Summary: Rachel finally gives birth and starts to get worried that she will be alone. Chandler and Monica continue trying to conceive. Clifford finds out what Phoebe did with Joey.
The Good: Rachel having her baby is a nice sequence. She's fittingly afraid without going too overboard. Ross is great as he provides support and also some laughs. The episode shines most when it is more serious surprisingly. Rachel's fears are well written and it's easy to buy into her realization that Ross will likely leave her behind for his own family. Meanwhile, Ross gets a terrific scene with Phoebe where he explains very understandable fears involving getting back with Rachel. The Bad: Lots of flaws to list out. Of course we are back in full force with yet another will they/won't they between Ross and Rachel. It is getting absurd now. The proposal at the end is completely ridiculous and it's hard to imagine that it will have any long-lasting consequences. Phoebe's story falls apart in predictable fashion and is resolved off-screen, making it feel entirely frivolous. At least she wasn't rewarded for her awful behaviour this time. Chandler and Monica did not get enough material to justify their story being stretched out across two episodes. Also, Rachel giving birth took 21 hours, are we seriously supposed to believe that everyone waited in the hospital for that long? This second half isn't a very funny episode so it actually suffers more than part 1 does from this story being split into two halves. Best Moment: Ross revealing why he doesn't want to get back with Rachel to Phoebe. It's not funny, but it's a very sweet and well-written moment that outshined all of the jokes in this episode. Character of the Episode: Ross. Conclusion: There was some nice character writing here, but the slow pace of this two-part season finale really hurt this episode as the side stories felt especially pointless and the good jokes were few and far between. Season 8 was a mixed season, but better than the last two. It had glimpses of excellence with some brilliant episode concepts, and the main cast were especially great together in this season. But the familiar issues of silly writing, degrading characters to caricatures of themselves, and inconsistency across 25 episodes remained true, even if there were some episodes that rose above these flaws. I think this season is a bit better than the last few simply because of those worthwhile episodes that I really loved. But even with this late re-emergence of quality, I still get the sense that "Friends" is continuing to lose steam, and this season merely slowed the decrease in quality rather than reverse it. With several stories and characters becoming tired, I hope that this show concludes before it suffers a really bad drop in quality. Score: 57
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Summary: Rachel waits to have her baby but she is stuck waiting for a long time. Chandler and Monica try to conceive in the hospital. Phoebe tries to hunt down a cute guy in the hospital.
The Good: This was a really funny episode. The dialogue was written wonderfully and the episode was packed with delightfully funny lines that amused me. Ross and Rachel's dynamic is brilliant here, and the writers got something special out of having the react to the hilarious couples that they ended up sharing a room with. Ross is his typical dorky self as he tries to make Rachel feel better, and Rachel's 17 hour wait is a credible reason to make her increasingly erratic to create some funny moments while she expresses her frustration. The twist that Chandler is ready to have a baby is a lovely bit of character growth. When "Friends" takes itself seriously, it can create excellent moments like when Monica 's attempt to scare Chandler results in the surprise reveal that he's ready to take a step forwards. This was much better than another jab at Chandler's commitment issues. The Bad: This episode feels like a part 1. The story is paced painfully slowly and if there hadn't been as many good lines, this could have been a really poor episode. Rachel's birth feels like a single episode storyline stretched into two. Phoebe's story doesn't work for me. She's as mean-spirited as ever, and while Joey is funny, there is absolutely no way that the hospital staff or Clifford would ever cooperate with his Dr. Drake Ramoray shtick. Janice's introduction at the end didn't work for me. It's always the same joke of how annoying she is, and after 8 seasons, it is not funny anymore. Best Moment: Ross spreads his legs up on the hospital bed to make Rachel laugh, only for another couple to walk in and see him on their bed. Ross immediately gets up and awkwardly introduces himself saying, "I'm here to ruin this magical day for you". This scene is both funny and plausible. Character of the Episode: Ross. Conclusion: Once again, "Friends" is saved by the efforts of its main cast and their ability to bounce funny lines off of each other. I was entertained throughout this episode even though there were flaws with pacing and realism. Score: 66 Summary: Rachel becomes increasingly irritable as her due date is delayed. Monica and Phoebe bet on when Rachel will have her baby. Joey takes Chandler to the premiere of his movie but gets upset when Chandler falls asleep.
