Summary: Ross and Phoebe bring Chandler back and keep their eyes on him. Rachel and Phoebe discuss Monica's pregnancy and Chandler overhears. Joey deals with his drunken co-actor who is preventing him from making it to Chandler and Monica's wedding.
The Good: This was more excellent stuff. As ever, the writers pull out all the stops in creating fun moments throughout the episode. The dialogue is smart, much smarter than it has typically been this season, the character interactions are done spectacularly well, and I thought that the cast was both utilized well and used appropriately in every scene. The Bings and Gellers were as funny as ever of course and provided many of the episode's best laughs. Joey's attempts to make it to the wedding are funny and he's given a lot of good lines to make it work. The episode neatly built up to the wedding scene which ended up being done tremendously well. Having Chandler come back on his own was the right choice, and seeing Chandler and Monica get married after building their relationship over the last two seasons was a wonderful moment. As was the surprise reveal at the end that it's Rachel who is pregnant instead of Monica. The show did a great job of keeping things funny during this sequence with Joey hilariously messing up his job as he got lost in the moment. The Bad: There are some moments that didn't quite work, but they were few and far between. The biggest offender was Joey's drunk co-actor who was far too over-the-top. Best Moment: Everything that happened after Joey made it to the wedding. Realy funny and really sweet stuff that served as a terrific end to the season. Character of the Episode: Joey. Conclusion: This was an excellent episode. Everything worked here and it was refreshing to get consistently strong writing mixed with tons of great jokes to close out the season. This was an extremely effective season finale. Season 7 as a whole was another mixed season though. While it didn't get as outright unrealistic and absurd as the worst of season 6, I think this season struggled to have episodes that were particularly memorable. There are a few great episodes throughout the season, but most episodes end up being forgettable, or had 1 or 2 storylines that were simply unbearable. Consistency is the show's biggest problem right now. This finale proves that there is still a lot of good that can be done with the show and that the writers still have the ability to make us laugh. But there are more weak episodes than ever before, and I'm not sure if the show can ever make it back to the consistency of its earlier seasons. I still enjoyed this season and I do like the show, but I can't deny that it feels like it's a shell of its former self and that it would have been far better to cut down the number of episodes per season, or at least cut down the number of seasons. Score: 78
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Summary: On the wake of the wedding, Chandler starts panicking and runs away. Phoebe and Rachel try to distract Monica until Chandler returns. Joey gets a part in a movie but finds himself working with an actor who constantly spits on him.
The Good: There's a lot to enjoy here. Seeing that this is the big finale of the season, the writers go all out for the jokes and a majority of them land here and are extremely funny. I particular, the jokes involving the Gellers and the Bings are hilarious, and the cameos work perfectly. Much like with Ross and Emily's wedding three seasons ago, this episode feels momentous so there's a sense of plot urgency and importance that we don't get in other episodes that often have filler storylines. That improves my engagement in the episode and makes the already funny jokes land a little better with me. I thought Joey's storyline was excellent as well. The spitting was a clever idea and it impressively led to some really funny scenes rather than simply being silly. I thought Ross and Rachel were excellent in their roles, and while Phoebe had some weak lines, she was really good overall as well. Chandler was funny as his usual sarcastic self until he randomly decided to panic (see: The Bad). The Bad: Chandler freaking out was far too sudden and I don't think it worked as a plot line. It was ridiculous and undersold the strength of the relationship between Monica and Chandler to have him freak out like this out of nowhere. Furthermore, I saw it coming a mile away and it was the simplest and uninspired idea to base this wedding episode around. I hope that this story goes somewhere good or this will be extremely disappointing. Phoebe's reaction to the news that Chandler is gone is also quite terrible and is more irritating than funny. Best Moment: While the gay humour felt cheap in the last episode, I thought it was utilized spectacularly here. You can take your pick here between Jack Geller's "I didn't even get to pretend like I'm okay with it" and Rachel's hilarious interpretation of the name "Amanda". Character of the Episode: Jack. He's such an excellent side character that is consistently funny whenever he appears. Conclusion: This was a very strong part 1 to the wedding with a number of great laughs and some strong storytelling. However, the utter disappointment I had with the Chandler storyline hurt the episode and prevented it from being as amazing as it could have been. We'll see if part 2 can correct this mistake, or at the very least find a way to make this storyline work. Score: 69 Summary: Rachel tries to get Ross to let her drive Monica's Porsche. Monica and Chandler go to Las Vegas to invite Chandler's dad to their wedding. To prove his masculinity to Phoebe, Joey debates wearing women's underwear.
