Friends - General Discussion

[Snow Apple]

Monica's obsession with weddings is horrible. She already had her wedding but had to egg Phoebe on about giving her wedding fund to charity. "Who cares about the children." Seriously? Phoebe didn't have to listen to her but she got caught up in Monica's fantasy which made her rethink about her childhood.

I also can't believe she wore Emily's wedding dress to do chores and lounge around. 

[Katy M]

33 minutes ago, Snow Apple said:

I also can't believe she wore Emily's wedding dress to do chores and lounge around. 

I know.  Trying it on at the store was one thing (though still wrong, because Monica and Emily probably aren't the exact same size), but I just think about how many times I have splashed water on myself while doing dishes and can't believe that Monica, of all people, would take that chance.

[Hiyo]

This is Monica, she probably had at least a dozen cleaning contingency plans ready in case anything got on the dress.

Edited April 12, 2021 by Hiyo

[princelina]

What I can't believe she wore was that revolting headpiece 😄 

[Snow Apple]

9 hours ago, princelina said:

What I can't believe she wore was that revolting headpiece 😄 

What was that thing and why did Monica have it anyway? Emily didn't wear it at the wedding so I don't think it's hers.

Did the shop give it to Monica just to get rid of her and it? It's so ugly that it may have been there gathering dust for years because I can't imagine any bride buying it.

[Kawaiiko]

1 minute ago, Snow Apple said:

What was that thing and why did Monica have it anyway? Emily didn't wear it at the wedding so I don't think it's hers.

Did the shop give it to Monica just to get rid of her and it? It's so ugly that it may have been there gathering dust for years because I can't imagine any bride buying it.

No, the real reason was that the dress had adjustments because Helen Baxendale was pregnant at the time of shooting the wedding.

But it's never explained in the episode why.

And I was never a fan of it either.

On 4/12/2021 at 2:11 PM, Snow Apple said:

I also can't believe she wore Emily's wedding dress to do chores and lounge around. 

I did enjoy how both Phoebe and Rachel wore them along with Monica too.

"At least you didn't get yours from a store called It's Not Too Late!"

Edited April 14, 2021 by Kawaiiko

[Bort]

3 minutes ago, Kawaiiko said:

I did enjoy how both Phoebe and Rachel wore them along with Monica too.

I briefly had wondered where Rachel got her dress until I remembered that it was hers from her wedding to Barry.

[Snow Apple]

2 minutes ago, Kawaiiko said:

No, the real reason was that the dress had adjustments because Helen Baxendale was pregnant at the time of shooting the wedding.

But it's never explained in the episode why.

And I was never a fan of it either.

I thought it was the same dress and Monica just didn't put on the jacket. I'm glad Emily didn't wear the original headpiece though, no matter the reason.

[Mr. Meatball Man]

On 4/12/2021 at 2:11 PM, Snow Apple said:

Monica's obsession with weddings is horrible. She already had her wedding but had to egg Phoebe on about giving her wedding fund to charity. "Who cares about the children." Seriously? Phoebe didn't have to listen to her but she got caught up in Monica's fantasy which made her rethink about her childhood.

I also can't believe she wore Emily's wedding dress to do chores and lounge around. 

That's actually a consistent trait of Monica's throughout the whole show. Like when she told Ross that he should understand where Emily is coming from regarding the wedding, even though that was clearly a fuck up that could have easily been prevented. Or the time she asked Ross if he saw a future with Elizabeth, if he saw himself marrying her. And I'm sitting here, like, "What?" Ross and Elizabeth both made it clear that it was casual. They weren't in love with each other and it wasn't a serious relationship. The problem was Elizabeth was immature, not that she wasn't marriage material. Monica needed to go somewhere else with that nonsense. 😂

Edited April 15, 2021 by Mr. Meatball Man

[Katy M]

12 hours ago, Mr. Meatball Man said:

even though that was clearly a fuck up that could have easily been prevented.