The Good: The episode's ending is really good as we get a sweet moment between Ross and Rachel before she gives birth. I thought that the storylines all had pretty funny resolutions. Rachel trying to get Ross to have sex with her was really funny, and there were some really clever jokes that lead up to a great ending gag as Ross exclaims "I'm good!" when the baby immediately starts to come. The final scene with Monica and Phoebe is excellent as Monica tries one final time to win her bet before getting overcome with excitement about Rachel's new baby. Joey forgiving Chandler after seeing how much he has to pay him is a funny resolution to their story. The Bad: Joey and Chandler's story feels like pure fluff and the resolution feels so cheap that the entire story becomes a waste of time. It's especially hard to buy into this story when we have never seen Chandler support Joey in the way that the show describes. This is why it's important that we should see these characters being good friends instead of only seeing the funny moments where they have conflict with each other. Monica and Phoebe betting on Rachel was a typical late-season "Friends" storyline where characters do pretty terrible things for no good reason. Rachel becoming so unreasonably annoying is a poor use of the unpredictable pregnant woman trope and it didn't make me laugh at all. It's especially problematic because much of this episode hinges on erratic Rachel being funny. Best Moment: The final few minutes with Ross and Rachel, particularly Ross' sarcastic comments at how poorly Rachel is doing in trying to get him to have sex. Character of the Episode: Ross. Conclusion: This episode starts off really poorly but it does become something better by the end. Even still, this is still a weak episode of "Friends". With the season finale coming up, hopefully season 8 can end with a bang. Score: 54 Summary: Monica attends a cooking class to feel better after she gets a bad review. Rachel gets jealous when a lady starts flirting with Ross. Phoebe helps Chandler prepare for an interview.
The Good: This is vintage "Friends". All three storylines are pretty good and utilize the characters well, and the jokes are witty, well-written, and hilarious. Ross and Rachel's story is the highlight here. Rachel's jealousy is tremendously fun to watch, and I'm glad that her emotions weren't just explained away with "it's because she's pregnant", which is always cheap. Her interactions with Ross were fun, and I really laughed at how Katie flirted with him. The whip joke was a really funny pay-off to the Indiana Jones bit with Ross being as wonderfully awkward as ever. More impressive was how Rachel joking about wanting to talk about things early in the episode came back as a serious plot point later. That was excellently executed. The two side stories were less impressive but still really funny. Joey is funny as ever as he tags along with Monica. Monica getting so upset and then taking a class to feel better is in line with her character and thankfully the writers don't make her too annoying in these scenes. Chandler doing his best to not make funny jokes during an interview is a funny idea and there are some good laughs in his story. It was nice to see Phoebe honestly try to help him for once. The Bad: It's disappointing to be back at Ross/Rachel for what feels like the 400th time. If this episode wasn't so funny and well-executed, I would be much more annoyed at this. Best Moment: Rachel seriously thinking about getting back together with Ross and both of their awkward reactions after that moment were really funny. I loved the continuity with Rachel's joke from earlier and I think that this is a perfect use of awkwardness to create comedy in a way that isn't uncomfortable to watch. Character of the Episode: Rachel. Conclusion: This was excellent stuff. Three consistently well-written stories with consistently funny jokes and a sense of important story progression. This feels like a season 1-5 "Friends" episode in those regards, and I definitely mean that as a compliment. Score: 73 Summary: Joey practices being a game show host with Ross and Chandler. Monica and Phoebe throw a baby shower for Rachel but have to call her mother at the last minute because they forgot to invite her. Rachel's mother decides to stay with Rachel for eight weeks after she gives birth.
The Good: The game show parody is a lot of fun, and Joey, Ross and Chandler's wacky antics are pretty funny. The episode is built on a fun idea of Rachel being unprepared to have her baby. The Bad: The episode doesn't deliver like it should. Monica and Phoebe are really weak in this episode, and watching Monica attempt to suck up to Rachel's mother so much is annoying and not funny. Once again Monica is written to extremely cartoonish levels in an attempt to make her funny. Rachel's story is a good idea but it isn't executed well. It's hard to believe that Rachel wouldn't have done any research on how to be a mother before now, and I'm shocked that she didn't even mention that Ross would be there to help her out so she wouldn't need her mother. The game show story is fun but it ultimately ends up feeling like needless filler. Best Moment: Ross, Chandler and Joey getting really into bamboozled was really funny to watch, and it's an excellent joke on how ridiculous game shows can be. Character of the Episode: Joey. Conclusion: This episode had a few good ideas and jokes but the overall package isn't done very well. It's another disappointing episode. Score: 54 Summary: Joey does an interview for Soap Opera Digest and does his best not to blow it.
The Good: This is an excellent concept for an episode. The interview scenes are fun, and the episode has a predictably amusing ending as Joey messes up the very last question. The writers throw in several clever jokes throughout the interview. The Bad: Unfortunately, the interview is only about 10% of the episode and the other 90% is a clip show. Joey is funny so most of the jokes are good, but it's so unnecessary and disappointing to get a clip show here, especially with how good of a concept this episode had. I was expecting an excellent episode after the first scene and was bitterly underwhelmed once the clip show started. Best Moment: Joey claiming that he's shy around women. Character of the Episode: Joey. Conclusion: This could have been terrific, but instead we got a lazy clip show episode that served no real purpose. What a disappointment. Score: 35 Summary: Everyone goes to Jack and Judy's 35th anniversary. Monica prepares for a toast. Ross and Rachel pretend to be married. Phoebe starts dating a new guy who is way too enthusiastic.
