Summary: Monica starts to wonder if she should get involved with Richard again. Chandler scrambles to correct his mistake. Rachel and Phoebe discuss having backups in case they don't get married.
The Good: This episode is pretty well done. As expected, there is plenty of drama in setting up the proposal. Monica and Chandler do well to show their love for each other and the actual proposal is a great scene that nicely mixes seriousness with comedy. Richard is also pretty great and he certainly comes off well as he steps aside to let Chandler propose. The backups storyline is also a lot of fun. Rachel and Phoebe is a fun, harmless side plot with some pretty funny moments. The Bad: This episode does have flaws though. It's pretty obvious that Chandler will end up proposing and that Richard would step aside so there isn't as much drama as the episode thinks. The B-plot is purely a filler storyline, and while it's funny, it doesn't actually add a whole lot. Best Moment: The proposal scene was well done. Character of the Episode: Rachel. Conclusion: This was a good season finale but nothing special. This season was wildly inconsistent. There were a few flashes of brilliance, but there were too many weak episodes and nonsensical storylines. No episode this season crossed a score of 80, and I think that's pretty telling. It's disappointing to see such a steep decline in quality this season coming off of a very strong season 5. Hopefully season 7 can repair the fractured character writing and perhaps provide us with storylines that will be worth our time. Score: 68
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Summary: Chandler's plan to propose to Monica goes awry when they run into Richard. Ross wonders if Elizabeth is too immature to stay in a relationship with. Rachel takes Joey and Phoebe to an auction and Joey mistakenly bids high on a boat.
The Good: It was great seeing Richard again. Richard is probably the best side character that this show has ever created, and his return led to some good moments and also shook up the story in a nice way. Chandler is amusing as he tries to keep his proposal secret and his awkward jokes are fantastic. The auction side plot is pretty good with a few genuinely funny moment when Joey accidentally buys the boat and is convinced by Rachel to buy the "Mr Beaumont". Ross has some good moments in his storyline too. As does Phoebe, though her tendency to mess around with her friends is played up a little too much to allow for anything particularly great. The Bad: And another side character gets written off the show in an incredibly dumb way. It's incredibly dumb for Ross to only now accept that it's weird how Elizabeth is so young, especially after we spent so much time explaining why Ross doesn't think it's an issue. For him to simply change his mind for no apparent reason is very lazy writing, and the result is another completely unsatisfying exit from a side character. Seasons 1-4 did a brilliant job of introducing memorable side characters with good storylines. Now, side characters are poorly written and pretty forgettable. It's a good example of how the show has dipped in quality. The proposal storyline has a major flaw. The idea that Chandler would try to pretend he isn't into marriage seems like a fine idea on the surface, but the more you think about it, the less plausible it seems. It's hard to buy into Chandler making such a poor decision. Best Moment: Joey realizing that he had just bought a boat for $20,000 was pretty funny. Character of the Episode: Joey. Conclusion: This episode was solid and it had funny moments. But the sabotage of yet another side character dampens what would have otherwise been a decent episode. Score: 54 Summary: Chandler takes Phoebe with him to find a ring to propose with. Ross and Joey suspect that Chandler is mad at them but they aren't sure why. Rachel gets Paul to open up about himself but she immediately regrets it.
The Good: There are some really funny moments here. Phoebe is consistently funny throughout the episode. It's a rare case where the writers make good use of her character and give her some good lines without having her be mean to everybody else. Chandler is also pretty good as he looks for a ring, and that storyline is easily the best of the episode. Ross and Joey have some pretty funny moments too with Ross trying to find out why Chandler blew them off, and Joey being hilariously oblivious to everything. The Bad: "Friends" is developing a bad trend of getting rid of side characters in embarrassingly bad ways. Last season we saw Gary the cop get dismissed from the show through some extremely stupid writing. We get something similar here as Paul apparently shows a woefully soft side to himself that shoos Rachel away from him. Bruce Willis isn't good enough of an actor to make Paul's vulnerability anywhere near convincing, and it is never funny seeing Paul hysterically cry. In fact, it's more annoying than it is funny. Plus, the suddenness of this development screams to me that the writers were too lazy to come up with a legitimate reason to write Paul off the show. While I laughed a lot at Joey and Ross' antics in this episode, I thought their story was pretty silly and there was too much overacting. Had their jokes been toned down a little bit, it would have been funnier. Best Moment: I'll go with Phoebe negotiating at the jewelry store in an attempt to get a good deal. I especially liked the moment when the man sarcastically offers Phoebe two $5 bills for her $10. Character of the Episode: Phoebe. Conclusion: This episode has two funny storylines but it is held back by sloppy writing in what was a poor third storyline. "Friends" has been lacking in consistency this season, and it really shows in this episode. Score: 58 Summary: Ross continues dating Elizabeth despite Paul not wanting him to. Monica puts her and Chandler's names down on a wedding waiting list. Joey tries to get his picture up on the wall at a dry cleaning store.
