Summary: Joey tries to audition for a part but it involves him kissing a man. He tries to kiss men for practice. Chandler goes on the internet and meets a girl who he really connects with so he wants to start a relationship with her. Rachel goes to Barry and Mindy's wedding but is humiliated once more. Monica and Richard come to the reality that their relationship may not work out.
The Good: In terms of storytelling, this is as good as it gets. Rachel's arc comes full circle in this episode with her standing up at Barry's wedding and showing how much she has changed over the past 2 seasons. Ross was fantastic as he supported her in hilarious ways while still coming off as a really loving person. Rachel was never unsympathetic in this episode either and her situation was relatable and very funny throughout. And on top of the storyline pay off, there were several great jokes throughout. Joey's storyline was fantastic for a C-story in an episode. It was all jokes and the jokes were really funny every time leading to good laugh after good laugh. Chandlers storyline was great too and it pays off of his storyline where he is constantly picky about women and is now convinced he has found the one. The episode then ends in hilarious fashion as Chandler once again runs into Janice, providing a great irony and a great laugh. Monica and Richard's storyline is fantastic to. While there aren't very many laughs, there doesn't need to be because the other storylines more than provide. Plus considering the very real weight and emotion in this storyline, I think ti was a very good decision to not have many laughs with this one. I've come to care about Monica and Richard over the course of the season, so there is definitely some emotional resonance here. The Bad: Nothing really. Best Moment: I'll go with Joey greeting Rachel and immediately going to try to kiss Ross who hilariously responds with hostility. We are really spoiled for choice with Joey scenes in this episode, but I thought that was the funniest. Character of the Episode: I'll give it to Rachel for her storyline coming full circle here. Conclusion: This was a terrific season finale with great laughs and even better storytelling. This was a great way to close out another great season of Friends. Compared to season 1, this season was slightly worse but I don't think that's entirely accurate. This season at its worst was definitely worse than season 1, but I also think hat the writing and laughs have improved a lot, which resulted in there being more awesome moments in this season compared to the last. The show keeps improving and if season 3 can maintain this high quality, the show has an extremely bright future. Score: 86
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Summary: Phoebe's lover comes back from the Navy but they both get the chicken pox. Monica starts talking about her obsessive behaviour with Richard who doesn't seem to mind. Joey works a job at Chandler's work but acts as a different character and annoys Chandler.
The Good: The writers continue to be extremely creative in these episodes. Some of the ideas are really out of the box here, though they aren't very good (see: The Bad). The acting is very good as usual and Chandler is especially funny through his reactions to Joey. The Bad: The chicken pox plot isn't very funny and doesn't really go anywhere. Same deal with the Monica/Richard plotline which is extremely average. It provides the occasional laugh and Richard is great but it isn't at all memorable. Joey is bad in this episode and the storyline is ridiculous. Joey seems like a total prick and I don't feel at all bad for "Joseph" in the episode, and Chandler is given every reason to be annoyed. Best Moment: The last scene with Ross trying to take Rachel back to the apartment but her continually forgetting things was hilarious. Character of the Episode: Chandler. Conclusion: This was a very weak episode. The comedy lacked and the writing was pretty poor sometimes. Friends has been excellent this season but there seem to be a few episodes which are just much weaker than the rest. This is one of those episodes. Score: 54 Summary: Rachel is upset because her divorced parents keep arguing. The friends throw a surprise birthday party for Rachel but they are forced to create two separate parties when both of Rachel's parents show up. The friends attempt to keep the parents separate as Rachel struggles to have a good time listening to both of them complain.
The Good: This was a really creative episode of comedy and it worked so well because of that. The idea of the two parties was ingenious and the desperate attempts to keep Rachel's parents away from each other allowed for some hilarious tension and very inventive laughs. All 6 friends got the spotlight at different times and all were very funny whenever they needed to be. But the main focus here was on Rachel who had a fantastic episode to examine her feelings with the divorce. It felt very real and gave us an excellent story to base the episode around. The laughs were spectacular in this episode. Ross' antics were brilliant as always, Phoebe's "secret operation" was really funny, Monica's obsession with an organized party was great, Chandler's energy was as great as always and Joey got a lot of nice moments throughout like when he hilariously kissed Rachel's mom. Even Gunther got some lines and funny moments. The Bad: Nothing. Best Moment: There are so, so many laughs to select from. I'll go with Ross' hilarious conversations with Rachel's parents as he tries to sheepishly explain things away. Character of the Episode: Ross. Conclusion: This was a fantastic episode with an engaging plot and some of the show's very best laughs. Episodes like this are why Friends is one of the very best sitcoms out there. Score: 85 Summary: Chandler and Ross run into bullies at the coffee shop who bother them and they are afraid to deal with them. Phoebe tries to meet her father again and accidentally hurts his dog. Monica is running out of money and doesn't want to take a bad job so she invests in stocks.
