7 'Friends' Moments That Made You Cry

Friends has been off the air for 11 years ago today, which probably bugs you out. It bugs ME out — I mean, where does the time go? I can still remember the Season 10 finale like it was yesterday ("She got off the plane!"), probably largely because I've watched it again several times since. But I also remember tuning in for the series finale, aptly title "The Last One", and all the ugly sobbing I did as I said goodbye to a cast of characters that had become like close, personal... well, friends over the previous 10 years. It was an emotional time, and I don't really think I'll ever truly get over it, but you just have to try and move on. And yet the final Friends episode was far from the first time the show reduced us to tears, as any fan will know. In fact, we spent a fair bit of time crying as well as laughing over the duration of the show.

Part of the reason that no other sitcom has ever come close to receiving the level of universal love that Friends has is that the series just had so much heart. They got so much right, from the perfect casting combination to brilliant writing and everything in between. And not only does the comedy still stand up to this day, all these years later, but Friends excelled in another area many sitcoms do not: it was downright emotional at times. Viewers were invested because we truly cared about Ross, Rachel, Phoebe, Joey, Monica and Chandler. And when big things happened in their lives, good or bad, we felt the emotional impact. It was serious business, and meant that sometimes, you needed to keep a box of Kleenex near by. Any Friends fan knows what I mean.

Here are 7 times Friends reduced me (and probably you) to tears over its 10 year run.

Everyone leaves for the final time

I mean, it goes without saying that the final scene of the ENTIRE series — which consisted of an insane 236 episodes, I should point out — would be a tearjerker. Looking at Monica's empty apartment and thinking of everything that happened there over the years is enough to make any fan weep uncontrollably. They even have that wonderful touch of leaving the keys for Treager! WAH!

Monica & Chandler get engaged

This episode was on TBS or something a few weeks ago, and let me tell you, I absolutely cried like a baby. The whole thing was going to go wrong! Chandler thought Monica thought he didn't want to get married because he was trying to throw her off the trail, but then she surprised him and OH GOD MY EYES ARE WATERING AGAIN.

Phoebe says goodbye to the triplets

Phoebe agreeing to have a baby for her brother was a sweet enough gesture on its own, and then she found out it was triplets and carried them for nine months and had to give them away. I can't imagine how difficult something like that would be, but Phoebe handled it all so well, and in classic Phoebe style. Get the tissues ready!

Rachel's going away speech to Ross

This is another one that was on TV pretty recently and totally got to me. After accepting a position at Louis Vuitton in Paris (offered to her by none other than Mark, of course), Rachel's going away party sees her giving each of the friends an individual goodbye speech... all of them except for Ross, that is. He kicks off about it and it's only later he finds out why Rachel avoided him. Sigh!

Monica & Chandler find out they can't have kids

Of course, we all know that things work out for these two in the end when they get to adopt their beautiful twins, but when it first aired, finding out that Monica & Chandler could never have children of their own was absolutely devastating, especially knowing just how long Monica had dreamed of being a mom.

Rachel gives birth to Emma

Rachel getting pregnant was completely unplanned (though extremely good news, once she and Ross got used to the idea), but when baby Emma actually came into the world, the tears really started flowing. It brought Rachel and Ross even closer to together and really signified just how much life was changing for each of them.

Ross & Rachel break up after he sleeps with Chloe

This whole situation was a mess start to finish, and gave birth to the infamous "WE WERE ON A BREAK!" catchphrase that made dozens of appearances over the year. But the actual break-up between Ross and Rachel was an absolute killer. They were perfect together, and then things had to get so messed up. How did it all happen? WHY, GOD, WHY?!

Image: Warner Bros Television