Friends: Monica & Chandler Relationship Timeline, Season By Season
Monica and Chandler are one of the cutest couples in Friends – but how did their relationship play out over the years?
Although it was already a hit sitcom at the time, Friends changed forever when Chandler and Monica got together. Ross and Rachel might have gotten more focus when the show was on the air, but long after the show ended, Chandler and Monica are perhaps the most important couple of the series as the audience got to experience so many big moments from the two. Taking a look at the timeline of their relationship highlights some of the biggest and most memorable moments of the series.
With the tragic death of Matthew Perry, many fans have looked back on Chandler’s best moments on Friends and found it’s impossible to separate them from his relationship with Monica. While it was a risk to put two characters from the ensemble together romantically so late into the series, their chemistry worked so well that it was an easy pairing to cheer for. From the shocking moment they got together to their wedding planning and their future, Chandler and Monica’s romance made Friends even better.
Chandler And Monica Go From Being Just Friends To Hooking Up
Seasons 1-4
For the first four seasons of Friends, Monica and Chandler are very just friends, with a very platonic relationship. They both pursue relationships with other people, and the “will they/won’t they” aspect of the show is exclusively on Ross and Rachel. They do have a few cute relationship-adjacent moments, though, that hint to fans at something more to come. In one episode, Chandler suggests to Monica that they be each other’s ‘back up’ person, and spends time showing her what a great boyfriend he would be. It’s intended as a joke, but was foreshadowing in hindsight.
They also often seem closer than some of the others on the show, but nothing comes of it. However, Friends went for the risky “friends to lovers” approach at the end of season 4, when Monica and Chandler hooked up in London. Despite the fact that they intend this to be a one-time thing, the season four finale is the episode where Monica and Chandler get together – ‘The One With Ross’ Wedding: Part 2′.
Chandler And Monica Keep Their Relationship A Secret
Season 5
For a large part of Friends season 5, Monica and Chandler are sleeping together, but trying to keep it a secret from the rest of their friends. This leads to all kinds of ridiculous hijinks, especially as the gang finds out one by one, and it gets hard to keep track of who knows what — and which lies have been told. However, their secret soon comes out, and the latter part of the season sees Monica and Chandler openly dating, and dealing with the usual ups and downs of a relationship.
The season ends with them even almost getting married in Friends’ classic Las Vegas episode, but deciding at the end that it is too soon – and they should move in together instead. This season does a fantastic job of making a relationship compelling viewing, without relying on fights or breakups to do it, and it’s easy to see how these two are going to end up together.
Chandler And Monica Move In Together And Propose (Twice)
Season 6
Season 6 keeps things moving with the relationship milestones as Monica and Chandler move in together and get engaged over the course of this season. Once again, the season shows how a relationship can be kept interesting without having to have the pair break up and makeup over and over. This season, it’s all about learning to live together and forming a relationship that is getting more serious than anyone expected.
“The One With The Proposal” ended up being the most important Monica and Chandler episode to that point. This is made even more emotional than a usual TV proposal because Richard reappears at the very end when Chandler is trying to make Monica think he isn’t going to propose (even though he is). This leaves Monica with what looks like a decision to make. Of course, her decision was made long ago, and she proposes to Chandler in a candlelit scene that is one of the most heartwarming of the show.
Chandler And Monica’s Wedding
Season 7
Monica and Chandler continue to hit their milestones in this season, as they get married. Definitely the biggest wedding in the entire series, the entire season is a lead-up to the big day, with the actual wedding taking up the two-part Friends finale.
Once again, there are some ups and downs surrounding the upcoming nuptials, such as Chandler’s fear of becoming like his parents, and Monica’s Type-A personality taking over the planning. However, the season continues to reiterate that Chandler and Monica are soulmates. Even when Chandler gets cold feet right before the wedding, he thinking that Monica is pregnant proves to him how much he wants to build a life with her.
Chandler And Monica Enjoy Married Life
Season 8
Once Monica and Chandler return from their honeymoon, Friends does a great job of showing them settle into their most normal and least chaotic relationship phase to date. It makes for a fairly normal season for the two which is not necessarily a bad thing as the viewers get to enjoy seeing them explore their early days of marriage.
This includes hijinks like Monica opening all the wedding gifts without Chandler and dealing with a maid whom Monica suspects of stealing. However, they take another big step forward at the end of the season when deciding to have a baby.
Chandler And Monica Go Long-Distance And Try For Kids
Season 9
After the relative peacefulness of season 8, season 9 shakes things up for Monica and Chandler a little. One of the biggest changes over the course of this season has to do with Chandler’s job taking him to Tulsa. Their time attempting long-distance is a great arc, as it adds some more struggles to their relationship. However, Chandler eventually quits his job and looks for a career he is passionate about.
Eventually, though, they are back together in New York, and it’s time for the next milestone – having kids. This is where the series creates another issue for them, as they find out that it is highly unlikely that Monica will be able to become pregnant, and they struggle to deal with the news. It is a heavy storyline for the show and only makes them a more endearing couple.
Chandler And Monica Adopt And Move Out
Season 10
By the season finale of the show, Monica and Chandler are still going strong, and despite the challenges of season 9, they finish up with a season that brings them to their ‘happily ever after’. Much of this season revolves around them being chosen as adoptive parents by Erica, a pregnant woman from Ohio.
Throughout her pregnancy, they are excited about their future together, and end up buying a home out of the city to raise their kids which becomes very necessary as they find out during the delivery that Erica actually has twins. This sets up the Friends finale with the final moments of the show seeing the beloved gang starting their new lives and moving out of the iconic apartment.