The Good: The bullies plot is creative and pretty unexpected, since adult bullies are rarely seen in TV shows and movies. There are some fun laughs with Ross and Chandler throughout the episode. Phoebe meeting her brother was pretty fun too, and so was Monica's little stock storyline. The Bad: This episode lacked for me though. The plots were fun, but really lacked in humour. There were just a ton of average jokes, with some feeling a little bit ridiculous as well. This episode had creative ideas but the execution was weak and there was nothing memorable about this episode at all. Shortly after watching it, I forgot pretty much all of the jokes, which is never a good thing. Best Moment: I'll go with Phoebe's ridiculous connections telling her to go see her dad. Not a great scene, but this episode was quite ordinary throughout. Character of the Episode: Phoebe. Conclusion: This episode had creative ideas, but was extremely bland and didn't give me very many laughs. The weakest episode of the show so far. Score: 55 Summary: Phoebe learns that Old Yeller dies at the end of the movie and that her mom had been hiding the sad endings of sad movies from her. Richard starts hanging out with Joey and Chandler a lot and Monica gets jealous since she gets less time with him now. Rachel gets terrified after she learns that Ross has made plans for their future.
The Good: This was another solid episode. The Richard story was the best here and was pretty clever. It felt real having Joey and Chandler think of Richard as a dad naturally, and I also like that they gave Richard reasons for enjoying the company of the guys as well. Monica's involvement was excellent too and I love that she didn't create meaningless drama as Richard immediately chose Monica first. It was a logical decision for Richard and was a nice little story for the episode. And on top of that it was really funny especially with Joey and Chandler imitating Richard, though it wasn't as funny as Friends at its best. The other storylines were mostly just filler but they were fine. Ross was great as always in his story with Rachel and I did enjoy their brief argument. Ben's story was harmless fun I suppose. The Bad: Phoebe's story was completely average. Phoebe is best as a background character, so giving her a central story like this with nobody else to properly play off of really doesn't work. The episode really lacks on hilarious moments and only gets a few good chuckles out of me. That separates it from the other great episodes this season. Best Moment: I'll go with Joey cluelessly telling Richard they think of him as a dad. It was pretty funny and used Joy's one-track mind to its fullest. Character of the Episode: Joey. Conclusion: This episode had some pretty funny moments and solid storylines but it doesn't quite live up to the other strong episodes this season. Score: 66 Summary: Chandler continues to get creeped out by Eddie and tries to get him to leave but Eddie doesn't seem to remember anything and refuses to leave. Joey struggles to deal with the consequences of losing his job and has issues moving on. The girls all read a book where they are goddesses who get their "wind" stolen by men and they use the book as inspiration to help them improve their lives.
The Good: Eddie was the real highlight of the episode once again. Adam Goldberg has done an absolutely tremendous job of bringing the character to life with all of his hilarious quirks and mannerisms. Chandler's reactions to Eddie's crazy antics remain hilarious and the storyline has a great feel good ending with Joey and Chandler being reunited to get Eddie to finally leave. Joey's storyline is really good too and feels pretty real as we can see Joey struggling to deal with the fact that the best thing in his life is now gone. His conflict with Ross is great too and has some pretty funny moments, but more importantly, it was a conflict which felt real. Neither of them were mad at each other and were still friendly but they came to blows once and quickly apologized to solve it. It was nice to see the show exploring a minor spat between friends instead of something big. The girls' story was fine as well and ha some really good laughs scattered throughout. Also, I feel that in terms of pure humour, the show has never been better. The creativity and the dialogue in every episode is excellent, so even while some stories lack, the show remains tremendously funny to make up for it. The Bad: The girls' story feels rather pointless and it accomplishes nothing other than filling out time. Surely Chandler and Joey should have called the police or somebody about the obviously crazy Eddie? Best Moment: As much as I enjoyed the Eddie story, the best moment was from the conversation between Rachel and Ross where Rachel tried to set her foot down. The scene was really well written and a lot of the dialogue has me laughing hard. Character of the Episode: I'll give it to Eddie again. I'll miss his crazy fruit-dehydrating and head-stealing antics. Conclusion: This was another really strong episode with tons of funny moments, though one slightly weaker story once more prevents this from reaching absolute greatness. Still a great episode of comedy though, as the show continues to prove why it's one of the best sitcoms around. Score: 77 Summary: After foolishly claiming he writes his own lines, Joey is killed off from Days of Our Lives and is upset. Chandler tries o get to know Eddie and discovers that he's a little bit crazy. Ross and Rachel deal with sex related topics while Monica and Richard do the same, one room away from each other.
