Friends: Episode-by-Episode 10.17 & 10.18 "The Last One"

0416: The One with the Fake Party

- The teaser is okay, love that Joey got a sandwich with him in the shower.
- I think this is my favorite Emily appearance.
- Phoebe got a good story here.
- This might be Tate Donovan?s best appearance as well. The previous episodes in that arc have really been carried by Jennifer Aniston, but I think he does a pretty good job in this one.
- I hear The Impression That I Get by The Mighty Mighty Bosstones during the party ? love that song?
- Joey explaining the bra thing to Rachel with Chandler correcting is great.
- Nice that they invited Gunther to the party?
- The spin the bottle sequence is great; I especially love Chandler spinning the bottle.
- ?If you didn?t want to play then why did you come to the party?? ? hee
- Gunther doing the dishes in the background is strangely hilarious?
- Rachel?s story in this one becomes more and more painful to watch. But in a good way I think.
- ?Rachel is my girlfriend.? - hee
- The final scenes in the hallway are good too.
- All in all an excellent episode. I can imagine that the Rachel stuff isn?t for everybody but I like it.

A -

 

Another example of American's not understanding British speech. Emily would call it a "sketch", not a "skit"

Don't really like this one. I'm not a fan of the "party at Monica's" episodes.

 

4.17 "The One With The Free Porn"


* Episode Number: 90
* Original Air Date: March 26, 1998
* Directed by: Michael Lembeck
* Story by: Mark J. Kunerth
* Guest Cast:
o Giovanni Ribisi (Frank Buffay Jr.)
o Helen Baxendale (Emily Waltham)
o Debra Jo Rupp (Alice)
o Michael G. Hagerty (Mr. Treeger)
o Shirley Jordan (The Doctor)


Detailed summary

Joey and Chandler unexpectedly receive an "adult" movie channel. Monica urges Ross to express his true feelings to Emily before she leaves the country, but things don't go as well as expected--it turns out there's another man. Ross goes to London to prove his love for Emily, but she returns to the states to tell him she's chosen him. Phoebe finds out she's carrying triplets; Frank, Jr. considers dropping out of refrigerator college to get a job; Phoebe tries to come up with ways to make money so he won't have to give up his "dream."

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I like this episode. Not really a fan of Emily, but I like Ross' and her story in this one.

Chandler and Joey are of course awesome.

Frank Jr. and Phoebe are ok.

 

0417: The One with the Free Porn

- Not a fan of Treeger, otherwise the teaser is great.
- Joey and Chandler?s story in this one is a classic one.
- Ross and Monica?s story is a pretty good one as well.
- Phoebe?s story doesn?t do much for me. It just highlights for me how much I?m against the Frank and Alice thing?
- Some funny porn titles in this one: ?Good Will Humping?, ?In and Out and In Again?
- I love the running joke with the Toblerone.
- Wow, a Paolo callback.
- ?That could be you and Emily, but nicer.? ? hee
- The ?Relaxi taxi? scene is the best part of Phoebe?s story. Phoebe yelling ?YOU DID NOT!? knocks me out.
- The Ross and Emily story gets a really nice and moving conclusion in this one.
- A part of me wishes the free porn had gotten some mentions in later seasons?
- Overall another great episode.

B +

 

18. Old enough to know why it's funny, not old enough (or perhaps "never been in a serious enough relationship") to think it's funny.

I liked all of these. Not a big Emily fan (I love the last episode she's in because Ross tells her off) but season 4 is a pretty good season. The Joshua thing annoys me a little (and I don't like how easily it ends). A couple more Kathy episodes would have been nice, but it was still a good episode. The one with the trivia game was amazing. IIRC the last disc in the series has an option to play a Friends trivia game with others.

 

I love the free porn story in this one, another great moment is Chandler and Joey going over to Monica's because they need a break from the porn. And I agree on Phoebe's "YOU DID NOT!" Kills me everytme.