The Good: Ross's storyline is very fun. Sure it's a little bit cheesy, but there are plenty of laughs to be had as Ross gets stuck in Paul's house with no way of escaping. There is a terrific mix of visual and auditory gags, and the use of dramatic irony to create comedy is pretty spectacular. As usual, Ross steals the show courtesy of David Schwimmer's wonderful acting, plus we get the great addition of Rachel desperately trying to get Ross out of the house. Furthermore there's an awesome scene early on as Ross once again makes a fool of himself in front of Paul when he insults him without realizing that Paul is right behind him. The resolution to the story is very funny, and also very fitting as it features Paul making a fool of himself in front of Ross instead of the other way around. The Chandler/Monica storyline is also really strong. The story doesn't get much time but there are some good laughs throughout. The final scene where Chandler freaks out in front of Monica is very funny, plus it has a terrific twist when it's revealed that Chandler is actually planning to get married. It's a lovely moment and it's hard not to feel happy for everyone involved. The Bad: Joey's story is complete filler. Sure it has the odd laugh, but it's the kind of story that you completely forget about mere minutes after finishing the episode. Even though this episode is a lot funnier than most this season, it still suffers from the same issues of a more cartoonish style of humour. Rachel, Chandler and Ross overact frequently and the only thing that makes it work is the slapstick style of comedy that this episode has. Best Moment: There are plenty of funny moments. I'll go with the hilarious visual of Ross quite literally getting caught with his pants down in Paul's apartment as he desperately searches for a place to hide. Character of the Episode: Ross. Conclusion: It's a good thing that "Friends" is still a funny show. The writing this season has been far below what the show has done before, but at least we are still able to get terrific episodes of comedy like this one. Score: 73 Summary: Ross meets Elizabeth's dad Paul who immediately dislikes him. However, Paul and Rachel talk and end up dating each other. Joey starts his new lead role but the man who built the CHEESE robot doesn't like him. Monica and Chandler frequently argue and Phoebe writes a book about them.
The Good: Ross making an ass of himself every time he talks to Paul is hilarious, and it is very fun to follow the episode to see how Ross screws up next. Bruce Willis is well cast as Paul, who is a nice mixture of intimidating and witty. The entire storyline is pretty solid with the nice additional twist of Rachel dating Paul which leads into a fantastic scene at dinner. Joey's story is a fun B story that doesn't add much to the episode, but it is still funny. At the very least it is consistent with the story of the episode since we have Ross failing to make Paul like him in one storyline while Joey fails to make Wayne like him in the other storyline. The Bad: Once again, a poor third storyline hurts what would have otherwise been a really fun episode. Phoebe writing a book about Monica and Chandler is a dumb plot that is brought up completely out of nowhere. Monica and Chandler come off as a terrible couple throughout the episode, and most of the conflict between them and Phoebe feels too phony to be funny. Unfortunately I'm noticing a trend with the show's changing style of humour. Embarrassment and insults seem to have come to the forefront in this season, and it leads to some pretty cheap and easy humour that isn't anywhere near as good as the brilliant comedy we had in the first 2 seasons. Best Moment: The dinner scene is fantastic as Paul has evidently changed his mind and decides to like Ross. But Ross continues to get caught in the worst situations and he gradually reverts Paul to his original opinion of Ross. Character of the Episode: Ross. Conclusion: Ross embarrassing himself is admittedly quite funny and it is the only thing that saves this episode from mediocrity. Of the other two storylines, one is fine but forgettable and the other is plain bad. It's a shame that the show must resort to embarrassing its own characters regularly to get any kind of humour out of the episode. Score: 59 Summary: Joey gets an audition as a lead in a TV series but Chandler forgets to write down the time of the audition.