I don't see how.  At least not by them.  they booked the church, but for whatever reason, the demolition was begun early.

[Kawaiiko]

24 minutes ago, Katy M said:

but for whatever reason, the demolition was begun early.

Pretty much for the story's sake!

[Danny Franks]

So this may have been discussed before (possibly by me, but my memory is completely shot) but, is it just me or is season five by far the best season of Friends?

It starts with the whole secret romance and Joey finding out, then Rachel finding out, then "they don't know we know they know we know!" and we see Chandler/Monica being built really well through the season. Then it culminates with the drunken wedding in Vegas.

In between it has so many iconic episodes and moments:

1. Ross's spiral as his marriage falls apart then he loses his job and his apartment, and ends up living with Chandler and Joey.

2. Phoebe giving birth and Joey birthing a kidney stone.

3. Rachel and Phoebe plotting to start a new group, on the proviso that they "try to get Joey, too."

4. The Thanksgiving flashbacks, with Chandler and Ross and their stupid 80s fashion and Chandler losing his toe

5. "I'm Joey. I'm disgusting..."

6. Ross having a one night stand with Janice, and then her telling Joey "so that's two out of three."

7. Soleil Moon Frye's guest role as the girl who hits Joey.

8. "Pivot!"

9. Mrs. Whiskerson, the inside-out cat.

10. Fireball.

11. Bob Balaban as Phoebe's dad (the storyline wasn't great, but he was a really good casting choice)

12. "This hand is my hand..."

Bonus - barely any Ross/Rachel nonsense, despite the season starting with the fallout of him saying her name at his wedding and ending with them actually getting married.

[Hiyo]

For me, seasons 3 to 6 is just one run of awesome.

[mojoween]

4 hours ago, Danny Franks said:

9.  Mrs. Whiskerson, the inside-out cat.

I love that episode...until Monica gets involved.  They turned up her neurotic side to 11 and it was unpleasant.

“My pants are a little loose!”

[Mr. Meatball Man]

11 hours ago, Katy M said:

I don't see how.  At least not by them.  they booked the church, but for whatever reason, the demolition was begun early.

I don't see why they wouldn't be notified of that ahead of time. Especially since they decided to get married a month beforehand. If something's slated for demolition with that short of a time frame, there's no way Ross and Emily would even be allowed to have their wedding there. Like @Kawaiiko said, it was just there to move the plot along. 

5 hours ago, Danny Franks said:

So this may have been discussed before (possibly by me, but my memory is completely shot) but, is it just me or is season five by far the best season of Friends?

It starts with the whole secret romance and Joey finding out, then Rachel finding out, then "they don't know we know they know we know!" and we see Chandler/Monica being built really well through the season. Then it culminates with the drunken wedding in Vegas.

In between it has so many iconic episodes and moments:

1. Ross's spiral as his marriage falls apart then he loses his job and his apartment, and ends up living with Chandler and Joey.

2. Phoebe giving birth and Joey birthing a kidney stone.

3. Rachel and Phoebe plotting to start a new group, on the proviso that they "try to get Joey, too."

4. The Thanksgiving flashbacks, with Chandler and Ross and their stupid 80s fashion and Chandler losing his toe

5. "I'm Joey. I'm disgusting..."

6. Ross having a one night stand with Janice, and then her telling Joey "so that's two out of three."

7. Soleil Moon Frye's guest role as the girl who hits Joey.

8. "Pivot!"

9. Mrs. Whiskerson, the inside-out cat.

10. Fireball.

11. Bob Balaban as Phoebe's dad (the storyline wasn't great, but he was a really good casting choice)

12. "This hand is my hand..."

Bonus - barely any Ross/Rachel nonsense, despite the season starting with the fallout of him saying her name at his wedding and ending with them actually getting married.

