Think You Know FRIENDS? Then Ace This Quiz On Secondary Characters!
- by Laura Martisiute
- – on
- in Movies and TV
Friends was an amazing TV show that first aired in 1994 and which ended in 2004 after the release of 10 seasons and 236 episodes. It was right after it was released that the show became incredibly popular all over the world, no doubt as a result of its relatable characters and plot lines that resembled real-life situations.
Even though it has now been more than 20 years since the show originally aired, it remains, to this day, one of the most watched TV series ever. It is an iconic show and one that is still as relatable as it ever was.
However, while many of us have re-watched the show countless of times, most of us only ever focus on the main characters, namely the three guys - Joey, Chandler and Ross - and the three girls - Rachel, Monica and Phoebe.
Of course, the six above mentioned characters were not the only characters to appear on the series. There were countless of secondary characters that were very important both for the development of the main characters as well as for the development of the plot.
Unfortunately, a lot of the time these secondary characters get neglected. How about you, when you were watching the series did you focus solely on the main characters or did you pay attention to the secondary characters as well? Take the quiz below to test your knowledge of Friends secondary characters. Only true fans of the series will ace the quiz!
Who was Gunther in love with?
Remember Gunther? He was the waiter and manager at Central Perk, the cafe where the gang used to hang out in on a regular basis. If you are a true fan of the show then you can probably recall that Gunther had a serious crush on someone. Indeed, when Joey couldn't pay the bills with just acting alone and had to become a waiter at Central Perk, Gunther accidentally confided in him that one of the perks of this job was the fact that he could stare at a particular woman all day long.
What was Carol’s occupation?
Carol was Ross's first ex-wife who turned out to be a lesbian, hence why the two divorced. Carol and Ross were married for years and before their divorce Carol used to be a member of the gang - she often hung out with them at Central Perk and indeed, in one of the episodes Phoebe confessed that she missed Ross's first wife. However, even though Carol appeared in a number of episodes, little was known about her. In one of the episodes, Rachel couldn't even remember her last name. We're sure you're not that bad, but do you know what was her occupation?
What was the name of Monica’s and Rachel’s neighbor?
Remember this guy? He was Monica's and Rachel's neighbor who lived right under them. He was an old, grumpy man and used to constantly annoy the girls. He would often complain about the noise the girls were making, either by coming up to their apartment and complaining in person or by tapping his broomstick onto his ceiling. This character was also a liar and often told far-fetched lies. When he died, the gang had to clean his apartment which made Chandler realize that his actions and personality were very much like this guy's which scared him into thinking that he too would die alone.
Which of the below was Janice’s trademark cry?
You probably either hated or loved Janice, there was no in between. We first met her when she was dating Chandler - indeed, she was Chandler's on-again off-again girlfriend and according to Chandler himself, his safety net. Later in the series Janice also briefly dated Ross but eventually broke up with him because he was too annoying, even for her. She had a very annoying voice and a trademark phrase that she used to utter constantly. Can you remember what this trademark cry was?
What was Mike's occupation before he left his job to become a full-time pianist?
When we first met Mike (when Joey forgot to find Phoebe a date for their double date night and randomly picked Mike up in Central Perk) we had no idea that he would become such an important character. He turned out to be Phoebe's long term boyfriend and then finally husband. But can you remember much about him? For example, can you remember what was his occupation before he left his job to become a full-time pianist? If you can recall, it was his piano skills that initially won Phoebe over.
Ross and Julie first met in grad school. But where did they reconnect?
Out of all of Ross's girlfriends, Julie was probably our favorite. She was sweet, kind and funny so we were slightly heartbroken when he broke up with her to be with Rachel (although we'll be honest - we were also very excited to finally see Ross get together with Rachel). Ross and Julie dated at the start of season 2 and you can probably remember them mentioning that they first met in grad school. But can you remember where it was that they reconnected? It was during one of Ross's business trips.
What was the name of this character that Ross briefly dated?