The Good: This episode was much better than the last as all 4 of the stories were meaningful and had several great laughs. The main Joey story was probably the weakest of the bunch, but it was still very good and provided some nice laughs. Chandler's story is excellent though as Eddie instantly becomes a hilarious and memorable side character while he demonstrates his unhinged craziness, which is made even funnier by Chandler's reactions to him. The writing was creative and the jokes even better. Meanwhile, both Rachel and Monica's storylines are excellent. They tie nicely into each other's as both couples experience some minor problems before they ultimately decide to have a passionate night together. Not only were the arguments between everybody funny, but all of the characters felt perfectly in line and logical through every moment. I particularly enjoyed the awkward interactions between Ross and Richard which were absolutely hilarious. The Bad: I suppose it is a bit of a stretch for Eddie to suddenly be crazy, but I'm willing to buy it sine we hardly knew anything about him in the previous episode. Best Moment: It's tough to choose with so many hilarious moments. I'll go with Eddie freaking out at Chandler after Tilly arrived. The scene was so well done with tons of great laughs. Character of the Episode: Eddie for being just excellent though I could easily give this to a number of different characters. Chandler, Ross and Monica were all excellent here. Conclusion: This episode was really good, delivering tons of great laughs and moments and had the Joey storyline been just a little bit better, I feel this could have been one of the show's best episodes. Score: 79 Summary: Joey isn't enjoying his alone life as much as he had hoped and wants to move back in with Chandler. Chandler however comes to terms that Joey is gone and so gets a new roommate named Eddie. Monica is upset with Ross who is spending more and more time in his apartment. Phoebe is contacted by a record company to make a music video for Smelly Cat.
The Good: The two main stories are good here. Joey and Chandler are funny as they have a conflict which is funnily treated as a breakup. They have some good moments here and I particularly enjoyed Joey letting out his frustrations on Chandler. The Monica and Ross story is good too and has a really realistic feel by bringing in a sort of sibling rivalry into the mix. It had some sweet and funny moments throughout. The Bad: This episode is fine but is really missing a spark throughout. There is fine storytelling in the major storylines but neither really make me laugh hard with some quality comedy. The Phoebe storyline feels pretty pointless and doesn't add much comedy either. Best Moment: Joey snapping after the juice ran out was a hilarious moment and the idea that the juice just sent him over the edge was hilarious, and the scene was made even better by the egg analogy and Chandler pointing out that there is another carton just over there. Character of the Episode: Joey. Conclusion: This had some good story but was lacking the special humour that most other episodes had. It was fine but completely unspectacular. Score: 62 Summary: After an argument with Chandler, Joey decides to move out now that he is financially stable. Monica goes to her dad's birthday party with Richard and she struggles with how to tell them the news. Phoebe and Rachel go to get a tattoo.
The Good: This was another really good episode which featured some really good stories. The main story with joey and Chandler was really great and felt realistic because it made perfect sense for Joey to want to try to expand a little and leave. They had some funny moments in their conflict and there was some emotional resonance with Joey leaving. In a lot of ways Joey and Chandler's friendship is just as compelling as Ross and Rachel's relationship if not more. Meanwhile, the Monica story as the real highlight this time as it tackled a very awkward topic in hilarious fashion with a very consistent amount of humour. The Richard story has been excellent so far as it has provided loads of funny moments and has made Monica much more enjoyable. The tattoo storyline was harmless fun too and led up to some funny moments. The Bad: The Chandler/Joey storyline wasn't as funny as both guys usually are since they were both put in such a serious situation. It's a minor nitpick but it is what prevents this episode from being one of the series' very best. Best Moment: There are plenty of moments in Monica's storyline, but my favourite had to be Monica's time in the bathroom from Richard loudly talking to Monica "catching the live show". Character of the Episode: I'll give this one to Jack Geller actually since he got a ton of hilarious lines. I believe this is the first time I've given this to a non-main character. Conclusion: This was another really funny episode with a number of memorable moments and storylines. Quality stuff as usual. Score: 78 Summary: Joey and Chandler buy new recliners and sit in them without getting up. Monica dates her eye doctor Richard who is 20 years older than her. They are uncomfortable at first but eventually give in. Ross and Rachel have their first date but Rachel is still a little weirded out by everything.
The Good: Joey and Chandler are funny in their side plot. Ross and Rachel have nice chemistry and produce a lot of nice little moments in their romantic scenes, especially with Rachel constantly laughing and the brilliantly executed museum date which provided great laughs. Monica and Richard's storyline is good too and they played falling in love very nicely. Phoebe is also pretty good at getting the odd chuckle as always. The story was really good overall in this episode. The Bad: This episode was pretty forgettable overall. It sets up 2 different romances but doesn't provide a ton of hilarious moments. It's consistently good but with the exception of the museum scene it never really hits the next level. I suppose the ending was a little too silly as Ross really should be facing some consequences from the museum. Best Moment: Ross and Rachel in the museum room provided some awesome moments. Character of the Episode: Chandler. Conclusion: This was a great episode with funny moments, but doesn't have enough extremely funny moments to really send it over the top for me. It's probably one of the more forgettable episodes this season, even though I really did enjoy the storytelling. Score: 71 Summary: Ross is still trying to get back with Rachel unsuccessfully. Joey buys Chandler a bracelet to pay him back and represent their friendship, but Chandler doesn't like it. Monica needs some money and has to ask her parents for it. They give her some of her old stuff as well and the friends all decide to watch a prom video from when Monica and Rachel were in high school.