 

4.18 "The One With Rachel's New Dress"


* Episode Number: 91
* Original Air Date: April 02, 1998
* Directed by: Gail Mancuso
* Story by: Andrew Reich & Ted Cohen
* Guest Cast:
o Tate Donovan (Joshua Burgin)
o Jane Sibbett (Carol Willick)
o Helen Baxendale (Emily Waltham)
o Jessica Hecht (Susan Bunch)
o Debra Jo Rupp (Alice)
o John Bennett Perry (Mr. Burgin)
o Pat Crowley (Mrs. Burgin)
o Charlie Allen & Jack Allen (Ben)


Detailed summary

Phoebe is asked to name one of the three babies she's carrying; this sparks some rivalry between Joey and Chandler, who each want the baby named after them. Susan is shooting a commercial in London so Emily offers to show her around; Ross worries that they might be having too much of a good time together... like when Carol started spending time with Susan. Rachel plans a big date with a special dinner, new lingerie and a nice dress; while eating dinner at her place, the chick and the duck upset Joshua, who has a phobia of farm birds; since his apartment is being remodeled and his parents are out of town, they go to his parents' house; unexpectedly, his parents return home while Rachel is wearing only a negligee; she tells them it's actually a new dress and ends up having to wear it while they all go out to dinner.

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Joey-Chander-Phoebe = awesome

Rachel's story makes me uncomfortable here...

 

0418: The One with Rachel?s New Dress

- Smelly Cat played on the drums is genius.
- It?s been too long since we last saw Carol, Susan and Ben.
- Good Phoebe story in this one, but that?s more because of Chandler and Joey than anything else.
- ?And now you?re giving me the message!? ? hee
- ?No I definitely don?t like the name Ross.? ? hee
- Ross?s story in this one does a good job by building on his past in order to create a current story. As the girls nicely explains to us; Ross? panic and anxiety over a potential Emily/Susan friendship makes sense. I like it.
- Not a big fan of the Rachel story here. Matthew Perry?s dad is funny though?
- ?OH MY GOD! I didn?t really believe it until you JUST SAID IT!!? ? hee, poor Ross. His characterization has totally changed at this point, but I gotta admit that I kinda like this later version of him.
- The Phoebe/Chandler/Joey thing drags just a little bit towards the end; it just feels like the same scene over and over again. It?s still a god one though.
- ?Still think I was right about that whole Mark thing though? ? Too bad he?ll never actually know that he actually was right?
- Okay episode, but nothing special.

B -

 

This one is cute. The Ross story was the best, IMO. The Rachel one is uncomfortable (and I would soooooo hate to be her) and the Phoebe/Joey/Chandler story drags a bit. I love how later they end up still naming the girl Chandler, though

 

4.16 "The One With The Fake Party"

This one's funny, but I gotta concur: the humor in this one won't do it for everybody. Rachel's desperation at getting Joshua in a social setting works as a slapstick element for this, but you have to wonder (at least I do) why she just won't buck up and just ask the guy out instead of going through such pains: fake party, corny games, cheerleader outfit, fat lip (but let's be honest, it's hilarious that she does that to herself. Even Monica gives up trying to talk her out of it because she's morbidly curious to see how bad Rachel crashes & burns, just like anybody else would be). Still, I like the turnabout here where Rachel is the "infatuated Ross" while Ross himself makes gains with Emily with much less effort (like Rachel usually would).

I found the Joey-goes-veggie-for-Phoebe story to be amusing, but I would have liked to see this plot last longer than a single episode. You don't really get a sense that this is much of a struggle for him (hello, writers, this is the guy that LOVES SANDWICHES). So it seemed a little too much of a quick & easy resolution to Phoebe's need for a balanced diet. I mean, even Chandler's bedroom door getting sawed in half had a longer life as an in-joke than this veggie diet thing did. I remember the first time I saw this ep, I was thinking that at least the next ep would show Joey's struggle to avoid meatballs, pepperoni, steaks, etc., but nope: following eps show no consequences. Lame.

B (C+ for Joey-goes-veggie)

4.17 "The One With The Free Porn"

For once, the teaser might have been the funniest part of the episode. The tag scene works too. Guess it's a guy thing again.