The Good: There are a couple of funny moments here. I especially liked Joey and Chandler going back and forth trying to fake each other out. The Bad: I still despise clip shows, and this episode didn't do anything to change my mind. This one was especially poor since there was no consistent story being told throughout, unlike "The One with the Invitation". Furthermore, most of the clips weren't even featuring the show's better jokes, giving us an excess amount of forgettable scenes. This ended up being pretty dull. Best Moment: Joey and Chandler faking each other out was really funny. It's a scene of two friends just having fun, which is something we have seen too little of this season. Character of the Episode: Joey. Conclusion: This was a waste of an episode. Clip shows are exceptionally lazy episodes and this is no exception. This was the worst episode of the show so far, and it was a chore to get through. Score: 33 Summary: Joey breaks his fridge and tries to get everyone else to pay for it. Ross gets concerned when he learns that Elizabeth is going out for spring break. Rachel needs to get a date to attend an event so Monica and Chandler compete with Phoebe to find the best guy.
The Good: This episode is pretty funny overall. Joey is fantastic and all of his attempts to get other people to pay for his fridge are hilarious. I really enjoy seeing the friends messing around like Joey does here as he tries to blame his broken fridge on everyone. A number of his lines made me laugh, and I really love the bit where he shoves Ross into the fridge and accuses him of breaking it. The Ross story is also pretty good. It's fun to see Ross and Elizabeth having way too much fun as they pretend not to know each other. Then later in the episode it's pretty fun to see Ross freaking out over Elizabeth going to spring break. The story has a great conclusion too as Ross turns up in Florida on the TV. There are a few funny moments in the Rachel storyline, such as Rachel asking Eldad if he uses conditioner before storming off. The Bad: Unfortunately this is only two thirds of a great episode and the third storyline drops the ball in an enormous way. We know Rachel is good at attracting guys, so the idea that she would turn to others to help her is already unrealistic. But what happens next is downright absurd. I understand that Monica is competitive, but Phoebe and Chandler aren't anywhere near as competitive. It's very out of character for them to get so involved in this conflict, and it reeks of sloppy writing to just slap Monica's character traits onto Phoebe and Chandler for this episode. Furthermore, Phoebe, Chandler and Monica are terrible friends to Rachel here. They completely ruin her chances with a guy she really likes, which is just an awful thing to do, but then they refuse to apologize properly or even learn from their mistakes as they continue to let their petty competition overshadow their loyalty to Rachel. This is honestly the kind of stuff that ruins friendships, and it is extremely poor writing to have these character behave so poorly towards one another, especially for a show entitled "Friends". Best Moment: Joey trying to explain to Chandler why he needs to pay him for the fridge was probably the funniest scene. I especially got a kick out of when Joey started comparing their situation to that of a divorced couple and it seems like he's going to bring up donating money for child support. But instead Joey absurdly brings up buying a new kid if the previous one dies. It's unexpected, but very funny, and it fits with Joey's character. Character of the Episode: Joey. Conclusion: This episode is very funny and two of the storylines provide excellent humour. However, the Rachel/Phoebe/Chandler/Monica story is one of the worst storylines the show has done so far and it heavily drags down what should have been an awesome episode. Score: 62 Summary: Ross meets a student who is in love with him and he decides to date her. One of Chandler's old friends has become a movie director and Joey pushes Chandler to talk to her and get him an interview. Rachel and Phoebe's apartment burns in a fire and the two of them have to live with Joey and Monica respectively.
The Good: This is just a really fun episode. There are three strong storylines here and each of them consistently made me laugh. All of the characters are extremely fun here, there is none of the cartoonish overacting that has plagued the season, and most of the laughs are organic. Ross is a lot of fun as he dates Elizabeth while also trying to maintain his reputation with the other professors. Ross' nicknames are clever, and the reveal that he could get fired for dating Elizabeth is a pretty good moment. Joey and Chandler's story is also really fun. The way that Chandler maneuvers the situation to get Joey an audition is really funny, as well as Joey's little jingle to remember Thursday. Phoebe and Rachel are also pleasingly consistent to their characters in their story, and I like the irony of Joey's place actually being the better place to stay over Monica's. The Bad: Nothing I would call bad. Best Moment: Joey almost missing his audition and Thursday and panicking when he realizes what day it is. Character of the Episode: Joey. Conclusion: This is a really fun episode with a lot of laughs. This season is finally beginning to find some consistency. Score: 71 Summary: Ross tries to teach "Unagi" to Rachel and Phoebe who are more than a little skeptical about the idea. Chandler and Monica agree to make each other Valentine's Day gifts but both of them don't know what to make for the other. Joey tries to pretend that he has a twin to do a medical experiment for money.
