History Friends / TropesPToS

* SpiritualPredecessor: To Series/HowIMetYourMother, also to ''Series/HappyEndings.''

** When Ross dated Rachel, the gang organized a surprise party for her birthday. The real surprise came when they had to throw a second impromptu party in the guys' flat at the same time because both Rachel's parents showed up unexpectedly, and they couldn't be in one room together as they were going through divorce.

** Some of the dross Joye's been seen in on stage, like ''Freud! The Musical'' or the play that first looks sophisticated enough, but one scene later shows Joey leaving the planet with aliens.

** For most of series the rest of the gang (especially Phoebe, who helped them unite in the final episode) were this for Ross and Rachel. Later episodes have the other three losing enthusiasm (Joey struggling with his own feelings for Rachel, Monica and Chandler sickening of the WillTheyOrWontThey saga and [[BetaCouple busy their more stable relationship]]). And while Phoebe did ultimately help the two unite in the finale, even she got sick of their drama in the middle seasons, on one occasion calling it "a bunch of high school crap that no one… you know". However, everyone is happy when they get back together for good.

** It was ''because'' their sex was so good that Monica and Chandler, two of the nicest most loyal characters on the show, [[RelationshipUpgrade upgraded]] from a one night stand to FriendsWithBenefits and then to a serious relationship. They risked a valuable friendship but the sex was just. that. good. It's also emphasized that sex with each other was better than with previous partners (which had been from reasonably okay to bad). They both describe each other as the best they've ever had, with the implication it's because they're better people with each other.

** And possibly because of the sheer frustration of Ross and Rachel's relationship when Monica and Chandler had sex, none of this happened. When they argued it was mostly about legitimate couples stuff and they resolved it more often than not by listening to each other and being mindful of the fact that they were different people who would occasionally differ on things. This was partly because they were extremely close prior hookup but unlike Ross and Rachel weren't hiding hopes for 'more' and starry-eyed. Instead Monica and Chandler were well-aware of each other's faults but still best friends who openly admitted they loved each other. You sensed for them the step from platonic to romantic love was a natural one, as they had a stable basis for their relationship.

** The [[WholeEpisodeFlashback flashback episodes]] create a few of these, the most obvious one being how Chandler and Rachel first met. In the pilot episode, where Rachel moves to Monica's apartment, she's introduced to Chandler, and there's no indication the two of them have met before. But in later episodes we learn that Chandler tried to hit on Rachel (albeit briefly) when she was visiting New York a year before the events of the pilot, and that Chandler and Rachel met a couple of times during his college days, when they both spent Thanksgiving at Ross' parents, ''and'' that Chandler [[spoiler:made out with Rachel]] when Rachel and Monica visited him and Ross at their college, the reason for this being that Chandler was mad at Ross [[spoiler:for kissing a girl Chandler also fancied]], so he decided to retaliate by [[spoiler:doing the same with the girl he knew was the love of Ross' life.]] But despite all this history, Chandler and Rachel apparently don't know recognize each other in the pilot.

** Played with in one episode: Phoebe was dating two guys at the same time, a manly fireman and a sensitive teacher. She tries to break up with the fireman but discovers that's he's also sensitive and artistic to boot ("He has access to lots of charcoal"). He tries to break up with the teacher while he's fixing up his apartment, and he's totally hunky.