I wouldn't argue against season five being the best season, but for some reason, that's not the one I think of. Seasons two, four, and seven (weird choice, I know) come to mind quicker. But honestly, any of the first seven seasons could be considered the GOAT season and I wouldn't have a problem with that. 

[Kawaiiko]

5 hours ago, Danny Franks said:

1. Ross's spiral as his marriage falls apart then he loses his job and his apartment, and ends up living with Chandler and Joey.

2. Phoebe giving birth and Joey birthing a kidney stone.

3. Rachel and Phoebe plotting to start a new group, on the proviso that they "try to get Joey, too."

4. The Thanksgiving flashbacks, with Chandler and Ross and their stupid 80s fashion and Chandler losing his toe

5. "I'm Joey. I'm disgusting..."

6. Ross having a one night stand with Janice, and then her telling Joey "so that's two out of three."

7. Soleil Moon Frye's guest role as the girl who hits Joey.

8. "Pivot!"

9. Mrs. Whiskerson, the inside-out cat.

10. Fireball.

11. Bob Balaban as Phoebe's dad (the storyline wasn't great, but he was a really good casting choice)

12. "This hand is my hand..."

All of these make me laugh. A LOT. That being said, I don't like where Monica and Chandler make up ridiculous things about Joey (he's a sex addict). I thought it was ridiculous. And this is from a huge Joey hater!

Season 5 was actually really good! 

It was after M and C got married that the show started its natural decline and we ended up with shark porn and Joey/Rachel.

Edited April 15, 2021 by Kawaiiko
Its and it's aren't the same thing!

[Ms Blue Jay]

5 is my favourite.  I mentioned it being the best and funniest season as one element is Ross losing his mind of over his failed marriage to Emily.  The Pivot episode is in Season 5.  There is something really hysterical about the humour of the entire season.  Chandler and Monica have to sneak around, Joey has to keep secrets and lie, Phoebe seducing Chandler, Ross going crazy, Rachel is still in love with Ross.  David Schwimmer was incredible.  Matthew Perry is incredibly gorgeous this season.  They are all gorgeous, but Jen and Courteney get very very thin which is too bad.

3, 8, and 10 are my least favourite, I think.  Something about the humour about 3 I don't really care for.  I don't like Kathy.  8 is Rachel/Joey which blecccccccch.  And 10 is just too dumb.

1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 9 are all good.  7 is quite funny and so is 9.  4 has the best episode of the series (The Embryos/game show episode).  

Edited April 16, 2021 by Ms Blue Jay

[princelina]

53 minutes ago, Ms Blue Jay said:

David Schwimmer was incredible. 

I love him so much when I watch the reruns - I know everyone on here is so "Ross is a douchebag" and I could agree with that if he were a real person - but for me he was kind of a background/funny at times character during the original run of the show - watching it in reruns he is so funny and I just love him!  As an actor, because as an actor who makes his character so funny.  I love when he acts like a douche and then realizes it - like when Rachel is just about to put in the videotape to prove who hit on who (whom - thank you Joey 😄 )and he says smugly that in a few minutes they'll all know, and then laughs and points at Rachel's stomach, realizes he's an ass, straightens up and then stalks off - to me that's Gold, Jerry, Gold!

[Kawaiiko]

15 hours ago, mojoween said:

They turned up her neurotic side to 11 and it was unpleasant.

 

"I made this game what it is!"

"Not fun anymore?"

I did love the "first one there wins" thing at the end though.

[Katy M]

5 hours ago, Kawaiiko said:

"I made this game what it is!"

"Not fun anymore?"

I did love the "first one there wins" thing at the end though.

That game was not fun in the first place.  They were playing catch.

[mojoween]

It was just boring old catch, until they upped the stakes by saying you can’t drop it.  Then it did become more fun, IMO, because no one wants to be the first one to ruin it

[Bort]

And why Monica didn’t want Chandler to play. He’s a dropper!