The Good: Chandler's story in this episode is quite good. It's great to finally meet his dad after all this time, and I thought that the writers did a good job giving Chandler a believable conflict. Chandler is too embarrassed by his father to want to see him, and Monica is there to help him overcome this and invite him to the wedding. It's a sweet story that treats the characters well. The other two storylines are incredibly empty in terms of plot, but at least they are funny. Rachel flirting with the cop leading to Ross trying the same thing later was very funny. I thought Joey's story had some good moments as well, but it all led up to an excellent final joke (see: Best Moment). The Bad: As stated above, the side stories felt like pure filler and were silly ideas for episode plots. I thought that there was a lot of weak comedy in this episode as well. Ross driving slow is a stupid idea for a joke since it has never been mentioned before, and it isn't funny at all. Naturally this leads to Ross being humiliated once again, and it's becoming very played out seeing Ross constantly embarrassed. I thought that the story of Rachel being a bad driver was so incredibly dumb. For one, this hasn't been established before so it feels forced. Secondly, it has been established that Phoebe is a bad driver, so why not just use her for this storyline? Instead we're supposed to believe that Monica trusts Phoebe, a bad driver, but not Rachel which is just sloppy and inconsistent writing. Phoebe once again comes off poorly as she escalates the argument between Rachel and Monica instead of helping. Lastly, there were a lot of gay jokes in this episode and none of them were funny. They also haven't aged well at all. Best Moment: Joey trying to get himself a date and making an ass of himself by pulling out a pair of underwear was fantastic. Better yet was his attempt to save face by saying "these are for you". Character of the Episode: Joey. Conclusion: This episode had a strong central story and a couple of decent laughs. But the other two stories were lame and a lot of jokes and character moments were very sloppy. In the end, this was a very weak episode. Score: 53 Summary: Monica and Chandler try to prepare vows for their wedding.
The Good: As ever, writing vows makes for a decent enough story and gives this episode something to focus on by exploring Monica and Chandler's relationship. The Bad: Unfortunately, the episode chooses to do this through a clip show which feels like a tremendous waste. The clip show does work well enough because it reflects Chandler and Monica's relationship and heavily focuses on some of the best jokes from season 5. But a clip show is still rehashing content from older episodes and so it still feels like a waste of time. Best Moment: Joey had a clever line, saying that Chandler could steal Monica's vows as long as he said them first. Character of the Episode: Joey. Conclusion: I don't enjoy clip shows, but admittedly this was probably the best clip shows can be. Still, it isn't enough to merit anything close to a good score. Score: 42 Summary: Rachel reunites with her friend Melissa from college who she kissed. Phoebe doesn't believe her and Rachel sets out to prove that it did happen. Chandler and Ross get tuxedos for the wedding. Joey tries to convince Monica to let his parents come to the wedding.
The Good: The start of the episode is brilliant and has shades of the show "Friends" used to be in it. The episode sets up a simple and realistic storyline as Rachel meets a friend from the past who she shares an awkward history with, and the rest of the scene is spent discussing this with a bunch of clever jokes thrown in. It's a shame that the rest of the episode didn't live up to the realistic humour in this opening scene. Joey had a fantastic episode and is hilarious whenever he pops up with several great lines. The Bad: Unfortunately the 3 plots of this episode aren't very good. Phoebe is awful again as she blatantly doesn't believe Rachel and subtly insults her and is downright mean to her. Their story does not have a good resolution either as Melissa's character's realistic nature is sacrificed for a bad joke revealing that she's in love with Rachel for some reason. It's an awkward moment that isn't really funny and doesn't serve to cap off Rachel and Phoebe's story at all. Chandler and Ross' story isn't very good either. They have the occasional funny line but the characters aren't portrayed very well. Ross is surprisingly childlike at times while Chandler comes off as woefully pathetic. Chandler's comedy used to come from the fact that he's sarcastic and witty, but now it's just endless self-deprecation and he seems to be the butt of every joke. The show has changed the style of comedy surrounding Chandler and it hasn't been for the better. The Joey plot is saved by how funny he is but there isn't a whole lot to that one either. Best Moment: The entire opening sequence, highlighted by Joey excited to hear more from Rachel's story and Ross' claim at the end of how two of his wives have now become lesbians. Character of the Episode: Joey. Conclusion: This is a funny episode that had a lot of potential, but some sloppy writing and poor handling of characters really hurt what I initially thought could have been one of the season's best episodes. A disappointment overall. Score: 55 Summary: Ross and Monica's cousin Cassie comes by for a place to stay for the wedding. Joey lands a big role but with one key catch: he has to do full frontal nudity. Rachel and Phoebe forget to throw a bridal shower for Monica and scramble to get it done last minute.