Can you recall the name of this particular secondary character? Just like the character above she was Ross's short-term girlfriend. The two dated in season 6 and while their relationship was fun Ross couldn't actually see it having a future, mostly because she was his student and there was quite a large age gap between them. In addition, their relationship was quite secretive - according to Ross's university rules he couldn't date his students. Plus, this character's father did not like Ross at all and threatened to expose Ross's relationship with his daughter to the university.
Who was this character?
This character was named Susan and appeared right at the start of the series - in season 1 episode 2. She was a smart and funny woman but she did not get along with Ross who resented her immensely. For her part, she did not like Ross very much either. The rest of the gang did not seem to have an opinion on her either way, and she did not seem to care much about the gang either. So, can you remember who this character was?
What was the name of the character who along with Ross, started a rumor in school that Rachel had both male and female reproductive parts?
As you can probably recall, this character used to be fat in school which resulted in Rachel ridiculing him on a continuous basis. Indeed, Rachel's mean comments got so bad that this character ended up starting an "I Hate Rachel" club. Ross was a member of this club (but only because he was in love with Rachel) as was a foreign exchange student (who probably didn't know what the club was about). It was this character and Ross who started a rumor that Rachel had both male and female reproductive organs.
What was Richard’s occupation?
Monica and Richard made a cute couple, even if he was 21 years older than her. And even though many people - including Monica's parents - were shocked to find out about their relationship, they eventually came around and supported them. But how much do you know about Richard? Can you remember what his occupation was? We'll give you a hint: after first catering at Richard's party, Monica booked an appointment with him just so that she could see him again.
What was Rachel's mother's name?
Throughout the show we got to see Rachel's mother on a number of occasions and it didn't take us long to realize that she had an uncanny resemblance to Rachel in terms of her personality, albeit not the independent Rachel but the Rachel we knew before she made it on her own. Eventually, Rachel's mother divorced Rachel's father, saying that while Rachel did not marry her Barry, she did. She also said that she too would try and become independent.
Gunther was fluent in which language?
Gunther may not have spoken much but he was certainly one of the more important secondary characters on the series. Since the gang spent much of their time at Central Perk - and Gunther was its manager - Gunther was always somewhere in the background. Still, despite all of this, we knew very little about him. And even when Gunther would reveal something about his personality, we would quickly forget it. As such, only true fans will be able to answer this question - which one of the below languages was Gunther fluent in?
Who briefly dated this character?
Can you remember this secondary character? His name was Danny and when we first met him we saw Monica and Rachel fogging him, for according to the girls, he looked like a yeti. Chandler and Joey then explained that Danny had just gotten back from a trip, hence his shaggy appearance. Eventually, one of the girls started dating him - can you recall who? However, their relationship did not last thanks to Danny's strange love for his sister which resulted in inappropriate affection.
What was Rachel’s father’s occupation?
As you can probably remember Rachel's dad - Dr. Leonard Green - was a rather unpleasant character. He was bossy, amoral and unfriendly. He was also rather scary. He disliked Ross, especially after he got Rachel pregnant and didn't marry her. Still, apart from all of this we know quite little about this character. We do however know his occupation. Do you know what it is? At the start of the series Rachel used to go after men that were in a similar line of work.
What was the age difference between Frank Jr. and Alice?
Phoebe was more than excited to learn that she had a half-brother but she was also shocked when he told her that he was dating his former home economics teacher named Alice. As you can probably remember, there was quite a large age gap between the two of them hence Phoebe's initial disapproval of the relationship. However, despite their age difference Frank Jr. and Alice seemed incredibly happy and eventually got married. It took Phoebe some time but she also came around to the idea of her brother dating a much older woman.
Who dated this character?
This character - an Australian woman named Janine - was Joey's roommate after Chandler moved out. Initially, Joey picked Janine over others who were interested in the room based solely on her looks but eventually he grew to like her personality as well. Janine was a dancer and had no interest in Joey, much to his surprise. But can you remember who it was that dated this character? Unfortunately, their relationship did not work out because she did not like his friends.
What were the names of Mike’s parents?
We knew little about Phoebe's boyfriend's - and later husband's - Mike's upbringing before the episode in which we got to meet his parents. It turned out that Mike came from an upper class family and that his parents were wealthy and arrogant. Upon first meeting them Phoebe tried incredibly hard to impress them - going so far as to dress completely differently to her usual style and speaking in a strange accent that she deemed to be "upper class" - but failed, totally and utterly.