The Good: There are three very good but not quite great stories presented here. Ross is the highlight and the Unagi story is very funny. His attacks on Phoebe and Rachel are very funny, and the gag of him accidentally attacking two random other women ends the episode on a real high note. Monica and Chandler feel earnest as they struggle to get each other presents, and the ensuing chaos as Chandler pretends that he made a mixtape before the whole plan backfires on him is pretty funny to see. Lastly, the Joey story has some great moments like Joey's apparent backstory with Carl and him trying to hit on the receptionist. The Bad: All three stories are quite silly in nature. Just about everyone is overacting regularly now and a lot of the laughs come from moments that don't feel even close to as realistic or relatable as moments from earlier in the series. For a show that is essentially about six friends living their lives, I need to feel like the story is one that would fit in reality. This interactions in this episode are just too unrealistic to create this feeling and that prevents this episode from being great. Best Moment: Ross attacking the wrong women and getting his ass kicked was hilarious. Character of the Episode: Ross. Conclusion: This was a goofy and funny episode, but also an episode that really shows how much this show has fallen. Score: 69 Summary: Monica ends up sleeping with Chandler. Ross has a threesome with Carol and Susan but it doesn't go well. Rachel struggles to bring herself to have an affair with Joey since she is still married to Barry. The friends can't bring themselves to tell Phoebe that she is fired.
The Good: This was more really fun stuff. There's a nice message here about the bonds between the friends still bringing them to the same place anyways despite everyone's lives being so different. A lot of the conclusions were excellent. Ross and Rachel being drawn together again was lovely. Phoebe becoming a nicer person who plays guitar poorly is a nice way to end her story. Monica and Chandler were great again as they got closer in this episode. All of the story conclusions were great and satisfying. The episode had really funny moments too. The character interactions were wonderful and carried the episode, with several standout lines. Lastly, I loved seeing Joey's fancy apartment return in this episode, which was a nice detail. The Bad: This was a rare case where the part 2 isn't as good as the part 1. Seeing the stories conclude was more predictable, meaning that this episode didn't fascinate me as much as the previous one. Also, I thought Chandler having only had sex once before Monica was inconsistent. Chandler was frequently with women throughout the early seasons, so I'm not sure why he hardly had sex in this alternate reality. Best Moment: Joey and Ross talking about the threesome was hilarious. Character of the Episode: Ross. Conclusion: Like part 1, this was another extremely fun episode. While not quite as good as part 1, this was still really enjoyable. Score: 72 Summary: The group of friends ponder the idea of what their lives would have been like if Ross never got divorced, Rachel stayed married to Barry, Monica was still fat, Chandler quit his job, Joey was still on Days of Our Lives and Phoebe was a stock broker.
The Good: Leave it to a formula break episode to come in and rescue the season. This was excellent stuff that capitalized on how much we care about these characters to provide a wonderful alternate reality comedy episode. There were so many easter eggs and callbacks throughout the episode, leading to several funny moments and memorable lines. Also, there's just something really fun about seeing slightly different renditions of these characters interact with each other. I thought that this episode nicely prevented itself from falling into the pitfalls of this season. With a different take on the main cast, the writers were forced to treat the characters like real humans, and that avoided the crutch of making an episode too cartoony. The writers were focused on the impact of making these characters slightly different from who they should be. Chandler and Joey's roles are swapped so they act slightly differently, Monica is less confident, etc. The other pitfall this episode avoided was having a very poor story. This episode was based on a genius concept that had much more creativity put into it than 90% of the episodes this season. Ironically, I thought some of the alternate reality characters are more in-tune to who these people are than the current renditions of the characters. Monica in particular stands out, and it's so refreshing to see a version of Monica that isn't unnecessarily loud and obnoxious, feeling more like the Monica from the first few seasons before her character was overblown. The Bad: Phoebe's character didn't fully land for me. The jokes surrounding her weren't very clever, and her character was hurt by the consistent butchery of Phoebe in the past few seasons. SInce Phoebe's kindness has been severely downplayed in recent seasons, her character doesn't feel very different from what we are used to. The point of sweet Phoebe becoming a total hardass didn't land at all. Best Moment: There were tons of great moments. My favourite was Monica and Rachel's conversation in Central Perk. There were great moments like Rachel trying to convince herself to cheat on Barry (throwing in a nice reference to "we were on a break" as well), and also Monica still being a virgin. Character of the Episode: Monica. Conclusion: This was an awesome episode that felt like a breath of fresh air in what has been a pretty disappointing season so far. I'm nervous that this high quality is only going to last for the alternate reality storyline, but hopefully I'm wrong. Score: 75 Summary: The friends are upset because Chandler doesn't cry. Rachel gets Ross to stop dating Jill, but Jill learns this and tries to get back at Rachel. Joey discovers that Phoebe is apparently a porn star and decides to investigate.
