Friends - General Discussion

[Snow Apple]

I'm watching the Thanksgiving episode with the football game. 

In the past 25 years, how have I never noticed the woman watching out her apartment window from the building in the background? 

Edited November 26, 2021 by Snow Apple
spelling

[LexieLily]

I still say TOW Ross Got High is the best of the Thanksgiving episodes, mostly for the last five minutes.

"No, Rachel, you weren't supposed to put beef in the trifle. It did not taste good."

[cherrypj]

On 11/17/2021 at 7:06 PM, helenamonster said:

We learned a song in elementary school music class that lists all the states in alphabetical order ("Fifty Nifty United States") and it is quite the earworm--I still remember the whole thing. I have been primed to dominate Chandler's dumb states game for the rest of my life.

“Fifty nifty stars in the flag that billows so beautifully in the breeze.”

Still got it! 😆

[mojoween]

Monica definitely asks “got the keys?” when they go to the roof, but Rachel says “okay”.

Which means that Rachel thought that Monica WAS saying “got the keys” and therefore Rachel was right, Monica was wrong and as a consequence no one got any potatoes.

[Ms Blue Jay]

I think I like Underdog and Football more than "Ross Got High" whereas Ross Got High seems to be the favourite here.  I think it's because they feel so classic to me and I've watched them more than the others.

I would assume Rachel and Monica each had their own set of keys.  I canNOT leave my apartment without my keys even if it's just to go to the lobby.  But then again I don't have a roommate so maybe I can't relate to letting go of that responsibility.

Edited November 29, 2021 by Ms Blue Jay

[Bort]

I don’t comprehend a door that automatically locks without keys. 

[Ms Blue Jay]

Haha I had one of those in university and it was a real pain in the ass.  Everything was electronic key cards like a hotel.  Actually, don't hotels do the exact same?

[Bort]

Yes, but that’s a hotel, it’s supposed to do that. A standard front door will have a dead bolt and a locking door handle/knob, which you should have to manually turn to lock without the key.

[scarynikki12]

9 hours ago, mojoween said:

Monica definitely asks “got the keys?” when they go to the roof, but Rachel says “okay”.

Which means that Rachel thought that Monica WAS saying “got the keys” and therefore Rachel was right, Monica was wrong and as a consequence no one got any potatoes.

Yep. I know they wanted to bring the group together and missing flights and burned food was a part of that so they had to have the confusion over the keys but the "you said got the keys" "no I asked got the keys" dispute was flimsy at best. 

Also how could the guys accumulate so many random keys that they had a whole drawer of them? 

[Ms Blue Jay]

Joey's women, I guess, but that was pretty ridiculous.

[Bort]

You should check out my mother’s Drawer of Mystery Keys. 

Flathead screwdriver in the doorjamb would’ve popped that sucker open a lot faster than fishing for keys.

[mojoween]

They definitely needed some kind of tool because we all know that Joey can’t break it down by running into it.

[Bort]

Yeah, he can.

[partofme]

20 hours ago, kariyaki said:

I don’t comprehend a door that automatically locks without keys. 

My current apartment in nyc does this.  I believe there's something I can hit in the door to make it not lock, but I carry my key always and like that it autolocks.

TOW They All Got High is my favorite Thanksgiving episode, my least favorite is the one with Brad Pitt.

[WendyCR72]

Jennifer Aniston will play Blair Warner (made famous by Lisa Welchel) in the latest installment of "Live In Front Of A Studio Audience" with Different Strokes and The Facts of Life on ABC, airing December 7th.

[mojoween]

5 hours ago, kariyaki said:

Yeah, he can.

Ohhhh I had forgotten!  I was thinking of when he was trying to open it when Monica was outside it.

[mojoween]

The bully in Central Perk taking Chandler’s hat - a complete stranger - and then putting it on his own head is so super gross.

[mojoween]

Absolutely love the Giants mug Chandler and Ross both use, Monica’s Giants sweatshirt during football Thanksgiving and that before football Thanksgiving the boys are watching a Giants game on TV (even if the Giants did not play on Thanksgiving in 1995 or 1996).

[Columbo]

Ross got so much better when he changed from a depressing mope who was serious all the time to this crazed person.

[mojoween]

And it’s so funny, that to me at least, David had so much more chemistry with the actress who played Susan than he did with the actress who played Carol (either of them).

Also his “hellooo *cheek kiss*” to Ben and “hellooo *cheek kiss*” to Carol followed by “hey” to Susan makes me laugh.

