1. Friends, “The One with the Embryos”; January 15, 1998.

The Gist: Phoebe’s insides are busy trying to get her brother’s sperm to fertilize her sister-in-law’s egg, while Chandler and Joey take on Monica and Rachel in a Jeopardy- like game Ross created to see who really knows whom the best.

Could It Be Any Funnier?: Phoebe’s plot is pretty cheesy, but the interaction between the five remaining friends is best writing the show ever produced. Friends was so good at making viewers feel like part of the group, each week 19 million Americans thought they should be the seventh friend dancing around in the fountain. In relationships, it’s always exciting to discover idiosyncrasies about your significant other four years in. This episode would not have worked if the audience didn’t feel they had a relationship with the people they spend their Thursday night with. Also, you feel like you had an interest in who won or lost. The producers took a real risk shaking up the show by putting two Friends staples, “the apartment” against “the chick and the duck.” Trying to do Friends without the chick and the duck or Monica in the purple apartment would be like trying to do the show without Central Perk, or without the magna-doodle on the door, or without Jennifer Aniston’s nipples showing through her shirt. The fast paced dialogue, perfect acting and high energy make this an episode you can watch over and over again, and laugh every time.
Best Line: Ross: As a child Joey had an imaginary friend. What was his name?
Monica: Maurice!
Ross: And what was his occupation?
Rachel: Space cowboy!!
The Whole Truth: Courtney Cox is the only member of the cast to not be nominated for an Emmy for her role on Friends.