The Good: This is a really funny episode. All the storylines are entertaining and there are strong jokes everywhere throughout the episode. The weakest story here is Rachel and Phoebe's but even that one had some redeeming moments, especially the ending as Rachel and Phoebe throw a strong surprise party only for Monica to unknowingly insult all of her guests in a hilarious twist. Meanwhile the Cassie story is really strong. The show gets creative in showing off her attractiveness in a funny way leading to two extremely strong jokes with Ross (see: Best Moment) and Phoebe. Lastly, Joey is given a solid conflict here and though he deals with it in a silly way, it is a fun plot line with a funny joke at the end. The Bad: There is a bit of silly writing here. Rachel and Phoebe forgetting to organize a party seems a bit unbelievable and their struggle to put together a quick party is tough to get invested in since it never seems very difficult. Joey pretending to be uncircumcised is ridiculous, especially the lengths he went to conceal it, though this is partly excusable because lying about it does fit Joey's character. However, I don't believe that Joey would stick with the lie to this degree. Best Moment: Ross debates whether or not he should make a move with Cassie. And when he finally does make a move we are gifted this fantastic sequence where he desperately tries to convince himself to talk, ending up with "I haven't had sex in a very long time" which was a hilarious pay-off from a weaker joke from earlier in the episode. It's so satisfying to see a comedy show call back to previous moments, and it made for one of the funniest moments of the entire season. Character of the Episode: Ross. His inner conflict was hilarious to watch. Conclusion: I had my qualms with this, but they feel like minor details when you consider how well set up the jokes were and how funny this episode was overall. An excellent effort from "Friends". Score: 74 Summary: After watching Phoebe date a new guy, Monica realizes that she won't ever have the spark of a new relationship again. Joey is nominated for a Soapie award. Ross is conflicted when a male student admits that he loves him.
The Good: There are a few good jokes scattered throughout the episode and some character beats are done really well. Monica's story has a simple but nice resolution. The Bad: This episode is pretty dull. The stories are extremely by-the-numbers with nothing interesting about them. The characters aren't explored in any meaningful ways and it's all pretty generic stuff. My biggest problem comes from the lack of an explanation for Chandler being unafraid of marriage and the show perplexingly playing up his insecurities as a joke instead of as a legitimate point. The jokes feel cheap and uninspired and the story feels empty because of this glaring hole in the character's mindset. Furthermore, the jokes in this episode are pretty bad. Joey's award storyline is as unfunny as they come without a single inspired joke. It just plays up Joey's character to an unnecessary degree every time with hope that it'll lead to comedy. It doesn't. Meanwhile Ross' story has some potential but nothing even remotely funny is done with the idea of a male student having a crush on him. Best Moment: Phoebe leading Monica to believe that she was being eyed by the other guy was pretty funny and a perfect character moment for her, though she is handled poorly a couple of times after this. Character of the Episode: Phoebe. Nobody else really stands out. Conclusion: This is the most uninspired episode of the show in quite some time. With sitcoms being just 20 minutes, it's usually a quick and easy watch. But in this episode I was unusually bored and I never got into the episode. The mix of poor writing and lazy storytelling is what caused this, and the result is one of the show's absolute worst episodes. Score: 42 Summary: Monica buys the wedding dress she wants but is forced to choose between her dress and the band Chandler wants to play at the wedding when she is blackmailed by somebody who wants her dress. Ross and Joey end up dating the same girl and try to decide who will continue to date her.
