Entertainment
Monica Geller has many flaws. She's a control freak, perfectionist, an obsessive cleaner, picky, and extremely competitive. She's also loving, persistent, an excellent cook, and fiercely loyal to her friends. And those good traits wouldn't exist without the less appealing ones, as proven by these nine times Monica's annoying habits actually saved the day on Friends. No, Monica's more bothersome traits didn't solve world hunger, or answer the mystery of how Ross got so many women to marry him. But, they did come in handy in saving Ross, Chandler, Joey, Rachel, and Phoebe from a few unfortunate situations over the years, and that's more than enough.
Friends ran for 10 years, ending with a total of 236 episodes, and Monica, just like the rest of the main cast of characters, was in every single one. Over the years, fans watched as Monica went from a type-A aspiring chef to a slightly calmer mother of two. Though her more obsessive traits (cleaning, cooking, control, etc.) were often played for laughs, they also made her one of the most valuable members of the Friends crew. If nothing else, she was definitely the most resourceful and the most productive. It's no wonder Monica's annoying habits saved the day on Friends from time to time.
1
When Her Need To Be Liked Started It All
It might sound harsh to say that Monica and Rachel's friendship was partly dependent on Monica's desire to be liked, but it's also true. And as Rachel's BFF, Monica often bent over backwards to give Rachel a hand, including when she invited Rachel to live with her in the very first episode. Turns out, her desire to be liked is what really kicked off the entire series.
2
When Her Apartment Was So Clean, Everyone Wanted To Hang Out There
This isn't exactly a specific instance in which Monica's obsessive cleanliness saved the day, but it's clear from all 10 seasons of Friends that Monica's neatness made her apartment the main hangout for Ross, Joey, Chandler, and Phoebe, regardless of whether they lived there or not. Monica's apartment is the most iconic set of the show, and that's all because of her.
3
When Her Honesty Started The Best 'Friends' Love Story
Monica's inability to hold back any and all critique also made it so that she wasn't really shy about dishing out compliments, but only if she really meant it. Monica's bluntness, when she told Chandler that he's a good kisser in London, can be credited for kickstarting the Monica-Chandler love story that lasted multiple seasons and was arguably the best ship on Friends.
4
When Her Desire For Control Saved Rachel From Herself — Sort Of
Monica jumped at the chance to control Rachel's love life after the disastrous trip to London and Ross' ruined wedding. And, while Monica's controlling ways went a little bit overboard, she was acting with good intentions, and she did her best to save Rachel from making a move on a heartbroken Ross.
5
When Her Perfectionist Cooking Fed Literally Every Character
Let's face it, Friends fans, there's no way Chandler, Joey, Rachel, Ross, and Phoebe would have survived those 10 years without Monica cooking them meals (and, in many cases, giving them a place to stay). But, really, Monica always came through when it came to food, and she doesn't get nearly enough credit for it.
6
When She Changed Chandler's Outlook On Thanksgiving
Chandler always hated Thanksgiving, that is until Monica put a turkey on her head and danced for him in Season 5's "The One with All the Thanksgivings." Not only did she totally save her Friends-giving, she managed to get Chandler to tell her he loved her.
7
When Her Perfectionism Lead Her To Nestle Toll House
There aren't many people who would work in the kitchen all day baking various chocolate cookie recipes in the hopes of recreating your grandmother's family recipe. Monica is one of those people. Her dedication and perfectionism really came through when she tried to help Phoebe reconnect with her dead grandmother, only to find out that the recipe was Nestle Toll House the entire time. (Bonus: she wasn't even that mad about it!)
8
When Her Dictatorial Tendencies Created Holiday Memories
Monica always made sure that her friends had a decent meal on Thanksgiving and Christmas, and she often enlisted their help to make the perfect meal come to fruition. Yes, she could be a bit of a dictator about the correct way to line up marshmallows on yams or how to cut vegetables, but the end result was always a heap of food so good, even Joey couldn't finish it all by himself.
9
When She Obsessively Planned Phoebe's Wedding
Monica taking control of Phoebe's wedding might not have been the best idea. She ended up planning a wedding Phoebe didn't even want, but in the end, she came through for her friend. And, yes, her obsessive and controlling tendencies did help.
Bottom line: Monica was the best obsessive friend there ever was.