The Good: "Friends" always excels when all of the characters are together. This isn't the best example of it, but this is a pretty fun story. Alec Baldwin does a great job, and the overly positive Parker is really funny to watch. Even better is seeing all of the friends mock his mannerisms. Rachel and Ross get a pretty good storyline here. Their exaggerations are really funny to watch, and the story has a good emotional core as a sort of "what could have been" between them. Chandler and Joey don't get much to do in this episode, but they chime in for the odd laugh here and there. The Bad: Even though all the friends are together in this episode, the writers still split them up into groups so the episode fails to make the most of its premise. Phoebe comes off poorly again. She is so offended by her friends making fun of Parker, yet she is absolutely guilty of doing this, perhaps more than anybody else. Phoebe comes off as a hypocrite for trying to take the moral high ground and the way she dumps Parker is incredibly mean. The writers continue to do a poor job with the character of Phoebe. Monica's toast has a few funny moments but it's a pretty flat story overall. Best Moment: Ross making fun of Parker. Character of the Episode: Rachel. Conclusion: This episode had a neat premise and some good laughs, but it doesn't quite live up to its full potential. This isn't a bad episode, but it's not one of the season's better efforts. Score: 62 Summary: Rachel comes up with a fake work problem to break the tension with Joey. Phoebe dates a guy she thinks she is fated to be with. Ross goes to Mona's to get back his pink t-shirt. Monica and Chandler organize their CDs.
The Good: The Rachel/Joey story is another fun one. Both characters have been used very well lately and that continues here. Joey feeling awkward is sensible, and Rachel wanting to fix it makes total sense. The story feels real and the characters behave like they do care about each other. Add on some great laughs with the absurdity of Rachel's lie (my boss wants to buy my baby!), and this is another great storyline for Rachel and Joey. Ross is pretty fun again as he gets caught up in yet another awkward situation with Mona. His attachment to the pink t-shirt is typical of Ross and I got a lot of laughs out of his antics. I also appreciate that the writers did not take the obvious route and humiliate Ross again. This story was written pretty well. The Bad: The 2 least important stories were unfortunately really weak. Phoebe's date had some funny lines to be sure, but the story had nothing to it. Are we really supposed to believe that Chandler thinks that having disorganized CDs is acceptable to Monica after they have lived together for this long? Best Moment: Rachel coming up with the "my boss wants to buy my baby" lie. Character of the Episode: Rachel. Conclusion: This was another pretty good episode. This season has had some weaker ones, but the overall consistency in the past few episodes has been really impressive, especially with the weaker quality of the past few seasons. I enjoyed this one. Score: 69 Summary: Joey and Ross talk about Joey's situation and decide that Joey has to tell Rachel how he feels. Phoebe introduces a man he believes to be Monica's soulmate to her, frustrating Chandler.
The Good: The Joey storyline is well handled as it has been this season. It's amazing how well Joey has come off in this storyline, and I'm very pleased that Ross was understanding of everything and didn't behave irrationally for the sole purpose of getting cheap laughs. The characters were written pretty well throughout. Joey's confession scene with Rachel was pretty well done too with some decent laughs involving the waiter. The Bad: Unfortunately this is one of those episodes that takes itself too seriously. There are far too many serious scenes and not enough laughs and that hurts the quality of the episode. And even though the Joey/Rachel story is written, sitcom romances are plentiful and not the most interesting things to watch. The B story in this episode is dreadful. Phoebe comes off as a complete asshole for openly talking about Monica's soulmate in front of Chandler, and the abuse Chandler suffers while Rachel and Phoebe are talking is absurd. Why would Phoebe and Rachel ever have this conversation about Monica's soulmate in front of Chandler anyways? Chandler doesn't even come off well in the episode because of how petty he is when dealing with Don and when talking with Monica afterwards. The poor communication between Monica and Chandler in this episode makes it hard to believe they're even a couple, which is horrible writing. "Friends" is always at its worst when trying to force conflict between Monica and Chandler. This storyline was bad for everyone involved and was a terrible idea. Best Moment: Ross leaving Joey shouting "Rachel!?" is pretty funny, but it's Gunther saying it to Joey at the end that takes the cake for me. Character of the Episode: Joey again. He's having a great season. Conclusion: This episode continued to Joey/Rachel romance solidly, but it took itself too seriously and lost some laughs along the way. Add on a garbage B story and this is a poor episode that breaks this season's streak of consistency. Score: 55 Summary: Chandler and Monica watch a birthing video meant for Rachel. Ross tries to find a way to tell Mona that he's living with Rachel now. Phoebe gets Joey a dog to help him get over Rachel.
