future in Friends season 2, episode 20, “The One Where Old Yeller Dies.” Rachel can’t hold Ben without feeling uncomfortable, and she becomes disturbed upon learning Ross has already planned their future together.

The future Ross has planned includes the kids he would have with Rachel and where they would live. Rachel endures her own character development, so by the time she becomes pregnant at the end of Friends season 7, she feels ready to have a baby, even if she is terrified. In season 8, episode 24, “The One Where Rachel Has a Baby Part 2,” Rachel finally gives birth and quickly proves she is ready to be a parent. Rachel has her kid with Ross, who also is not prepared to have another child after Ben, but he overcomes it.

4 Chandler Overcame His Commitment Issues

Chandler Had A Serious Relationship, Got Married, & Had Kids

One of the longest-running storylines in Friends is Chandler Bing’s fear of commitment. He developed this fear when his parents divorced over Thanksgiving as a kid, and it only worsened with his bad luck in romantic relationships. Besides Chandler’s attempt with Janice in Friends season 3, he is not interested or ready to commit to anyone. The one time it seems like he might commit is with Kathy in Friends season 4, but she cheats on him. It is not until Chandler begins dating Monica in Friends season 5 that he finally commits to her—but not before a few setbacks.

Chandler is hesitant to label his relationship with Monica in the beginning, and after their first fight in Friends season 5, episode 5, “The One with the Kips,” he is ready to end their romance. However, Monica does not give up on him, and Chandler lets his guard down and overcomes his fear of commitment. Despite a brief blip on the morning of their wedding in the Friends season 7 finale, “The One with Monica and Chandler’s Wedding,” Chandler commits to Monica and marries her. He is even the one who decides to propose to Monica in the first place.

3 Ross & Rachel End Up Together

Ross & Rachel’s Will They, Won’t They Dynamic Finally Paid Off

One of the biggest questions in Friends is whether or not Ross and Rachel will end up together. Ross and Rachel’s relationship is one of Friends‘ biggest staples, but after their breakup in Friends season 3, the show constantly teased the possibility of them getting back together. Ross and Rachel constantly dance around each other—they briefly get back together before breaking up again, and Rachel realizes she still loves him at the end of season 4. Ross and Rachel drunkenly get married in the Friends season 5 finale, and they decide to have a baby together in Friends season 8.

Despite the universe continuously pulling them in a romantic direction, Ross and Rachel are stubborn individuals who do not act on entertaining getting back together until the final episode of Friends. It takes Rachel moving to Paris for Ross to swallow his pride and realize he wants to spend his life with her, and Rachel is too afraid to say anything until Ross does. Thankfully, Ross and Rachel get back together in the series finale, ending the long will they, won’t they aspect of their dynamic.

2 Rachel Underwent Incredible Character Development

Rachel Went From A Spoiled Financially Dependent Immature Girl To A Successful, Independent, & Loving Woman

While all the major Friends characters endure various levels of character development, Rachel Green’s is the most notable. At the beginning of the show, Rachel is financially dependent on her father, and she is only marrying Barry to become financially dependent on him. Rachel did not understand the value of money and was extremely superficial in all aspects of her life. However, as the show continued, Rachel began to develop meaningful relationships, learned how to advocate for herself, found a job she loved, and learned the value of a dollar.

Related

Friends: Every Job Rachel Had Across All 10 Seasons

Friends saw Rachel go from a spoiled girl who had never worked to getting her dream job in the fashion industry, and here’s every job she had.

After struggling with work, Rachel even lands a dream job in fashion at Bloomingdale’s, which leads her to Ralph Lauren, which leads her to Louis Vuitton. By the end of Friends, Rachel has a solid group of friends who have become her family, and she is heading to Paris to work for Louis Vuitton. Although Rachel getting off the plane in the Friends finale seems nonsensical, there is no indication of what she will do, meaning Ross might move to Paris to be with Rachel. She has the best character development and one of the best character arcs on television.

1 Chandler and Monica Are Married With Kids

Chandler & Monica’s Relationship Was Unexpected, But Ended Up Being The Best Part About The Show

One of the biggest ways Friends changed from season 1 until the last episode involves Monica and Chandler’s relationship. Originally, Monica and Chandler’s romance was not planned. The creators of Friends revealed that Monica and Chandler were not supposed to last beyond a fling, but they changed their minds upon realizing the audiences loved them together. What started as two close friends ended in an accidental one-night stand that changed everything for them. Chandler and Monica began dating, eventually moved in together, and got married.

Friends ends with Monica and Chandler adopting twin babies and moving into their new house in Westchester, ready to start the next chapter of their lives. It is quite shocking to see where Chandler and Monica end up, especially given their circumstances in the first season—Chandler’s fear of commitment and Monica’s overbearing personality that her friends sometimes needed a break from. Nevertheless, Chandler and Monica made it, becoming one of TV’s most beloved sitcom romances of all time. They were the most unexpected romance, but easily the show’s best.

Friends is the popular sitcom created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman, released back in 1994 and ran for ten seasons. The show follows a group of six twentysomethings through their lives in New York City and their time spent between their two apartments and their local coffee shop. The show features the group navigating tricky relationships with one another and comical misadventures.

Seasons

10

Where To Watch

Max