From Resolutions to Midnight Kisses: Every Friends New Year’s Episode, Ranked by Wholesomeness

New Year vibes usually mean comfort rewatches, and few things hit that cozy nerve like 90s TV. Friends only did a handful of New Year episodes across its 10-season run, but the ones we got are funny, a little messy, and sneakily tender. As we creep toward 2026, here’s my ranking of every Friends New Year episode, sorted by one simple metric: how warm and wholesome they make you feel.

"Friends never needed glittery countdowns. Its New Year energy was comfort, second chances, and being with your people."

Quick refresher: Friends (NBC) ran for 10 seasons, created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman. The main six: Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry, and David Schwimmer. The show sits at 78% on Rotten Tomatoes, and yes, you can stream it on HBO Max and Hulu.

1. 3. The One With the Routine (Season 6, Episode 10)

   On the surface, this is the one with the infamous Geller sibling dance. Underneath the slapstick, it’s a surprisingly sweet New Year story about wanting to be seen and included.

   Joey’s whole plan with Janine is refreshingly simple: he just wants one kiss at midnight to see if she’s into him too. No grand gestures, no speeches. After the chaos of the studio taping, their actual kiss at home lands because it ditches the fake TV countdown for something real and quiet.

   Meanwhile, Chandler tries to keep Rachel and Phoebe from snooping through Monica’s hidden gifts. He’s not scolding them; he genuinely wants the surprise to land for Monica. That’s real growth for Chandler, and when Monica catches them, it turns into a joke instead of a fight. Their relationship feels safe and sturdy.

   And then there’s Monica and Ross, trying to get on TV by unleashing their old routine. It’s gloriously dorky and absolutely dated, and they commit 110% together. The kicker: they get played by the show’s producer and end up as blooper fodder. Still, there’s something kind of pure about two siblings dusting off an embarrassing in-joke and not caring how ridiculous they look. It’s very Friends: goofy, affectionate, and all about connection.

2. 2. The One With the Monkey (Season 1, Episode 10)

   Early Friends could get raw, and this episode nails how lonely New Year’s can feel even in a crowded room. The group starts with a noble pact: no dates, just the six of them. Predictably, that falls apart one by one, like most resolutions do.

   The emotional center is Phoebe and David. Their connection feels sweet and awkward in a good way. When David gets the chance to go to Minsk, Phoebe lets him go, even though it hurts. It’s a quiet goodbye, early in the show, that says a lot about her generosity and strength.

   The party at Monica’s spirals: Joey’s date brings her kids, Chandler breaks up with Janice, Rachel gets beaten up by a woman while Paolo misses his flight, and Fun Bobby is anything but. Ross winds up alone with Marcel, who then bails on him too. Plans implode, expectations crash, and the night turns out sadder than anyone wanted.

   And then the stinger: Chandler, desperate for a midnight kiss, begs until Joey shuts him up with one. Ross catches it on camera. It’s silly, sure, but it underlines the point: romance is great, but friendship can be just as important. Bittersweet and somehow comforting.

3. 1. The One With All the Resolutions (Season 5, Episode 11)

   This is the New Year episode that gets it right from every angle: big promises, messy follow-through, and a lot of grace in the middle.

   Ross declares he’s going to be happy in 1999 and do something he hasn’t done before. Phoebe counters with a classic Phoebe resolution: pilot a commercial jet. Chandler mocks them, so the group makes his resolution simple and cruelly difficult: stop making fun of his friends. And no jokes.

   Ross commits to doing something new every day, which gifts us the legendary leather pants meltdown. It’s humiliating, yes, but it’s also oddly sweet to watch him try to be braver, even if it ends in talc and disaster. No one piles on him for it, which keeps the tone warm.

   Joey tries to learn guitar from Phoebe, whose teaching style is... unconventional. He quietly seeks a professional teacher, hurts Phoebe’s feelings, then owns it and apologizes. She forgives him without keeping score. It’s a tidy little arc about trust.

   Rachel’s vow to stop gossiping seems minor, but it matters. She’s trying. The tension finally breaks when she shares Monica and Chandler’s secret with Joey; that honesty relieves both of them and tightens the circle around a relationship that’s becoming the show’s heartbeat.

   And Chandler? Of course he breaks. He loses the bet, pays the $50, and lets the snark flood back in with an almost therapeutic exhale. Perfect button on the theme: New Year’s isn’t about becoming perfect; it’s about trying, failing, and still being loved by your people.

Your turn: which Friends New Year episode do you throw on first?

Friends is currently streaming on HBO Max and Hulu.