[Bort]

How come there were so many OBGYNs with the last name Oberman? The doctor who did Carol's sonogram had that name, ditto the one who did Phoebe’s and then there was the kid Phoebe made cry when she was having the triplets.

[Irlandesa]

4 hours ago, mojoween said:

And it’s so funny, that to me at least, David had so much more chemistry with the actress who played Susan than he did with the actress who played Carol (either of them).

Even though I like the actress who played Carol, Jessica Hecht (Susan) is an amazing talent. She and David seemed to really dig their antagonistic vibe and the screen did light up when they were together.

[mojoween]

When Chandler broke into Fred Sanford’s closet and Monica caught him, she hopped up a step to yell at him.  I was exactly today years old when I realized that there was a step there, and now that I’ve seen it, I can’t figure out why it’s there.

Edited December 15, 2021 by mojoween

[Bort]

1 minute ago, mojoween said:

When Chandler broke into Fred Sanford’s closet and Monica caught him, she hopped up a step to yell at him.  I was exactly today years old when I realized that there was a step there, and now that I’ve seen it, I can’t figure out why it’s there.

The step isn’t just right there, it goes all the way across in front of the window.

[Katy M]

On 11/29/2021 at 6:53 PM, kariyaki said:

I don’t comprehend a door that automatically locks without keys. 

I grew up with a door like that, more or less.  When you unlocked the door with they key to get inside, you would have to manually unlock it from inside or it would stay locked.  Now, Monica and Rachel clearly didn't have an automatic locking door, or one you had to purposely unlock, or it would have been locked way more often and Joey and Chandler (and Phobe and Ross) wouldn't have been strolling casually in all day long without knocking.  Ever.  Chandler even said the door hadn't been locked in however many years when they decided to move in togehter and the key ended up breaking in the lock.

[Nellise]

3 hours ago, mojoween said:

When Chandler broke into Fred Sanford’s closet and Monica caught him, she hopped up a step to yell at him.  I was exactly today years old when I realized that there was a step there, and now that I’ve seen it, I can’t figure out why it’s there.

As someone who has used a wheelchair for many years, the number of apartments with steps in random places is infuriating. While searching for places to live "sunken" living rooms were my bane.

[WearyTraveler]

3 hours ago, kariyaki said:

The step isn’t just right there, it goes all the way across in front of the window.

It's a leftover from the 70s

[Nellise]

19 hours ago, WearyTraveler said:

It's a leftover from the 70s

There's also the practical reason for the show: the apartment is a fairly deep set so the step lets the cameras see the people back there without having to move or use weird angles.

[helenamonster]

On 12/15/2021 at 2:35 PM, kariyaki said:

The step isn’t just right there, it goes all the way across in front of the window.

There's also the bit in season one where we first meet Paolo: he and Ross are talking about Rachel, with Paolo on the upper step and Ross below, and Ross steps up so as not to feel dominated.

[mojoween]

Do you know, for all of these years, I have never once googled what olive loaf looks like to find out why that joke is funny?  

[Inquisitionist]

On 12/16/2021 at 12:06 PM, Nellise said:

There's also the practical reason for the show: the apartment is a fairly deep set so the step lets the cameras see the people back there without having to move or use weird angles.

I assumed that's the reason for all sunken living rooms on TV.  Even Mary Richards (MTM) supposedly living on the third floor of an old Victorian house in Minneapolis had one.  Uh, no, I don't think so!

[Spartan Girl]

The Take finally gives Emily her due:

Finally, someone points out the hypocrisy of Emily being controlling when Ross did the exact same thing to Emily in the beginning of their relationship!

[Wiendish Fitch]

13 minutes ago, Spartan Girl said:

The Take finally gives Emily her due:

Finally, someone points out the hypocrisy of Emily being controlling when Ross did the exact same thing to Emily in the beginning of their relationship!

About time someone said it! I never hated Emily, and whatever her faults, she was eligible for sainthood in comparison to Ross and Rachel!

[Spartan Girl]

38 minutes ago, Wiendish Fitch said:

About time someone said it! I never hated Emily, and whatever her faults, she was eligible for sainthood in comparison to Ross and Rachel!

I really hated how the writers had her rushing into getting engaged to another guy within a month or so of splitting with Ross. Girl, do NOT make the same mistake twice!

[Katy M]

8 minutes ago, Spartan Girl said:

I really hated how the writers had her rushing into getting engaged to another guy within a month or so of splitting with Ross. Girl, do NOT make the same mistake twice!

