Analytical Episode Guide-Friends (Season 6, Part 1)

Analytical Episode Guide:

Season 6, Part 1

Season 6, Episode 1

The One After Vegas

 

Plot Summary-Ross and Rachel deal with the consequences of their drunken night,Monica and Chandler decide to slow down and try living together, Phoebe and Joey drive back to New York

Funniest Line-“This is not a marriage. This is the world's worst hangover!”…..Rachel

Nitpick of the episode-A lot of people point to the fact that Ross and Rachel have the ink mysteriously disappear from their faces. However, the truth is the creators had worked to explain it. The ink had faded enough for make-up to cover it.There was a Chandler line where he was supposed to say that Ross got married and became a woman in the same night. They dropped the line but the fact it was considered means I will give them a pass on that one.

Standout Character-Chandler, I love that he is the one who asks Monica to move inwith him

SyndicationEdit-The opening scene with Ross and Rachel was longer

Final Thoughts-Thank the lord the creators wised up! I accepted the fake proposal back in “The One with the Girl who Hits Joey” but having them rushing to the altar in the season final was too much. Good to see them realize that, and the decision to move in together makes perfect sense. It’s especially cool because it’s Chandler who comes up with it. Ross and Rachel’s story continues, not sure what Ross is thinking not quickly ending the marriage but I guess I wouldn’t want three failed marriages on my record either. The only weak part of the episode is the Phoebe/Joey stuff which is boring. It takes hours and hours to travel from Las Vegas to New York non-stop, how much did Joey sleep? I also was amused how they took Joey’s movie, which was a big deal in the previous two episodes, and just swept it under the rug.

Grade=B

Season 6, Episode 2

The One Where Ross Hugs Rachel

 

Plot Summary-Monica and Chandler try to break their new living arrangement to Joey and Rachel, Phoebe is convinced Ross is still in love with Rachel.

Funniest Line-“I'll be at the bottom of the dating barrel now. The only guys below me will be four-divorce guy and murderer guy and geologists.”….Ross

Nitpickof the episode-I was always torn about why Rachel had to move out. I mean later on the spare room becomes a guest room which Phoebe lives in for a while.What’s the difference? I can see how Monica and Chandler would want privacy too. I guess it does create a new situation which never hurts.

Standout Character-Phoebe, her insistence that Ross loves Rachel is adorable

Syndication Edit-Scene extensions, scene with Joey and Chandler diving their stuff

Final Thoughts-I always really liked this episode. Ross loves Rachel? Imagine! I like the coffee shop scene where Ross discusses his marriages with the three strange girls. Very well cast guest stars, I really wanted to learn more about them! They give the news about Chandler and Monica a lot of weight which was great! Joey getting sad makes perfect sense, even though Chandler will just be across the hall it’s not the same. They kind of glossed over the Joey/Chandler stuffbut they make up for it later. And Rachel’s reaction is perfect, first her confusion and later her doubt. It isn’t until Monica explained that the changeis really going to happen that Rachel believes it. However, the best scene ofthe episode is the tag where Phoebe and Joey discuss getting together; it was an inevitable conversation and handled perfectly!

Grade=A-,very well written and performed

Season 6, Episode 3

The One with Ross’s Denial

 

Plot Summary-Monica and Chandler argue about what to do with the spare room, Ross is in denial about loving Rachel, Joey interviews new roommates

Funniest Line-“ That's fine! I won't bring over the chairs. I won't bring anything over!I wouldn't want to ruin the ambiance over here at Grandma's place!”…..Chandler

Nitpick of the episode-Well it didn’t take long. Monica is so anal you knew she was going to have a problem with Chandler rearranging things. Um, how does she expect to move in with someone without them bringing some furniture over? Totally on Chandler’s side here.

Standout Character-Joey, because he’s the only one not crazy in this one

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SyndicationEdit-Phoebe and Rachel looking in the paper for apartments, Gunther talking to Rachel

Final Thoughts-This is a filler episode really, because nothing happens. The fight Chandler and Monica have is silly though perfectly in character for Monica. I’m not sure what Ross is trying to accomplish in this one really, if he is trying to deny his feelings for Rachel doesn’t living with her compromise that? Joeyis funny here and that’s good enough for me. Oh, and we get the idiotic and contrived Denise crap where Phoebe claims to have a roommate no one has ever heard of, which is so dumb! Where did that come from? I suppose it was just an excuse Phoebe madeup to avoid living with Rachel, but it would have been nice if that was established at some point!

