the best TV shows of all time, its finale also ranks among the best, and it made TV history for different behind-the-scenes reasons.

Friends’ simple concept of following a group of six friends through the many ups and downs in their personal and social lives, along with their love lives, proved to be successful, and the show continues to be quite popular. Its arrival in the world of streaming has expanded the show’s fanbase, but, as it also invites various rewatches, it has also brought to life some of the show’s flaws. Friends has a lot of fun and iconic episodes, but there are also some that are tough to watch, either for how badly they have aged, for their stories, or for other reasons.

10 The One With Ross’ Tan

Friends Season 10, Episode 3

One of the most divisive couples in all seasons of Friends is that of Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) and Joey (Matt LeBlanc). The Rachel/Joey storyline has been criticized by viewers for years, though there are also some who were rooting for them. The truth is that there isn’t any romantic chemistry between Rachel and Joey, and it’s very clear that they are a lot better off as friends, but the show still tried to push this couple until they finally broke up.

Rachel and Joey break up in season 10’s episode “The One With Ross’ Tan”, but not without making the episode uncomfortable to watch. In it, Rachel and Joey have their first date, but when they return home and try to get physically intimate, Rachel keeps slapping Joey’s hand away. On another try, Rachel accidentally kicks Joey, leaving him unable to continue, and so they stop to reflect on their relationship and connection. When the audience already knows they won’t work together, this episode becomes irrelevant.

9 The One With The Invitation

Friends Season 4, Episode 21

Friends has a couple of clip shows, and the first one is season 4’s “The One With The Invitation.” As Ross (David Schwimmer) and Emily prepare for their wedding, Emily is uncomfortable with Ross inviting Rachel, but lets him send her an invitation. This, and later Rachel receiving her invitation, prompt a series of flashbacks of Ross and Rachel’s relationship, culminating with Rachel deciding not to go.

Friends’ clip shows aren’t popular, but this one stands out as it’s all about Ross and Rachel, the most problematic relationship on the show, and which had already taken the spotlight too many times. This is Friends’ lowest-rated episode, and with good reason, as going over Ross and Rachel’s chaotic relationship again with nothing new except Rachel deciding not to go (just for her to ultimately attend the wedding) turned out to be quite boring.

8 The One With The Male Nanny

Friends Season 9, Episode 6

Ross isn’t the most popular Friends character and there are many reasons for that, including season 9’s episode “The One With The Male Nanny.” In it, Ross and Rachel are looking for a new nanny, and the best candidate is Sandy (Freddie Prinze Jr.), a sensitive man with a lot of experience as a nanny. Rachel loves him, but Ross is uncomfortable with Sandy’s sensitivity and job as a “manny”, even questioning Sandy's sexuality. Although they hire him, and even Joey bonds with him, Ross ultimately fires Sandy because he’s uncomfortable, and not because Sandy failed at his job (he was very good at it).

This episode is just further proof of how intolerant, close-minded, and rude Ross can be.

Not even Sandy helping Ross a bit with his childhood trauma makes him change his mind, and this episode is just further proof of how intolerant, close-minded, and rude Ross can be. Sandy is one of the best one-episode characters of Friends, but the episode is ruined by Ross’ attitude and actions.

7 The One With The Metaphorical Tunnel

Friends Season 3, Episode 4

Another Friends episode that is hard to watch thanks to Ross is season 3’s “The One With The Metaphorical Tunnel.” In it, Ross is ready for Ben’s weekend visit, but he’s shocked to see his son arrive with a Barbie doll. Ross questions Carol and Susan about why their son is carrying a Barbie doll instead of a toy for “boys.”

Of course, Carol and Susan confront him about it, with Monica revealing that he shouldn’t be complaining as he used to dress up as a woman called “Bea” and host tea parties. Ross once more shows how intolerant and close-minded he is in this episode, even trying to force his own son to play with toys he’s not interested in just because he feels uncomfortable.

6 The One With The Fake Party

Friends Season 4, Episode 16

All the main characters in Friends have at least one uncomfortable episode or storyline, but Rachel’s story with Joshua (Tate Donovan) is by far one of the worst. The whole storyline from the moment they meet to their breakup is uncomfortable to watch, but it peaked in season 4’s episode “The One With The Fake Party.” Rachel accidentally invites Joshua to a going-away party for Emily that isn’t planned, so she rushes to make it happen, just so she can impress Joshua.