I've fanwanked that it was the guy she was with when she told Ross she had a bf.  Then at least she wasn't starting from scratch.

[Spartan Girl]

I also liked how the video pointed out how the gang treated Emily as an interloper from more or less the very begging. Sure, they were right to point out that Ross was rushing things, but beyond that? They never really gave Emily a chance. And after the wedding debacle, their sympathy was all for Ross—not a smidgen of empathy for Emily, who was the humiliated one in the whole mess. And it’s astounding how they all acted like Ross shouldn’t cut Rachel out of his life; it’s all fine and well to stay friends with an ex, but when you say her name at your vows instead of your bride’s, it’s time to cut ties.

And for all the crap they gave Emily about being paranoid and controlling, it’s not amiss to point out that how mature and calm she was when when she realized that Ross was right, she couldn’t spend the rest of her life keeping him away from Rachel, which led her to conclude that the marriage wasn’t going to work out.

But oh no, even during that scene, everyone was all “Poor Ross, poor Ross, he’s getting a divorce again!” Just once I would’ve liked one of them to say: “Well what did you expect? You used the poor girl as a rebound!”

Edited January 14, 2022 by Spartan Girl

[Hiyo]

Quote

And it’s astounding how they all acted like Ross shouldn’t cut Rachel out of his life; it’s all fine and well to stay friends with an ex, but when you say her name at your vows instead of your bride’s, it’s time to cut ties.

There was no way for Ross to cut her out of his life without having to cut everyone else out as well.

[Katy M]

30 minutes ago, Spartan Girl said:

Sure, they were right to point out that Ross was rushing things, but beyond that? They never really gave Emily a chance.

I don't know.  Monica encouraged Ross to go to the airport to tell her that he loved her. And then to actually fly to England to tell her again. And, she supported Emily when she was upset about the church situation before the wedding.  She was horrible to her after the wedding, but Monica was very welcoming to her beforehand.  And Phoebe and Joey went to the rugby game with Emily and Ross.

[Bort]

The friends were fine with Emily until the Rachel ultimatum. Then they were done. Because it was ridiculous. 

[Hiyo]

So is that video.

[Spartan Girl]

On 1/14/2022 at 3:33 PM, kariyaki said:

The friends were fine with Emily until the Rachel ultimatum. Then they were done. Because it was ridiculous. 

Was it really unreasonable that Emily didn’t want Ross around Rachel anymore after everything that happened? Rachel came to BREAK UP THEIR WEDDING, even if she changed her mind at the last second. That slip up at the wedding was a red flag that he wasn’t over her, as was his quick he was to invite Rachel on his honeymoon when he thought Emily wasn’t coming. She was ready to just give up on Ross, but then he kept badgering her and her family, trying to win her over, and she decided to give him a chance to put his money where his mouth was, so to speak.

On 1/14/2022 at 3:26 PM, Hiyo said:

There was no way for Ross to cut her out of his life without having to cut everyone else out as well.

Maybe, but she wasn’t asking him to cut everyone off, just Rachel. They were free to still be friends with Rachel, and while the situation was obviously complicated, it wouldn’t have been impossible.

Bottom line: it was unfair for the writers to dismiss Emily as the jealous paranoid wife after relegating her to Disposable Love Interest. They could have as easily gave Ross a moment of growth and had him realize he shouldn’t have rushed into marriage to begin with, and that it wasn’t fair to Emily and she deserved better.  

Edited January 15, 2022 by Spartan Girl

[Bort]

2 minutes ago, Spartan Girl said:

Was it really unreasonable that Emily didn’t want Ross around Rachel anymore after everything that happened? Rachel came to BREAK UP THEIR WEDDING, even if she changed her mind at the last second. That slip up at the wedding was a red flag that he wasn’t over her, as was his quick he was to invite Rachel on his honeymoon when he thought Emily wasn’t coming. She was ready to just give up I. Ross, but then he kept badgering her and her family, trying to win her over, and she decided to give him a chance to put his money where his mouth was, so to speak.

Maybe, but she wasn’t asking him to cut everyone off, just Rachel. They were free to still be friends with Rachel, and while the situation was obviously complicated, it wouldn’t have been impossible.

Bottom line: it was unfair for the writers to dismiss Emily as the jealous paranoid wife after relegating her to Disposable Love Interest. They could have as easily gave Ross a moment of growth and had him realize he shouldn’t have rushed into marriage to begin with, and that it wasn’t fair to Emily and she deserved better.  

