Jennifer Aniston Watch

Season 9 saw new mother Rachel struggling with the demands of her new role, while at the same time navigating her increasingly complicated relationship with Ross. The pair struggled with understanding one another’s intentions, when in fact both had the aim of simply doing what was best for their new family. Meanwhile, Monica and Chandler’s attempts to start a family of their own lead to heartbreak, as Chandler begins a new career in advertising. For all of the angst, however, this season did provide its fair share of comic relief. Here are some of the more notable episodes:

TOW The Male Nanny In looking for a caretaker for Emma, Ross and Rachel interview a young man named Sandy, who shows remarkable sensitivity. While Rachel is a fan of Sandy’s unconventional approach, Ross is not as forward-thinking. Meanwhile, Phoebe gets a surprise visit from “scientist guy” David, and Monica hits Chandler where it hurts: the joke department.

TOW Ross’s Inappropriate Song Ross inadvertently comes up with a rather, er, bootylicious way to make Emma laugh. Rachel is not amused - until she tries it. Meanwhile, in one of Lisa Kudrow’s finest comic performances, Phoebe meets Mike’s uptight, wealthy parents; her attempts to ingratiate herself become the stuff of comic gold. Meanwhile, before Paris had her tape, Richard had his - much to Chandler’s dismay.

TOW Rachel’s Other Sister Our Green family portrait is complete, as we meet Amy, Rachel’s utterly oblivious sister. Amy drops by for a hair straightener, but ends up with an invite to Thanksgiving dinner, where she engages the Friends in a morbid debate over who would have custody of Emma should the unthinkable happen. This results in the mother of all sisterly catfights - and affirmation of Chandler’s ability to stand firm when the going gets tough.

TOW The Lottery The ensemble was always strongest when stuck in a room together, and this episode proves no exception. The Friends buy tickets for the Powerball lottery, and as they await the results, chaos ensues, thanks to Monica’s competitive nature and the unfortunate arrival of Scary Pigeon. Meanwhile, Emma says her first word, and her unusual choice thrills Ross to no end.

Friends, season 9, Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry, David Schwimmer