The Best of Season 1: By Byron

Number 5:  The One where Nana Dies twice…

For an episode to be considered one of the best it must be filled with humor and points of emotion that leave the viewer thinking of similar moments in our lives.  The scene when Ross is in Nana's closet looking for clothes for her funeral and finds the hidden packets of sugar.  This discovery causes Ross to cry and forces me to remember finding these similar quirky treasures in my own Grandmother's house after she passed away.  This is why this is the fifth best episode of Season 1.

Number 4:  The One With the Dozen Lasagnas...

Every father has a point in his life when he realizes that he is going to be a Dad.  Ross has this moment at the end of this episode but the Dozen Lasagnas does not reach number 4 for just this emotional point.  Feeding a Lasagna full of meat to the Vegan Lesbian lover of one's ex wife is the sweetest funny revenge that one can have.

Number 3:  The One With all the Boobies…

This is one of the funniest episodes in all of Season 1 and why we love friends.  Chandler sees Rachael naked and Rachael wants revenge and sneaks in his apartment to see him naked and sees Joey naked by mistake.  Joey tries to even the score but see Monica Naked.  Then Monica wants to get her sweet revenge and see Joey's dad naked in the Bathroom.  And round and round we go.  This is why this episode landed at number 3.

Number 2:  The One with the Evil Orthodontist…

Some episodes of Friends are considered to be great because the story writing draws us in.  This episode sits at number 2 because it ties the pilot episode into the complicated weave of the Friends.  Rachael gets involved with her ex fiancé in an affair only to find out that her ex cheated on her with his current fiancé.  Some realistic world problems created a complex story line that is worth watching again.

Number 1:  The One Where the Monkey Gets Away…

Let's face it, the Ross and Rachael relationship is the center of the entire series.  Any episode where their relationship is at the center of the story is one of the classic episodes of friends.  One of the first serious and romantic moments between Ross and Rachael involve them chasing Ross' monkey marcel in a very comical hunt in Rachael's apartment building.  The humor of the monkey combined with the seriousness of Ross and Rachael dynamic make this the best episode of season 1.