The Good: This was a fantastic episode. The comedy was so consistently funny and some of the laughs were really smart. Chandler was fantastically energetic as always and he provided some really funny moments in the storyline with Joey, which I really enjoyed. It felt real that Joey would do something to pay Chandler back now that he's making money, so I was pleased by that, but more impressively was the bracelet story which felt like a real thing that could happen and it also provided some great moments. Phoebe was awesome in this episode. Her pretending to be a guy was hilarious, but better than that was the lobster analogy which is easily one of the funniest things in the show so far. The lobster thing also tied in beautifully into the Ross/Rachel storyline which had a tremendous conclusion in this episode. Ross trying to get Rachel back by getting rid of another guy was hilarious, and him trying the whole lobster thing was some really funny stuff. It brought the focus back onto Ross/Rachel for a bit which made the final scene even more surprising and powerful. The actual prom video was superb too and it led to some smart and surprisingly funny jokes as we got to see who Rachel, Monica and Ross used to be. The Bad: Nothing really. Best Moment: It's tough to choose but I think Ross trying to get Rachel with the lobster analogy was the funniest thing in this episode. Character of the Episode: Phoebe. Conclusion: This was great comedy with so many memorable moments and it also had some spectacular storytelling. This episode was something really special as it balanced comedy and story with perfect execution. For sure the best episode of the series so far. Score: 89 Summary: Monica sees Jean-Claude Van Damme and wants Rachel to ask him out for her but Jean wants to go out with Rachel instead. Rachel agrees and the girls come to blows while Phoebe tries to put out the fire. Chandler meets a former schoolmate and goes out with her only to find that she wants revenge on him for humiliating her in grade 4. Ross prepares to have Marcel one final time and Joey gets a role as an extra in a movie.
The Good: This was a continuation of the last episode, and thankfully the writers put the exact same amount of effort into this one to make it feel special. All my compliments on the previous episode also apply for this one, as they used the celebrities smartly while having simple but effective storylines which are filled with fantastic moments, with Chandler's storyline stealing the show this time. Chandler's acting was fantastic as expected and he did a great job getting humour out of absolutely every scene. But of course everything else was pretty great too. The Rachel/Monica/Phoebe story is just fantastic and was a hilarious way to put all three women at something of a conflict leading to several hilarious scenes of them Rachel and Monica trying to get back at each other with Phoebe trying her best to calm things down. This could have easily fallen into a clichéd mess, but the dialogue was smartly written ad felt real while also being extremely funny at all times. Great work by the writing team for that storyline. The Joey as an extra bit was good for the odd chuckle as well, though it doesn't do as good of a job as Phoebe's storyline in the previous episode. The Bad: If you have read my previous reviews, you should know that Marcel has easily been Friends' worst storyline for me and that remains here. Sure we got a cute story for Ross, but I really didn't laugh at all for it and it was completely forgettable and felt like a waste of a plot for Ross who is usually one of the funniest characters on the show. Thankfully Ross got a good role in the Chandler plot which I'll get into below. Best Moment: Everything that took place in the bathroom as superb. The dialogue, the character details and the laughs were perfectly executed and they had me laughing the entire time. That scene is a perfect example of how to do a comedy. Character of the Episode: Chandler. Conclusion: The Marcel story prevents this episode from reaching the same height as the previous one, but this was still stellar television which was injected with a real energy and tons of laughs. Friends has done a fantastic job of being consistently funny and it seems that the writing is improving with every episode. This was another excellent episode. Score: 79 Summary: Ross goes to visit Marcel at a zoo only to learn that he is working TV commercials now. Joey gets his own stalker who finds him and they start dating, but she is mentally ill and thinks he is actually Drake Ramoray. Phoebe sings for children at the library but she upsets parents by singing about inappropriate topics.
The Good: This was much better than "The One with Two Parts" from last season because it had a proper flow to it. This wasn't a drawn out storyline, but rather it had a single overarching storyline while each episode contained individual storylines. I found this approach to work much better and led to much better story and comedy overall. To begin, I'll say that the stories were simple but effective. They weren't anything special, but they were easy to follow, and also had all of the characters playing very organic roles. This episode was really refreshing for laughs too, particularly Joey's storyline which featured a ton of hilarious scenes, including Joey and Chandler preparing to receive the stalker and the throwing water scene. The originality of the comedy being shown helps the show remain fresh and hilarious, even though it has already had over 30 episodes. The other storylines were excellent too. Phoebe had a lovely background storyline which had a nice message and featured some good laughs with Phoebe's great "advanced class" lyrics. Ross' story was also great and featured a fantastic cameo from the voice of Homer Simpson. That brings me to my final topic, the celebrity appearances. Celebrity appearances can be very distracting and forced, but in this case they were used very properly as every celebrity character served a purpose in the story and provided tons of laughs without ever taking the focus away from the show. It's great to see celebrities used so excellently. The Bad: Nothing really. Best Moment: There were tons of fantastic moments here, but I'll pick the sequence if Joey and Chandler trying to escape the stalker desperately and arming up. The ridiculousness and the frantic pace combined to make just a constant supply and laughs in a scene which felt similar to the fantastic "scary-ass clowns" scene from "The One with the Baby on the Bus". Character of the Episode: Chandler. Conclusion: This was an excellent episode. This didn't feel at all like set up and was consistently funny throughout which is all I ask for from comedies. The stories weren't special or memorable, but the sheer amount of enjoyment I got here was probably the best the show has done so far. I can only imagine what an episode with a memorable story could do with humour like this. That could be transcendent television. Score: 81 Summary: Carol and Susan decide to get married and Ross is conflicted. Eventually when they get into an argument, Ross ensures that the wedding does happen. Rachel's mother comes to visit and tells Rachel that she wants to divorce her father. Phoebe is possessed by the spirit of an old woman who recently died.