[Danny Franks]

The catch thing is something I can imagine me and my friends doing for a while, so it's one of those moments that Friends is full of - when it all seems completely relatable and you really can see yourself in the scene.

But it carrying on for the entire night is a bit too silly for me. Even with Monica being super controlling and obsessive, there's no way Joey misses lunch and dinner.

On the other side of this, the season six episode I just watched - TOW Joey's Porsche - hits the opposite end of the scale. I cannot, for one second, imagine anyone doing what Joey does in that episode, and I hate it. He's already proven to be a ladies' man without compare, why would he need to pretend he owns a (honestly kind of humdrum) Porsche? And then he buys all the Porsche clothing, which is not cheap and he has no income, to continue the pretence. It feels too much like a 'wouldn't it be funny if...?' scenario that one of the writers came up with.

[Mr. Meatball Man]

3 hours ago, Danny Franks said:

The catch thing is something I can imagine me and my friends doing for a while, so it's one of those moments that Friends is full of - when it all seems completely relatable and you really can see yourself in the scene.

But it carrying on for the entire night is a bit too silly for me. Even with Monica being super controlling and obsessive, there's no way Joey misses lunch and dinner.

On the other side of this, the season six episode I just watched - TOW Joey's Porsche - hits the opposite end of the scale. I cannot, for one second, imagine anyone doing what Joey does in that episode, and I hate it. He's already proven to be a ladies' man without compare, why would he need to pretend he owns a (honestly kind of humdrum) Porsche? And then he buys all the Porsche clothing, which is not cheap and he has no income, to continue the pretence. It feels too much like a 'wouldn't it be funny if...?' scenario that one of the writers came up with.

Joey really wasn't trying to pick up dates with the Porsche fraud, he just liked using it as a status symbol. The way people would treat him when they thought he owned it made him feel good. But I understand what you're saying. There are some episodes of the show that didn't work because they just took a ridiculous situation and made it happen. Nothing character-based, just over-the-top. 

The episode where Phoebe goes crazy trying to get Sting tickets is my example. She's just so unbelievably obnoxious in that episode, to the point where I feel like someone should have called her out for it. Yelling at Ross to get her the tickets, posing as Ben's mother at his school just so she can force him to get along with Sting's son, then still keeping up the charade when talking to Sting's mom, mistaking the cops for The Police. That whole plot felt like something Homer would do in the later years (late 90s/early 2000s) of The Simpsons. 

[Katy M]

1 hour ago, Mr. Meatball Man said:

then still keeping up the charade when talking to Sting's mom, mistaking the cops for The Police.

that was the really stupid part.  I'm sure Phoebe's had the cops called on her before.

But all of that does seem like something she would do.  I do wonder what the fallout at the school was.  Nobody knew she was impersonating Susan. Did Sting's wife call the school to complain about Susan and demand she not be let back in the building?  Probably not a big deal since teacher hadn't met her before, but she'd still have to be informed, and then it would be found out.  A description and they would know it was crazy Phoebe (or I guess they could just ask Ben.  He was there.  He knew it was Phoebe).  If I were Carol and Susan, I would be furious with Ross.  Phoebe's his friend after all.

[Kawaiiko]

2 hours ago, Mr. Meatball Man said:

Yelling at Ross to get her the tickets, posing as Ben's mother at his school just so she can force him to get along with Sting's son, then still keeping up the charade when talking to Sting's mom, mistaking the cops for The Police.

You have to admit that where she confused the cops for The Police wasn’t at least a little funny.

Trudy: I’ve just pressed a silent alarm. Any minute now, the police will be here.

Phoebe: THE POLICE?! A reunion?! Here?! 

[Bort]

Phoebe ended up with a restraining order slapped against her by The Stings, so I assume once the cops showed up, they knew she wasn’t Susan. Still should’ve gotten back to her and Carol about Phoebe’s stunt. And it may very well have, it’s not like we saw much of them by this point in the series.

