Entertainment

Which 'Friends' Reunion was the Best?

by Rachel Simon

It's been a great few days for Friends fans. Last weekend, Lisa Kudrow and Matt LeBlanc were seen hanging out at a pre-Emmys party, just a day before Jennifer Aniston nominated old pal Courteney Cox for the Ice Bucket Challenge. Then, on Wednesday, it was announced that a Central Perk pop-up was coming to New York City this fall, complete with appearances by Gunther. The biggest thrill, though, came later that night, when Aniston, Cox, and Kudrow reprised their famous roles in a Jimmy Kimmel Live skit that was the closest thing to a revival of the show fans will likely ever see. All in all, if you're still obsessed with Rachel, Ross, and the rest of the gang, this week couldn't have been better.

Yet while all the Friends-like events of the past few days have been great, the Kimmel reunion was by far the most satisfying. It's always a treat to see members of the show's cast back together again, especially when Monica's kitchen and "the Rachel" are involved. The only thing that would've made it even better was if the series' three men had shown up; unfortunately, there hasn't been a full Friends reunion since the show went off the air in 2004.

Still, even the little ones have certainly been nothing to complain about. Below, a ranking of all the mini-Friends reunions so far, from somewhat satisfying to literally the best thing ever:

6. Dirt (2007)

Premise: On Cox's old FX show Dirt, Aniston guest-starred as a rival magazine editor who fights with Lucy (Cox) before making out with her. Yup.

Reason for Ranking: It was the first cast mini-reunion since the show ended, which was cool, but the tone was super dark and the kiss was a ratings ploy, which was not.

5. Jimmy Kimmel Live! (2014)

Premise: Kimmel, as Ross, wants Aniston to play Rachel in a scene set at Monica's apartment. She's reluctant, then irritated when Cox and Kudrow appear, happy and excited to reprise their roles.

Reason for Ranking: The "Jimmy Kimmel is really good at sex" bit got old fast, as did Aniston's "annoyance" at playing Rachel. Still, seeing three of the cast members together in their old roles was pretty great.

4. The Ellen Show (2013)

Premise: While co-hosting Ellen, Aniston visits Perry's house to get advice on leading the show. They're on bad terms, having barely spoken in years, and she discovers that he's been sleeping with Cox (as well as Ellen DeGeneres, and Portia de Rossi, and possibly LeBlanc).

Reason for Ranking: It's a funny, fan-satisfying sketch, although it would've been nice to actually see LeBlanc jumping around in Perry's living room fountain.

3. Web Therapy (2011, 2012, 2013)

Premise: Cox, Schwimmer, and LeBlanc guest-starred on Kudrow's Web Therapy at different times over the years.

Reason for Ranking: Web Therapy is a fun show that often sees A-list guest stars, but few appearances have been more satisfying than those by Kudrow's former Friends co-stars.

2. Go On (2013)

Premise: Cox appeared on Perry's short-lived NBC show, Go On, as a widowed woman who goes on a date with her former TV husband's character.

Reason for Ranking: Monica and Chandler, together again. What more could you want?

1. Cougar Town (2010, 2014)

Premise: Aniston and Kudrow guest-starred on Cox's TBS series in 2010, and in 2014, Perry made an appearance — as a guy in love with Cox's character, Jules.

Reason for Ranking: Cougar Town has a lighter tone than Web Therapy, and at times, the show feels very similar to Friends. Having the cast reunite, even separately, took that familiarity to a new, wonderful level.

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