Summary

• Friends is relatable and emotionally impactful, tackling real-life issues that resonate with audiences even years later.
• From Ross and Rachel's heartbreaking breakup to Monica and Chandler's struggles with infertility, the show delves into heavy topics while still maintaining a sense of joy and thought provocation.
• The show also has its fair share of heartwarming moments, such as Monica and Chandler's engagement and Phoebe singing a lullaby inspired by her father, that leave viewers feeling emotional and invested in the characters' journeys.

Friends' 10 seasons, the six main characters love and lose, live and regret, laugh and cry, just like people do in real life, and that is what makes audiences resonate with Friends even many decades later. It might be light-hearted for the most part, but some episodes put the characters into situations that feel too familiar for everyone's comfort.

Friends has taken the lives of ordinary people and turned them into a guide for those who want to know that they are not alone in their problems, and that is the most fascinating thing about the series. Be it Ross and Rachel's bad timing or Monica and Chandler's marital struggles, Friends knows how to depict any storyline in a way that brings joy and leaves food for thought at the same time. That's not to say that the show does not have some happy-tear moments that audiences cherish just as much as the devastating ones, but either way, there are many scenes that have fans crying on every rewatch.

20 Ross & Rachel Break Up

When someone hears the phrase "the saddest moment in Friends," Ross and Rachel's breakup scene is what immediately comes to mind. Although the lobsters do eventually find their way back to each other, their brutal fight and subsequent split don't leave anyone indifferent. Both Jennifer Aniston and David Schwimmer deliver brilliant acting in this scene, fueling up the devastation that is hanging in the air. Break or not, Ross is in the wrong here for hurting Rachel like that.

19 Monica & Chandler Learn About Their Infertility

Friends' all-time saddest scene is the one where Monica and Chandler find out that they can't have kids. The moment is unexpectedly realistic for a sitcom, and it hits right where it hurts. The Bings have been trying to conceive to no avail for a while now, so they go to get tested only to learn that they are both infertile. Chandler is the one who has to tell Monica about their test results, and watching him deliver the bad news to the person who has wanted to be a mother for years is truly heartbreaking.

18 Chandler Delivers The Speech To Erica

After spending a long time on the adoption waitlist, Monica and Chandler finally get a meeting with Erica, who wants to pick them as the parents for her child. Unfortunately, due to a mix-up in the system, the Bings turn out not to be the ones who Erica originally intended to meet with, but they decide to play along, which ends badly. Still, Chandler takes a shot and tries to convince Erica to choose them anyway by delivering a ionate speech, and it works. This Friends scene is simply too much to handle.

17 Ross Discovers Nana's Sweetener Stack

Friends season 1, episode 8, "The One Where Nana Dies Twice," deals with the theme of losing loved ones, and it is a bit more emotionally charged than most stories of the show. The whole episode is full of bittersweet moments, but the scene where Ross is going through Nana's closet and discovers her sweetener stack is somehow the saddest one. Witnessing Ross so happy to see the little pink packets flying down on him is just wholesome.

16 Rachel Finds Out She Is Pregnant

Friends is famous for its decision to give three main female characters different pregnancy experiences. Rachel's one-night stand with Ross lands a baby in her belly, and she doesn't know how to feel about this initially. However, having the of her girls, Phoebe and Monica, Rachel takes another pregnancy test, and Phoebe pulls a prank of sorts on her to determine her true feelings about having a baby. This sweet scene easily brings viewers to tears every time.

15 Phoebe's Father Sings Her A Lullaby

Phoebe's father storyline is one of the most unexpected in Friends. In season 5, Phoebe finally gets to meet her father under the gravest circumstances, at her grandmother's funeral. Although the scene is full of amusing moments, it has an underlying sadness to it, which culminates at the very moment Frank starts singing Phoebe the lullaby he used to perform to get his daughters to fall asleep when they were little. The song turns out to be what inspired Phoebe's biggest hit, "Smelly Cat."

14 Monica & Chandler Get Engaged

Monica and Chandler are the true power couple of Friends, and they have come a long way both together and on their own. When Chandler finally overcomes his fear of commitment, he nearly loses Monica to Richard, but fortunately, all ends well, and the happy couple gets engaged. Monica's tearful proposal, continued by Chandler's even more emotional one, is an incredibly sweet and happy moment, especially considering the characters' respective journeys leading up to that very day.

13 Joey Kisses Phoebe

On what she believed to be her 30th birthday, Phoebe discovers that she has actually turned 31 years old, causing her to become upset about the fact that she hasn't yet crossed certain things off her bucket list. One of those things is having the perfect kiss, which is exactly what Joey gives Phoebe outside Central Perk. It is a touching Friends moment that doesn't feel inappropriate or wrong, even though Phoebe and Joey are friends. Their bond goes beyond labels, and it shows.

12 Phoebe Talks To The Triplets

Phoebe does an incredible thing for her brother Frank when she decides to carry his and Alice's babies for them. Although it is Phoebe's choice entirely, and no one has forced her to do anything, giving up the triplets is still one of the most difficult things she has ever done. The scene where she talks to the babies before handing them over to their new parents is truly gut-wrenching, as it perfectly showcases the hardships of being a surrogate mother.

11 Ross & Rachel Kiss In Central Perk

Ross and Rachel's ultimate will-they-won't-they relationship is easily one of the highlights of Friends. Their storyline is a beautifully crafted tale encoming the entire show, and this first kiss scene is where it all starts. Ross finds out that Rachel likes him and comes to confront her about it, but they end up fighting, and Ross storms out. However, when all hope is lost, Ross comes back and kisses Rachel, opening a new chapter in their story. This scene is a big moment that gives viewers big feelings.