The Good: This was a welcome return to form to an extent. The previous few episodes have been filled with thoughtless plot lines and jokes that just don't make me laugh very much. Some of the issues were rectified in this episode. The overarching story from the previous episode was fun to watch. Rachel trying to get Ross to stop dating Jill was amusing, and the conclusion to the story is really strong, also furthering the Ross/Rachel story. The Phoebe story is also very good. It's inventive and also leads to some really funny moments (see: Best Moment). Joey and Phoebe in particular are treated really well as characters, and they are funny throughout. Chandler's story isn't the best, but it does get some good laughs. The Bad: The joke of Chandler crying at the end is stupid. What's worse is that the story could have easily been less infuriating if Chandler had been mockingly crying at the end instead. Furthermore, Monica is awful to Chandler as the writers continue to sabotage her character by playing up her loud and obnoxious side. Best Moment: Joey and Ross return with movies of Phoebe doing porn and everything that comes afterwards is hilarious, from everyone deciding to watch the movies, to the names of the movies, to Phoebe walking in at the end. Character of the Episode: Ross. Conclusion: While not a special episode, this was very good comedy for the most part and I enjoyed it. Score: 66 Summary: Rachel's sister Jill arrives at Rachel's apartment because her dad cut her off. Rachel tries to help her but is shaken when Phoebe reports that Jill and Ross seem to have a spark. Joey starts giving away free food, drawing Gunther's ire. Monica is sick but refuses to acknowledge it.
The Good: Jill is played well and her role in the story is fun. I especially liked Rachel's reactions to a potential Jill/Ross relationship, and the idea that her interference is what caused the relationship is pretty clever. Ross, Phoebe, Chandler and Monica have the odd funny line throughout the episode. Though his story is a little flat, Joey is consistently funny throughout. The Bad: This episode really feels like a part 1. The main story moves glacially slow and the two side stories don't really have much to them. The show continues to be very unoriginal with its storytelling. The Monica and Chandler plot is awful and Monica somehow gets more and more cartoonish by the episode. Best Moment: I'll go with the confused looks everyone gives when they hear a knock on the door, realizing that everyone is already there. Character of the Episode: Rachel. Conclusion: This episode was fine for a few laughs, though the side stories were forgettable. It's also hurt by being a part 1 of a two-part story. Score: 51 Summary: Ross and Chandler argue over who came up with a joke. Monica gets mad at Phoebe when she says she is too high maintenance. Joey gets a job at Central Perk as a waiter.
The Good: There are a few odd funny moments here. I enjoyed Ross and Chandler getting Monica to decide who is telling the truth. Chandler telling Monica that he enjoys maintaining her was a sweet little moment. The Bad: This episode is atrociously written. Of all three storylines, only Joey's has any real comedic potential to it and that story is the one used as a background C story, plus it isn't even funny. All we get is Joey overacting which is when he is at his least funniest. Everything that happens is far too over-the-top for me to actually laugh at. Chandler and Ross arguing is very dull. None of the jokes the writers come up with are funny, and calling them jokes is pretty generous. Monica is horrible in this episode. She has been teased since the beginning of the show for her overly anal behaviour, so why does it bother her so much when Phoebe says she is high maintenance? Very sloppy character writing. The likable Monica from earlier seasons has been replaced by this loud, angry, child of a woman in an attempt from the writers to make the show funnier. It hasn't worked at all. Best Moment: Chandler ensuring Monica that he enjoys maintaining her. Character of the Episode: Chandler. Conclusion: Another terrible episode. The writing this season has taken a very big hit and the laughs per episode ratio has fallen of a cliff. Score: 41 Summary: Joey and Janine go out with Monica and Chandler, but Joey is put in an awkward situation when Janine reveals she doesn't like them. Rachel buys furniture from Pottery Barn but has to lie to Phoebe who hates Pottery Barn.