Grade=B-

Season 6, Episode 4

The One Where Joey Loses His Insurance

 

Plot Summary-Ross is asked to give a lecture at NYU, Phoebe is informed she only hasa week to live, Joey loses his insurance

FunniestLine-“Oh, I can't believe this! This sucks! When I had insurance, I could gethit by a bus or catch on fire, you know? And it wouldn't matter. Now I gotta becareful?”….Joey

Nitpick of the episode-Yeah Ross when your friends told you to phase the accent out Ithink they meant over weeks not in the same lecture!

Standout Character-Rachel, for that scene when she gets the news she is still legally married. Funny!

SyndicationEdit-Monica and Rachel fighting over the candlesticks

Final Thoughts-This episode is a bit better than the last. I guess the museum was getting boring because suddenly Ross has a new job. Why Ross started using an English accent is beyond me but it’s funny. Phoebe’s story is so pointless I’m not even going to say anything else about it. Joey once again steals the showwith his hernia bit, how do you make severe pain funny? Well he does. The best thing in the episode is that this is when Rachel finds out she is still marriedto Ross. They slip it in at the end which is really clever; the subject hadhardly come up in the whole show! Nice to see the writing not be predictableonce in a while.

Grade=B-

Season 6, Episode 5

The One with Joey’s Porsche

 

Plot Summary-Joey pretends to own a Porsche, Phoebe babysits the twins with Monica and Chandler, Ross and Rachel deal with their situation

Funniest Line-“Ross, just for my own peace of mind you're not married to any more of us,are you?”…Chandler

Nitpickof the episode-Ross gets what he deserves here to be honest. Rachel has every right to be enraged.

Standout Character-Rachel, her anger is believable and the fact she is the one who suggested the marriage idea was a nice touch.

SyndicationEdit-Longer teaser (Joey tries to defend Ross but comes up empty)

Final Thoughts-The teaser picked up right where the last episode left off and is veryfunny! I get the feeling the creators were starting to realize how popular Joey was. His story here is a Joey story I can buy, as he tries to impress women with a Porsche he doesn’t own. We finally get a conclusion to the mini-arc of Ross and Rachel’s marriage. Rachel is really funny especially in the scene where Ross mentions the “we were on a break” thing again. Rachel ends up moving in with Phoebe so the Denise thing was just a lame attempt to hold that off. Why didn’t they just have her move in with Joey? It took them to long to realize that makes the most sense. Anyway, the last scene with Ross and Rachelis sweet and you can tell there is still something there between them. The stuff with Phoebe, Monica, and Chandler is cute too and I have no major problemwith it.

Grade=B+

Season 6, Episode 6

The One on The Last Night

 

Plot Summary-Monica and Chandler prepare for their last night with Rachel and Joey, Ross tries to get out of helping to pack

Funniest Line-“ Hurry! Monica's going to make you pack! She's got jobs for everyone! Now it's too late for me, but save yourselves!”….Phoebe (fantastic moment)

Nitpick of the episode-David Schwimmer is directing which is why Ross is so absent from the episode. Well, ok I can accept that but couldn’t they have found a less idiotic way to get him out? It doesn’t even make sense why would he rather watch TV than help his friends pack?

Standout Character-Monica, Rachel, and Phoebe who are near perfect in this one and we even get good character development

SyndicationEdit-Ross mentions a big basketball game on TV that does help explain thenitpick I just made (a little)

Final Thoughts-This is a very important episode because it’s here that many of the basic dynamics of the show are changing. A lot of times doing this will kill asitcom, imagine if one episode of Seinfeld had Jerry start visiting George’s apartment every episode? Wouldn’t be quite the same. But the change works and the episode works as we really believe everything we see. Ok, Joey being fooled by the card game was a stretch. But the fight the girls have is great as the things they say aren’t wrong. And the way Phoebe tricks them into being happy again was nice, leading to the final scene where Rachel leaves her home of five years for good. This episode is funny when it should be and sad when it should be.Good directing by David Schwimmer I just wish they hadn’t had to shortchange the character.

Grade=A-,lack of Ross hurt this otherwise solid episode

Be back for more later this week!