“Friends,” one of the most-watched sitcoms of all time, debuted Sept. 22, 1994. Although no one knew it at the time, it would make six young actors world famous, including Birmingham, Ala., native Courteney Cox.

Cox was born June 15, 1964, to Richard Lewis Cox and Courteney Bass Cox. Courteney attended Mountain Brook High School and planned to be an architect before landing the gig that led to her acting career: Portraying a young fan in Bruce Springsteen’s 1984 “Dancing in the Dark” video.

As “Friends” celebrates 30 years on television and in syndication, let’s celebrate the character Cox made so lovable: Monica Geller.

Here are five of Monica’s most memorable episodes (keeping the list as family-friendly as possible).

RELATED: 10 things we learned about Courteney Cox from the ‘Friends’ reunion

The One with the Butt (Season 1 Episode 6)

If this episode focused on Monica, it would be called “The One with the Green Ottoman,” wherein viewers get a true idea of Monica’s obsessive cleanliness, all played for laughs. (It was named instead for the plotline in which Joey gets a role in an Al Pacino movie – but it turns out the role is as Pacino’s butt-double in a shower scene.)

Nobody played obsessive like Courteney Cox! When Monica comes home to find out Rachel has cleaned the apartment, Monica obsesses over her placement of the green ottoman. After Monica’s friends joke about her quirky trait, Monica downplays her cleanliness and purposely leaves a pair of tennis shoes on the living room floor – then she is unable to sleep for thinking about the out-of-place shoes.

The One with the Fake Monica (Season 1, Episode 21)

This one is the perfect showcase for Cox’s comedic chops: When Monica’s credit card is stolen, she goes to find the thief. But when “fake Monica” turns out to be living the life Monica envies, Monica befriends her instead. When Fake Monica is arrested, she and “real Monica” have a heart-to-heart about embracing your true self.

The One with the Embryos (Season 4, Episode 12)

This episode is named for Phoebe’s attempt to become pregnant for her brother and sister-in-law via IVF but a secondary plotline is what the show is known for: Chandler and Joey challenge Monica and Rachel to a test to see if the boys know the girls better or vice versa.

The challenge quickly becomes a trivia test led by Ross. When it ends in a tie, the girls make a high stakes bet: If the guys win the final wager, they’ll trade apartments. The guys win and the girls reluctantly move out. This is a fan favorite episode that plays on Monica’s competitive nature and shows Cox’s increasing skills with comic timing.

Another great payoff comes in the next episode, in which Monica is forced to make the best of moving into a “dirty” guys’ apartment. Plus, she misses being the “host” and center of the groups’ activities. Her attempts to get the friends to come to the apartment across the hall, including installing new flooring, are hilarious.

The One with All the Rugby (Season 4, Episode 15)

This episode is named for Ross’s attempt to play rugby, despite knowing nothing of the game, to impress Emily. In a secondary plot, Monica, now living in the guys’ apartment, becomes obsessed with a light switch that doesn’t seem to be connected to anything. She tries everything: She gets electrical plans of the building, she tears parts of the wall to follow the wire from the switch, she hires an electrician to investigate. More Monica obsessiveness? Yes, please.

Finally, we learn that unbeknownst to Monica she is turning the TV off and on in her old apartment whenever she flips the switch.

The One with All the Thanksgivings (Season 5, Episode 8)

This episode is all over the place – in a good way. The friends relive past Thanksgivings in flashbacks while in the present, Monica accidentally severs Chandler’s toe and it has to be reattached. To apologize, Monica puts a massive raw turkey on her head, adds a fez and oversized sunglasses and dances for him. It is such an iconic scene that you can find all kinds of “turkey in a fez” merchandise, from Christmas ornaments to dog toys. Plus, Chandler blurts out that he loves Monica…a sign of things to come.