The Good: Monica's story is pretty good. By the end of the episode she makes a selfless decision to preserve what Chandler wants at the expense of her wedding dress. The show has developed a nasty habit of making Chandler and Monica argue far too much so it's always nice when we are reminded of how much they actually care for each other in stories like this one. Rachel and Phoebe's involvement in the story is pretty fun, particularly as they shop for the wedding dresses. Meanwhile, Joey and Ross find themselves in a hilarious predicament that's equally fun to watch being set up as it is to see the pay-off. The most consistent laughs of the episode came here with several excellent comedic moments. The Bad: But some aspects of this episode were disappointing. Rachel and Phoebe trying their hardest to get Chandler away from the band he wants was extremely selfish, and also unsubtle which took away from any humour that could have been present during those scenes. Chandler wasn't characterized very well either as he inexplicably became a nervous wreck around Kristen, which isn't consistent with what we know about the character. Ross and Joey had a really fun dinner set-up but it was ruined when the writers decided to have them immediately give away that they knew each other in a generic shouting fest instead of playing a funnier, more subtle scene. In these past few seasons the show is still good at getting easy laughs, but the subtlety has been really lacking. Best Moment: Chandler realizing that Joey and Ross were dating the same women, and the joy he took in slowly revealing it was very funny. A rare case of a fantastic, patient joke that was well written in an episode that was in-your-face a little too much. Character of the Episode: Ross. Conclusion: This was a decent episode. The 2 stories were fun to watch and there were several great jokes. But a lack of subtlety hurt what should have been one of the season's best episodes. Score: 65 Summary: Monica and Chandler search for somebody to marry them and Joey offers himself up as a candidate. Ross leaves Rachel to take care of Ben and she starts teaching him practical jokes.
The Good: This is fine stuff with mostly sound storytelling. Rachel's character is handled perfectly with her awkwardness around Ben as well as her affinity towards practical jokes, which upsets Ross. A lot of Ben's jokes are ultimately pretty funny and it's a lovely moment to see Ross come around and play a prank on Rachel at the end of the episode. Monica and Chandler's story is mostly quite good. There is some solid drama with the truth about London coming out, and it never feels too melodramatic or cheesy. The hunt for a good rabbi is also pretty funny at times, and I enjoyed Joey's absurdly ridiculous speech. The Bad: There aren't any particularly good jokes here and the episode feels rather ordinary as a result. Phoebe is practically meaningless in this episode as she contributes nothing whatsoever and still manages to come off an unlikeable and annoying. The flashback to London did have poor moments as Monica and Chandler behaved a little too childishly at times. Best Moment: Joey walking in on Chandler in London was funny and the writers got some pretty good jokes out of it. Character of the Episode: Joey. Conclusion: This episode had 2 solid stories with some pretty funny moments. Nothing that special happened, but it was a solid episode of comedy. Score: 67 Summary: Joey's character comes back and Joey is really excited, but it means the departure of a much-loved actress, Cecilia Monroe, who Joey grows close to. Ross tries to convince Chandler and Monica to let him play bagpipes at their wedding. Rachel and Phoebe argue over who should keep a phone that was left behind by a hot guy.
The Good: Joey's story is really well done and reminded me of the quality one-off stories that the show would produce in season 1. It was a lovely mixture of funny and engaging, and Joey looked better here as a person than he has in a long time. He's childlike in just the right amount without being over the top, and he comes off really well as he tries to respect Cecilia's character and her feelings despite being really excited about being back on the show. The side stories had their moments as well. The Bad: But for the most part, the side stories weaken the episode significantly. Ross looks really bad here as he tries to force bagpipes on Monica and Chandler. There aren't very many good laughs here either so it's a weak story. Phoebe and Rachel do have funny moments, but the resolution of the story feels extremely lazy with Phoebe being super attracted to the old guy. I also don't think that Rachel and Phoebe come off well as they continually bicker and argue over a really dumb conflict. Best Moment: Ross' hate for the brain transplant followed by Joey insulting him for not having sex in 3 months was the best joke of the episode. Character of the Episode: Joey. Conclusion: This episode had one great story but the rest didn't really hold up. What this results in is a solid episode, but one that isn't particularly special. Score: 64 Summary: We see various storylines of everyone's 30th birthdays. Rachel is a mess and contemplates her future with Tag. Monica shows up to her surprise party drunk. Ross rashly buys a new sports car and tries to show it off. Phoebe learns that she's one year older than she thought she was.
The Good: This was a really funny episode and a good comeback from the very poor previous episode. The concept of jumping between various birthdays is quite fun and it leads to some strong stories and a lot of funny moments. Ross and Joey are their usual selves and have a lot of great moments. I particularly enjoyed Joey's almost childlike nature in this episode as it felt more subdued. Rachel's story is very well executed as she contemplates life and ends her relationship with Tag on good terms just so she can move on with her life. It's surprisingly well written and there are some great bits of humour added wherever it made sense. Monica being drunk is a bit cheesy (see: The Bad), but it does lead to a few really good jokes. The Bad: There are some flaws in this episode. Monica being drunk is a very easy way to get cheap laughs, and it doesn't make for any kind of superb comedy. Ross' story tried a bit too hard to replicate the fantastic "pivot" joke and I don't think it worked at all. Best Moment: I'll go with Chandler's horrible choice of birthday card and Monica's disbelief how Chandler messed up his one job. Character of the Episode: Joey. Conclusion: I was laughing pretty consistently during this episode so it was certainly quite good. I just don't think that the quality of humour was top-tier "Friends", but this was still a very strong episode. Score: 69 Summary: Joey is distraught that he has to get a new chair when Rachel breaks his old chair Rosita. Phoebe takes up a new job as a telemarketer and her first call is a guy who wants to kill himself. Monica and Ross learn their parents are moving and they visit to see their childhood memories, but all of Monica's stuff has been destroyed.