It was unreasonable because Rachel was his sister’s roommate. How was that going to work? He’d have to cut his sister off too. And Joey and Chandler were their neighbors. So they’d be cut off as well. We actually saw how this would work when Ross and Rachel first broke up and the others were having to juggle being friends with both while only being around one at a time. It didn’t work and the friends told them that they would have to figure out how to be around each other.

Asking Ross to not be around Rachel alone is reasonable. Not at all is not.

[Hiyo]

Quote

It was unreasonable because Rachel was his sister’s roommate. How was that going to work? He’d have to cut his sister off too. And Joey and Chandler were their neighbors. So they’d be cut off as well. We actually saw how this would work when Ross and Rachel first broke up and the others were having to juggle being friends with both while only being around one at a time. It didn’t work and the friends told them that they would have to figure out how to be around each other.

Asking Ross to not be around Rachel alone is reasonable. Not at all is not.

Amen to all of this.

[Katy M]

15 minutes ago, kariyaki said:

It was unreasonable because Rachel was his sister’s roommate. How was that going to work? He’d have to cut his sister off too.

Not really. She could visit him at his place, they could meet at restaurants.  He just couldnt hang out with Monica at her apartment.  

 

17 minutes ago, kariyaki said:

We actually saw how this would work when Ross and Rachel first broke up and the others were having to juggle being friends with both while only being around one at a time.

Only because for whatever reason all 6 of them had to do pretty much everything as a unit. It didn't have to work that way.

[Madding crowd]

The entire show was about the six of them doing things together. To change that would change the very popular show into something else.

[Katy M]

1 hour ago, Madding crowd said:

The entire show was about the six of them doing things together. To change that would change the very popular show into something else.

Well, obviously it would never happen on the show that way. That's not the point.

[Ms Blue Jay]

I did not like Emily.  I did not like the character, nor the actor portraying her.

I mean obviously the writers probably wanted to set up a bad obstacle for Ross and Rachel to overcome, but regardless, I'm comfortable in my hate for her.

I also hated Kate, Joey's "love" interest.  Bad character, REALLY bad actor.  (I've liked Dina Meyer in other things.  Not this.). 

But I didn't dislike all of the love interests.  There were some good ones, even some really gorgeous guys that sadly lasted only one episode.  The two guys that Phoebe simul-dated.  The guy when Rachel wore the strapless yellow dress, etc.

I liked Richard, and I liked Pete (and normally I don't like Jon Favreau).  
I was not really a fan of Kathy, but, it's not outright hate.  I just didn't love the character.  At least I can see that Paget can act, though.

I looooooove Roger (Fisher Stevens) and have spoken about that before.  Actually now that I think about it, I love David and I love Mike too, so maybe I like every single man that Phoebe dated!  Even Michael Rapaport, and I hate Michael Rapaport!   Even Parker, and I hate Alec Baldwin!  But Parker was one of the best!  Obviously I can see that Sean Penn is a great actor, but THAT was a bad storyline.  (Also Dermot Mulroney and his character and relationship with Rachel, too.)

I was fine with Tag.  Mona was boring though.  I like that actor in other projects but man they just made Mona a cipher.  That college girl that Ross dated looked way too young though.

Janine could have been okay with a better actor.

https://www.newsweek.com/fisher-stevens-rude-guest-star-friends-jennifer-aniston-1605058

Edited January 15, 2022 by Ms Blue Jay

[Bort]

3 minutes ago, Ms Blue Jay said:

I also hated Kate, Joey's "love" interest.  Bad character, REALLY bad actor.  (I've liked Dina Meyer in other things.  Not this.). 

I liked Kate because, aside from Rachel, it’s the only woman we ever saw Joey actually fall for. And I loved that storyline because it was several episodes of what seemed to be a serious dramatic play, only for it to end with “I’m gonna get on this spaceship!…” That kills me every time.

[Ms Blue Jay]

I liked the Kristin Davis storyline.  I just love her, and she's SO pretty, and I liked how Rachel and Phoebe convinced Joey to be open to something, and he actually was.

Joey got way better love interests and romantic storylines on his own sitcom.

[partofme]

I really liked Emily.  There was something about her that made Ross who is usually my least favorite character likable. 

Other love interests I liked were Gary, Gavin and Charlie. 
 

I couldn’t stand Kathy even though I really liked Paget on Criminal Minds.  Also hated Richard, Pete, Mona and Mike.