Analytical Episode Guide-Friends (Season 10, Part 1)

Analytical Episode Guide:

Season 10, Part 1

Season 10, Episode 1

The One After Joey and Rachel Kiss

 

Plot Summary-Monica, Chandler, and Phoebe eavesdrop on Joey & Rachel and Ross& Charlie making out, Joey and Rachel decide to slow down until Ross is informed of what is going on, Monica’s hair is out of control

Funniest Line-“What is this? Well, let's see, we kissed for 10 minutes and now we'retalking to our friends about it. So, I guess this is sixth grade!”….Rachel

Nitpick of the episode-I am so happy! That gag with Monica’s hair was soooo hilarious in the last episode and didn’t get old fast at all!  I am thrilled they followed up on it to make it a hilarious story in this one that isn’t stupid or pointless in any way!(and yes, that was sarcasm)

Standout Character-Phoebe, it’s funny that it’s two episodes later we follow up on how fast Mike came back and the fact he did, in fact, have a girlfriend. Phoebe handles it, well, like Phoebe especially when she meets at her at Mike’s place

Syndication Edit-The guys boarding the plane home

Final Thoughts-Well to be fair this is a satisfying follow up to the last episode,and they did a nice job incorporating Chandler, Monica and Phoebe in at the beginning (which is very funny by the way). I guess it’s good that they didn’t just drop the Joey/Rachel stuff instantly. They opened that can of worms they may as well explore it more before abandoning it. As for Ross and Charlie, we all know that isn’t going to last so I just can’t get invested in it. Monica’s hair story is so stupid that I’m not even going to discuss it. And as I mentioned we get more on the Phoebe/Mike stuff which as we will see is really going to move forward. But we’ll talk about that as it comes. As for that finalmoment when Ross walks in on Joey and Rachel…perfect!

Grade-B

Season 10, Episode 2

The One Where Ross is Fine

 

Plot Summary-Ross tries to convince Joey and Rachel that he’s fine, Phoebe spends time with Frank Jr and the kids, Chandler and Monica meet with another couple who adopted a child

Funniest Line-“I'm fine! Hey, I'm great! I'm just, I'm just proud of us. There's no weirdness, no tension.”….Ross

Nitpick of the episode-About time Frank Jr came back, the creators really forgot aboutthem after Phoebe gave birth to the triplets. Satisfying end to that character.

Standout Character-Ross; I love him in this episode. Usually I frown when he is so goofy but here it makes sense. I think intellectually he knows he has no reason to be jealous of Joey and Rachel, but emotionally that’s a different story!

Syndication Edit-Phoebe playing with the kids, we find out Joey sold his sail boat years ago, more with Chandler and Monica with the couple

FinalThoughts-Well, this episode is really good. The stories work and there are some real funny moments. It is great to see what is happening with Frank Jr and see that Phoebe deep down still wishes she could have kept one of the babies. That really got forgotten over the last couple seasons. Chandler and Monica’s story is silly but it works, especially the tag. Chandler can have a big mouth sometimes. The rest of the episode revolves around Ross as he proves he is fine. Clearly he is not, and the final discussion he has with Joey was fantastic! Just well written and acted, and possibly one of my favorite momentsof the series.

Grade=A-

Season 10, Episode 3

The One with Ross’s Tan

 

Plot Summary-Joey and Rachel discover they have problems getting together, Ross botches a spray on tan, Monica and Phoebe deal with an obnoxious old friend

Funniest Line-“That fake British woman is a real bitch, but she sure can dance...”….Chandler

Nitpick of the episode-Oh Ross, WTF? Who counts 1 Mississippi, 2 Mississippi….except for little kids of course?

Standout Character-Chandler; I love the scene where Chandler explains that when he and Monica got together it felt perfectly natural. This is the final straw that makes Joey and Rachel realize they are meant to be good friends and nothing more

Syndication Edit-Scene Extensions

Final Thoughts- I love this episode. I am guessing that knowing this was the final season, the creators decided to put all their heart into it. Ross’s story is goofy but it’s also funny. It just amazes me how often a silly Ross story ends up funny as hell. The only downside to the episode is that annoying old friend of Monica and Phoebe, but it works in the end when we find out a little more about the time when Phoebe and Monica were roommates and just how aggravated Phoebe was. Phoebe says Monica is the only one she ever cut off who clawed her way back, love that. As for the Joey and Rachel stuff, I am happy that is overand the way it was handled was really great. They both realize that whatever they were feeling wasn’t real, and they are better off friends. I hated the Joey/Rachel arc, but it ended on a very satisfying note.