The Good: There are some funny moments here. Jack is great as always. Joey has fun moments with his childishness, and the end joke with him destroying Chandler's chair was pretty funny. Ross and Monica have the occasional good moment as well. The Bad: For the most part this was very poor. First of all, the episode simply wasn't very funny and I didn't find myself laughing much at all. The jokes weren't very well done and most of them felt quite cheap as the characters had to be dumbed down and stripped down to one single trait in order to be funny. Phoebe's story was awful. Not only did it not lead to any conclusion, but the whole thing was pointless, unfunny, and even managed to make a mockery out of a serious topic like suicide. And to top it all off, the show wasted a cameo from the terrific Jason Alexander on this stupid plotline. Ross and Monica's story isn't good either. We have already seen several episodes where Monica is left wondering if her parents love Ross more than her, so this doesn't add anything new. There aren't many laughs in the story either, and the conclusion with Monica getting the Porsche falls flat. It grossly dumbs down Monica as a character if her father giving her his Porsche is enough to quash all thoughts she has about her parents loving Ross more than her. I also feel that Ross' dramatic overreaction was pretty unrealistic and was another case of Ross being transformed into a far more annoying character than he was early in the series. David Schwimmer does a good job trying to salvage the episode, but his efforts aren't enough to overcome the poor writing. Best Moment: There isn't much that stands out. I'll go with Ross' realization that his parents are selling the house and Phoebe's initial confusion about there being something wrong with the window. Character of the Episode: Joey. Conclusion: This episode had some decent moments, but it was pretty badly written overall. Certainly the worst episode of the season so far. Score: 47 Summary: Joey and Ross get locked on the roof when they stay behind to watch for a comet and they try to find a way down. Chandler can't sleep so he tries talking to Monica to pass the time. Rachel and Tag go to work at night when they argue over who is at fault for some reports not being submitted. Phoebe wages war against a fire alarm that won't stop beeping.
The Good: This is a fun episode. "Friends" almost always excels with these gimmicky episodes and this is no exception. The episode starts perfectly with everyone together. I wish the show allowed the entire cast to interact together more often since the lines and the comedy often feels most natural in these situations. After the characters branch off, most of the stories are really good. Joey and Ross are the highlight as they try to climb down the fire escape. All of the episodes' funniest jokes come from this story and it is a joy to watch. Rachel and Tag also have a very strong story. Their bickering over who is at fault gives depth to their relationship and makes it pretty clear why they are attracted to each other with all of the fun they are having. There are some really funny moments as both of them try to shift the blame to the other person in clever ways. Chandler and Monica have the occasional clever joke as well. The Bad: Chandler and Monica's story is too simple and the jokes aren't creative enough to be memorable. Phoebe's story is pretty awful since she has nobody else to bounce off of with the only funny joke coming from when she thinks the fire alarm is knocking on her apartment door. Her entire storyline seems so implausible as the fire alarm inexplicably keeps beeping without reason. Best Moment: Ross asking Joey where the pipe holding the door open is followed by Joey's slow and painful realization was a hilarious moment. Character of the Episode: Joey. Conclusion: For the most part, this was an excellent episode that played to the show's strengths. Was everything excellent? No. The show still has problems with consistency across storylines and that did hurt this episode. Still, I can confidently call this a great episode of comedy. Score: 70 Summary: Chandler and Rachel find some delicious cheesecake delivered to their door and can't stop eating it. Phoebe gets mad at Joey for cancelling dinner with her for a date but finds herself in a similar situation when David returns for one day. Ross is invited to a family wedding and Monica isn't, so she goes as his guest to figure out why she wasn't invited.
