When the most memorable sitcom of all time, Friends, bid its farewell, it was more than just the conclusion of a sitcom. It was an adieu to an era of ups, downs, and countless laughs with Ross, Rachel, Monica, Chandler, Joey, and Phoebe. The final episode sealed a time capsule of unforgettable moments as the saga concluded. Although the Central Perk gang disbanded, the echoes of their friendship lingered in the hearts of millions who had become honorary members of the quirky clique. 

Additionally, it served as a trove of hidden treasures for the show’s fans to decode and revel in later. 

Ross and Rachel’s first and last kiss had this in common

In the second season of Friends, Ross and Rachel finally landed on their first kiss during the seventh episode: The One Where Ross Finds Out. Well, the same music that could be heard in the backdrop also featured in the last episode, when the two shared their final kiss. Initially, the creators had envisioned U2’s ‘With or Without You’ as the perfect song for the kiss. 

The tight schedule, however, hindered securing the rights in time. So they used composition, mirroring the song instead. Although it was not the intended melody, the harmonious substitute that kept both those kisses’ romantic momentum alive was just as magical as the original track would have been. 

The Last One was the highest-rated episode next to this one

With a decade-long run, Friends’ enduring fanbase has a whopping 236 episodes to choose from, each as good as the one before. Among them, the one that fans came to love the most was The One Where Ross Finds Out. Its IMDb rating is the highest, closely followed by The Last One, which left them in tears. 

Well, both episodes did have one thing in common. The endearing romance between Ross and Rachel was heavily covered in both. As the most iconic couples to have featured in a TV series, the landmark moments of their relationship were celebrated by everybody. 

The last episode also uncovered one hidden thing that fans were longing to see. 

The one location in Friends that was only shown at the end

Among the four apartments shared between the six friends, the one that fans got to see the least was Ross’. After making its debut in The One with the Morning After, only some fleeting glimpses were offered of the Dinosaur fanatic’s bedroom until the series finale. Finally, the last episode showed it in its entirety during an interaction.

Before Rachel left for the airport, she and Ross shared an intimate goodbye. When she emerged from Ross’ room the next day, his place was showcased properly for the first time. Since the characters’ apartments were such a central theme in the show, this moment was monumental for fans.

Courteney Cox was hiding this while shooting

As each character’s arc concluded the final episode, Monica and Chandler were finally at the point of bringing a child into their life. Since Monica was depicted as infertile, a surrogate gave birth to their twins in the episode. Meanwhile, Courteney Cox, who played Monica, was herself pregnant too.

She wore loosely fitted clothing to hide this fact. Yet, some viewers still spotted her baby bump. Today, the child she was pregnant with: Coco Arquette is a 19-year-old. Now her 59-year-old mother is hilariously battling her daughter’s rebellious phase.

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Another aspect that fans noticed later was hidden in the dialogue.

Rachel repeated her pilot episode dialogue

In the pilot episode of the show, the moment that started it all was when Rachel walked into Central Perk for the first time. Then she called her fiance and said “I’m sorry, I’m Sorry” for leaving the wedding. Similarly, when she called Ross from the airport in the last episode, she repeated that dialogue. 

Only this time, she returned to her beloved man after apologizing for leaving. After saying sorry, Rachel realized her love for Ross and returned. The dialogue proved that, unlike her ex, Barry, Ross was the one she regretted losing. 

Matthew Perry and Jennifer Aniston made an inside joke 

During the last moments of the final episode, the lovable sextet had their final conversation amidst tear-filled goodbyes. Then Rachel asked if they should all have some coffee, to which Chandler quipped in with a “Where?” as they all walked out. Well, Mathew Perry had made that impromptu joke as a double entendre.

Fans of the show believed that the ‘where’ was an ironic reference to the show’s famed coffee shop. However, since the Central Perk’s sets had been taken down already, Perry was also referring to that. So, for the actors who knew of this fact, the last line of the last episode doubled as an inside joke.

This and another factor made the final episode all the more special.

The unique Friends episode title

It is commonly known that every episode of Friends embarks on its narrative journey with the signature phrase, ‘The one with’ featured in the title of the episode. And it was so in all episodes except one. The final episode was titled The Last One to poetically signal the end of all ‘the ones’ that came before it. 

The recurring preamble of ‘The one with’ used to serve as a compass guiding viewers through the many adventures awaiting them. It was not just a title but also a familiar invitation to join the Central Perk clan for another escapade exploring the peculiarities of life. Although heartbreaking, for that ritual to end so symbolically was magical. 

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Which among these seven facts surprised you the most? Share your answer in the comments.