Fansided

20 best sitcom squads we want to be friends with

By Reed Gaudens

FRIENDS -- Season 2 -- Pictured: (l-r) Matthew Perry as Chandler Bing, Jennifer Aniston as Rachel Green, David Schwimmer as Ross Geller, Courteney Cox as Monica Geller, Matt LeBlanc as Joey Tribbiani, Lisa Kudrow as Phoebe Buffay (Photo by NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)
FRIENDS -- Season 2 -- Pictured: (l-r) Matthew Perry as Chandler Bing, Jennifer Aniston as Rachel Green, David Schwimmer as Ross Geller, Courteney Cox as Monica Geller, Matt LeBlanc as Joey Tribbiani, Lisa Kudrow as Phoebe Buffay (Photo by NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images) /
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HAPPY ENDINGS – “Cazsh Dummy Spillionaires” – Dave and Alex start dating again, telling everyone they’re keeping it “cazsh.” When an unfortunate accident lands Penny in a full body cast, Max nurses her back to health. But after he meets her hot physical therapist (Matthew Del Negro as Kent), he starts “misery-ing” her so her fast recovery won’t put the brakes on his new crush; and Brad has a secret about his new unemployed status that he’s trying to keep from Jane, on “Happy Endings,” TUESDAY, OCTOBER 23 (9:00-9:31 p.m., ET) on the Walt Disney Television via Getty Images Television Network. (Photo by Carin Baer/Walt Disney Television via Getty Images via Getty Images)CASEY WILSON, ELISHA CUTHBERT, ZACHARY KNIGHTON, DAMON WAYANS JR., ELIZA COUPE, ADAM PALLY
HAPPY ENDINGS – “Cazsh Dummy Spillionaires” – Dave and Alex start dating again, telling everyone they’re keeping it “cazsh.” When an unfortunate accident lands Penny in a full body cast, Max nurses her back to health. But after he meets her hot physical therapist (Matthew Del Negro as Kent), he starts “misery-ing” her so her fast recovery won’t put the brakes on his new crush; and Brad has a secret about his new unemployed status that he’s trying to keep from Jane, on “Happy Endings,” TUESDAY, OCTOBER 23 (9:00-9:31 p.m., ET) on the Walt Disney Television via Getty Images Television Network. (Photo by Carin Baer/Walt Disney Television via Getty Images via Getty Images)CASEY WILSON, ELISHA CUTHBERT, ZACHARY KNIGHTON, DAMON WAYANS JR., ELIZA COUPE, ADAM PALLY /

5. Happy Endings

Members: The most underrated sitcom friend group in the history of sitcom friend groups on Happy Endings boasted the absolute knockout sextet of Jane (Eliza Coupe), Alex (Elisha Cuthbert), Dave (Zachary Knighton), Max (Adam Pally), Brad (Damon Wayans Jr.), and Penny Hartz (Casey Wilson). Never once was the integrity of the group threatened by a departure or a new member because this crew was even more attached at the hip than any other, if that’s possible.

Memorable moments: First things first, if Happy Endings hadn’t been canceled (the greatest tragedy of modern television), the world would have been graced with who knows how many more memorable moments. But the ones that we received will stand the test of time and last a lifetime. This gang competed in an ’80s teen movie-themed scavenger hunt, left their mark at weddings, and spent a summer on The Real World. Never forget Boyz II Menorah (or Mandonna), Penny’s prescription helmet, or Alex’s racist pet parrot Tyler.

Running gags: Given that Happy Endings operated on one of the most energetic jokes-per-second paces of any sitcom ever, there wasn’t much time for running gags. Although, one of the comedy’s hallmarks included some incomparable uses of characterization. Namely, Jane often unleashed her unpredictable competitive streak, Alex wasn’t “as dumb as I am,” and Max committed to being a mess. Also, Penny never lost her optimism for the “Year of Penny” to pan out and V-neck lover Dave always found a way to mention that he’s one-sixteenth Navajo.

Key episodes: “Of Mice & Jazz-Kwon-Do,” “Mein Coming Out,” “Dave of the Dead,” “Blax, Snake, Home,” “Yesandwitch,” “Cocktails & Dreams,” “Party of Six,” “Big White Lies,” “Sabado Free-Gante,” “Fowl Play/Date,” “The Marry Prankster,” “In the Heat of the Noche,” “Un-sabotagable.”