The Friends gang certainly had a lot of relationships over the course of the show’s long run. Many partners came and went. Some were memorable, some forgettable. However, the partner who clearly had the most significant impact was Mike Hannigan.
Mike was introduced in Season 9 as a new love interest for Phoebe. It quickly became clear that he would be outlasting the average suitor, since he was so darn likeable. He was kind, charming and (given the fact that he was played by Paul Rudd) often hilarious as well. Mike may not have been one of the original six, but his marriage to Phoebe thankfully meant he was part of the gang. Here are some of Mike’s funniest quotes from Friends.
“Things Are About To Get Wild.”
While Mike fit into the core group surprisingly well, there was a certain member that he had a hard time connecting with. When he and Ross attempt to spend some quality time together, they find they don’t have much in common. This leads to a long and excruciating evening of the two struggling (and failing) to have a conversation.
The scene is hilariously awkward, easy to relate to for anyone who has been in such a situation. When Ross –in a move of desperation– suggests they look up the difference between beer and lager, Mike finally admits to himself that this is going to be a terrible night.
“Sorry, I Guess I Was Thrown Off By The Mention Of My Name.”
While Mike and Phoebe eventually live happily ever after, their relationship did have a few rocky periods. After Mike questions whether he’d ever want to marry again (having previously suffered through a painful divorce), they decide it’s time to end things.
The break-up isn’t easy, though, so Monica is brought in to ensure they stay apart so they can each move on. Monica, being who she is, takes charge (maybe Mike wasn’t used to Monica’s control-freak ways at this point). She might be discussing your personal relationship, but that doesn’t mean she thinks it’s any of your business.
“Oh, By The Way… I’m Awesome.”
Mike and Monica seemed to go head-to-head on a few occasions. When the two decide to face-off in a not-so-friendly game of ping pong, the others warn Mike that Monica can be a bit intense to play against. Mike has a hidden secret, though: he’s a ping pong master.
While Mike seems like a quiet kind of guy, as it turns out, he’s just as competitive as she is (which is saying a lot). Watching him come out of his shell to take Monica on is a fun moment, one that lets Rudd’s cockier side come through.
“She’s Going To Be Mrs. No Balls.”
With Phoebe and Mike, it seems like opposites really do attract. Phoebe is a very outgoing and free-spirited kind of person, while Mike seems to like to keep things a little more low-key. Phoebe understands that, so when it came time for the marriage proposal, she decided to try to take some of the pressure off him. It didn’t go well.
After she tried to propose to him at a basketball game, Mike was ridiculed by the crowd, which earned him the emasculating nickname. However, by the episode’s end, Mike finally popped the question and reclaimed the name in celebration.
“You Know, Come To Think Of It, The Capital of Peru Is Vtox.”
One of the sweetest things a person can do for a significant other is let them be wrong. It can be so easy to point our mistakes and falsehoods in what other people say. To ignore all factual information and just agree with your partners ignorance, though, is true love.
Mike must be a true romantic, because he understands this concept extremely well. When Phoebe wants help with her crossword puzzle, it doesn’t matter that he knows the right answer. What matters is that he agrees with Phoebe’s very incorrect guess (albeit in a super snarky way).
“You Know, I’m Trying To Remember The Last Time I Opened A Door And You Weren’t There.”
Anyone who dates a member of the Friends group needs to be prepared to have the rest of the gang constantly intervening in their relationship. Mike finds that out really quickly as, after meeting Ross only briefly, he is constantly bothered by Ross meddling in his new romance with Phoebe.
This comical moment, where he once again runs into Ross, seems to be Mike’s realization that this is just going to be part of his life now. By dating one person, five other strangers are just constantly going to be intruding on his life.
“You Should Really Look In The Mirror Before You Call Yourself That.”
The ping pong match really was one of Mike’s finest moments on the show. Not only is it nice to see someone stand up to the overly competitive Monica, but he also gets in a few good digs, which is a bit out of character for the usually polite Mike.
His best jab is this biting comeback to Monica’s taunt after she got the upper hand (“by the way, how does it feel losing to a girl?”). Unfortunately, due to her humidity-destroyed hair, she was in no position to be throwing around insults. Mike did not hesitate to make her regret that.
“You’re A Strange Kind Of Grown-Up.”
As much as we all love the Friends gang, we have to admit that they’re quite a bizarre group of people. It might be fun to binge-watch their adventures, but to actually hang out with them might not be as much fun. Sometimes it takes an outsider to point out the unusual behavior of these people.
Mike’s comment to Joey could really be used as a summation of the entire show. These are grown adults and they rarely act like it. It’s a funny kind of blunt comment, just the kind of off-the-cuff remark that Rudd delivers so well.
“Hey, When Did We Become One Of Those Couples Whose Lives Revolve Around Their Rats?”
There’s no doubt about it, Phoebe Buffay is a strange person. She’s very kind and fun, but she has an awful lot of quirks. It can’t always be easy for Mike to keep up with her outlandish ways, but he does his best.
Even when Phoebe decides to adopt a bunch of rats, Mike takes it in stride. Sure, he probably never thought he’d be spending his adult life caring for a family of disgusting rats, but love can make you do some very unexpected things.
“First Name, Crap. Last Name, Bag.”
Paul Rudd really does improve everything he appears in. Even though he’s now a big screen superhero, he still gets to show off his goofball side. The role of Mike may be a bit more reserved than some of his more famous performances, but he still brings us glimpses of classic Rudd.
When Phoebe decides to change her name to Princess Consuela Banana Hammock, Mike shows her the error of her ways by picking his own unique name.
If you need an easy way to remember it, just think of a bag of crap. Classic Rudd.