Grade-B+

Season 10, Episode 4

The One with the Cake

 

Plot Summary-Rachel wants everyone to help celebrate Emma’s first birthday but everyone else has other plans

Funniest Line-“Some can sing, some can dance, I apparently can turn phallic cakes into woodland creatures.”….Ross

Nitpick of the episode-Pretty rotten of everyone not to want to be there for Emma’s first birthday. It all works out in the end, but if I were Rachel I would not be happy with the others at all.  

Standout Character-Rachel, just adorable as a proud mommy

Syndication Edit-Rachel talking about birthdays when she was a kid

Final Thoughts-I get the feeling that the creators had the idea of doing an episode around Emma’s birthday and maybe the pornographic cake, but had no idea what else to do with it. Why would Chandler and Monica plan a get away knowing full well when Emma’s birthday was? Why couldn’t Phoebe reschedule the massage client?The audition for Joey was real random. Everyone just feels out of character a bit here, especially Monica and Chandler who come off just plain mean spirited because you would think Emma’s birthday would be more important than anything else even a weekend getaway they can do anytime. Maybe that’s just me. Not a bad episode but I don’t care for the stories. Joey’s dramatic reading Is funny,seeing the Gellers is always fun, and the ending is real sweet and cute when wesee Emma indicate that she is one years old.

Grade=B-

Season 10, Episode 5

The One Where Rachel’s Sister Babysits

 

Plot Summary-Rachel’s sister Amy babysits despite Rachel and Ross’s misgivings, Joeyis asked to write to the adoption agency for Monica and Chandler, Phoebe spoils Mike’s plans to propose

Funniest Line-“She may be the hottest girl I've ever hated”…..Joey

Nitpick of the episode-I could argue they make Joey real stupid here, but the gag with the adoption agency thinking Joey’s letter was written by a child was also done with Rose on The Golden Girls (in a totally different story) so I will let it go.  

Standout Character-Joey; his attempts at using a thesaurus to write the letter are hilarious

Syndication Edit-Amy showing up at Ross's apartment and meeting Charlie.

Final Thoughts-We get more of Amy and it’s really funny. Why would anyone want to pierce a baby’s ears? I had to admit, I would probably be a bit pissed to. Though her cluelessness was a little more contrived here. Thestuff with Joey is cute but doesn’t really go anywhere, we know Chandler and Monica are trying to adopt we don’t need a reminder. And we get Phoebe and Mike pulling out every cliché about proposing we’ve ever seen in sitcoms. Was this meant to be a parody of that kind of thing? In the end they get engaged so I guess all is good. We even get a subtle but significant character moment when Phoebe takes all her rings off to wear the one.

Grade=C+

Season 10, Episode 6

The One with Ross’s Grant

 

Plot Summary-Ross's relationship with Charlie hits the rocks, Rachel and Monica argue over who will get one of Phoebe’s ugly paintings, Joey discovers Chandler lied about watching his audition tape

Funniest Line-“If they see Joey, then they're going to think I'm an idiot. And that's something they should learn on their own!”…..Chandler

Nitpick of the episode-For years we have seen the odd paintings hanging on Phoebe’s walls whenever we were in her apartment. Finally we get a story about them! I love that the creators did that, It also shows how Phoebe is changing as a character, letting go of her past so she can create a future with Mike.

Standout Character-Monica, her revulsion of Phoebe’s painting is understandable butI love how she is worried about sparing her friends feelings

Syndication Edit-Longer opening, Rachel reading to Emma, Rachel and Joey discussing the painting

FinalThoughts- Well it couldn’t be clearer that the creators had decided Charlie had used up her usefulness and it was time for her to go. The scenes with Greg Kinear were funny, but the end result is so transparent that it spoils the story a bit. And the guy is such a jerk! The stuff with Phoebe and her paintings are classic and the other story with Joey’s audition tape is good for some laughs as well. Especially when we see what was on that tape.

Grade=C+

All in all season 10 started off really good; they obviously put real heart into the scripts. Will that hold up for the rest of the episodes?