I also love the etch-a-sketch thing on the back of their door: knock knock. Who's there? PORN!1!1 The etch-a-sketch pad was one of the small clever things that added to the humor in each episode. It usually had a reference to one of the plotlines.

And Ross moves back into his pathetic phase once again: fussing over whether or not to go to London to declare his love. Just goes to show, you can't always follow Monica's advice. But I do like that Emily comes all the way back to find him at the guys' place. Makes me wonder what she might have thought when she sits down to call him with the unavoidable non-stop porn marathon on the TV in front of her?

Relaxicab/relaxi-taxi: "meh"-taxi. "You did not!!!" works though. Hippie's got claws...

B+

4.18 "The One With Rachel's New Dress"

Phoebe: No, I definitely don?t like the name Ross.
Ross: What a way to kick me when I'm down.



The name-the-twin challenge is the best part of the episode. Phoebe's goofy ideas for names bring back memories for me: I once worked at a law firm where some of the plantiffs had the most ridiculous names you could imagine. One actual name was some poor guy called The Great Fate Hayes. No joke, that was his legal name (don't ask me which parts were the 'first' name and which part(s) were the 'last' name). So when Phoebe mentions that she likes a name starting with "the" I'm LMAO every time. Never gets old.

Ross is well on his way in The Great Ross Character Decline, but you can't help but think he's oddly justified in this: it's less a worry about Emily being "gay" than it is about his paranoia of Susan staking Emily out as her next "victim". In his shoes, I can see how a guy would behave like this.

Exactly. Crazy enough, he's two for two in his suspicions. Both Susan ended up with Carol and Mark ended up making a play for Rachel after the Big R&R Breakup was complete. So it ain't a stretch for him to make such a far-fetched conclusion.

Rachel's story is indeed uncomfortable, but I suppose that's because we'd all feel uncomfortable in her position. Though I doubt any of us would be dumb enough to wear linger

 

4.19 "The One With All The Haste"


* Episode Number: 92
* Original Air Date: April 09, 1998
* Written by: Wil Calhoun & Scott Silveri
* Directed by: Kevin S. Bright
* Guest Cast:
o Helen Baxendale (Emily Waltham)
o James Michael Tyler (Gunter)
o Michael Connor (The Singing Man)


Detailed summary

The singing man, the bird smell, and the lack of space drive Rachel and Monica to new attempts to get their old apartment back; when they fail to bribe Chandler and Joey with season Knicks tickets, they try making another bet... and lose again, so they have neither the tickets nor the apartment. However, while Joey and Chandler are at a game, Rachel and Monica switch apartments anyway. Chandler objects but Monica and Rachel offer to kiss each other for a full minute if they can keep the apartment. Phoebe tries to knit. Ross hates the fact that Emily has to be gone so much, so he considers asking her to move in with him... but ends up asking her to marry him; she says yes. The gang is shocked to hear the news... especially Rachel.

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Mooooooorniiiiiing's here!

singing guy is awesome.

I love this episode. Joey's awesome in it.



"They got the apartment back."

"...no they didn't."

 

0419: The One with all the Haste

- Love the teaser: ?Moooorning?s here! Oh, morning?s here!? Angry Rachel rules!
- Wow, Helen Baxendale is really hot.
- The Santa pants gag goes on for too long and isn?t all that funny?
- Chandler and Kathy broke up after the apartment swap so Chandler is probably remembering wrong when he says he?s never had a girl there.
- Don?t like the earring thing.
- ?Just remember to wake us up before you go go? ? hee, love that line though
- So the Ross and Emily thing is totally moving too fast, but I love where it goes and the thought process behind it is in character, so I approve.
- As a direct sequel to The One with the Embryos, the apartment story falls a little short, but it?s still a good one.
- The game Phoebe makes up is awesome.
- ?What are they so mad about? They got the apartment back!? ? hee
- The reveal that the girls? swapped the apartments back is a great one.
- I would have liked to have seen the one minute kiss?
- The reveal of Rachel after Ross and Emily?s made their announcement is heartbreaking. The whole Ross/Rachel thing at this point seems to mostly be a thing of the past and suddenly it becomes clear that it might possibly not be. This episode is really all about setting up the upcoming season finale.
- ?Mooooorning?s here! Oh, morning?s here!? - love that guy...
- All in all a solid episode with no real shortcomings.