The Good: This was very funny throughout and there were some hilarious moments which helped to make up for some of this episode's flaws. The Phoebe storyline was pretty ridiculous and far-fetched but it featured several great laughs and funny moments to make it feel worth it. The highlight of course being the old man who makes an effort to sleep with Phoebe. That scene was really great. The Rachel storyline was very good here as well. There was some genuine emotion and purpose to it as Rachel's mother is going through a story which ties in a lot with Rachel's personal life. That added on a lot to the good comedy that Rachel's mother provided. The titular wedding was very funny as well with Chandler and Joey getting in a lot of hilarious lines and Ross being his usual funny self through his awkward interactions. I also liked Monica's stressed out anger as she forced everyone to work. It created a few well-timed laughs. Joey's performance on Days of our Lives was a nice little scene to get as well, showing good continuity from last episode. In general, this episode had some of the best laughs in the whole season. The Bad: Phoebe being possessed was too ridiculous for my liking and it was treated too normally. I understand that this show is a sit-com but to have something unrealistic like that really hurts my immersion to the show. I wish that the Rachel storyline led somewhere as it didn't really get a definitive conclusion. Joey's "smell the fart" acting was a little too on the nose for me (pun intended), as it felt extremely unreal to see acting like that on a soap opera. Best Moment: The old man scene was fantastic comedy. Character of the Episode: Chandler, though everyone was good in this episode. Conclusion: This episode had some big flaws with realism, but it was consistently funny and had a lot of good, meaningful storylines which is a big improvement from the last episode's weaker storylines. This was good fun. Score: 77 Summary: Joey isn't sure what to do with his acting career, but he then gets a good audition for Days of our Lives. Joey learns that he has to sleep with someone to get the part. Rachel dates a guy who looks and acts just like Ross. Monica gets Fun Bobby to stop drinking and he becomes extremely dull.
The Good: I like that they made the Russ storyline fit the episode thematically with it feeling like a soap opera plot. I thought it was a funny little parody dynamic. Also some of Ross and Russ' conversations had funny moments. Monica's story was okay and had the occasional laugh. Joey's storyline was the best here and his character got a spotlight here. I liked his conflict where sleeping with a girl, something he often does, stands in between him and his job, yet he doesn't want it because he wants a good role because of his own talent. I did laugh when his hesitation ended up working in his favour, getting him an even better role. It was a nice bit of irony. The Bad: The Russ plot felt very dumb and far too clichéd to be properly enjoyable. It didn't produce enough laughs to feel worth it either. I struggle to believe that Rachel wasn't able to piece together who similar Russ and Ross were. The Fun Bobby storyline felt bland and pointless. It didn't accomplish anything and there were no good laughs throughout. It was a typical sitcom storyline with Fun Bobby suddenly changing, causing Monica to develop his problem for the final laugh which really isn't that funny. It was simply okay and got far too much screen time for such an average story. Best Moment: I'll go with Chandler joking about being in a soap opera because it fit the episode in a funny way. Character of the Episode: Joey. Conclusion: The Joey story was very good, but everything else was typical and extremely average. The laugh count was far below average as well. One of the show's weaker episodes. Score: 56 Summary: Monica starts tipping people with cookies instead of cash and gets negative results. Monica and Rachel host a Christmas party but their radiator breaks and the room gets really hot. Phoebe learns that her grandma has been hiding her true dad from her. She gets the location of her true dad and goes to meet him, but is scared that he won't be what she hopes.
The Good: This was a really solid episode of comedy. The storylines for each character were solid enough and there was some great comedy. Ross in particular was fantastic and he really shone as he continued to fret about all the things Rachel hilariously said about him. I've said it before and I'll say it again, but David Schwimmer brings some real life into Ross to make his character much funnier than it should be. It's really something quite brilliant. As for the other storylines, I thought they also were quite good. Phoebe's story had some good laughs in it and the concept of her grandma pretending her father was the picture frame guy is very clever and leads to a bunch of great jokes. Phoebe ultimately being scared to meet her father was a great storyline too which was easily relatable and also had Chandler and Joey around to provide some funny lines throughout. The Bad: Nothing was truly bad, but this episode just didn't stand out enough. There were some good chuckles, but no huge laughs and the story wasn't quite as good as some of the recent episodes. I also feel that Rachel and Ross should have been a little more aggressive towards each other in this episode. Best Moment: Ross asking Monica over and over if he is obsessive was hilarious. Character of the Episode: Ross. Conclusion: This was a very good episode with some nice laughs and it is easily an above average comedy episode, though it is a bit of a step down from the sheer quality of the last 5 episodes. Score: 70 Summary: Ross has to pick between Julie and Rachel and makes a list of cons for Rachel and Julie with Chandler and Joey. Ross chooses Rachel who is overjoyed, but she sees the list and doesn't want to be with Ross anymore. Ross tries to get Rachel on his side again. Monica gets a job making food products for a new brand called mockolate.
