It’s hard to believe that this year marks 25 years since the very first episode of Friends aired and to this day it’s still as popular as ever. There is no denying that this sitcom will always be a classic and no show has quite matched the brilliance of this show since. Much of the credit must be given to the stellar cast as the chemistry between them made it easy for viewers to invest themselves in their friendships. The comedy of the show felt natural and each core character has some stand out comedic moments, so I thought it would be fun to write this post ranking the funniest Friends characters.
6. Rachel Green
When it comes to a character arc, Rachel takes the crown. She’s gone from a spoilt rich girl to a career woman. Looking back, her growth was one of the most beautiful arcs on the show. However, when it comes to comedy, Rachel is at her funniest when she gets to play off the other friends. This is never seen more clearly than in her interactions with Phoebe as her roommate. From channelling unagi to hunting down Monica’s wedding dress, some of Rachel’s funniest moments are usually heightened by another character’s reaction.
5. Monica Geller
Like Rachel, Monica’s comedic side usually comes out when she has another character to playoff. In some ways, you could say that Monica grounds the rest of the cast from veering off too far off into the ridiculousness of the show. She’s definitely had some bright moments and her competitiveness has given us some laughs, but she is not the funniest character of the show.
4. Ross Geller
Here’s the thing about Ross Geller. He has so many hilarious moments, David Schwimmer’s facial expressions are pure brilliant, and the situations he finds himself in are comedy gold. However, none of that can overshadow the fact that Ross has also proven to be the most unlikeable character on the show. This is clearly demonstrated in his possessive nature of Rachel in the third season as he becomes increasingly jealous of Rachel’s colleague, Mark. In hindsight, Rachel and Ross’ relationship is a clear example of a toxic relationship andย that definitely took a hit on his character.
3. Joey Tribbiani
He might not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but he has a heart of gold and a love for food that trumps all others. Joey is one of those characters that are perfect for breaking up serious moments in the show with his random quips. He has a brilliant dynamic with the rest of the friends, and there is nothing more endearing than the friendship between him and Chandler. Joey deserves his place in the top 3.
2. Phoebe Buffay
Who doesn’t love the free-spirited Phoebe Buffay? She is the character that comes out with the most random anecdotes (he’s her lobster) yet is the one character that remains true to herself throughout the whole show. From belting out Smelly Cat to masterminding the brilliant outing of Chandler and Monica’s relationship, Phoebe has always been the most positively hilarious character on the show, and some of her funniest moments came from her interactions with this lists number one comedy star.
1. Chandler Bing
I feel like everyone can relate to Chandler in one way or another. He’s awkward, unlucky in love, and tells the best worst jokes ever. His presence is felt every time he walks into the room and from his perfectly timed one-liners to his disastrous dancing, you are guaranteed to always get a laugh out of Chandler.
Who do you think is the funniest character in Friends?
I feel the same way about these characters as you did! Ross is my least favorite character, but he’s not the least funniest for me. Joey and his relationship with food is the funniest! ๐
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I feel like Ross is one of the most toxic characters on the show, even with his hilarious he can be. Joey’s true love will always be food ๐
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Nailed it! I would rank them in the same order. Ross is definitely the most unlikable character, but he has some of the most hilarious moments. I love the episode where he gets a spray tan!
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Ross is such a conundrum cause he’s hilarious but also incredibly toxic. The spray tan episode is golden!!
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Definitely agree with Chandler being the funniest! I probably would switch up Joey and Phoebe though, because I love Joey and think he’s funnier than Phoebe.
Great list! Friends is one of the best shows โค
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I don’t think anyone can top Chandler tbh. He was just on a whole other level of funny. I was torn between Phoebe and Joey’s rank place, but for me Phoebe has that edge.
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Watch closely. Ross is by far the funniest. Just look at his facial expressions and noises he makes. When he is called toxic I think people are taking a sitcom too seriously.
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I don’t know who my favorite or most funny character is. I think I need to watch a couple episodes again to remind me!
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I was watching the episode where everyone found out about chandler and Monica and I feel like that showcases all the characters at their finest.
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Ross was such a dumb**s… Hahahaha I love your ranking and I think I would’ve probably put it in a similar order myself! ๐
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When Ross isn’t making me laugh he straight up infuriates me haha.
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AH I love this post so, so much, Friends will always, always be one of my favorite shows of all times โค Your ranking is perfect, I love it so much and I think I would have done it the very same way, Chandler is unbeatable, but Joey certainly deserves his place in the top 3, YES! ๐
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Truthfully the top 3 are in such an even footing that they make it so hard to rank. I feel like everyone sees a bit of themselves in chandler.
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I do agree with you on the character arc for Rachel! Chandler definitely was funny and I really related to him! Loved joey as well! The one that made me laugh the most was probably ross though!
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Ross is hilarious and he has some of the best moments on the show, which makes his character even more frustrating haha.
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