The Good: This was another consistently good episode. All 3 stories were really well done. The birthing video story is good fun and Chandler watching it because he thought it was porn is a really funny scene. The conclusion with Chandler and Monica watching it with Rachel is satisfying, and the subversion with Rachel still being horrified despite the baby coming out is pretty funny. Ross is excellent as ever in his storyline, and his awkwardness is a blast to watch (when is it not). The break-up was always going to happen and I like that even Ross knows that he deserved to be broken up with. The Joey story is the least funny, but there are some funny moments and lines with the dog and Phoebe. The interactions between characters are what really make this episode stand out. Everyone has great chemistry after 8 seasons and the writers continue to find funny lines and moments. As long as the storylines are good, we typically get really funny episodes. The ending cliffhanger and Joey's talk with Ross are a good way to end the episode on a more serious note. The Bad: The birthing video storyline goes too far in a few places which took away from the humour. Joey's story is more serious so there aren't a lot of laughs to it. Best Moment: I'll go with Chandler seeing "Candy and Cookie" thinking it's porn, and then watching the video with a horrified expression. Character of the Episode: Ross. Conclusion: That's four really consistent episodes in a row, and this was the best of the bunch. This season has had its ups and downs, but I'm happy to see that there is no shortage of laughs and the show is slowly starting to treat its characters with respect again. Hopefully this can continue for the rest of the season. Score: 70 Summary: Ross is upset that he isn't more involved with Rachel's pregnancy so Joey has to make a choice. Chandler tries to find out what's inside Monica's secret closet. Phoebe convinces Monica to let her give her massages.
The Good: This is mostly a well written episode. The jokes are witty, there are several clever ideas and the characters are used in very entertaining ways. The closet story is simple but fun, and it leads to some really fun moments as Chandler tries to find his way in. The payoff is a lovely moment and it makes sense that even a small part of Monica is messy, and not only that, but somewhat proud of her messes (she thinks Chandler will mess it up). Joey's story is excellent. There are a lot of funny lines thrown in like Rachel about contractions, Ross bringing the wrong food for Rachel and Joey's dream. The show also does a really good job of showing us Joey's conflict at feeling like he's preventing Ross from being a father. It was handled maturely but the writers did well to still include lots of funny moments. The scenes with Joey and Chandler were excellently written, and highlight how good this show can be when the characters treat each other like friends without any goofy, stupid storylines. The Bad: Unfortunately the Monica/Phoebe story isn't good. Monica's weird response to massages is funny but it makes no sense and will likely never be brought up again, making it pointless. Phoebe not being able to tolerate it feels out of character since Phoebe has always been the weird, eccentric one and she should be able to approve of Monica's quirks. Thankfully this storyline was very brief and didn't get much focus. Best Moment: Joey and Chandler talking about what Joey should do while attempting (and failing) to open the closet door. It's a great scene between two friends with some funny lines thrown in with bobby pins, Richard being inside and Chandler losing his credit card. Character of the Episode: Joey. Conclusion: This was a really strong episode. It might not be the funniest of the show, but there were consistent laughs, solid storytelling and the weakest storyline didn't have very much time dedicated to it. Score: 69 Summary: Monica convinces Chandler to take a bath. Monica and Chandler think Joey has a crush on Phoebe and tell her. Rachel and Ross argue over baby names.
The Good: Chandler taking a bath is a surprisingly funny storyline. There are some nice moments, especially with the ridiculous boat, and Chandler stealing Monica's bath was a fun joke. Better yet was Chandler facing karma as literally everyone walks into the bathroom as he's bathing. Joey's story was handled well and his crush on Rachel is dealt with in a respectable manner by everyone. I like that Chandler and Monica figured out that something was going on with him. Ross and Rachel's debates are pretty fun as usual, and the recurrence of Ruth had a pretty good pay-off. The Bad: It makes no sense why Monica and Chandler would tell Phoebe that Joey has a crush on her without first confirming with Joey. Ross and Rachel's arguments feel pretty frivolous and both characters come off as annoying at times. The episode overall had several chuckles but it never made me laugh hard like the best episodes have. Best Moment: Everyone walking into the bathroom while Chandler's in the tub. Character of the Episode: Chandler. Conclusion: Again, this was a pretty consistent episode. Not quite on the same level as the last one, but this is solid comedy and I had fun watching it. Score: 65 Summary: Joey goes on a pretend date with Rachel to prepare for his actual date. Phoebe buys Chandler and Monica a Ms. Pacman machine. Ross gets to teach an advanced class, but it's all the way across town.
