Friends: Every Halloween And Thanksgiving Episode Ranked

Among the most iconic Friends holiday episodes, The One With the Football gives us one of the series' best glimpses into the Geller sibling rivalry. The cast were apparently given a fair amount of input regarding the specifics of the game, which gives the entire episode a nice organic feel that adds to the overall fun of watching these close friends compete with one another.

Phoebe also shines in this episode, despite being the only character with no real conflict. Throughout the series, she consistently approaches new activities with almost childlike enthusiasm, and Lisa Kudrow's delightful performance in this episode exudes that energy quite well. Her charming optimism translates remarkably well to the sport of football, especially when juxtaposed with the rest of the characters' mounting frustrations.

That said, Phoebe's silver-lined approach to the game actually highlights one of the episode's greatest faults. While it can be fun to watch the gang rag on each other from time to time, their exaggerated aggression toward one another feels excessive here. This especially stands out when Phoebe's excitement over her first touchdown sparks an unnecessarily mean response from Chandler, whose only real competition in the episode is Joey.