Friends is everyone's favorite TV show. There's a reason that it's constantly playing on TBS and Nick at Nite. Recently, on my 100th re-watch of the show, I noticed that there were several reoccuring jokes beyond the obvious "We were on a break" and "Oh. My. God!!!!" So, in case I was the only one, I thought I would share them all with you today.
1. Regina Phalange
https://twitter.com/aartivyaspatel/status/891663733285683202/photo/1
This is one of my favorite running gags on the show, especially because of the way it was elaborated into the series finale. Regina Phalange is a name Pheobe uses when trying to be inconspicious. It is first used in "The One With Ross' Wedding" (S4 E23), and it is last use is in "The Last One". In the final episode, instead of using the full name, Pheobe calls Rachel to tell her the plane that she is flying to Paris on has a "problem with the left phalange".
2. Rachel returns almost every gift she receives.
https://twitter.com/CatesHathagay_/status/1257041743285018624/photo/3
Rachel is that one friend that you can absolutely not get the right gift for. If I was one of her friends, I would get her gift cards for every occasion, because it seems that she returns every gift that she receives. This is referred to a number of times throughout the show, starting with "The One Where Rachel Finds Out" (S1 E24). In this episode we see Rachel recieve Travel Scrabble from Chandler, which she hands right back to him.
3. Ross' claim of inventing things
https://twitter.com/putainfinn/status/1258193772283744256/photo/1
This one is really subtle, but Ross has a habit of making outrageous claims of all kinds, so it's not all that surprising. The most notable of these claims is in "The One With the Joke" (S6 E12), in which Ross and Chandler have a fight over who came up with a joke that Ross submitted to Playboy magazine. Ross also makes several other claims of invention throughout the show, including how he came up with "Got Milk?" and the concept for Jurassic Park.
4. Chandler's sexuality
https://twitter.com/hestough/status/1258211047200231424/photo/3
I'm not a huge fan of this running joke, and I do believe that it is one the only things about the show that didn't age well. Chandler is constantly having to explain to others that he is indeed, not gay. Apparently he has qualities that make him seem gay? This is first referred to in "The One Where Nana Dies Twice" (S1 E8). One of Chandler's coworkers tries to set him up with a friend of hers, but soon realizes that he is straight. This is referred to even after his relationship with Monica becomes serious, with Pheobe saying she first believed that Chandler was gay in the song she wrote for their wedding.
5. Joey's lack of underwear
https://twitter.com/616POET/status/1255426256876834817/photo/1
Joey Tribbani is one very unique character. This joke doesn't run as much as the others do, but it can be noted that Joey gives very subtle hints towards it at several points. He comes right out and addresses it in "The One Where No One's Ready" (S3 E2), where he says he's "going commando".
