On Friends, Ross, Rachel, Phoebe, Joey, Chandler and Monica are catches, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy for them to find love. The characters are relatable because, in spite of being gorgeous, living in great apartments and having very cool jobs, they have their ups and downs when it comes to finding that special someone. Throughout 10 seasons, all six friends hook up, break up and make up as they traverse the complicated, frustrating and often comical dating scene.
Not only do members of this tight-knit group take their relationships with each other to the next level, but they also experience numerous romantic hits and misses with people outside their inner circle. Whether it’s the guys hoping to sweep Phoebe, Monica and Rachel off their feet, or Chandler, Ross and Joey doing some sweeping of their own, fans can’t help but get caught up in all the wooing. Here is a ranking of the shows’ most boyfriend-worthy characters.
Paul Stevens
The handsome widower and father of Ross’ former student Elizabeth, Paul (Bruce Willis) isn’t a fan of Ross dating his daughter, but he does take a shine to Rachel. The two enjoy a strong physical connection from the jump, even taking a weekend getaway together. Underneath the tough guy exterior, Paul is a sensitive guy; maybe a bit too sensitive.
The only thing worse than a taciturn man is one who overshares and prefers marathon teary heart to hearts over sex with a hot woman. Rachel’s efforts to get Paul to open up pay off, but it also leads to the demise of their fling, and Paul disappears never to be heard from again.
Gunther
A guy with a steady job who can make a killer cup of coffee. Gunther is more than a barista. He’s a former soap star and speaks Dutch fluently. He has even achieved sex symbol status according to Phoebe Buffay. A girl could do worse. The only downside to Gunther is he only has eyes for Rachel. Gunther goes to great lengths to capture the attention of the object of his affection. but Gunther never makes it out of the friend zone.
After years of secretly pining for the girl of his dreams, Gunther finds the courage to declare his feelings, and while Rachel says she loves Gunther, she isn’t in love with him. He finally takes a chance on love, and even though it doesn’t pay off, here’s hoping Gunther gets the closure he needs, so he can move on and find a woman who appreciates his many attributes.
Pete Becker
Millionaire mogul Pete Becker is equal parts creepy and endearing. He stalks Monica, wearing her down with trips on his private jet, travel-sized toiletries and her own restaurant. While Pete’s sizable bank account is a perk, Monica just thinks of Pete as a nice guy who can’t quite take no for an answer. It turns out Pete knows something Monica doesn’t: if she spends enough time with him, the rest will fall into place.
The two aren’t a couple for long. Pete decides to follow his dream of becoming the Ultimate Fighting Champion, and while Pete has a head for business when it comes to mixed martial arts, he sucks. Monica can’t handle seeing her boyfriend getting pulverized every time he enters the ring, so she breaks things off. Pete’s fate is never revealed, so it’s possible he reaches his goal, or he could be in a coma. Fans will never know.
Tag Jones
Tall, dark and handsome, Tag is a nice Midwestern guy who is clueless regarding the effect he has on women. It’s hard to believe such a gem could even exist. Rachel and Tag don’t have much in common other than physical chemistry. but it’s a fun fling, and he fits in with her friends better than most.
The 25-year-old is just a bit too immature. With Rachel’s biological clock ticking, she cuts Tag loose, ending things on friendly terms. Tag is even open to giving things another shot a few months later until the news that Rachel is pregnant sends him scurrying in the opposite direction.
David
David is a cute, dorky scientist and Phoebe’s first significant love interest. Despite being sweet, a brilliant physicist and a complete gentleman, their love affair is put on indefinite hold when David moves to Russia. The two reconnect on a couple of occasions, but either David’s work comes first – leaving Phoebe heartbroken – or the timing just isn’t right.
When David finally returns to NYC for good, he’s ready to propose, settle down and pop out baby scientists, but nine years is a long time to expect a girl to wait by the phone, so the twosome part ways for good.
Richard Burke
Monica’s love life consists of a parade of losers until she falls in love with Richard Burke, a handsome doctor and long-time family friend of the Gellers. Richard is mature, successful, self-confident and incredibly dreamy. Monica and Richard’s romance epitomizes relationship goals, and fans were seriously on board with this ship.
But the two can’t agree on one dealbreaker: Monica’s lifelong desire to be a mother, so they’re forced to go their separate ways. Richard remains the gold standard that other men just can’t live up to until Monica falls for Chandler. Years later, Richard has a change of heart, but it’s too late.
Joey Tribbiani
Joey rarely shows any interest in settling down and seems content playing the field. He’s often attracted to women for purely superficial reasons, making it harder to find someone he can connect to on a deeper level. There’s no doubt Joey can be a jerk, but he’s also fiercely loyal and protective.
When Joey falls in love with Rachel, it isn’t meant to be, but they always remain close, proving soulmates aren’t just people who are romantically linked. Joey doesn’t get married, but he does make it to the altar where he performs the marriage ceremonies for three of his best friends.
Mike Hannigan
Who could have guessed that when Joey picks up some random guy named Mike to introduce to Phoebe, he’d turn out to be so darn cool? Yeah, it’s strange Mike agrees to Joey’s scheme just for a free dinner, and the chance to meet a pretty girl, but Mike’s an unconventional guy.
Phoebe who never seems destined to be a run-of-the-mill soccer mom changes her tune after meeting Mike, but their red-hot romance crashes and burns when he reveals marriage is off the table. Luckily, he realizes Phoebe is a catch he shouldn’t toss back, and the two tie the knot.
Ross Geller
Despite marrying his college sweetheart only to find out years later she was a lesbian, Ross isn’t soured on the institution of marriage. He is far from the perfect boyfriend. This serial monogamist can never quite make his romances work for a lot of reasons: an inability to flirt, a tendency to behave like a know it all, multiple quickie marriages and even quicker divorces, some deep-seated neuroses, competitiveness, jealousy and just plain bad luck.
In spite of his often disastrous love life, Ross remains a romantic at heart, holding out hope that his on-again-off-again relationship with Rachel will work out. It only takes a few years, many missteps and having a baby together to get this twosome back together, finally putting the whole “we were on a break” thing behind them.
Chandler Bing
Chandler Bing’s love life is a comedy of errors: he often finds himself unable or unwilling to commit, and when he does, it’s with the wrong women. Growing up with parents who challenged traditional gender roles and rejected the outdated gold standard of a picture-perfect nuclear family makes Chandler question monogamy. His insecurities keep him single and not necessarily ready to mingle.
Chandler’s luck changes after an unexpected one-night stand with Monica. Monica becomes Chandler’s relationship guru, helping him overcome a ton of intimacy issues. Chandler’s fear about committing doesn’t vanish overnight, and his disappearing act right before his wedding is a very uncool move. But after meeting the right woman, Chandler evolves into a supportive, loving and stable partner.