B +

 

I really like this one. The singing guy cracks me up. Rachel learning about the engagement is heartbreaking.

 

I agree with hansen about seeing the kiss.

 

4.20 "The One With All The Wedding Dresses"


* Episode Number: 93
* Original Air Date: April 16, 1998
* Directed by: Gail Mancuso
* Guest Cast:
o Tate Donovan (Joshua Burgin)
o James Michael Tyler (Gunther)
o Christina Moore (Marjorie)
o Anne Betancourt (The Saleslady)
o Thea Mann (Sleep Clinic Worker)


Detailed summary

Joey's snoring forces Chandler to insist he go to a sleep clinic; while accompanying Joey at the clinic, Chandler meets (and begins dating) Marjorie, who talks in her sleep. Ross tries to talk with Rachel about her feelings, but she just pretends she's fine. However, while feeling kind of desperate she tries to move way too fast with Joshua and ends up scaring him off. Monica picks up Emily's wedding dress for her, and finds she just can't resist wearing it... a lot. Phoebe and Rachel catch the spirit as well, and soon they're all wearing white. Ross and Emily set a wedding date just one month away. Rachel talks with Monica and Phoebe about her unresolved feelings for Ross.

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The way Rachel and Joshua end is freakin great.

Ross and Emily are just moving waaaay too fast...

Joey and Chandler are lol

 

0420: The One with all the Wedding Dresses

- ?Are you kidding me!?!? ?Joey! Joey! Joey! Joey!? ? awesome teaser
- ?Ah, the Olympics.? ? hee
- Love Chandler doing the whipping sound wrong. That and Joey?s anger afterwards knocks me out.
- While there are lots of very good laughs in this one, none of the stories are all that great. The girls running around in wedding dresses really make me cringe.
- Love how Rachel still over pronounces ?Joshua? each time she says it.
- Chandler dancing is legendary.
- Tate Donovan is good in this one. I?m glad he gets to react realistically to the crazy sitcom behavior on display in this one.
- ?You idiot!? - hee
- First callback of ?How you doin???
- I like this episode in the context of the rest of the season as in how it shows Rachel dealing with the Ross/Emily thing; I just wish it didn?t do it with wedding dresses. The more downplayed emotional stuff is good; like the scene with Rachel and the girls just talking (in their regular clothes).
- The tag is simple, but really hilarious. And the girl is totally hot.
- Overall I have a hard time grading this one. It?s obviously funny, but there?s something that feels off about it to me.

B

 

This one is pretty meh. It feels like after all the Joshua buildup, it ends really fast. Rachel acts stupid and then doesn't seem to care that it's over (after everything she did to tr to get him).

 

4.21 "The One With The Invitation"


* Episode Number: 94
* Original Air Date: April 23, 1998
* Written by: Seth Kurland
* Directed by: Peter Bonerz
* Guest Cast:
o Helen Baxendale (Emily Waltham)


Detailed summary

Flashbacks of Ross and Rachel's relationship punctuate this episode as Ross decides to send Rachel a wedding invitation and Rachel decides she won't be going. Joey and Chandler, feeling like they don't have much going on in their lives compared to their friends, try to make some big plans... like climbing Mount Everest or at least watching some videos.

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late for work, I'll talk about this one later.

 

0421: The One with the Invitation

- The teaser is nothing special.
- So now we?re at the first clip show of the series. I do like the framing device with the invitations sparking the trips down memory lane, but other than that the episode is generally a disappointment.
- They did do a good job picking out clips that actually tells the narrative of Ross & Rachel over the past four seasons though. They could have just picked the funniest moments and not bothered with showing us what the history of the two is. At least this way, the episode serves a tiny purpose in establishing the emotional context for the forthcoming finale.
- All in all the show only has 6 and half minutes of new content, and the new content is never exceptional, only average.