The Good: Ross passionately defending Pottery Barn is hilarious and all of his petty acts in this episode made me laugh. Joey comes off well in his struggle to choose between Janine and his friends. The Bad: Most of this episode was really bad. Phoebe and Rachel's story is terrible as Phoebe comes off as a total idiot for not picking up on Rachel's lies, and she looks even worse when she forsakes her morals for some nice furniture. What happened to the clever humour that made this show so good? The best episodes of the show have never relied on characters being stupid to be funny. Monica and Janine's conflict is very bad. They both act like children and it is painful seeing Monica so simplistic without any depth to her character. Chandler is treated similarly. Best Moment: Ross venting about Phoebe hating Pottery Barn was hilarious, and I particularly liked his joke about Phoebe being a twin. Character of the Episode: Ross. Conclusion: Ross carried this episode but other than him, this was awful. This season is very hit or miss so far and has easily been the least enjoyable. I'm hoping this isn't the start of a downward spiral. Score: 45 Summary: Janine invites Joey to Dick Clark's new year show taping. Monica and Ross tag along too. Joey is hoping to kiss Janine at midnight while Monica and Ross try to get on camera. Chandler, Phoebe and Rachel try to find where Monica has hidden their Christmas presents.
The Good: I thought this was a fine episode with consistent laughs. The presents story was a lot of fun and there were some good lines and clever jokes throughout. I especially enjoyed Monica's message that she left behind for Rachel, Phoebe and Chandler. Joey was the standout of this episode. Everything he did was very funny and he came off really well as he simply tried his best to get Janine to fall in love with him. He was very human in this episode and pleasingly his stupidity was used at a controlled level, maximizing its comedic value. The Bad: This episode wasn't that memorable or funny. The routine wasn't as funny as the show thinks it is and most of Monica and Ross' antics unfortunately fell flat due to being too unrealistic and blunt to be particularly funny. Best Moment: Rachel, Phoebe and Chandler reading the message that Monica left under the couch was wonderful. I also loved the mentions of the mysterious thing that Chandler kept in his room. Character of the Episode: Joey. Conclusion: This was solid, if unspectacular, comedy. Score: 62 Summary: Monica invites her parents over for Thanksgiving but hasn't told them about her and Chandler yet. Ross and Joey want to leave the party early to go hang out with Janine and her dancer friends. Rachel tries to make a nice dessert but messes it up.
The Good: Most of this episode was wonderful. Episodes where all of the main cast stay together the entire time are always the best and this was no exception. As stupid as some of these scenes were, they just worked because of the chemistry between cast members as well as the constant sense of fun, and the rapid-fire jokes. There are so many jokes in this episode that it's okay if a few of them miss. The highlight of the episode was everyone barraging the Gellers with sudden reveals, and it was a hilarious moment. Other parts of the episode were also great like Joey enjoying Rachel's dessert, Ross and Rachel's awkward hallway conversation and almost all of the wonderful random encounters between the friends throughout the episode. The Bad: A few things were awkward. The clearly faked immediate reaction to Rachel's dessert was stupid (though of course the scenes following the immediate reaction were hilarious to make up for it). Phoebe's sudden love for Jack wasn't funny at all and further dented Phoebe's credibility. Lastly, Chandler trying to get Monica's parents to like him ended up being a weak storyline with bad jokes and a very forced resolution. Best Moment: The Gellers being barraged with information from everyone. My favourite part of this exchange was Ross' terrified face when Monica revealed the truth about the playboys. Character of the Episode: Ross. Conclusion: This episode was hilarious and continued the trend of excellent thanksgiving episodes. Sure there was some silliness sprinkled in, but for the most part the episode worked magnificently and had shades of the brilliance that "Friends" has showed in the past. Score: 76 Summary: Ross whitens his teeth for a date, but is horrified when they get way too white. Rachel spreads a rumour that Phoebe kissed Ralph Lauren but is shocked when she realizes that Phoebe didn't actually kiss Ralph Lauren. Joey becomes girlier while interacting with Janine, much to Chandler's chagrin.