The Good: This is a consistently solid episode. Joey's date with Rachel is pretty fun and they have surprisingly good chemistry. I'm not sure how I feel about the Joey/Rachel romance, but they do have very funny scenes together as two friends on a pretend date. The other two storylines are nothing special but they do offer laughs. Chandler's immature names and his "claw" are stupid but they are executed well enough to be funny. Phoebe swearing up a storm at the end is a good jokes to finish the storyline. Ross being late is pure filler, but it's very funny so I can accept it. The Bad: As per usual, there is inherent silliness within the episode that detracts from it. Ross not looking into the location of the advanced class before accepting is stupid. Joey has made so many jokes about not wanting to listen to Ross talk in this season that I'm starting to wonder why they're even friends. As mentioned above, Chandler gets a bit too silly in the Ms. Pacman story. Best Moment: Joey and Rachel sharing their moves to each other. The pretend date is a really clever concept. Character of the Episode: Joey. Conclusion: Sure there were problems with silliness, but this was a consistently fun episode even with the silliness. It feels good to have a consistent episode, especially with how inconsistent "Friends" has been lately. Score: 68 Summary: Ross gets nervous about talking to Mona about their future. Chandler tries to get out of dinner with his boss so he says Monica left him. Rachel's hormones make her lust for sex.
The Good: Ross does his best to make a dumb storyline funny, and the characters quirks are amusing to watch. I laughed a few times at how badly he kept digging a hole for himself while trying to have "the talk" with Mona. Rachel and Joey thinking about having sex is a fun scene with a funny ending. Phoebe and Monica finding someone desperate for Rachel to have sex with was a funny idea, and it was the best thing that the writers got out of the generic hormonal pregnant woman storyline. The Bad: This episode had more of the silliness that has been hurting the show in recent seasons. Ross being so afraid of his conversation with Mona makes no sense and it's played up way too much to be as funny as it could have been. I've always been annoyed by hormonal pregnant women storylines because of how cheap and unoriginal they are, and that remained true here. Chandler's storyline is awful and his lie has to be one of the stupidest things Chandler has ever said. It's right up there with him sabotaging a co-worker's career because of a misunderstanding over his name. Best Moment: Joey yelling at Rachel to go back into her room was a great trope subversion that was perfectly executed. Character of the Episode: Ross. Conclusion: This episode had some funny moments, but the storylines were incredibly silly and there wasn't a lot about this episode that was memorable. Score: 53 Summary: Monica buys expensive boots and tries to prove to Chandler that they were a good buy. Phoebe tries to get tickets to Sting's concert since Sting's son is in Ben's class. Joey's sister is pregnant and comes to Rachel for advice on how to tell Joey.
The Good: Phoebe getting a restraining order is a fun and fitting end to her storyline. The "Ross can" joke is clever and shows the positive side of the Ross/Phoebe relationship, which doesn't happen very often. Joey is a lot of fun as usual, and his reactions to Dina's pregnancy are pretty funny, and it's good that he eventually comes around to accept it. Bobby is a silly but effective side character. The Bad: Joey goes too far in a few places to be fully believable. It feels like he's really overreacting to the situation. This storyline would have been more effective if Joey's sisters had appeared more in the show. Outside of the ending, Phoebe's storyline is awful and is the typical misuse of the character. She is annoying and unsympathetic the entire time. Monica's boots storyline is pure filler and doesn't have any good jokes. Chandler was treated poorly in this episode and doesn't feel like the witty character I've come to know. The character feels like he is starting to become a caricature of what he was now that he's married to Monica. Best Moment: Joey coming back to get the sandwich. It's predictable, but still pretty funny. Character of the Episode: Joey. Conclusion: This episode had some funny moments, but all three storylines were flawed and didn't bring anything special to the table. Season 8 continues its inconsistency. Score: 48 Summary: Monica invites her high school friend Will over for Thanksgiving but tensions arise because Will has always hated Rachel. Joey tasks himself with eating an entire turkey.