Who bought Rachel’s sphynx cat after she decided to sell it?
If you love cats then you will no doubt remember Mr. Whiskerson. Mr. Whiskerson was Rachel's Sphynx cat in season 5 of the series. Rachel got the cat - which cost her $1000 - because it reminded her of her grandma's cat with which she used to play with as a little girl. However, it didn't take Rachel long to realize that Mr. Whiskerson was not very pleasant - it scratched her and hissed at her and eventually she ended up selling it.
Where was Emily from?
We first met Emily in season 4 of the series. Emily was Rachel's boss's niece who dated Ross. Ross and Emily were so smitten with each other that they soon decided to get married. However, as you can probably recall Emily was not American and so her and Ross decided to get married in the place that she was from. Can you remember where it was that Emily was from? We bet that you can so just go ahead and choose the correct answer!
Why was “Fun Bobby” so fun?
Remember "Fun Bobby"? He was Monica's on-again and off-again boyfriend in season 1 and season 2 of the series. The gang loved Bobby for he was ridiculously fun and for some time he was considered as one of the best men that Monica has gone out with. However, in season 2 of the show we learned that there was a reason why Bobby was always so fun. Can you remember what that reason was? If so, choose the answer that you think is correct!
After Ross had to give Marcel away, what did Marcel end up doing?
Marcel was Ross's pet monkey in season 1 of the series. Ross was incredibly attached to him despite knowing that it was illegal for him to keep an exotic animal as a pet. However, eventually Ross had to give Marcel away because he reached his sexual maturity and started humping everything around him. After much difficulty, Ross found Marcel a place in a zoo but Marcel did not stay there for long. Can you remember what Marcel ended up doing?
What was the name of Joey’s agent?
Can you remember the name of this character? She was Joey's agent who hired him after she saw him play the lead role in a low budget musical play called "Freud!" She was not very good at her job and for the most part, only managed to secure Joey very small roles that had little - if any - dialogue. She did however manage to secure him the role of Dr. Drake Ramoray on the soap opera titled "Days of Our Lives".
Why did Monica and Pete Becker break up?
Pete was Monica's short-term boyfriend in season 3 of the series. They first met while Monica was still working at the Moondance Diner which required her to dress in a ridiculous 1950s costume and to occasionally dance. Pete was instantly attracted to her but initially Monica did not feel the same way towards him. However, eventually the two ended up going out and Monica realized that she did care about Pete and even thought that he might propose to her. Their relationship did not last however - can you remember why?
What was the name of Rachel’s short-term boyfriend who looked exactly like Ross?
We were all overjoyed when Ross and Rachel got together in season 2 of the series. Unfortunately, their relationship did not last thanks to a pro and con list that Ross wrote, comparing Rachel and Julie, which the former found. After breaking up with Ross however Rachel briefly went out with a guy that looked exactly like Ross. Everyone could see the similarities between this guy and Ross except for Rachel and Ross. However, eventually Rachel realized how similar Ross and the guy she was dating were and ended up breaking up with him. Can you remember this guy's name?
What was the name of Phoebe’s twin sister?
If you are a true Friends fan then you will remember that Phoebe had a twin sister. Phoebe and her twin sister may have looked the same but they were completely different when it came to their personalities. While Phoebe was seen as caring and sweet (if a little weird) her twin sister was seen as selfish, unpleasant and insensitive. She didn't care about hurting other people's feelings and she did not care much about Phoebe. She worked as a waitress but was incredibly bad at her job. Can you remember her name?
Who was Tag?
Remember Tag? He was a handsome 24-year-old man who first appeared in season 7 of the series. He ended up working with one member of the gang even though his resume made it obvious that he was not fitted for the job for it included things such as "3 years experience of painting houses". That same member of the gang ended up falling for Tag and he reciprocated the feelings. However, their romantic relationship jeopardized both of their jobs.
After Chandler’s dad came out as transgender, he changed his name to what?