The Good: This was a funny episode on the surface. The Chandler and Rachel dynamic is a less common one, so it feels fresh to see them in a story together. There are some good laughs with them as they are unable to resist the temptation of the cheesecake. Ross and Monica are enjoyable in their storyline too. Phoebe and David have some good scenes in their short story, and Joey is consistently funny throughout the episode. The Bad: It feels like such a waste to have David return and not even be the focus of the episode. I'm surprised that so much time was spent developing the Phoebe/Joey conflict when it really should have been focusing on David's return and the effect it has on Phoebe. Ross and Monica are enjoyable but all of their most annoying traits are played up too much. The resolution of their story with one of Monica's ex-boyfriends is wholly unsatisfying. Did she really not know who the groom was? And why is it that big of a deal anyways? Best Moment: Joey pulling out a fork to eat the cake that had fallen on the floor was a good joke. Character of the Episode: Joey. Conclusion: This episode was fun and easy enough to watch but it did nothing special and fell into some classic sitcom trappings with wasted storylines and overly emphasized character traits. Score: 56 Summary: Ross gets Ben for Christmas and he tries to teach him about Hanukkah. Phoebe's apartment is ready and she tries to get Rachel to leave Joey's to live with her. Chandler and Monica go out for dinner and Chandler tries to master the ability to give people money subtly.
The Good: This is a very funny episode. The armadillo plot is a lot of fun, and seeing Ross, Chandler and Joey all dress up is very funny, and the character interactions are a highlight. The sequence in the apartment with Ross and Chandler trying to keep up their personalities while talking to each other is hilarious. The story is well done and there is a lot of humour. The Phoebe story is fine too. It's a sensible sitcom plot with some fun jokes, especially from Joey. Chandler is a ton of fun as he tries to learn the art of money handshakes, and his awkward failures are very funny. The Bad: There are some disappointing moments here. Phoebe going overboard to get Rachel back doesn't feel realistic, which takes away from both her character, and the impact of the storyline. I wasn't too happy with a lot of Ben's dialogue which just felt cheesy and weird. Best Moment: The entire costume sequence was top-tier "Friends". Character of the Episode: Ross. Conclusion: This is an excellent episode, one of the best of the season so far. "Friends" still isn't quite able to hit the highs of the early seasons, but I'm glad that we are still getting great episodes like this one. Score: 75 Summary: Monica makes candy for the neighbours who all demand more. Ross buys Phoebe and bike and tries to teach her to ride it. Tag accidentally submits a joke evaluation from Rachel which puts her in trouble.
The Good: This is solid stuff for the most stuff with some good jokes. The candy storyline has solid moments, particularly the Gary cameo (see: Best Moment) and Joey joining in with the mob. Chandler has a pretty good episode as a character even if he doesn't make too many jokes. Ross has some good moments in the Phoebe story. Rachel and Tag's story is fine as well and they have some nice moments in their story which reaches a logical conclusion. The Bad: Phoebe is awful in this episode as she comes off as childish in almost every scene. Monica doesn't look good either as the writers play up her desire to make food for people to a ridiculous amount in an attempt to develop her character in a new way. Best Moment: Gary's cameo was brilliant. "Friends" really knows how to make one-off characters memorable. His 4AM visit was quite funny, and the end of the scene with him hitting on Monica was excellent. Character of the Episode: Rachel. Conclusion: This was a harmless episode with some good laughs. Nothing special here, but nothing particularly unsatisfying either. Score: 64 Summary: The friends go to Monica's apartment for Thanksgiving. Phoebe is watching a dog for a friend which becomes a problem when Chandler reveals that he hates dogs. Rachel invites Tag over for to Monica's for the gathering. Ross tries to name all 50 states.
The Good: There are some good jokes in this episode. Rachel's interactions with Tag are consistently funny and I did laugh at Joey accidentally giving everything away and promptly leaving. Ross trying to name all 50 states is a fun and relatable C-plot, and his complete anguish as he repeatedly fails is funny. The "moo point" joke is also a very clever joke. The Bad: Chandler's fear of dogs is so hard to believe. He doesn't offer any kind of valid reason for his dislike of dogs and that makes it impossible for me to buy into this story. It's too silly and unrealistic for the relatable humour that "Friends" specializes in to work. What's worse is how everyone else refuses to acknowledge Chandler's fear and care for his emotions. Instead they just abuse him, proving themselves to be awful friends. Rachel and Tag's story has some stupid moments too. Joey's reveal, while funny, is bogged down by its unoriginality (the show has used similar jokes several times already). Also, Tag's car getting stolen seems like a random and stupid way to get Tag out of the story so that Rachel can have some scenes where she freaks out about what happened. Best Moment: The moo point. Character of the Episode: Joey. Conclusion: This had its funny moments, but overall it is quite stupid and is easily the worst Thanksgivings episode so far, which is a shame because the Thanksgiving episodes have typically been quite good. Score: 53 Summary: Ross notices people having sex in the library where his book is and tries to prevent it from happening. Monica encounters Janice who inserts herself into Monica and Chandler's life despite being unwanted. Rachel and Phoebe try to convince Joey to get in a serious relationship with a girl.