The Good: This may not have been as well-written as some of the bet episodes of "Friends" but this was certainly a very entertaining and hilarious experience. Not every joke lands, but the ones that do land are excellent and I was laughing hard during several scenes. The "I Hate Rachel Club" is a clever idea and it leads to some really funny moments between Will, Ross and Rachel, especially when the rumours started getting introduced. While Rachel being a hermaphrodite is decently funny, it's Ross' new reputation as a "romancer of the elderly" that really lands. I also really enjoyed Will. Brad Pitt is one of the show's most notable guest stars so far and I though he was handled very well, playing a fun character who never gets too much attention, detracting from the episode. The other characters have decent stuff as well. Monica adds some extra depth and laughs to the storyline, Chandler and Phoebe get the odd good line, and Joey is fun as he prepares to eat the turkey. The Bad: Some of the writing isn't great here. Chandler and Phoebe's storyline fizzles out quickly without doing much of anything. Seeing Ross and Rachel fight has gotten pretty tiresome over the seasons and this fight has to be one of their most forced arguments. It's hard to buy into Rachel being upset at Ross for something he did 15+ years ago. Obviously he doesn't feel the same way anymore. Furthermore, while Ross kissing the old librarian is funny, it continues the trend of the writers repeatedly humiliating Ross. Plus, it feels like stuff like this should have come up earlier. Best Moment: There are lots of great lines here. I'll go with Ross saying "she didn't look 50" and Chandler's reply of "did she look 16". Character of the Episode: Ross. Conclusion: The jokes and ideas in this episode are tremendous and it leads to another excellent Thanksgiving episode. But because of some writing flaws, I can't say this is one of the show's better Thanksgiving episodes. Regardless, it's a lot of fun and is another welcome addition to season 8, a season which has done very well to have so many memorable episodes so far. Score: 72 Summary: Monica gets a stripper for a late bachelor party for Chandler when Phoebe lets slip that Monica had a secret bachelorette party. Rachel tries to tell her dad that she is pregnant. Ross continues to hide his situation with Rachel from Mona.
The Good: This was a really funny episode. The storylines here were all very well done and set up nicely for humour. Monica accidentally sending a hooker to Chandler and Joey is a unique idea that leads to plenty of awkwardness and comedy, culminating in a great final scene. I also really liked that the show addressed how Chandler and Joey aren't together as much anymore and how things have changed because of it. It was a nice story with funny moments. Rachel has a great episode as well as she can't help but lie to her dad to stop him from yelling. It fits her character and it's very funny to see her lie over and over again. And once more, it culminates in an excellent ending joke as Joey gets mad at Rachel's dad shouting on his phone. Rachel comes off as selfish here by lying, but the episode saves face by having her redeem herself by explaining things to Mona, in a scene that was pretty funny as Rachel somehow does the exact wrong thing every time despite trying her best. Lastly, Ross' storyline was comfortably the best part of the episode. The perfect storm that hit him when Dr. Green showed up with some unfortunate tidings was hilarious and David Schwimmer's reactions were gold throughout that entire scene. The Bad: Phoebe is the one character that drags this down. Everyone else is handled well, but Phoebe is such a prick throughout the episode. She seemingly thrives off everyone else's suffering and does almost nothing to help. She lets Rachel dig herself into a hole and offers no help to her, and then she sits around to enjoy the Ross/Rachel fight and complains when they handle it maturely and don't actually fight. It's hard to imagine why anyone actually likes her when she does stuff like this. Best Moment: Every second of Ross being intimidated by both Dr. Green and Mona. The best joke in this part was Joey's ill-timed phone call and Ross just deciding to lie down after being overwhelmed. Fantastic comedy, and one of the hardest laughs I've had in a while. Character of the Episode: Ross. Conclusion: This is a really funny episode with 3 really good storylines to enjoy. Phoebe brings things down a bit, but outside of her, everything else is excellent. This season continues to have great episodes follow mediocre ones, so I can safely say that half the episodes this season have been excellent, while the other half have been poor. I would like to see more consistency, but I am pleased to see that "Friends" is back to having awesome episodes on a regular basis. Score: 76 Summary: Chandler hires a maid and Monica is convinced that she is stealing. Rachel gets Ross' help to find a new apartment while Joey convinces her to stay. Phoebe goes on a date with Eric who is having trouble getting over Ursula.
The Good: Joey and Rachel are very sweet in this episode and I really liked Joey's attempts to get her to stay. It's always nice when the characters in this show treat each other well. Ross does his best to make a weak storyline funny and he does well at certain parts. The Bad: Phoebe remains poorly written as she harshly blows off Ross in the opening scene. Her story wasn't very good and I would have preferred it if Eric hadn't returned since his story was pretty good in the previous episode. The story between him and Phoebe led to the obvious conclusion and didn't make enough jokes to justify it. Monica and Chandler's story is terrible and both characters come off as cartoon caricatures of who they once were. It's impossible to like them in this episode as they harass the maid, particularly Monica who makes completely unfounded claims. Chandler even realizes how absurd these are, yet he descends into complete lunacy as he somehow decides to listen to Monica by trying to get a look at the maid's bra. Ross does what he can with his story, but there isn't really anything to it. Best Moment: The best laugh was Chandler mocking Monica's nonsensical claims of the maid stealing. Character of the Episode: Rachel. Conclusion: It wouldn't be late season "Friends" if there weren't at least a few stinkers, even though this season has had some pretty good episodes so far. This episode was not one of them and I didn't find very much to enjoy about it. Score: 43 Summary: Monica and Chandler throw a halloween party and everybody comes by.
