Friends - General Discussion

[Catfi9ht]

On 10/6/2021 at 2:49 PM, ljenkins782 said:

And wasn't he at her apartment the night of "The Break"? Again, it could have been in a friend capacity, but again, possibly with an eye toward the future when she'd be single. So I never really buy that he was doing everything he did for her out of the goodness of his heart and that he'd have done it for anyone.

Completely agree. He KNEW he was a subject of tension between Ross and Rachel and he kept inserting himself into Rachel's life. Mark wanted to keep the tension in the relationship up because he knew Ross would escalate, and he would be able to swoop in and look like "the good guy".

[Avabelle]

I agree about Mark. He was biding his time because he knew her and Ross weren’t compatible and close to the brink. I think he was a nice guy but I also think he had ulterior motives. 

[Danny Franks]

6 hours ago, Avabelle said:

I agree about Mark. He was biding his time because he knew her and Ross weren’t compatible and close to the brink. I think he was a nice guy but I also think he had ulterior motives. 

It's not like there's anything wrong with that. He didn't know Ross, he didn't care about Ross. Mark never made a move on Rachel while she was in a relationship, or even tried to undermine that relationship, he just did his own thing while Ross imploded.

Ross's own neuroses destroyed his relationship with Rachel. If he hadn't been such a possessive, jealous mess then Mark would never have been a factor.

Edited October 9, 2021 by Danny Franks

[Avabelle]

25 minutes ago, Danny Franks said:

It's not like there's anything wrong with that. He didn't know Ross, he didn't care about Ross. Mark never made a move on Rachel while she was in a relationship, or even tried to undermine that relationship, he just did his own thing while Ross imploded.

Ross's own neuroses destroyed his relationship with Rachel. If he hadn't been such a possessive, jealous mess then Mark would never have been a factor.

You’re quoting me to make your point but I don’t think I said there was anything wrong with Mark having ulterior motives. I was just pointing out that while Mark was a nice guy, he did have feelings for Rachel. Ross torpedoed the relationship all by himself but the suspicion about Mark being into her was correct. 

[Bort]

18 minutes ago, Avabelle said:

Ross torpedoed the relationship all by himself but the suspicion about Mark being into her was correct. 

But that still doesn’t mean anything. Just about any guy that Rachel would socialize with will probably be lusting after her, she’s gorgeous. Ross can’t be in a relationship with her and act like that, guys were going to like Rachel and he needed to just suck it up and let it go.

[Avabelle]

Once again as maybe i need to put a disclaimer on my posts, I don’t think it means or excuses anything Ross did. I’m just pointing out that Mark did like Rachel and proceeded to ask her out once she was single. He wasn’t a villain or trying to sabotage her relationship but he was ready to jump in as the consoling friend once the cracks started showing. Again, doesn’t excuse Ross cheating, its just an observation.

[Ms Blue Jay]

3 hours ago, Avabelle said:

Once again as maybe i need to put a disclaimer on my posts, I don’t think it means or excuses anything Ross did. I’m just pointing out that Mark did like Rachel and proceeded to ask her out once she was single. He wasn’t a villain or trying to sabotage her relationship but he was ready to jump in as the consoling friend once the cracks started showing. Again, doesn’t excuse Ross cheating, its just an observation.

Exactly.  Some of us think that Mark wanted Rachel and wouldn't help an unattractive woman with her career.  None of this means we think Ross acted appropriately and knew how to handle his jealousy.

[princelina]

On 10/6/2021 at 2:49 PM, ljenkins782 said:

And wasn't he at her apartment the night of "The Break"? Again, it could have been in a friend capacity, but again, possibly with an eye toward the future when she'd be single. So I never really buy that he was doing everything he did for her out of the goodness of his heart and that he'd have done it for anyone.

He asked if he could drink her juice (I think) when it was obvious Ross had just called.  He knew what he was doing 😉

[Ms Blue Jay]

On 10/9/2021 at 5:01 PM, princelina said:

He asked if he could drink her juice (I think) when it was obvious Ross had just called.  He knew what he was doing 😉

I just went back to read the script.  I totally forgot that he did that.  

It's Canadian Thanksgiving, and I keep forgetting it isn't Thanksgiving in the U.S. too.