[Mr. Meatball Man]

5 hours ago, Kawaiiko said:

You have to admit that where she confused the cops for The Police wasn’t at least a little funny.

Trudy: I’ve just pressed a silent alarm. Any minute now, the police will be here.

Phoebe: THE POLICE?! A reunion?! Here?! 

I actually did laugh at that, but I imagined Homer in that scenario. Everything Phoebe did, it felt like Mike Scully was writing for her. 🤣

[Katy M]

So, Rachel's parents had a yacht, a nanny and a maid, and Rachel seemed to be pretty high society when we saw the flashback episode where they all almost had sex with someone.  I find it weird that she went to public school.  The Greens seem like the type that would have sent their kids to private school.

[Danny Franks]

18 minutes ago, Katy M said:

So, Rachel's parents had a yacht, a nanny and a maid, and Rachel seemed to be pretty high society when we saw the flashback episode where they all almost had sex with someone.  I find it weird that she went to public school.  The Greens seem like the type that would have sent their kids to private school.

Was it a public school? I really don't remember if they ever clarified that or not. Rachel and Ross came from a wealthy family too, although we never really learned what Jack's job was, so they could have been at a private school as well.

At the very least, Judy would have wanted Ross to go to a private school and get the benefit of the finest education. Or maybe somewhere like Bronx Science.

[Katy M]

2 minutes ago, Danny Franks said:

Was it a public school? I really don't remember if they ever clarified that or not. Rachel and Ross came from a wealthy family too, although we never really learned what Jack's job was, so they could have been at a private school as well.

At the very least, Judy would have wanted Ross to go to a private school and get the benefit of the finest education. Or maybe somewhere like Bronx Science.

I don't see Louisa, the animal control person going to private school.  And I don't see Monica or Rachel going to Bronx Science.  And we know they all went to the same school.  They also have some weird foreign exchange student:)  I honestly don't know if foreign exchange students going to private schools is common.

[Danny Franks]

4 minutes ago, Katy M said:

I don't see Louisa, the animal control person going to private school.  And I don't see Monica or Rachel going to Bronx Science.  And we know they all went to the same school.  They also have some weird foreign exchange student:)  I honestly don't know if foreign exchange students going to private schools is common.

I guess I can chalk that stuff up to artistic license. Maybe the school they were enrolled in on Long Island was a really great school, or maybe Dr. Green doesn't believe in private education. Maybe Rachel was in a private school but hated it and complained to her parents until they moved her.

I'd have been interested to know what she studied in college, because I don't think that was ever specified either. And what Chandler studied before, like so many of us, ending up in a job that didn't allow him to use his degree. I can't see him having studied business or accounting.

[Katy M]

9 minutes ago, Danny Franks said:

I'd have been interested to know what she studied in college, because I don't think that was ever specified either. And what Chandler studied before, like so many of us, ending up in a job that didn't allow him to use his degree. I can't see him having studied business or accounting.

Rachel was majoring in psychology and then switched to something else because she couldn't find parking.  I have to imagine she switched to fashion at some point, because Mark or not, I don't see Bloomingdale's hiring someone without at least some fashion background besides "liking to shop."  Or marketing probably would work given her first position.

Chandler didn't know what he wanted to do.  As someone who majored in accounting I can tell you that is the fall back of all of those of us who don't know what else to major in.

Edited April 20, 2021 by Katy M

[Guest]

I'm going to guess English for Chandler's major. That would put him in the same Humanities/Social Sciences* orbit as Ross. And he did seem to be one of the more literate of the Friends (when it wasn't his turn to be The Idiot).

*Guessing Ross took some Anthropology courses for museum work, not just science-y stuff for the dinosaurs

Edited April 20, 2021 by tracyscott76

[helenamonster]

It wouldn't surprise me if Ross, Monica, and Rachel went to public school--while I don't think they ever say exactly where they're from, there are a lot of wealthy areas on Long Island. Just googling now, US News and World Report's most recent ranking of top public schools in New York includes districts in Jericho, Garden City, Manhasset, etc. I went to public high school with a lot of rich kids in an area that was lousy with private schools--if the free option is just as good as the not free option, plenty of people will take it, even if they can afford otherwise.