The Good: There is a lot to like here. The Joey plot is surprisingly good and it tells a fresh story that hasn't been done before. There are solid laughs here, and a relatable story is told as Joey finally desires a serious relationship only for the girl he was dating to not be looking for something serious. Rachel and Phoebe are also subtle in most of their pushes and they have some pretty funny moments. Janice remains a fun character and she has some funny moments in the episode. Ross' story is good for the odd laugh and he gets a lot of the episode's funniest moments. The conclusion with Ross ironically getting busted after all of his preventive measures was genuinely funny. As was the joke of Chandler and Monica showing up at the library. The Bad: Some things didn't work here. Chandler and Monica's actions aren't particularly organic and that hurts the comedy significantly. Janice is also quite the caricature here and isn't as funny as she used to be. Best Moment: The man at the front desk assuming that Ross wanted to have sex at the fifth floor spot was very funny. Even 7 seasons in, "Friends" is still very good at creating funny one-off characters. Character of the Episode: Ross. Conclusion: This was a very funny episode with three solid storylines. There were a few flaws, but this was pleasingly consistent. Score: 69 Summary: Ross and Joey accidentally nap together and find that they enjoy it. Monica wants Chandler to apologize to his ex-girlfriend who he broke up with because she got fat. Rachel and Phoebe try to decide who gets to be Monica's maid of honour.
The Good: This is a really fun episode with three good stories with a lot of laughs. The napping partners story is suitably awkward and is a rare case where an attempt by "Friends" to parody a real-life conflict works spectacularly well. The final scene of them being seen by everyone else is very funny. I also greatly enjoyed the talk about "Die Hard". Monica and Chandler get a great storyline. Instead of bickering stupidly, they work through a conflict in a reasonable way and both of them are charming. Chandler is funnier than he has been in a long time, and the episode is peppered with plenty of hilarious one-liners that reminded me of the Chandler we had back in the first few seasons. The Bad: There are some silly bits, but none of them detract too much from the episode. The idea of Ross and Joey napping together is pretty dumb. As is the idea that Chandler's ex-girlfriend didn't realize that Chandler dumped her because she got fat. Best Moment: There are plenty of great jokes and one-liners. My favourite jokes came from Chandler talking to Monica about his ex-girlfriend and how he dumped her because she was fat. Character of the Episode: Chandler. Conclusion: This was a very strong and consistently funny episode. I had a lot of fun watching this, and I think this was the best episode in a long time. Score: 76 Summary: Monica gets frustrated when Chandler isn't able to smile properly for an engagement picture. Joey and Phoebe start dating a recently split up couple and argue on their behalves. Rachel enlists Joey to stop Tag from dating other girls.
The Good: Two of the three stories are good. Ross and Phoebe having arguments over the ex-couple they are dating is clever and ends up being a really funny storyline. Rachel's story is solid as she continually makes a fool of herself. Joey's role in the episode is quite good and he has a lot of funny moments like where he gets his new shirt dirty after eating a donut. The Bad: Unfortunately Chandler and Monica's storyline is beyond stupid. The idea that Chandler can't smile for a photo is utterly ridiculous. Maybe I would have bought into the idea if it was played subtly with clever jokes, but it is overacted and consists of the same dumb joke of Chandler making a weird face towards the camera. This must be one of the show's dumbest story ideas ever. Best Moment: Take your pick from Ross and Phoebe's many hysterical arguments. Character of the Episode: Joey. Conclusion: This is what you would expect from a post-season 5 "Friends" episode. There are two solid storylines with good laughs, but also a third one which is pretty dumb and drags things down. Score: 59 Summary: Rachel debates who to hire as her next assistant. Joey gets another job opportunity with Days of Our Lives. Ross and Chandler share their secrets to Monica.