What's your favourite Friends Thanksgiving episodes?

Quote

Season 1, Episode 9 – “The One Where Underdog Got Away”

Season 2, Episode 8 – “The One With the List”

Season 3, Episode 9 – “The One With the Football”

Season 4, Episode 8 – “The One With Chandler in a Box”

Season 5, Episode 8 – “The One With All the Thanksgivings”

Season 6, Episode 9 – “The One Where Ross Got High”

Season 7, Episode 8 – “The One Where Chandler Doesn’t Like Dogs”

Season 8, Episode 9 – “The One With the Rumor”

Season 9, Episode 8 – “The One With Rachel’s Other Sister”

Season 10, Episode 8 – “The One With the Late Thanksgiving”

The first and the last are such classics.  I love the first for so many lines.  "Potatoes are ruined, potatoes are ruined, potatoes are ruined."  And my brother loves Monica and Rachel fighting over the keys.  "You said, Got the keys,"  "No, I said Got the keeeeeyyyyyyys?"

The Rumor is also a classic, if it weren't for the transphobic stuff.

We watched "The Football" today, and it made me think that they should have done more sporty episodes like that.  Joey and Monica are such great athletes in that episode.  

And of course, everyone loves the one where Ross got high.

I never watch 508.  Not really a fan of clip shows.  I guess I could see how I feel about it today.

Even though I'm so not a fan of Amy, there's some good lines in 908, like "Okay if you die, and if Crazy Plate Lady dies, then who gets Emma?"  And Monica demonstrating how to cut steak without touching a plate.   "And let's face it, you have fun!"

Edited October 11, 2021 by Ms Blue Jay

[princelina]

1 minute ago, Ms Blue Jay said:

I just went back to read the script.  I totally forgot that he did that.  

It's Canadian Thanksgiving, and I keep forgetting it isn't Thanksgiving in the U.S. too.

What's your favourite Friends Thanksgiving episodes?

Does Canada get Friends Thanksgiving episodes on Canadian Thanksgiving?  I love the one with Joey in the box, and the one where Monica's parents hate Chandler because they think he made Ross smoke pot.  Also the Brad Pitt one.

[Ms Blue Jay]

2 minutes ago, princelina said:

Does Canada get Friends Thanksgiving episodes on Canadian Thanksgiving?  I love the one with Joey in the box, and the one where Monica's parents hate Chandler because they think he made Ross smoke pot.  Also the Brad Pitt one.

Haha good question.  I doubt it.  I don't know.  We pay for an app called Crave where Friends is on.  It's like our version of HBO Max.  

3 minutes ago, princelina said:

Does Canada get Friends Thanksgiving episodes on Canadian Thanksgiving?  I love the one with Joey in the box, and the one where Monica's parents hate Chandler because they think he made Ross smoke pot.  Also the Brad Pitt one.

Chandler's actually in the box ;). Because Joey put him there.  "His reasons were threefold."  

[princelina]

5 minutes ago, Ms Blue Jay said:

Chandler's actually in the box ;). Because Joey put him there.  "His reasons were threefold."  

Haha you're right - my mistake.  His threefold reasons are one of the main reasons I love that episode 😂.

[Hiyo]

Quote

I never watch 508.  Not really a fan of clip shows. 

Weren't those flashbacks newly filmed scenes?

[Bort]

Yeah, a flashback episode and a clip show aren’t the same thing. A clip show is like TOW Mac and Cheese or TOW the Invitation where there’s a little new footage as the framing device and then the episode is largely clips of past episodes. Friends had a surprising amount of clip shows, actually. 

[Snow Apple]

In Chandler in a box, I love the part when there was a knock and Phoebe went to get the door, but it was Chandler.

[Guest]

Just now, Hiyo said:

Weren't those flashbacks newly filmed scenes?

Wasn't that the one with all the backstory about Chandler and Monica, where we saw that he unwittingly inspired her both to become a chef (via a compliment) and to lose weight (via an insult delivered when he thought she wasn't listening). And where we saw the evolution of Ross and Chandler's style, and the evolution of Rachel's nose. Lots of stuff packed in there.

