Friends Central
Register
Advertisement

The ninth season of Friends aired from September 26, 2002 to May 15, 2003 on NBC in the US.

Season summary[]

This season follows Ross and Rachel living together with baby Emma after she and Joey clear up the misdirected proposal. However Ross' paranoia over Rachel dating again leads the two to fight, causing Rachel and Emma to move in with Joey. As the two spend more and more time together, Rachel starts to develop her own feelings for Joey, which he remains blissfully unaware of.

Ross meets Charlie Wheeler, a fellow paleontologist that he soon becomes attracted to. However when Ross and Rachel both decide to pursue their feelings for Charlie and Joey, only to find they (Joey and Charlie) have begun a relationship.

Monica and Chandler, inspired by Ross and Rachel, decide to try for a baby. Chandler is also promoted at work, but is also transferred to Tulsa. Monica is initially willing to move, until she gets a great job herself in New York. Therefore, Chandler starts working in Tulsa four days a week then flying to New York for the weekend. Neither Monica or Chandler enjoy this very much, and things come to a head when Chandler is told he has to work over Christmas. Unable to handle being separated from his wife, Chandler quits his job.

Chandler quickly gets a new job in advertising, and he and Monica begin trying for a baby but without success. They seek medical advice and discover that it is unlikely that they will be able to conceive through natural means. The two decide to look into adoption.

Phoebe meets Mike Hannigan, a divorced pianist who Phoebe gets along well with and the two start dating. When Mike tells Phoebe that he never wants to marry again, the two break-up however both are miserable. David "the scientist guy" returns from Minsk for good and the two gets back together. Mike however decides he's made a mistake and wants Phoebe back, proposing to her at the same time David does. Phoebe chooses Mike over David, but decides not to marry him.

Joey and Charlie's relationship ends up going nowhere as they have nothing in common and Charlie becomes attracted to Ross. The two break up while in Barbados, where the group has gone to hear Ross give a keynote speech at a paleontology conference. Rachel tells Joey of her feelings for him, but Joey turns her down as he is unwilling to hurt Ross. However, when he sees Ross kissing Charlie, Joey changes his mind and returns to Rachel. The season ends as the two start kissing.

Cast[]

Main Cast[]

Jennifer Aniston as Rachel Greene
Courteney Cox Arquette as Monica Geller
Lisa Kudrow as Phoebe Buffay
Matt LeBlanc as Joey Tribbiani
Matthew Perry as Chandler Bing
David Schwimmer as Ross Geller

Recurring Cast[]

Paul Rudd as Mike Hannigan
Dermot Mulroney as Gavin Mitchell
Aisha Tyler as Charlie Wheeler

Special Appearances[]

Freddie Prinze Jr. as Sandy
Christina Applegate as Amy Greene

Trivia[]

  • Many fans of the series consider this to be the worst season of the show.

Images[]

Visual effects comparisons[]

See also[]

Episode List[]

