Gah, Mondays eh? Worst day of the week by far. Luckily, this isn’t any ordinary week. This week is FRIENDS WEEK. Today, 20 years ago, the very first episode of Friends (originally known as Insomnia Café lol) aired on our screens. Seeing as I was erm, six at the time, I don’t really remember this happening. But what I DO know is that since then, Friends has probably been one of the most effective sources of reassurance I've had over the years. Those times I stayed up miserable after breaking up with boyfriends? I watched Friends, that first week at university where I was (ironically) friendless and homesick? I was watching Friends. Those times I've been too stressed out to sleep thanks to whatever's happening at work the next day? *Friends. *
So, if this week's all feeling like a little bit too much – here's a breakdown of episodes to watch to remind you that it's all OK, no matter what's going on.
For when you need to remember that things could be worse: The One With The Cop
You know poor Sisyphus, that Greek chappie who was condemned by the Gods to forever roll a massive boulder up a hill only to watch it roll back down before he had to start all over again? Yeah, that guy had nothing on Ross and his sofa. Always the spendthrift, Ross chose to eschew the delivery charge and take his new sofa home himself – which was all fine until he tried to get it up the stairwell. Here’s the bit that’s useful to you; nothing, but NOTHING will happen this week that’ll be as stressful as Ross’s nasal tones shouting 'PIVOT, PIVOT, PIVOT' at you over and over again. So there’s always that.
** For when you need to laugh louder than you’ve ever laughed before: The One Where Ross Is Fine**
IMHO, The One Where Ross Is Fine is by far the best example of comedy the show ever did manage – followed closely by The One With Rachel's Dream (also known as the one where Ross gets really high on maple candy and teaches Chandler how to steal things from hotels). The One Where Ross Is Fine though is the one where Ross holds a dinner party for a newly together Joey and Rachel and his current girlfriend Charlie. From Ross’s margarita-fuelled poem about Love ('"E” is for how extremely normal I find it that you two are together… I’m sorry it must be the pressure of entertaining’) to the constant pinging of his oven timer ('I don't even know what that's for') to his misguided grasp of the English language (‘Well I guess it’s just flan for three. Hey! That rhymes!'), Ross's demonstration of how unbelievably *not *fine he is will have you in stitches for days.
READ MORE: Why The Sex Positivity And Feminism In Friends Is Untouchable
** For when you’re worried about money: The One With Five Steaks And An Eggplant**
It's pretty amazing how much of the early stuff is still relevant to us today. The One With Five Steaks And An Eggplant is perfect at illustrating what it's like to have no money while your friends have loads. Cue Joey, Phoebe and Rachel sitting in a fancy restaurant with cups of water and starters while the others chow down before asking to split the bill six-ways. After an incident involving a Hootie & The Blowfish concert (these guys in case you need some nostalgic music to go along with your viewing) the gang end up in a massive argument during which Monica gets a call to say she's lost her job. The moral of the story? As long as you've got friends, money doesn't really matter all that much.
For when you need some serious nostalgia: The One With The Rumour
Remember the early noughties? When everything seemed a lot simpler? X Factor hadn't yet been created, stuff like Bob The Builder singing Mambo Number 5 could actually top the charts and (sigh) Brad and Jen were still a thing. Friends had plenty of cameos over the years but none captured the mood of the moment (or came so close to crossing the fourth wall) as The One With The Rumour where Brad Pitt starred as Ross's college buddy Will; the second member of the I Hate Rachel Club. Frosted tipped hair never looked so good on a man.
READ MORE: The Complications Of Introducing Your Home Friends To Your Uni Friends
** For when you need your faith in humanity restored: *The One With The Prom Video ***
Obviously Monica and Chandler getting together was like, really great and all that but it was Ross and Rachel we were all holding out for. After Ross wrote a list of things he didn't like about Rachel to try to decide whether dating her was a good idea (Rachel found it, got mad, Ross requested U2 on the radio, Rachel called the radio told them what a dick he was, you know all this I don't know why I'm telling you), it looked like the two might never get together. That is, until Monica found her old prom video and it transpired that a keyboard-obsessed Ross was once going to step in to take Rachel to prom when her date didn't show. Again you know all this, but oh my, that bit at the end where she walks across the living room to Ross, snuffles his neck then kisses him properly? Watch that without crying tears of joy and we'll send you to have a long hard look in the mirror young lady.
Like this? Then you might also be interested in:
Where Would The Gang All Be Now If Friends Was Still A Thing?
In The 10 Years Since It's Finished, Here's Some Questions We're Still Asking About Friends
Follow Jess on Twitter @Jess_Commons
This article originally appeared on The Debrief.