[Ms Blue Jay]

49 minutes ago, kariyaki said:

Yeah, a flashback episode and a clip show aren’t the same thing. 

Either way, I'm not usually a fan.

It's still a variation of a traditional "clip" show.  Either way, they're clips, whether they're newly created or just re-broadcasts of old parts.

Edited October 11, 2021 by Ms Blue Jay

[Guest]

Just now, Ms Blue Jay said:

Either way, I'm not usually a fan.

It's still a variation of a traditional "clip" show.  Either way, they're clips, whether they're newly created or just re-broadcasts of old parts.

I respectfully disagree, at least in the case of this particular Friends episode ("The One with all the Thanksgivings"). It's brand new footage of things we haven't seen before, and yes, some of it is kind of pointless (like Phoebe's part, surprise surprise), but the "main" flashbacks give all kinds of backstory to the characters, and especially to Chandler and Monica's relationship. And the flashbacks tie in strongly to the present-day scenes, with a pretty significant milestone for their relationship that happens in that same episode.

So I'd encourage you to check it out!

[Ms Blue Jay]

I've seen the episode many times.  I'm just saying it's not one of my favourites.  It's a personal opinion.

I find nothing romantic about that "foundation" of Chandler and Monica's relationship.  I would much rather have not known that.  I wish Monica became a chef for other reasons.  I feel like that subplot cheapens it.

Edited October 11, 2021 by Ms Blue Jay

[Guest]

1 minute ago, Ms Blue Jay said:

I've seen the episode many times.  I'm just saying it's not one of my favourites.  It's a personal opinion.

I find nothing romantic about that "foundation" of Chandler and Monica's relationship.  I would much rather have not known that.  I wish Monica became a chef for other reasons.  I feel that that subplot cheapens it.

Ok. If you don't like it for the reasons of the actual plot, I understand. Initially you said you never watch it and you dismissed it as a clip show, so I thought you weren't aware of the details or hadn't seen it in a long time and had forgotten.

[ljenkins782]

2 hours ago, tracyscott76 said:

Wasn't that the one with all the backstory about Chandler and Monica, where we saw that he unwittingly inspired her both to become a chef (via a compliment) and to lose weight (via an insult delivered when he thought she wasn't listening). And where we saw the evolution of Ross and Chandler's style, and the evolution of Rachel's nose. Lots of stuff packed in there.

Aside from Phoebe's stupid parts, I liked all the previously unknown storylines. And I always enjoy how much Matthew Perry and David Schwimmer clearly relished being as dorky as they possibly could be in those 80s flashbacks. 

And the Geller parents are always amazing, Ross: "he doesn't eat ANY Thanksgiving foods..." Judy: "Well...so glad you brought him here" snarled through gritted teeth, lol. Or Jack's "of course it did, they're made of wicker!"

But the football episode is possibly my sentimental fave and also one of my favorite Ross and Monica episodes. They are such believable siblings and this might be their best showing of all with the trash talking and bickering.

[Ms Blue Jay]

3 minutes ago, ljenkins782 said:

But the football episode is possibly my sentimental fave and also one of my favorite Ross and Monica episodes. They are such believable siblings and this might be their best showing of all with the trash talking and bickering.

I agree.  They seem very much like real siblings in this episode.  

[Bort]

2 hours ago, ljenkins782 said:

Aside from Phoebe's stupid parts, I liked all the previously unknown storylines. And I always enjoy how much Matthew Perry and David Schwimmer clearly relished being as dorky as they possibly could be in those 80s flashbacks. 

I like even Phoebe’s part because it leads to Joey lamenting that he doesn’t have any past life memories, to which Phoebe responds, “Of course not, sweetie, you’re brand new!”

[mojoween]

In “The Rumor” if Phoebe doesn’t eat meat, and Rachel has an aversion to poultry, and Chandler hates all things Thanksgiving still, and I think Brad Pitt wasn’t eating turkey?, then why did Monica buy a 19 pound turkey for three people?

[Bort]

Just now, mojoween said:

In “The Rumor” if Phoebe doesn’t eat meat, and Rachel has an aversion to poultry, and Chandler hates all things Thanksgiving still, and I think Brad Pitt wasn’t eating turkey?, then why did Monica buy a 19 pound turkey for three people?