C

 

I second what hansen said.

 

4.19 "The One With All The Haste"

This one had a funny resolution to the apartment-switch arc. I can't tell which pair is worse: the girls for their refusal to honor the bet they made with the guys, or the guys for letting the girls off the hook so easily. But once again Phoebe comes in and steals the moment with wisdom: "Just think, if you'd done that at the very beginning, nobody would have had to move." Rachel & Monica:

I do love it when Rachel has a meltdown at the singing neighbor. (Actually, the 'Angry Rachel' moment when she threatens to kill Joey & Chandler over the rooster crowing in the morning was even funnier, but that was way back just before the apartment switch.)

Ross: purely pathetic. From the earring to the snap-decision to propose to Emily, it now looks less like a spur-of-the-moment romantic decision than it does a panic-laden effort to hold on to her (he just freaked out over Emily & Susan "being gay together", so this episode viewed right after that other ep makes him look really scary). Cringe-tastic.

Am I the only person who's tired of Rachel still being made to look like the "wounded party" upon hearing the engagement announcement? But the writers had a gold mine in these plots, so I guess I can't blame them for cashing in. I'll save my overall complaint about this buildup for when AJ kicks off the season 5 posts.

A-

4.20 "The One With All The Wedding Dresses"

One of the last really funny eps. I think it's hilarious to see the girls all taking turns wearing wedding dresses, engaging in their fantasies from their schoolgirl days. Amazingly, although I'd normally prefer Courtney Cox any day, it's Jennifer Aniston who looks the hottest in the wedding dress. The sight of the three of them all on the couch, with popcorn & beer, all wearing wedding dresses, is comic gold. And I agree: Joshua's normal reaction to Rachel's insanity is great. A funny, fitting end to Rachel's Ross-like infatuation arc.

Chandler & Joey & the snoring adventures = win. I love that Joey has no shame in wearing his mouthpiece during the day because he loves the taste.

A

4.21 "The One With The Invitation"

Thirded; motion carries.

This was a by-the-numbers move by the writers and even the network. By this point, Friends most likely had enough episodes in the can to allow for domestic syndication in the States, so this was a quick & cheap way to pad out the numbers of total eps so that they'd reach syndication qualification (and thus earning even more hand-over-fist revenue). Typically TV shows in America need about four seasons' worth of material for domestic syndication, and this show has made George Lucas-levels of money in syndication just in the USA alone. My local affiliate shows two episodes back to back every night, and has been ever since it was first syndicated 10 years ago.

So I guess I shouldn't have been a surprise that after this clip show, clip shows became much more common in later seasons.

C

 

4.22 "The One With The Worst Best Man Ever"


* Episode Number: 95
* Original Air Date: April 30, 1998
* Directed by: Peter Bonerz
* Story by: Seth Kurland
* Guest Cast:
o Helen Baxendale (Emily Waltham)
o James Michael Tyler (Gunther)
o Lisa Rotondi (The Stripper)
o Robert Koch (The Doctor)


Detailed summary

Phoebe suffers from a small bladder, mood swings, kicking babies, false labor, and other pregnancy woes. Ross has to choose whether Joey or Chandler will be his best man; he chooses Joey, which seems okay until after the bachelor party when the wedding ring is missing. Believing the stripper (whom Joey slept with) took it, they mistakenly confront her; however, it turns out it was taken by a different bird. Monica and Rachel plan a baby shower for Phoebe, but decide not to give her baby-stuff because she won't be keeping the babies; unfortunately, this plan doesn't go over very well.

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Awesome episode, just from the guy's story alone.