The Good: This was tremendous fun. You're always in for a wonderful episode when the premise puts all of the 6 main cast members together to interact with each other and have fun. This episode was really enjoyable with tons of fun interactions. The costumes provided a nice way to get in some laughs, Ross and Chandler's feud was really fun, Rachel's troubles with kids made for the odd laugh and Phoebe's story was surprisingly good and saw the character of Phoebe utilized in a way that makes her sweet, funny and likeable, something that has become rarer and rarer as the show has gone on. As a whole, this episode embodies what I enjoy about "Friends" and while it wasn't the very best execution of the concept of everyone being together, it was still very fun. The Bad: A couple laughs here and there didn't quite land but I won't go too far into the details. Joey mocking Chandler is funny but compare this to how Joey did it back in "The One where No One's Ready" and you can see how the show's humour has gotten less clever and more silly. It's still funny but the stark change in styles is the key reason why this episode doesn't work quite as well. Best Moment: I'll go with Chandler awkwardly calling Mona a slutty nurse when she walks in, a great laugh. Character of the Episode: Joey. Conclusion: This was a really fun episode. While it doesn't hit the highest of highs, there is a lot to love here and I had a great time watching this. Season 8 is off to a very strong start with a few excellent episodes. Score: 75 Summary: Rachel goes on a date with an actor that Joey works with which makes Ross uncomfortable. Chandler tries to avoid working with a guy named Bob who thinks Chandler's name is Toby. Phoebe starts dating a sweet guy from Monica's work but they have a conflict when Monica wants to fire him and Phoebe wants to break up with him.
The Good: Ross' story is very well done. I thought that the show nailed his characterization and he comes off as both likeable and understandable in his plight. Having him lay out his dream to Joey was a really nice moment and it allows us to really get into his head. I also liked how Rachel realized by the end of the episode that being pregnant makes it harder for her to get in a relationship again. Both characters arcs developed nicely until the end of the episode. The Bad: But then it becomes another situation of will they, won't they with the ending. We've seen it so many times that it no longer feels original. Chandler's storyline has a great concept and a great conclusion but everything in between doesn't work. Chandler looks like a total prick for sabotaging somebody's career because it would be awkward to work with him, and I think having a lower stakes plot about this concept would have worked far better. Phoebe and Monica's storyline is outright terrible. There aren't any good laughs here and the character of Phoebe is once again treated so poorly. It's hard to imagine that a show called "Friends" would see Phoebe so childishly try to have her way over Monica by unreasonably dumping the guy without talking it through with Monica. The story is stupid and both characters don't come off well. Best Moment: Ross realizing that Chandler's middle name is Muriel. It's a perfect "Friends" moment and I wish that it had been utilized more in the episode. Character of the Episode: Ross. Conclusion: This episode handled Ross and Rachel really well but the other storylines weren't great and the laughs overall weren't as strong as they were in the other episodes this season. A much weaker episode overall. Score: 51 Summary: Ross and Rachel offer conflicting stories about who initiated the night of passion that got Rachel pregnant. Ross reveals he accidentally filmed that night. Monica and Chandler get excited after meeting a wonderful couple while on their honeymoon.
The Good: This was absolutely peak "Friends". After having some pretty forgettable seasons, it's a wonderful surprise to get an episode as good as this one. The characters all returned to their roots for this episode and they were handled superbly. The interactions between everyone were hilarious and every character got moments to shine. Rather than going overboard and being silly, the show offered up more realistic comedy which allowed the episode to really shine. The concept of the videotape was fantastic and it made for an engaging and interesting plot with the mystery of who actually initiated things. I really liked the flashback scenes and I thought that the backpacking in Europe story was a brilliant piece of comedy that managed to be absurdly funny, yet barely realistic enough to be believable. I thought the climax of the episode was outstanding (see: Best Moment), and the conclusion with Rachel and Ross watching their own sex was a perfect way to end one of the show's best episodes. The Bad: A few small things didn't work for me. Chandler and Monica's arguments were lighthearted and funny but it still seems odd that they argue so much. Their whole storyline did feel out of place in the episode despite having some funny moments. Best Moment: Specifically, I'll go with the immense satisfaction that came with the reveal that Rachel used the backpacking in Europe story to come onto Ross, but the entire sequence of watching the videotape was masterful. It was an enthralling sequence that wonderfully weaved together a lot of jokes from earlier in the episode, complimented by the fact that all 6 of the main cast were present and able to add on to the scene with their personalities. Simply brilliant. Character of the Episode: Also difficult to choose. I'll have to go with Joey. Conclusion: A stellar episode of comedy. The episode has an inventive and engaging plot with tons of laughs throughout the episode. I didn't think that "Friends" would hit this kind of quality again, but this episode was really impressively done. Certainly the best episode of the series since season 5. Score: 84 Summary: Rachel tells Ross that the baby is his. Monica and Chandler go on their honeymoon. Phoebe and Joey try to sneakily get into Monica and Chandler's apartment while they are gone.