# Total Image Title Writer Director Original Airdate
1 195 TOWNoOneProposes "The One Where No One Proposes" Sherry Bilsing-Graham & Ellen Plummer Kevin S. Bright September 26, 2002
Due to a misunderstanding, Rachel finds herself engaged to Joey instead of Ross. Things get more confused when Phoebe mistakenly assumes that Ross is the one who proposed.
2 196 TOWEmmaCries "The One Where Emma Cries" Dana Klein Borkow Sheldon Epps October 3, 2002
Joey's attempts to gain Ross's forgiveness for mistakenly asking Rachel to marry him only result in emergency hospitalization. A weary Rachel seeks any remedy to quell baby Emma's nonstop crying.
3 197 TOWTPediatrician "The One With The Pediatrician" Brian Buckner & Sebastian Jones Roger Christiansen October 10, 2002
Rachel's constant calls to her pediatrician force him to drop Emma as a patient. Ross becomes uncomfortable when Rachel seeks his childhood doctor as a replacement - mainly because he is still Ross' doctor.
4 198 TOWTSharks "The One With The Sharks" Andrew Reich & Ted Cohen Ben Weiss October 17, 2002
Worried she may lose her latest boyfriend, Phoebe's self-doubt is worsened by Ross's foolish comments. Monica mistakenly fears Chandler has an unnatural fetish for sharks.
5 199 TOWPhoebe'sBirthdayDinner "The One With Phoebe's Birthday Dinner" Scott Silveri David Schwimmer October 31, 2002
While Phoebe and Joey await their friends at a fancy restaurant, Rachel frets about leaving Emma with a sitter. Monica and Chandler are also running late due to a heated spat.
6 200 TOWTMaleNanny "The One With The Male Nanny" Marta Kauffman & David Crane Kevin S. Bright November 7, 2002
Rachel's choice of an oversensitive male nanny sparks Ross's mockery. Phoebe must choose between two ardent suitors: new boyfriend Mike or visiting former boyfriend David.
7 201 TOWRoss'InappropriateSong "The One With Ross' Inappropriate Song" Robert Carlock Gary Halvorson November 14, 2002
When Chandler's former romantic rival intends to sell his apartment, Chandler and Joey secretly inspect it...and make a shocking discovery. Ross discovers that singing rap is the only way to get baby Emma to laugh.
8 202 TOWRachel'sOtherSister "The One With Rachel's Other Sister" Shana Goldberg-Meehan Kevin S. Bright November 21, 2002
On the night before Thanksgiving, Rachel's self-centered younger sister Amy ruins everyone's holiday dinner with her uncensored observations.
9 203 TOWRachel'sPhoneNumber "The One With Rachel's Phone Number" Mark Kunerth Ben Weiss December 5, 2002
While out with Phoebe, Rachel impulsively gives a handsome guy her phone number - then worries he'll call when Ross is in. Mike and Ross desperately try finding something to talk about while baby-sitting Emma.
10 204 TOWChristmasInTulsa "The One With Christmas In Tulsa" Doty Abrams Kevin S. Bright December 12, 2002
Chandler must stay in Tulsa over Christmas due to work deadlines. Monica suspects the worst when she learns that his beautiful co-worker Wendy will join him.
11 205 TOWRachelGoesBackToWork "The One Where Rachel Goes Back To Work" Teleplay by Peter Tibbals, Story by Judd Rubin Gary Halvorson January 9, 2003
Rachel meets her handsome rival Gavin, who has covered her job while she's been on maternity leave. Their immediate war of wills prompts her to make a rash decision that she could regret. Meanwhile, Phoebe works as an extra on Days Of Our Lives
12 206 TOWPhoebe'sRats "The One With Phoebe's Rats" Teleplay by Brian Buckner & Sebastian Jones, Story by Dana Klein Borkow Ben Weiss January 16, 2003
Rachel is peeved to learn that Gavin is invited to her birthday party. Ross struggles to keep lascivious Joey away from Emma's beautiful new nanny. Phoebe coaxes Mike into helping care for a litter of baby rats.
13 207 TOWMonicaSings "The One Where Monica Sings" Teleplay by Steven Rosenhaus, Story by Sherry Bilsing-Graham & Ellen Plummer Gary Halvorson January 30, 2003
As Rachel sorts out her feelings for Gavin, Ross recruits Chandler to help him meet attractive women to make her jealous. Monica's see-through dress is a big hit when Phoebe brings her to karaoke night!
14 208 TOWTBlindDates "The One With The Blind Dates" Sherry Bilsing-Graham & Ellen Plummer Gary Halvorson February 6, 2003
Joey and Phoebe conspire to arrange awful dates for both Rachel and Ross, hoping that appreciation of their former relationship will cause them to reunite.
15 209 TOWTMugging "The One With The Mugging" Peter Tibbals Gary Halvorson February 13, 2003
To impress a pompous fellow actor during an audition, Joey develops an unusual acting method. Ross is horrified to discover who mugged him when he was a child.
16 210 TOWTBoobJob "The One With The Boob Job" Mark Kunerth Gary Halvorson February 20, 2003
Phoebe asks Mike to move in with her, but coming so close to married life may spell trouble. The financially strapped Monica and Chandler separately and unknowingly ask Joey for loans.
17 211 TOWTMemorialService "The One With The Memorial Service" Teleplay by Brian Buckner & Sebastian Jones, Story by Robert Carlock Gary Halvorson March 13, 2003
When Chandler jokingly posts an outrageous biography of Ross on his college alumni website, Ross retaliates in similar fashion - triggering an Internet war between the two friends.
18 212 TOWTLottery "The One With The Lottery" Teleplay by Sherry Bilsing-Graham & Ellen Plummer, Story by Brian Buckner & Sebastian Jones Gary Halvorson April 3, 2003
Hoping to win a huge jackpot, the friends pool their cash and buy dozens of lottery tickets. But bickering over how to spend potential winnings and other disagreements cause a lotto tension.
19 213 TOWRachel'sDream "The One With Rachel's Dream" Teleplay by Mark Kunerth, Story by Dana Klein Borkow Terry Hughes April 17, 2003
Nervous about an upcoming romantic scene, Joey rehearses with Rachel. After watching the show's taping, Rachel has a surprising dream about Joey.
20 214 TOWTSoapOperaParty "The One With The Soap Opera Party" Teleplay by Andrew Reich & Ted Cohen, Story by Shana Goldberg-Meehan Sheldon Epps April 24, 2003
Ross is excited when his paleontology colleague Charlie is also a stunning beauty. But the excitement fades when she discusses her impressive list of ex-boyfriends at Joey's rooftop party for his Days of Our Lives castmates.
21 215 TOWTFertilityTest "The One With The Fertility Test" Teleplay by Robert Carlock, Story by Scott Silveri Gary Halvorson May 1, 2003
Ross is hurt when brilliant Charlie starts dating shallow Joey. However, Joey asks him for advice on how to impress her. Meanwhile, Chandler and Monica have a chance encounter at a fertility clinic.
22 216 TOWTDonor "The One With The Donor" Andrew Reich & Ted Cohen Ben Weiss May 8, 2003
Sad to learn that they cannot conceive naturally, Monica and Chandler mull their options. Chandler brings home a handsome, unknowing co-worker for dinner to "interview" him as a potential sperm donor. After deciding that having a sperm donor is not right for them, they decide to adopt.
23 217 TOIBarbados-1 "The One In Barbados, Part 1" Shana Goldberg-Meehan & Scott Silveri Kevin S. Bright May 15, 2003
Ross procures free passes for his friends to a paleontologists' convention in Barbados, then scrambles to reconstruct - with Charlie's help - his keynote address after its accidental erasure from his computer. Mike arrives to win Phoebe back.
24 218 TOIBarbados-2 "The One In Barbados, Part 2" Marta Kauffman & David Crane Kevin S. Bright May 15, 2003
Monica and Mike play a heated game of ping pong. Rachel can't hide her feelings for Joey any longer...


Advertisement