Watching Rachel trying to impress Joshua and being unauthentic is tough, and it peaks when she puts on her old cheerleader uniform because it used to bring her good luck. It’s never fun to watch someone embarrass themselves the way Rachel does in this specific episode, and it isn’t even the end of her story with Joshua, as he, after all, agrees to go out with her.

5 The One With Chandler’s Dad

Friends Season 7, Episode 22

The main characters in Friends all had family issues at some point, with some of them having traumatic childhoods for very different reasons. One of them was Chandler (Matthew Perry), whose parents divorced when he was a child because his father came out as gay, and his mother caught him cheating on her with the pool boy. Chandler’s father didn’t appear in Friends until season 7, where he was introduced as a drag artist working in Las Vegas under the name of Helena Handbasket.

Chandler's father was played by Kathleen Turner.

The problem with this episode is that the character of Chandler’s father wasn’t handled correctly, and thus the episode hasn’t aged well. Chandler’s father is introduced as a drag artist but is later shown to live his life as a woman, hinting that she might actually be transgender, yet Friends never addresses her as a woman. If Friends was made today, this would definitely be handled better.

4 The One Where Eddie Won’t Go

Friends Season 2, Episode 19

Joey moving out of Chandler’s apartment is a strange time for both, and it turns weird when Chandler gets a new roommate: Eddie (Adam Goldberg). Although they get along at first, Eddie gradually begins to act strangely, and he reaches his creepiest point in the episode “The One Where Eddie Won’t Go.”

What makes this episode tough to watch is how increasingly strange Eddie behaves, how he lies to Chandler about moving out, and how scared Chandler is of being in his own home. Although Eddie leaves at the end of the show when Joey returns, all the events that lead to that are tough to watch.

3 The One With The Morning After

Friends Season 3, Episode 16

As mentioned above, the Ross and Rachel relationship takes the spotlight too many times, and one of its toughest moments to watch is the morning after their infamous break and Ross sleeping with Chloe, the Xerox girl. While Rachel and Ross argue in the living room, Monica (Courteney Cox), Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow), Chandler, and Joey are stuck in Monica’s bedroom as they don’t want to interrupt them. Between them being bored, thirsty, and at times desperate to leave the room, and Rachel and Ross’ drama being uncomfortable to watch, this episode isn’t a smooth one.

2 The One That Could Have Been

Friends Season 6, Episodes 15 & 16

Friends has some flashback episodes, among them one that is also an alternate timeline story divided into two parts. “The One That Could Have Been” explores what would have happened if Rachel had married Barry, Chandler wrote comic books, Joey was a big TV star, Monica never lost weight, Phoebe entered the stock market, and Ross was still married to Carol. While to some viewers this look at a different timeline is fun and to others it’s a waste of time, what makes it tough to watch is the representation of Monica.

This particular episode falls into hurtful clichés about heavier people.

Friends has been criticized for its “Fat Monica”, who is Courteney Cox wearing a fat suit. Not only would this portrayal not be accepted these days, but this particular episode falls into hurtful clichés about heavier people, such as them being immature, only thinking about food all the time, and being undesirable.

1 The One With Ross And Monica’s Cousin

Friends Season 7, Episode 19

Friends season 7 sees the preparation for Monica and Chandler’s wedding, and it introduces a new member of Ross and Monica’s family in the episode appropriately titled “The One With Ross and Monica’s Cousin.” In it, their cousin, Cassie (Denise Richards), arrives, but Chandler is mesmerized by her, so Monica asks Ross if Cassie can stay with him – the problem is that Ross is also attracted to his own cousin.

It’s even worse watching him trying to kiss her and later excusing his behavior with how he hasn’t had sex in months.

To make it even worse, while watching a movie together, Ross decides to make a move on his cousin after what he thinks are “signs” that she’s into him, but it’s nothing like that. It’s already disturbing that Ross is attracted to his own cousin, but it’s even worse watching him trying to kiss her and later excusing his behavior with how he hasn’t had sex in months. It’s an unnecessary storyline as Cassie doesn’t even appear at the wedding, and it only makes Ross quite creepy.