The Good: This was a fun episode. There was still a lot of stupid stuff (see: The Bad), but there were tons of great jokes. All three storylines are fun and they made me laugh consistently. Watchign Joey devolve into a woman had some fun moments. I particularly liked Chandler going to Joey's and Ross' only to find them doing girly things. It reminded me of the great joke where Joey kept running into Ross trying to hunt down the hot girl. Ross' teeth are decently funny and everyone's reactions to his teeth are quite funny. Rachel's story is excellent and it has some lovely moments. Phoebe's stupidity is great, Ralph Lauren's brief cameos are hilarious, and Kim interpreting Ralph ignoring Rachel was hilarious. All in all, it's a pretty great storyline. The Bad: Joey becoming so girly is a bit out of character for him and it's a bit too much of a stretch. Hillary getting so mad at Ross for whitening his teeth didn't make any sense. Surely she would understand. It felt forced to end the scene with the two of them shouting at each other. Best Moment: Chandler visiting both Joey and Ross to find them doing girly things. Character of the Episode: Rachel. Conclusion: This was a great return to form for "Friends", though I get the sense that this episode is the exception since it didn't really fix any of the problems I have had with this season. Still, it was great fun. Score: 73 Summary: Rachel is weirded out by the way Phoebe runs and tries to avoid running with her. Chandler cleans the apartment and desperately tries to put everything back to avoid Monica's wrath. Joey gets a hot new roommate Janine and finds it difficult not to flirt with her.
The Good: Joey, Ross and Chandler are all really funny here. They get a number of great lines, and their conversations with each other are a highlight. The chemistry between the main characetrs is really carrying the show now. Rachel and Monica are good for the odd joke. The Bad: The three plot lines are very stupid. Phoebe's odd running is a stupid joke, and what's worse is the justification she gives for running like that. Anybody would tire out rapidly wasting that much energy, so it's horribly inefficient. Furthermore, Phoebe continues her streak of being unlikable by being fairly rude to Rachel. Chandler being so afraid of Monica certainly doesn't say good things about their relationship, as does the fact that he doesn't seem to know that Monica won't like it when he cleans the apartment. The episode is chock full with overacting (mostly from Joey) which takes away from the comedy. Best Moment: I'll go with the scene when Monica arrives at the apartment and Chandler tries to keep her out. There were some brilliant lines in that scene, and Ross curiously asking about what Chandler had was awesome. Character of the Episode: Chandler. Conclusion: This episode had consistent jokes and was funny, but the stories were really poor once again. I've noticed that the show is relying more and more on the chemistry between all six of the actors to create comedy than it used to. Thankfully the chemistry between the actors is strong enough to prevent the show from hitting mediocrity, but the cracks are definitely showing in the writing and the show isn't anywhere near as great as it used to be. Score: 56 Summary: Rachel forces Ross to get a divorce. Joey pretends that he is the owner of a parked Porsche. Phoebe enlists Chandler and Monica to help her babysit her triplets.
The Good: This was another strong, funny episode. Ross and Rachel arguing never gets old and they entertained me thoroughly. The episode goes the extra mile and also throws in a great scene where they make up at the end which was both sweet and funny. It felt very real and I loved it. The story worked on nearly every level. Add in a fun cameo from the judge and it's the best we have gotten this season. The other two stories are fine too and they have their moments. The Bad: Unfortunately, the side stories just aren't that interesting overall. The Porsche story is fairly dull and the Phoebe/Monica/Chandler story isn't as funny as I was hoping (though some moments are excellent). Best Moment: The opening scene when Ross confesses that he and Rachel are still married. There were tons of great laughs. Character of the Episode: Rachel. Conclusion: This was another really funny episode, led by an awesome main storyline while the other stories added some extra comedy too. This season is recovering from a weak start. Score: 71 Summary: Joey loses his health insurance when he doesn't work enough during the last year and he gets a hernia. Ross gets an opportunity to teach a lecture but gets nervous and starts using an accent. Phoebe is told by her psychic that she will die in the next week.
The Good: This was good fun with good jokes and some clever plot lines. The return of Estelle is really fun (as ever) and she gets some good lines in. Joey's scenes are really funny as he struggles with his hernia and there are quite a few funny lines and visual gags. Ross' story is a blast too, as stupid as it is. Monica and Rachel have good fun in the role and Ross' random accent is stupid, yet very funny. The final scene where Rachel invades on Ross is excellent and works as a perfect punchline. The Bad: Phoebe's plot is pointless and isn't very funny. As mentioned above, parts of this episode were very dumb and simplistic, but the episode made up for it by being funny. Best Moment: Ross asking his class to give him another chance only for Rachel to come in and verbally assault him was hilarious. David Schwimmer's face and his relapse into his accent were both perfect and made me laugh. Character of the Episode: Ross. Conclusion: This episode had great jokes and memorable stories. While the stupidity of the jokes is still there, this was funny enough to successfully work around it and end up as a great episode. Score: 70 Summary: Rachel needs a place to go so Ross invites her to move in with him. Monica and Chandler get into a fight over what to do with Rachel's empty room. Joey searches for a new roommate.
