There was a time when Friends was the biggest TV show on the planet, let alone one of the most popular sitcoms of all time. The fan base endures, going back to the series over and over again on streaming services. But after ten seasons on the air, the series-long tenure inevitably brought a lot of changes to the main characters and their lives.
That cast of characters was made up of Ross, Rachel, Phoebe, Chandler, Monica, and Joey. Where they started in the pilot episode was a far cry from where they ended up in the series' finale. Fans who watched the entire series while it was on the air went on quite a journey with this group.
10 Ross & Rachel End Up Together
This one is easily the most obvious by far. Much of the series was defined by the journey of Ross and Rachel, as his long-time crush on her grew into a real relationship that fell apart. But after having a child together, the paths were inexorably intertwined.
As the series finale rolled around, fans hoped that Ross and Rachel would get back together, and they did in the end. It might have been a huge moment of fan service but it was also the right way to end their story.
9 Monica & Chandler Get Married
If anyone had predicted in Season 1 that Monica and Chandler were destined to be together, they would have been laughed out of the online forums. But after the end of the series, no one could imagine it any other way.
Season 7, Episodes 23 and 24 saw the couple tie the knot, and become the most stable relationship in the series. The final season saw them maintain that relationship, ending the series stronger than ever.
8 A New Chick & Duck Join The Gang
When Chandler and Joey lived together, their apartment had a very interesting décor. That included a canoe in the middle of the room, an entertainment center way too big for the space, and an odd dog statue. But they also had a pair of unique roommates, specifically a chicken and a duck.
By the time Season 10 had rolled around, the original chick and duck were gone. But Joey wanted to get Chandler a going-away present in the form of a new chick and duck. Chandler insisted that Joey keep them, making everything right with the world.
7 The Foosball Table Gets Destroyed
Unfortunately, bringing two new friends into their world meant destroying an old one. In Season 1, Episode 12, Joey and Chandler spent quite some time arguing over the look of their new dining room table. Naturally, they settled on a foosball table, the only sensible choice.
But in the series finale, the new chick and duck got stuck in that same foosball table. Joey and Chandler had to tear the table apart to get them out. It was a key symbolic end to their time as roommates and neighbors.
6 Rachel Gets A Job In Paris
Throughout the series, Rachel went on a highly improbable career arc. She started out as someone who had never held a job in her life, turning a position in a coffee shop into a career in high fashion, despite having no experience or education. It's best not to overthink that one.
During the course of Season 10, Rachel was offered a job with Louis Vuitton in Paris after being fired from Ralph Lauren over a job interview with Gucci. She stayed in New York for Ross in the end, though her success in the fashion industry would have shocked anyone who just watched Season 1.
5 Rachel & Joey Tried A Relationship
While Friends didn't try every conceivable combination of pairings amongst the group, the series did still put some oddball combinations together. A big one was the short relationship between Rachel and Joey that developed over the last few seasons.
The angle seemed a little forced and kind of awkward, particularly since there was such a strong connection between Ross and Rachel. Thankfully, it ended quickly in Season 10, opening the door for Ross and Rachel to end up together.
4 Monica & Chandler Adopt Twins
As Monica and Chandler progressed through their journey as a couple, they decided that they wanted children. Of course, this made fans incredibly happy. But it was heartbreaking to find out that the couple was infertile. They decide to adopt and were paired with a young, expectant mother named Erica.
The big swerve of the whole thing was that Erica ended up having twins. Monica and Chandler adopted both babies even though their plan was to adopt one. This was a long way from where they were in Season 1, particularly for Chandler who no one could imagine being a parent back then.
3 Phoebe Married Mike Hannigan
Without question, Phoebe was the most nontraditional member of the group. She lived a very unique life and looked at the world in a way that most of her friends could not comprehend. But she was also a kind, generous and caring person.
Still, a lot of fans were surprised when she ended up with the relatively straight-laced Mike Hannigan. Some hoped she and Joey would end up together but that would have been a little much. Phoebe and Mike's Season 10 wedding was a highlight of those final episodes.
2 Monica & Chandler Move Out Of The Apartment
While some fans might argue that it was Central Perk, the center of the Friends universe truly was the apartment. At one time or another, all six members of the group lived in that apartment, keeping in mind that Ross resided there for a summer with his grandmother before the series began.
As part of becoming parents, Monica and Chandler decided to move in a house in Westchester. The finale saw them all walk out of the apartment for the last time, leaving their keys on the counter. No one watching the early seasons could imagine them leaving this now-iconic location behind.
1 Joey Is The Only One Whose Story Continued
The biggest change that happened by the end of the series was the one that happened after it was over. Spinoffs of popular shows are not uncommon, and Friends was no exception to this as Joey Tribbiani was the one to get his own show.
Joey followed him as he moved to Hollywood to pursue his dream of being an actor. The series was not as big a success, and was canceled before the second season finished airing. Of all the characters to follow after the end of Friends, Joey was probably the least interesting choice.
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