That was the plot line with Joey, Monica was actually not going to make one for that very reason until Joey begged her to and swore he could finish it off, finally changing into Rachel’s maternity pants to accomplish it.

[mojoween]

7 minutes ago, kariyaki said:

That was the plot line with Joey, Monica was actually not going to make one for that very reason until Joey begged her to and swore he could finish it off, finally changing into Rachel’s maternity pants to accomplish it.

Right.  But she knew what she was getting it for, she didn’t have to get a 19 pound one!

[Ms Blue Jay]

34 minutes ago, mojoween said:

Right.  But she knew what she was getting it for, she didn’t have to get a 19 pound one!

Joey: "It's like me when I was born."  

[Bort]

1 hour ago, mojoween said:

Right.  But she knew what she was getting it for, she didn’t have to get a 19 pound one!

Not that I’ve ever tried to buy a turkey but maybe that was the smallest one Monica could find.

[Ms Blue Jay]

I don't know.  We just had turkey yesterday.  It wasn't 19 pounds!  And Monica is a chef, I feel like she would know how to buy food.  However, maybe she had to shop last minute because Joey forced her into it at the eleventh hour.  

[ljenkins782]

1 hour ago, kariyaki said:

Quote

Right.  But she knew what she was getting it for, she didn’t have to get a 19 pound one!

Not that I’ve ever tried to buy a turkey but maybe that was the smallest one Monica could find.

I've never tried to buy a turkey either, but I feel like 'availability (or lack thereof) of turkeys on Thanksgiving' is a common sitcom trope. I've always wondered if this is something that really happens to people, I've seen it in countless shows, but never knew whether it happens in real life.

[mojoween]

58 minutes ago, Ms Blue Jay said:

However, maybe she had to shop last minute because Joey forced her into it at the eleventh hour.  

I’ll have to fanwank it that way, because my mom has bought an 8 pound turkey for like the last 30 years.

[princelina]

4 hours ago, kariyaki said:

That was the plot line with Joey, Monica was actually not going to make one for that very reason until Joey begged her to and swore he could finish it off, finally changing into Rachel’s maternity pants to accomplish it.

Yeah that bit gets on my nerves.  First of all - if Brad Pitt had lost all that weight, turkey breast would be like the only thanksgiving food he COULD eat!  Second of all, Joey could have finished that turkey if he was allowed to eat leftovers.  And wouldn't Ross need a sandwich or two with a moistmaker?

[Bort]

24 minutes ago, princelina said:

And wouldn't Ross need a sandwich or two with a moistmaker?

Maybe Ross had gotten turned off of moistmaker sandwiches after flipping out on his boss over it and getting fired.

[princelina]

1 hour ago, kariyaki said:

Maybe Ross had gotten turned off of moistmaker sandwiches after flipping out on his boss over it and getting fired.

Haha maybe . . . but I'd never believe it 😄

[Katy M]

10 hours ago, ljenkins782 said:

I've never tried to buy a turkey either, but I feel like 'availability (or lack thereof) of turkeys on Thanksgiving' is a common sitcom trope. I've always wondered if this is something that really happens to people, I've seen it in countless shows, but never knew whether it happens in real life.

I remember my mom having issues of being able to get the size she wants.  But, she usually  had the other problem, not big enough.

[ifionlyknew]

19 hours ago, Ms Blue Jay said:

I find nothing romantic about that "foundation" of Chandler and Monica's relationship.  I would much rather have not known that.  I wish Monica became a chef for other reasons.  I feel like that subplot cheapens it.

Also Monica never said one word about having a crush on Chandler or he was the reason she became a chef.  She could have said any of that in London after they slept together. Or even after they got serious.  It would have been a nice romantic moment.   But of course the writers writing those episodes didn't know about that particular Thanksgiving.  

 

[Crs97]

One of the things I love about the flashback Thanksgiving is how quickly Ross responds when Chandler calls Monica fat.  That is totally a sibling thing, and I appreciate Ross for it.  I hate Amy, but love Chandler’s reaction when he learns that he doesn’t get to keep the baby if something happened to Monica.  I always assumed Monica bought a 19 pound turkey to call Joey’s bluff.