The Good: The story in this episode was tremendous. It flowed so logically and realistically throughout, and every development came naturally from the characters saying things that they would normally say, and doing things that they would normally do. Of course Chandler and Joey would suggest the list to Ross since they don't think about what would happen if Rachel found out. That fits their characters. Of course Ross would be really confused and lost, being in such an awkward situation. Of course Rachel would want to see what the guys were writing about her, not expecting to find something negative like she did. The list of great organic moments go on and on, making this a really satisfying chapter in the story, providing a very logical split for Ross and Rachel to further complicate their story. I thoroughly enjoyed watching this story unfold, as the writing was actually better than most dramas. But of course story isn't a priority in comedy episodes. The real question is, was this episode funny? And thankfully, yes it was. The characters still provided an absolute ton of great jokes throughout these serious situations and I got some of the best laughs this season from this episode. All the characters shined here, and Michael McKean was fantastic in his subplot, helping to add some much needed levity throughout the serious story points. The Bad: Phoebe singing about the love triangle was funny, but it doesn't really make much sense and it seemed like a pretty cruel thing for her to do to Ross, who clearly just wanted to get off the topic. Best Moment: The entire scene when Rachel tried to grab the list after it was accidentally printed by Chandler. All three guys were hilarious as they desperately tried to keep the list from Rachel, especially Joey who had the bright idea of Chandler reading to Rachel, which felt like a real thought he would have in his head to save them. Character of the Episode: Rachel for this one, but it's close. Conclusion: This was an awesome episode, the best of the season so far. Comedies are always at their best when a great story is combined with lots of funny jokes. This season has delivered a lot for the jokes in recent episodes, but this one went above and beyond for the story, making the episode hit that next level. Excellent stuff. Score: 84 Summary: Monica gets Chandler to work out with her after he gains some pounds. Phoebe goes out with a guy and is upset that he isn't putting out, so Joey gives her some advice for her to have sex. Rachel goes on a date but can't let go of her love for Ross. She searches for closure and leaves a message on Ross' machine, letting him know that she is in love with him.
The Good: The Ross and Rachel storyline in this episode was great. The build up to Rachel leaving the message was really well done and her scenes with Michael were quite funny all the way through. I loved Rachel constantly being bothered by Ross and Julie's cat, which I thought was a great touch. The titular scene with Ross finding out was very well done and was played well for comedy while also conveying the seriousness of the situation. The final scene in the coffee shop was really well put together and was a great climax to this storyline which has been built up since episode 1. I am interested to see where the story goes which is a good sign, and I'm sure that Friends will provide the expected comedy to keep things funny throughout. As for the other storylines, I thought Joey and Phoebe was the better of the 2. It had great jokes and a really funny twist ending which provided a big punch to leave me laughing. Chandler and Monica was harmless fluff and had a few funny moments in it as well. The Bad: The 2 subplots provided some good laughs, but felt completely filler. I have no doubt that these scenes won't be important in the long run as we learn nothing about the characters, we just see them interacting in 1 on 1 scenes in funny ways. This isn't a bad thing to say, after all I was still entertained, but it isn't as good as the meaningful storylines which were explored in season 1 and other episodes this season. Best Moment: The final scene for story value, but for comedic value I have to pick Ross finding out about Rachel's love for him. David Schwimmer just plays the character so well. Character of the Episode: Rachel. Conclusion: This was a really great episode, but it didn't quite hit that next level for me. There was no amazing laugh that left me unable to breathe, so that doesn't quite elevate it to the next level. Don't get me wrong though, this was still an excellent episode with good consistent humour and nice story progression. Score: 77 Summary: Ross is fed kiwi by Monica who forgot he was allergic to it. Ross is rushed to the hospital for a needle while Chandler and Joey are tasked with taking care of Ben. The guys take Ben out in the city to help get girls but accidentally lose him on the bus. Phoebe is upset at Terry, the owner of Central perk who doesn't want her to play anymore and hires a professional guitarist instead.