The Good: There are some really good moments here. Some of the jokes land really well and are genuinely funny. The recurring joke about condoms, the scene at the beginning when Chandler learns Ross is the father and a few other smaller moments stand out. Rachel telling Ross he is the father is very goofy (see: The Bad) but it is funny. The Bad: Unfortunately this episode gets a bit too silly for my liking. The show loves humiliating Ross now so it shouldn't be a surprise that the intelligence of the character is once more undermined when he rashly concludes that Rachel wants one more night and arrogantly walks into another humiliation. Some of the later scenes of Rachel not being able to see the baby don't really work for me. I thought that the Monica/Chandler plot was pretty bad. It really undersells their relationship when they don't seem to care about spending time together on their honeymoon and get caught up on trivial things. Lastly, while Phoebe and Joey were quite funny, their story has no plot whatsoever and feels like a waste of time. Best Moment: Ross freaking out about the condoms. Character of the Episode: Rachel. Conclusion: This episode had funny moments and I enjoyed them, but there were also plenty of familiar issues regarding the handling of characters and the silliness of the recent episodes of the show. Score: 58 Summary: Joey learns that Rachel is pregnant. Monica can't help herself and starts opening wedding presents without Chandler. Chandler and Ross try to take fake wedding pictures after Chandler loses the cameras.
The Good: There is a lot to enjoy here. The jokes are especially good throughout the episode as almost every character is used superbly and in unique ways. Phoebe is refreshingly not as selfish and annoying as she usually is and is portrayed as caring while she teases everyone else. Joey is really sweet in every scene and he's the most consistent character to go to for a great laugh. The episode-long joke of Joey watching porn and eating nuts from the rooms of each character was hilarious. I also really liked the mystery surrounding the baby's father and the cameo return of Tag was a delight, and was handled perfectly. Of course the ending reveal of Ross being the father was brilliantly done and Joey's late reaction was perfect (see: Best Moment). I thought that Chandler and Ross had a pretty good side plot that resulted in some very good moments. The episode was just consistently hilarious, and I can't ask for more than that. The Bad: Joey's two proposals were funny, but also jarring with how flippantly they were treated. Surely something as huge as this should be treated as a big moment and not like a simple joke. It hurts the credibility of the show to have both of these proposals lead to nothing. Monica is the one character who I feel isn't done too well here. Her depressed mood is tough to buy into and we're never given a good reason for why she feels this way. And her storyline with the presents doesn't do much for me outside of the wonderful Chandler/Monica "fight" that ends the episode. Best Moment: Once Ross picks up the sweater it becomes abundantly clear that he's the father and Phoebe and Monica immediately realize this. Then the show cuts to Joey who has a spectacularly delayed reaction that fits perfectly with the character and ends the episode with a splendid joke. Character of the Episode: Joey. Conclusion: This episode had a sense of urgency and fun to it which made it excel despite its flaws. The impressively consistent laughs also helped a lot. A great episode, highlighted by the brilliance of the main cast, to get this season into gear. Score: 74 Summary: Rachel tries to keep it hidden that she is pregnant but it doesn't work out. Chandler tries to overcome his problem with slippery shoes to dance with Monica. Ross tries to make a move on a cute girl at the wedding.
The Good: The cast are quite good in this episode and it's their portrayals of the characters that carries this shallow episode. Ross stands out as usual and he's consistently funny as he gets humiliated. Rachel is the stand-out of the episode though as she deals with the baby problem. Jennifer Anniston does a terrific job in this episode and I thought that her plight was explored very well. Phoebe, Monica and Joey also have their moments throughout the episode. The Bad: This is a silly episode though and outside of Rachel's conflict, none of the stories here feel worthwhile. Ross has become a raging lunatic now and it feels like the writers have completely forgotten the essence of his character in an attempt to play up his funnier aspects. Phoebe falls into a similar trapping as some of the things she does are pretty nonsensical like pretending to be pregnant and lying to Rachel about the pregnancy test. I will admit that Phoebe's motivations to do these are more in line with the character, but her actions still stretch plausibility. I thought the fallout from the wedding was poor. Chandler almost ran away from the wedding but that's not even brought up here. Best Moment: Rachel's reaction to Phoebe revealing that she was lying was a really nice moment. It was well acted, and also quite funny as Rachel expresses how risky it was to do that. Character of the Episode: Rachel. Conclusion: This was an okay but flawed return for the show. Rachel's story was the strongest but unfortunately a lot of the issues with poor handling of characters and forgettable storylines persisted in this season premier. Score: 54 |
Aaron DhillonJust a university student who loves to watch TV. And analyze it way too much. Archives
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