Friends: The Worst Character In Each Season

Despite the season finale airing over 17 years ago, Friends remains one of the most popular sitcoms of all time. But like any series, some characters were better received than others. The six friends encountered many characters across then 10 seasons who all had a significant impact on their lives – but sometimes not for the better.

Whilst the main six are incredibly popular and eternally missed by fans, other characters didn’t have the same effect. From irritating ex-partners to psychotic roommates, there are plenty of characters in Friends that fans would have no problem forgetting.

Season 1: Paolo

The story of Ross and Rachel was at the heart of Friends. The constant will-they-wont-they was teased regularly and several romantic interests were thrown into the mix to add fuel to the fire. The first was Rachel’s Italian neighbor Paolo, a character that fans could’ve lived without.

After his introduction in “The One with the Blackout,” Paolo and Rachel began a relationship, despite the fact they could barely communicate. However, their relationship came to a sudden end when Paolo exposed himself in front of Phoebe. Although Paolo was bearable, his presence was irritating and no one cared if that was the last time they saw him.

Season 2: Eddie Menuek

The unhinged and delusional roommate came in the form of Eddie in season two. One of the most unexpected things to happen in Friends was when Joey moves out and Chandler tries to fill the void. Unfortunately for everyone, Eddie was the person chosen to replace him.

His behavior got increasingly disturbing as the episodes went on, like replacing his dead fish with a goldfish cracker and naming it Chandler. When he finally leaves Chandler’s apartment, Chandler calls him a “psychopath” and it’s safe to say that fans were happy to see the back of him.

Season 3: Mark Robinson

Mark was introduced in season three as an employee at Bloomingdale’s. He effectively kickstarted Rachel’s career in fashion, however, that’s about all the good he did. Whilst it looked like he originally had good intentions, it wasn’t long before he revealed to Rachel that he’d had a crush on her all along.

Ross and Rachel’s breakup was one of the saddest episodes in the whole of Friends, and Mark was a catalyst for it. Whilst it wasn’t solely his fault, he had a big part to play and it poses the question of whether their breakup could’ve been avoided had Mark not been in the picture.

Season 4: Kathy

Originally thought to be another one of Joey’s one-time dates, Kathy turned out to be a lot more because she brought heaps of drama. Realizing she has deeper feelings for Chandler, Kathy cheats on Joey and almost destroys one of the best bromances on TV in the process.

Fans could look past this because Chandler and Kathy were the more compatible couple, and Joey eventually gave them his blessing. However, it wasn’t long before she went back to her old ways and cheated on Chandler. Kathy brought little enjoyment to the party and nobody was unhappy about her departure.

Season 5: Emily Waltham

Unfortunately for Emily, being the person in the middle of Ross and Rachel is enough to make anyone hated before their story even starts. First introduced in season 4, the events of the best season finale in Friends brings out a side to Emily that no one likes.

In season 5, Emily agrees to give Ross another chance, however, her one condition is that he doesn’t see Rachel anymore. Thankfully, Ross refuses and their marriage comes to an abrupt end. Although she was now extremely unlikeable, the first girl that Ross dated after his breakup with Rachel didn’t stand a chance.

Season 6: Janine Lecroix

While some would describe Janine as the “super-hot Australian dancer,” others would describe her as objectively dull. When Joey has to find a new roommate, he can’t believe his luck when he lands on Janine and it’s not long before the two begin a relationship.

After a double date with Monica and Chandler, Janine tells Joey she doesn’t like them. Her reasons for this are weak and she begins displaying a two-faced side. Joey makes it clear that their relationship won’t work if she doesn’t get along with his friends. The pair break up shortly after and she isn’t particularly missed once she moves out.

Season 7: Janice Litman-Goralnik

Popping up when least expected (and always unwanted) was Janice’s favorite pastime, and season 7 was no different. Appearing at Monica’s restaurant, her irritating persona was in full swing. Noticing Monica’s engagement ring, Janice proceeds to invite herself to Monica and Chandler’s wedding.

When Chandler tries to find a way to uninvite her, in classic Janice fashion, she shows no awareness of the situation and somehow denotes that they’re calling her family. Janice’s presence was exhaustively annoying in this season, despite her only featuring in one episode.

Season 8: Parker

Parker was among the least intelligent of Phoebe’s partners and irritated pretty much everyone he came into contact with. Being incredibly talkative with a bright outlook on life may sound like a good thing, however, Parker took it to the extreme and it was draining, to say the least.

When Phoebe invites him to Jack and Judy’s 35th wedding anniversary, Parker spends most of his night in awe of everything he sees, including a plate dispenser. The constant enthusiasm he displays is enough to drive Phoebe up the wall and it’s not long before she breaks up with him, leaving absolutely no one bothered.

Season 9: Amy Green

Amy’s introduction in season nine as Rachel’s other sister is one to remember, however, this is mainly because she causes one of the most memorable Thanksgiving fights on Friends. Believing that she would get custody of Emma if Ross and Rachel died, Amy gets a rude awakening when they inform her that several people come above her in that sense.

The topic of Rachel’s Ralph Lauren discount puts everything into perspective for Amy and her self-centered nature is a constant theme. It’s times like this when people understand why Jill is Rachel’s favorite sister.

Season 10: Charlie Wheeler

Originally introduced in season 9, Charlie made quite the impression, however, it wasn’t all good. The iconic season 9 finale in Barbados culminated in Charlie breaking up with Joey because she realized she was better off with Ross, something which she knew the entire time.

Whilst her actions arguably made sense, her decisions in season 10 were less than satisfactory. Shortly after making it official with Ross, Charlie dumped him as soon as her ex-boyfriend showed interest again. Sadly for Charlie, no one was troubled about her Friends run coming to an end.