The Good: In term of pure humour, this is as good as it gets. There are jokes aplenty and so many moments in this episode had me laughing a lot. Each of the 3 storylines had comedic value to it and all 3 did a great job of keeping me entertained throughout. Joey and Chandler's story with them losing Ben was the best of the bunch and had the biggest laughs throughout. Joey was adorably narrow-minded throughout and Chandler was great as the nervous and sarcastic guy constantly adding in some great lines for comedy. I thought the Ross and Monica storyline was good too. it was very basic but allowed them some good bonding which I appreciated since we don't usually get much from Ross and Monica. And of course there were great jokes in there. The Rachel and Phoebe plot had its issues (see: The Bad), but it was very funny overall and it was easy to understand the position of both characters in the situation. The Bad: The Rachel and Phoebe plot didn't have much meat to it. It never made sense why phoebe would get so overcome by wanting money, and even she knows it's out of character. But then why does she do it? No explanation, making it feel a little too convenient. I also didn't like the way that each of the friends just stuck so firmly to their individual stories with minimal interactions between them. Rachel and Phoebe were practically on an island and the other 4 only interacted at the beginning and end of the episode. Lastly, the storylines felt rather inconsequential and didn't matter all that much. Best Moment: The entire scene where Chandler and Joey flipped for the baby. It was fantastic comedy and climaxed with a great joke about clowns. Character of the Episode: Joey for being stupid in the most realistic way. Conclusion: This episode had some flaws, but honestly it was so damn funny they don't bother me as much despite the fact that The Bad was a pretty large section this time. In the end, what matters most about comedy shows is how much they made me laugh, and this was by far the funniest episode of the season for me, earning it a really high score anyways. Score: 78 Summary: Chandler is called by a girl looking for Bob and he is able to manipulate the situation to have sex to Ross' dismay. Chandler gets his comeuppance when the girl calls again saying that she hooked up with a guy who wasn't good in bed. The friends get in an argument when Rachel, Phoebe and Joey are upset that everyone else doesn't consider that they make less money.
The Good: Chandler's storyline is the highlight here and it offers so many great laughs to counteract the more serious tone to this episode. The show did a brilliant job of making Chandler's role in the story fit his character and be relatable while also giving him the appropriate comeuppance later on when the girl completely destroys his ability in bed. It was all very funny and the addition of Ross to the story adds even more laughs as he tries to prevent Chandler from doing something bad. The final scene with Joey was also really funny. While the B-story was the best part of the episode, it doesn't mean that the A-plot under-delivered. Honestly, the A-plot was really well done with some great laughs as the friends try to talk through some problems they have. It all felt pretty real and led to a nice, if predictable, conclusion. I thought that the dissension between everyone was done better than in "The One where Underdog Gets Away" and really shows how much the writing has improved as the show has gone on. As long as an episode is given a decent story to focus on, it is bound to deliver because the show is quickly mastering the ability to structure good comedy from anything. The Bad: The ending was predictable with everyone deciding to just be friends as it's a very common sitcom storyline. I also didn't like how some of the friends at times were a little bit too cruel to each other for my liking. Best Moment: Chandler getting his comeuppance as the girl told "Bob" how lame that guy she slept with was. It was hilarious and led from one funny moment to another. Character of the Episode: Chandler. Conclusion: This was definitely the best episode of the season. It had a great storyline throughout and delivered some quality comedy. Weaker storylines have made season 2 a little disappointing so far, but this episode proves that as long as Friends can come up with something good, the comedy will absolutely deliver. Score: 79 Summary: Phoebe reunites with gay ice skater Duncan who she is married to. Duncan asks for a divorce as he wants to marry someone else and Phoebe is hurt but ultimately complies. The friends reveal big secrets about each other, with Chandler being revealed to have a third nipple and Joey having been in a porno movie. Ross asks Rachel for relationship advice and she tries to sabotage his relationship despite understanding how cruel it is.
The Good: This was a good episode. The best part was easily the secrets scene which was hilarious and so real. It was a brilliant use of all 6 major characters and provided one good laugh after the other. In fact the entire first part of this episode was brilliant and uniquely funny. There were great jokes consistently and the plot was created very logically and organically. It was half of an amazing episode, though unfortunately some of the later parts of the episode drag down the score (see: The Bad). Joey's porno was also a nice subplot and it made for a few good laughs. But it was Chandler's third nipple which provided the best jokes of the episode at a consistent rate. The Bad: Phoebe's storyline is pretty bland. It felt like a poor attempt to make us feel something, and feels like a rip-off of Phoebe's storyline with David from "The One with the Monkey". Unfortunately this storyline isn't anywhere near as powerful or as funny so it really drags down the episode. Rachel sabotaging Ross wasn't very good either. Well it was funny, but it felt so extremely and unrealistically cruel for Rachel to go to such lengths to stop Ross and Julie's relationship. The problem is that Rachel is put in a positive light but it's hard to support her as she purposefully holds back Ross' relationship. Rachel was toeing the line in previous episodes but here she took a step too far. The quality drop in the episode actually really hurt the flow because it was so noticeable. This is the first episode of Friends where I really felt like time was being wasted on things that weren't that interesting in the second half. Best Moment: The secrets revel scene was fantastic and one of the best scenes the show has provided so far. Great comedy. Character of the Episode: Chandler. Conclusion: The first half of this episode made me believe we would get a fantastic episode, but unfortunately the second half of the episode wasn't very funny and actually dragged on at times, which is rare for a sitcom. In the end, the episode is simply good. Score: 65 Summary: After a brief scene with the friends, Mr. Heckles dies, leaving all of his possessions to Monica and Rachel. Chandler notices eerie similarities between himself and Mr. Heckles, and becomes paranoid of dying alone because he is too picky with women. Monica and Rachel argue over keeping one of Mr. Heckles' lamps. Phoebe and Ross argue about evolution.