The Good: There are some really good parts to this episode. Ross's interventions with Chandler and Monica are really funny and David Schwimmer does a great job again. Ross really carries this episode because his other scenes are funny too, and his interactions with Phoebe are still a lot of fun. Joey is good in the C-story and he gets the odd laugh in. I like that this episode builds its comedy from the fallout of Monica and Chandler's decision to move in together. The Bad: Overacting has really plagued this season. These characters don't feel real in this episode. The dialogue is cheesy, the actors are trying too hard to be funny and the stories really don't have much to them. The characters behave poorly in this episode. Ross and Phoebe are both selfish. It's hard to buy Ross trying to split up Monica and Chandler for selfish reasons, and worse is Phoebe harassing Ross about loving Rachel instead of helping him. Monica and Chandler come off an thoroughly unlikable in their argument. The writing is far weaker than the Ross/Rachel arguments from earlier seasons. Best Moment: Ross trying to get Monica and Chandler back together for his own gain was really funny. Character of the Episode: Ross. Conclusion: This was fine comedy, but the actors are too busy overacting to actually have a good episode. This season has been very disappointing so far. Score: 55 Summary: Phoebe tries her best to get Ross to get the annulment. Chandler and Monica struggle to bring up the courage to tell Joey and Rachel that they are moving in together.
The Good: This was a funny episode with a lot of good lines. Joey is great as he mourns the end of an era with Chandler and they have a lot of good dialogue together. Chandler and Monica are great as a couple in this episode and they seem genuinely in love with each other here which is nice and refreshing. Ross' story has a lot of great laughs too. Phoebe keeping his secret but still attempting to make him do the right thing was a good story and it was the most consistent Phoebe has been to her character in a while. She brings about a number of great laughs throughout. Ross is the best throughout the episode as he is funny. There is also a really good cameo from Ross' divorce lawyer, as well as the three girls who Phoebe and Ross talk to. The Bad: This episode is lucky that the character interactions are damn funny because the plots are really stupid. First is Ross. There is no logical reason that he would try to keep his marriage and he looks really dumb for doing it. But worse is how he seemingly snaps in love with Rachel by hugging her. That never happens in real life and is a contrived development that fails to be funny. The Monica and Rachel story is also quite poor. Monica overacts completely as they drag out the emotional moment of the story for an entire episode. The reason that Rachel doesn't react is really stupid too and adds nothing to the humour or the story. Best Moment: I laughed a lot at the scene between Ross and his divorce lawyer. Character of the Episode: Ross. Conclusion: This was a very funny episode, carried by great character interactions. Unfortunately, the stories are extremely poor and they detract from what could have otherwise been one of the best episodes. Score: 68 Summary: Ross and Rachel wake up and realize what they did the last night. Rachel wants an annulment but Ross is hesitant to get yet another divorce. Chandler and Monica search for the right way to tell the other that they don't want to be wed yet. Phoebe and Joey return to New York via a road trip and Phoebe gets annoyed when Joey falls asleep.
The Good: There are a few great scenes scattered in this episode. Ross is funny as usual and the first scene when he wakes up next to Rachel is really hilarious. I also enjoyed most of Ross' dialogue as he tries to convince Rachel to go through with their marriage. Joey is pretty funny at a few points. The random hitchhiker was pretty funny, as was Joey's elegant way of fixing the old key stuck in the lock. Some of Monica and Chandler's interactions at the end of the episode were quite good. The Bad: Most of this episode was unfunny and overly ridiculous. In prior episodes, an odd lame joke was always overlookable because it was a rare fluke. In this episode, some entire scenes are filled with unfunny jokes that are impossible to laugh at because of how ridiculous they are. Ross refusing to get the annulment is so stupid and it's impossible to buy into him making this decision. It detracts from his scenes when his motives are so bizarre. Chandler and Monica looking for signs isn't funny at all and the jokes feel forced. They come off as a poor couple if they can't simply talk to the other about how rushed they think their relationship is getting. Phoebe and Joey's story feels like pointless fluff and it isn't even that funny. Best Moment: Joey busting down the door at the end was so unexpected that it made me laugh. Character of the Episode: Joey. Conclusion: This was a weak episode. There were a couple of good scenes, but for the most part this was lame-duck, overly dramatic comedy. It's disappointing because "Friends" is only as good as it is because it avoids this cartoony humour. This isn't a good sign for season 6. Score: 52 |
Aaron DhillonJust a university student who loves to watch TV. And analyze it way too much. Archives
February 2024
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