The Good: There are some good moments here. Ross and Chandler spilling each others secrets is pretty funny and has some nice moments. Rachel is great as she is given a nice conflict and makes a decision which fits her character. Joey is fun as well as he lets his newfound fame get to his head. The scene when he shows up for the audition is excellent. The Bad: This episode isn't particularly entertaining. Something is missing and there aren't any memorable laughs. The Ross/Chandler story is disappointing because it doesn't tread any new ground and actually reuses a storyline from a previous episode. Best Moment: Rachel and Joey trying to outfight each other by proving their story is better was pretty funny. Character of the Episode: Rachel. Conclusion: This is a solid episode, but it never threatens to be anything more. Score: 60 Summary: Monica tries to get Phoebe's grandmother's cookie recipe. Chandler has an embarrassing story after going out for racquetball with Monica's dad. Rachel is mean to Joey while trying to teach him how to sail.
The Good: This is a fine episode. The stories are all decent enough and there are some good laughs here. Chandler's story is creative, and Joey and Rachel's story is the kind of relatable comedy that "Friends" used to specialize in. The Bad: Unfortunately this episode does nothing to stand out. Chandler's story is creative but it doesn't end up being anywhere near as funny as it should have been. The set up was there for a really funny joke, but we just didn't get one. All of the other humour is good for chuckles but nothing more. Furthermore, we get more unrealistic character behaviour with everyone not noticing Chandler's glasses and Ross being needlessly petty about not getting an engagement present. Best Moment: Joey getting mad at the coast guard was the funniest joke of the episode for me. "Get out of the way jackass" has become one of my regular sayings. Character of the Episode: Joey. Conclusion: This is an alright episode with some fun moments, but it's also a little silly and not at all memorable. Score: 55 Summary: Joey discovers Rachel's secret erotic novel. Phoebe moves into Ross' apartment and starts massaging her clients there. Monica and Chandler go over plans for their wedding.
The Good: The 3 stories are fine enough and they all lead to some fine jokes. Monica and Chandler are the highlight as they behave like a real couple would. The scene with the Gellers was really good, and I really liked the sweet moment they had at the end of the episode. Joey making fun of Rachel over her book is pretty funny and the writers find clever ways to keep the joke fresh throughout the episode. Ross is pretty good too and he has a number of funny embarrassing moments. Phoebe gets the occasional good line too. The Bad: This episode isn't really memorable. The jokes are fine but completely unspectacular. There are a lot of chuckles through the episode but only a few good laughs. Some of the characters behave questionably too. Ross deciding to give out a massage is a very irresponsible decision that could have backfired tremendously, and it's hard to buy into the character making such a rash decision. Phoebe falls into some of her usual trappings as she is surprisingly rude and selfish in a few scenes. Joey is a bit much as he makes fun of Rachel for "having porn". Joey's cartoonish nature has been accentuated as the series has gone on, but sometimes it just doesn't feel right. Some parts of this episode were an example of this. Best Moment: Ross making a fool of himself by shouting at Rachel only for Phoebe to come in and say something even more embarrassing was pretty funny. Character of the Episode: Chandler. Conclusion: This was a solid episode with some really good moments. Some of the characters weren't written that well, but as a whole I enjoyed this. Score: 64 Summary: Monica is upset when she catches Rachel and Ross kissing in the hallway. Chandler is shaken when he has a mishap in the bedroom. Joey tries to act like he's 19 for an audition. Phoebe wants Chandler and Monica to let her perform at their wedding.
The Good: This was really good stuff. The Monica/Rachel story was the strongest. There were plenty of funny moments that stemmed off of their conflict, plus the writers were able to tell a meaningful and logical story around their relationship. It made sense that Rachel would feel sad and it made sense that Monica would be upset given Rachel's track record in the past. The fact that they were able to console afterwards was very realistic and it was a very good moment. Ross was a nice addition to the story and he provided a lot of great moments as he reacted to getting accepted and rejected pretty well. Joey is really funny too as he dresses and acts like a 19 year old. Chandler gets some really funny lines too. The Bad: Phoebe is really obnoxious here. The writers have played up Phoebe's teasing nature to an unrealistic degree. In this episode she is more rude than anything, and it's hard to laugh at her lines when she is so annoying. Ross' jokes about his hands were funny the first 2 or 3 times, but they were overused throughout the episode. It's not funny anymore if you can predict the joke before he says it. Best Moment: Joey accidentally giving away Chandler's secret upon entering Monica's apartment was a hilarious moment. Character of the Episode: Joey. Conclusion: This was a really strong season premiere that showed some promise. It was refreshing to have an engaging character conflict that was written quite well, and hopefully it's a sign of better things to come this season. Had the Ross/Phoebe stuff been a little better, this would have scored a 70+ easily, but with their sloppy dialogue it falls just short. Score: 69 |
Aaron DhillonJust a university student who loves to watch TV. And analyze it way too much. Archives
February 2024
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