 

0422: The One with the Worst Best Man Ever

- The teaser is just okay, I do like the ?three babies playing Bring in ?da noise, bring in ?da funk on your bladder? line though?
- The guys got a great story here; I love their first scene when the best man issue first comes up.
- Phoebe and her mood swings aren?t all that funny.
- ?Little village people!? ? hee
- Phoebe wouldn?t want leather pants would she?
- ?Thanks for not marrying Rachel? - hee
- Phoebe making Rachel cry is awesome.
- ?Gunther Centralperk? ? hee
- The episode drags a little bit towards the end, but I do like the last scene with the guys quite a bit.
- All in all it?s just an okay episode.

B

 

omg... I was home all day saturday and forgot to update... how did this happen?!?!

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4.23 "The One With Ross's Wedding, Part I"


* Episode Number: 96
* Original Air Date: May 07, 1998
* Written by: Michael Borkow
* Directed by: Kevin S. Bright
* Guest Cast:
o Sarah, The Duchess of York (herself)
o Helen Baxendale (Emily Waltham)
o Richard Branson (The Vendor)


Detailed summary

Ross, Monica, Joey, and Chandler leave for London; Phoebe's pregancy prohibits travel and Rachel stays to take care of her... and to avoid the emotional strain of watching Ross get married. Joey and Chandler go sight-seeing, but Joey's tourist behavior embarrasses Chandler and they split up for the day; Chandler has a lousy time, but Joey has a great day... including a visit with the Duchess of York. Emily stresses about the wedding arrangements, and everything is on the verge of collapsing when the demolition work starts on the building where they were to wed. Monica suggests they postpone the wedding (an idea which leads to more problems). Rachel realizes she's still in love with Ross, and tries to console herself by shopping; Phoebe also tries to help her get over Ross. When all this fails, Rachel decides to leave right away for London to tell Ross how she feels.

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LONDON BABY!

other then that though... it's 3 in the morning... so I'll talk about this later... or not... we'll see.

 

I'm gonna break protocol here and actually move ahead of you, because I reviewed both London episodes as one (because it totally is one )

0423&24: The One with Ross? Wedding

- ?My mom used to put her head in the oven.? ? hee
- Very good teaser. Check!
- The very special main title sequence is an odd choice. And it spoils the Chandler and Monica hookup. Boo!
- Why is Chandler so annoyed by Joey from the very beginning? It?s like there?s a missing back story or something?
- ?Up yours too!? ? LOVE that line.
- I love how Rachel realizes that she?s still in love with Ross. Jennifer Aniston as well as Lisa Kudrow play that scene really well.
- Richard Branson! For a cameo appearance he?s decent enough?
- Ross continually putting his pants on wrong is funnier than you?d expect.
- No bad stories in this one.
- Fergie! That?s a random cameo if there ever was one..
- Watching the two parts as one single episode, it drags a little bit midway.
- Phoebe and the housekeeper is genius.
- Good tube joke.
- ?I can?t even remember what Phoebe looks like!?- hee
- Rachel?s scenes with the ticket agent are pretty good.
- Chandler bombing at the rehearsal dinner is awesome.
- Nice continuity with Phoebe eating a meat sandwich.
- ?You thieving, would-be-speaking-German?if-it-weren?t-for-us, cheap, little man!? ? hee, the parents got a good story here too.
- The reveal of Chandler and Monica in bed together is a classic moment!
- I consider this episode somewhat of a turning point in the show. Up until this episode the one storyline that?s been present from the very beginning has been the Ross and Rachel one. And while we do deal with it at various points after this episode, the focus really shifts towards Monica and Chandler from here on out. They?re the one with the big arcs and the major changes (baby Emma notwithstanding) for the rest of the show?s history.
- Hugh Laurie! Obviously the best cameo here. So awesome!
- ?Or perhaps slip you one.? ? hee
- ?By the way, it seems to be perfectly clear that you were on a break? ? double hee
- The half demolished hall looks really good when dressed up for the wedding. Great set!
- Love the music towards the end in this one, like the piano score that plays as Rachel arrives and sees Ross and Emily kissing and the music that plays as the wedding begins. It?s almost hauntingly beautiful?
- ?I Ross, take thee Rachel? - Best Friends cliffhanger ever
- In conclusion a great episode that really caps off a tremendous season of television in an excellent way.

A