The Good: This is one of Chandler's best episodes as a character. There was some great storytelling in him realizing the similarities between himself and Heckles and becoming super paranoid about it. It also managed to create some good laughs throughout the episode, especially at the end when Chandler still finds himself unable to change his habits. I like the storytelling and the comedy was enjoyable enough to make this storyline very good. The funniest storyline was definitely Ross and Phoebe's as both of them got involved in a hilarious squabble over evolution. The final scene where Phoebe completely defeats Ross with him just walking out was hilarious and I loved Phoebe laughing afterwards saying "that was fun". This is the perfect way to pull off a humorous background storyline. The Bad: Rachel and Monica's storyline was extremely bland and didn't really provide any laughs at all. The episode would have probably been better off without it. Best Moment: Chandler being unable to stop thinking about the girl's big head was hilarious. Character of the Episode: Chandler. Conclusion: This episode had an excellent character storyline, but was lacking in the comedy department, aside from a great Ross/Phoebe storyline. In the end this episode is above the average for comedies, but isn't as awesome as Friends usually is. Score: 68 Summary: Ross is disgusted by the thought of drinking Carol's breast milk. Monica goes shopping with Julie which upsets Rachel. Rachel tries to be friendly to Julie, but it doesn't work out. Joey has a Wild West-style showdown with a fellow worker when spraying cologne on shoppers.
The Good: Phoebe was great in this episode. The usage of her character has gotten better as the series goes along and her jokes were expertly timed here, even if they weren't quite as funny as usual. I did enjoy Monica and Rachel's conflict which felt realistic and had some funny moments. I liked how one of their conversations was used to parody a conversation of somebody catching their significant other cheating on them. The Wild West showdown was also mildly amusing at times. The Bad: I thought this was very poor at times though. Friends tried very hard to parody in this episode and it just didn't work. This show is entertaining because it feels realistic and makes comedy out of real situations and funny interactions. The presence of a Wild West-esque storyline was just too unrealistic and didn't provide anywhere near enough laughs to make up for it. Joey's job also comes completely out of nowhere, which is pretty bad in terms of the show's consistency. I didn't like Ross' storyline either. The idea that breast milk is disgusting is honestly pretty stupid and I couldn't buy into it. The story wasn't funny either and a lot of the interactions left a lot to be desired. Even Susan and Ross interacting couldn't produce any good laughs. Overall, a lot of this episode was just forgettable. Best Moment: Monica and Rachel making up in the coffee house with Phoebe adding the odd joke was the funniest part of the episode for me. Character of the Episode: Phoebe. Conclusion: This was an unusually poor episode with nowhere near the usual amount of laughs we get from Friends. Parodying is not this show's strong suit and I hope that it doesn't become a consistent thing for the show. Score: 53 Summary: Rachel is surprised to see Ross has a girlfriend now and starts to freak out. Ross introduces his girlfriend Julie to everyone who is surprised. Rachel struggles with the fact that she now loves Ross but chooses not to tell him when he says how happy he is with Julie. Chandler visits a tailor suggested by Joey and is furious when the tailor takes advantage of him. Monica convinces Phoebe to give her a haircut, but Phoebe models the hairstyle off of the wrong person.
The Good: This had so many hilarious moments throughout. Season 2 couldn't have gotten to a better start. Rachel was the highlight in this episode as Jennifer Aniston played her desperation and frustration in a perfect way as Rachel tries so hard to be happy and fun while she is so angry on the inside. All of her interactions with Ross and Julie were awesome and had me laughing very hard at a consistent rate. This was the perfect storyline to start out the new season. And it also featured a genuinely touching moment when Rachel decides to not tell Ross she likes him in fear of disturbing his happiness. The Chandler storyline didn't amount to much but it was very funny to make up for it. The idea that Joey might not know how pants are tailored due to not having seen it done any other way is great, and his follow-up of questioning doctors too was brilliant. I especially loved Chandler's rage and Ross' reactions after what happened with the tailor. Chandler as usual delivered some funny lines throughout, keeping everything light. His scene with Ross and Rachel at the coffee shop was brilliant and was an excellent showcase for how his character tends to behave while also providing great laughs. The Bad: The Phoebe storyline stretches believability for me and it isn't funny enough to make up for it. Wouldn't Monica notice her hair looking disgusting before taking off the cloak? And why would Phoebe think Monica wants her hair done like a guy's? It was a weak storyline, made worse by the fact that there was no point to the story and that the ending joke still wasn't funny. This drags down this episode from being as excellent as some of the best episodes from season 1. Best Moment: Chandler venting to Joey about his tailor was fantastic, and Ross also added some great humour to that scene. Character of the Episode: Rachel. Conclusion: Phoebe plot aside, this was an excellent season premiere which delivered tons of laughs and signals that we can expect the same comedic quality as last season. Score: 77 |
Aaron DhillonJust a university student who loves to watch TV. And analyze it way too much. Archives
February 2024
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