Edited October 12, 2021 by Crs97

[ljenkins782]

12 hours ago, kariyaki said:

Maybe Ross had gotten turned off of moistmaker sandwiches after flipping out on his boss over it and getting fired.

I have to say, I always sided with Ross in the moistmaker debacle. First, lunch thieves are the worst, second, it sounds delicious, and third, looking forward to specific leftovers is so my thing. Discovering that someone has eaten the thing that's gotten you through your day thinking about it, that is just unforgivable. 

And maybe I'm just jealous, in recent years, I've been a guest at Thanksgiving and tend to leave earlier than the rest of the guests, so the hosts aren't yet in the "OMG, all this food" mindset, so I rarely, if ever, get to enjoy Thanksgiving leftovers anymore. 

[Ms Blue Jay]

Yeah, it's a once a year thing, and Monica's a really good chef.  I get why Ross freaked out. I kind of think the whole Ross losing his mind in Season 5 story arc is brilliant.

What kind of boss eats their underlings' labelled food in the common fridge?  What a jerk.

Sounds like the Ask a Manager blog:

https://www.askamanager.org/2011/10/my-boss-keeps-stealing-my-food-after-ive-asked-him-to-stop.html

 

[Danny Franks]

On 10/12/2021 at 6:11 PM, Ms Blue Jay said:

Yeah, it's a once a year thing, and Monica's a really good chef.  I get why Ross freaked out. I kind of think the whole Ross losing his mind in Season 5 story arc is brilliant.

What kind of boss eats their underlings' labelled food in the common fridge?  What a jerk.

Sounds like the Ask a Manager blog:

https://www.askamanager.org/2011/10/my-boss-keeps-stealing-my-food-after-ive-asked-him-to-stop.html

 

Yeah, I think the writing for the sandwich scene was a little bit off the mark. Because his boss did deserve to be yelled at. He stole someone else's lunch from the fridge, ate it then tossed the rest in the bin and acts like it's no big deal. 

I think it would have worked better if he'd said something like, 'well, there was gravy leaking into the fridge so I decided to throw it out.'

But I do love the Ross losing his mind storyline. It's actually not that unrealistic a depiction of how stress and emotional turmoil can affect people. He just spirals out after the wedding fiasco and things keep piling in on him until he snaps and has to be put on medication.

And I love that he regains his stability by living with Joey and Chandler and learning to have fun again. Also that there are still glimpses of him being irrational later in the series, particularly when it comes to romance. It's not just a storyline that ends and is never referenced again.

[Hiyo]

I have to admit, some of the times they mentioned food, it did make me hungry...Monica's sandwich and some of Joey's sandwiches also just sounded so appetizing. The cast sold them well.

[Snow Apple]

I want to try an onion tartlet every time that episode shows up.

[chitowngirl]

The cheesecakes looked delicious in the TOW All the Cheesecakes!

[Bort]

2 hours ago, Snow Apple said:

I want to try an onion tartlet every time that episode shows up.

[Guest]

14 hours ago, kariyaki said:

I do this bit in my head every time I hear the word tartlet. “The word has lost all meaning.”

Edited October 17, 2021 by tracyscott76

[Kawaiiko]

3 hours ago, tracyscott76 said:

I do this bit in my head every time I hear the word tartlet. “The word has lost all meaning.”

Just make sure that when you are making a tartlet, that you serve it eight-and-a-half minutes after everything else.

[princelina]

On 10/16/2021 at 5:44 PM, Snow Apple said:

I want to try an onion tartlet every time that episode shows up.

I make a little onion appetizer that I now call onion tartlets 😄

[ljenkins782]

On 10/16/2021 at 5:44 PM, Snow Apple said:

I want to try an onion tartlet every time that episode shows up.

What IS an onion tartlet?? 

I have issues with certain types of onions (certain types raw and basically ALL fried types), and yet the onion tartlet intrigues me too. 

[Ms Blue Jay]

There's lots of great Friends cookbooks.  Somebody in this thread told me about them.  I don't want to admit how much money I've spent.  You can make them yourself!

[Hiyo]

Quote

What IS an onion tartlet?? 

Kind of like an onion pie, but with a flaky crust, and smaller.

Here are some various recipes for anyone interested.