Lincoln High definitely sounds like the name of a public school, and the only Lincoln Highs I can find in New York are in Brooklyn and Yonkers, so it's safe to assume the one in Friends is fictional.

[Bort]

If it’s a rich area, which I assume the Gellars and Greens lived in, even the public school would be pretty hoity toity.

[rubaco]

In the pilot, Monica introduces Rachel as "another survivor of Lincoln High." 

[ljenkins782]

On 4/15/2021 at 6:38 PM, Kawaiiko said:

All of these make me laugh. A LOT. That being said, I don't like where Monica and Chandler make up ridiculous things about Joey (he's a sex addict). I thought it was ridiculous. And this is from a huge Joey hater!

Yeah, I didn't find the running "blame everything on Joey" gag to be that funny either, especially because a lot of things Monica and Chandler were doing seemed way over the top for a brand new relationship. It was like they were reading a book of 100 ways to spice up your love life and trying out every tactic. It all felt like a bit much, especially for someone like Chandler, who hardly struck me as the adventurous type.

[Ms Blue Jay]

LOL I thought it was funny.  Joey is such a good friend.  I think the whole sneaking around subplot is great, honestly.  

I didn't like how contrived the NYE episode was, where all of a sudden Rachel is this huge gossip.  Like oh sure, let's suddenly introduce a character trait that never existed before.  

Speaking of gossip, Nancy Thompson is getting fired.

[Mr. Meatball Man]

"Nana liked it rough!"

Monica, why are you so strange?

[Bort]

Chandler likes pedicures!

[Hiyo]

Quote

Yeah, I didn't find the running "blame everything on Joey" gag to be that funny

I loved that gag. That episode overall is great.

[Kawaiiko]

8 hours ago, Ms Blue Jay said:

Speaking of gossip, Nancy Thompson is getting fired.

And yet none of the secrets compare to "whatever dude, you kissed a guy."

[helenamonster]

19 hours ago, Ms Blue Jay said:

Speaking of gossip, Nancy Thompson is getting fired.

Just realizing now that Nancy Thompson is also the name of the final girl in Nightmare on Elm Street--I will now assume Friends and NOES exist in the same universe and that she grew up to work in a massage parlor with Phoebe (and unfortunately get fired :( ).

[Ms Blue Jay]

😄

I really like this scene:

 

[Katy M]

9 hours ago, Ms Blue Jay said:

😄

I really like this scene:

 

But a bit nonsensical.  Who wears pants to return them?  And even if they're ugly how do they look like a costume?  Am I overthinking a one line joke?  Yes, yes, I am.

[Ms Blue Jay]

2 hours ago, Katy M said:

But a bit nonsensical.  Who wears pants to return them?  And even if they're ugly how do they look like a costume?  Am I overthinking a one line joke?  Yes, yes, I am.

That's why I find it funny.  It's so outlandish. This is Ross's life.  That could only happen to Ross.  

[Kawaiiko]

On 4/22/2021 at 9:53 AM, Ms Blue Jay said:

This is Ross's life.  That could only happen to Ross.

Ross was definitely the show's butt-monkey for the last few seasons.

[Ms Blue Jay]

On 4/27/2021 at 7:16 AM, Kawaiiko said:

Ross was definitely the show's butt-monkey for the last few seasons.

Example, LOL:

 

Edited May 1, 2021 by Ms Blue Jay

[mojoween]

In an email from EW it said that Friends set the premiere date for the reunion and announced some guest stars, and the headline was accompanied by pictures of BTS and Lady Gaga, and why.  Why will there be singing, and is this a way to bring in the kids to watch, with acts who were barely born when Friends premiered?