We did not get to meet Chandler's dad - Charles Bing - until season 7 of the series although we did see him in a Thanksgiving flashback during which he and Chandler's mother - Nora Bing - announced that they were getting a divorce, thus ruining Chandler's appreciation for Thanksgiving. It was after his divorce with Nora that Charles became a drag queen. But can you remember what he changed his male name to? Was it Amy Amore, Roberta Rose, Helena Handbasket or Laura Lovecraft?
Why did Monica and Richard break up?
Monica and Richard were a cute couple despite the huge age difference between them. They were obviously totally in love with each other, had similar personalities and shared the same values. And while initially people found their relationship strange, eventually everyone came to accept it. However, it was Richard's and Monica's age difference that eventually indirectly ended their relationship. So, can you remember the reason as to why Monica and Richard broke up? Go ahead and choose the answer that you think is correct!
What was the name of Phoebe’s scientist boyfriend who had to go to Minsk?
This guy was the first serious boyfriend that Phoebe ever had. They met at Central Perk when Phoebe got annoyed at him and his friend for talking during her performance. They soon started going out and made an incredibly cute couple. They were both weird and suited each other perfectly. Unfortunately, their relationship was cut short after he told Phoebe that him and his friend received a scientific grant to study in Minsk. He was torn between going and staying with Phoebe, but eventually Phoebe convinced him to go.
What was Chandler’s mother’s occupation?
Chandler's mother - Nora Bing - had a very interesting occupation, can you remember what it was? Chandler was quite embarrassed by it but the rest of the gang thought that her job was incredibly cool and in season 1 of the series Rachel even tried to follow in Nora's footsteps, albeit unsuccessfully. Indeed, Nora's job even led to her appearing on TV. So, in your opinion, was Chandler's mother a striptease dancer, an actress, a graphic adult novelist or a model?
What was the name of Chandler’s short-term roommate that suffered from mental and emotional problems?
After Joey made it big on the soap opera Days of Our Lives, he decided to move out from his and Chandler's place and get a place of his own. This resulted in Chandler getting a new roommate. However, while initially Chandler thought that his new roommate was quite cool eventually he realized that they had absolutely nothing in common - his new roommate didn't like Baywatch or foosball, stole mannequin heads from Macy's and liked to watch Chandler sleep. Can you remember his name?
How many children did Janice have by the end of season 10?
Janice was certainly one of the most annoying secondary characters on the show. She was Chandler's on-again and off-again girlfriend and his safety net. Most of the gang - especially Joey - disliked Janice and so did the fans. So we were all surprised when Janice got married not once but twice and when she became a mother. Still, while Janice was a permanent fixture on the show we did not know that much about her. Thus, only real fans of the show will be able to answer this question - how many children did Janice have by the end of season 10?
When Phoebe changed her name to Princess Consuela Bananahammock, Mike changed his name to what?
When Phoebe first met Mike many fans believed that he was much too normal for her. However, as the series progressed we realized that he balanced out her weirdness nicely and that they made a cute couple. Phoebe helped Mike embrace his weirdness and Mike for his part helped keep Phoebe grounded. For example, can you remember what Mike changed his name to after Phoebe changed her name to Princess Consuela Bananahammock? This new name of Mike's convinced Phoebe to change her name back.
What was Chandler’s dad’s Las Vegas show called?
Chandler was nine years old when his parents announced that they were divorcing as a result of Chandler's dad - Charles Bing - coming out as transgender. Chandler was quite embarrassed by his father when he was growing up and over the years the two had lost touch. However, when Chandler and Monica decided to get married Monica insisted that they invite Chandler's dad to the wedding. They thus went to one of Chandler's dad's shows in Las Vegas where Chandler made amends and asked him to come to his wedding. It was a touching moment but can you remember what Chandler's dad's show was called?
Before Gunther became a waiter at Central Perk he was an actor on All My Children. How was his character killed off?
When most of us think of Central Perk, we think not of the iconic couch or of the six friends hanging out there but of Gunther. Gunther was the waiter and the manager of the cafe but believe it or not, he was not always in charge of coffee and buns. Once upon a time Gunther was actually an actor on the TV series All My Friends. However, when his character - a man named Bryce - was killed off, he had no choice but to find another career.