Analytical Episode Guide-Friends (Season 5, Part 1)

Analytical Episode Guide:

Season 5, Part 1

Season 5, Episode 1

The One after Ross says Rachel

 

Plot Summary-Ross tries to locate Emily, Monica and Chandler are unable to hook up again

Funniest Line-“Could have been worst. He could have shot her”….Chandler

Nitpick of the episode-There is a point in the episode when Ross decides to stop looking for Emily because for all he knows she is trying to find him but hasn’t because he keeps moving around. Ummmm…how did he come to that conclusion exactly? All evidence would suggest Ross may want to keep looking.

Standout Character-Monica & Chandler, they’re failed attempts to hook up are hilarious

Syndication Edit-Joey talking to Ross’s parents

Final Thoughts-While it’s true that there was no way to follow up the season ender, this episode does a decent job picking up where that one left off. I will be talking lots more about this but this is the first we see of the rage-aholic  Ross we will get for thefirst half of the season. Here it’s ok. Monica and Chandler are great, and the best part comes at the end. It looks as if their affair is wrapped up and that’s it, until Chandler comes back in. This is our first indication this isn’t going away. Rachel getting stuck on the plane to Greece at the end was agreat gag which I am sorry to say will not really go anywhere, which brings us to the next episode.

Grade=B,not quite as strong as the last

Season 5, Episode 2

The One with All the Kissing

 

Plot Summary-Ross continues to search for Emily, Chandler accidentally kisses Monica in front of the others, Phoebe is jealous she missed out on London, Rachel wants to tell Ross she loves him.

Funniest Line-“It came in the mail today. It's, uh, seventy-two long stemmed red roses,one for each day I've known and loved Emily, cut up into mulch!”…..Ross

Nitpick of the episode-I always wondered if Phoebe’s story was based on Lisa Kudrow’sfeelings on missing that trip. I guess I will ask it now and get it out of the way, why do Monica and Chandler insist on keeping their relationship a secret? Oh, and last time I bring this up, but it’s so nice to get the real Monica back and lose the wimpy wuss she was last season.

Standout Character-Chandler, tough call but his “save” after kissing Monica was hilarious

Syndication Edit-Rachel trying to find someone who thinks telling Ross she loves him is agood idea. Joey’s line about Monica giving him some sugar got set up earlier. Episode went a tad long.

Final Thoughts-Busy episode, and also a great one. Everything works and it’s just a very funny episode. Good to see them resolve Rachel and her love for Ross,though you could argue the conclusion was weak. Now she realizes Ross loves Emily? Still funny. Chandler was just great here and you gotta feel for Phoebe.Ross is also great here as his attempts to win Emily back meet a dead end. That opening scene with Chandler and Monica in the bathtub was pure gold. Love thelook on Joey’s face when he comes in and Chandler says exactly what I would have if in that situation.

Grade=A,strong episode

Season 5, Episode 3

The One Hundreth

 

Plot Summary-Phoebe prepares to give birth, Joey has kidney stone pain, Chandler and Monica decide they are serious

Funniest Line-“I don't want that guy in here telling me I'm, you know, dilated-amundo!”….Phoebe

Nitpick of the episode-I know everyone else has said this so I will also. That Happy Days joke was just awful. By the way, in case you didn’t guess from the title, this was the 100th episode!

Standout Character-Phoebe, who else? That scene where she talks to the babies was beautiful

Syndication Edit-Rachel trying to feel out Frank on the three babies

Final Thoughts-Yeah the Happy Days thing was stupid but this is still a strong episode. I have gone back and forth on the whole kidney stone thing. It seemed unnecessary and even took some of the focus off Phoebe, but I guess they needed something for Joey to do. By the way, I have had kidney stones and they are not fun. The Monica/Chandler story continues as they both realize that there issomething more than just sex between them. You can see how good they are together in one moment. When Chandler hits on a nurse and fails for a second he seems like his old self rather than the more confident Chandler we had been getting. And of course this is really Phoebe’s story and it is well done. It’s also nice to get a break from the Emily stuff.  This episode has one of my all-time favorite laughs when Frank announces that  thebaby Chandler is a girl! Chandler’s reaction is just priceless!

Grade=A-,minus for that Fonzie gag

Season 5, Episode 4

The One Where Phoebe Hates PBS

 

Plot Summary-Joey lands a job at a PBS telethon which upsets Phoebe. Monica claims to be dating someone at work to cover her relationship with Chandler. Ross is determined to find a way to make Emily happy, and she agrees to see him but comes up with a difficult request

Funniest Line-“I'm so glad you guys are all here! My office finally got wrinkle free faxpaper!”….Chandler, one of his best lines as he covers why he just walked in with champagne

Nitpickof the episode-Ever notice when they went to invent some weird new thing for Phoebe to hate it always ties into her mother’s suicide?

Standout Character-Ross, can only imagine what he is feeling through this one. A magic 8 ball? Classic!

Syndication Edit-An extra scene with Ross visiting Carol and Susan in an attempt to getthem to move. Lots of scene extensions.

Final Thoughts-Guess it was only a matter of time before we got a standard episode.Well, to be fair it’s only the Joey/Phoebe story which is standard. It is nice to get Phoebe back and not have her be pregnant anymore. Though she is morecynical now. The rest of the episode is more storyline development. Especially for Ross as he finally talked Emily into coming to New York, but makes the heartbreaking request that he has to never see Rachel again. The Monica/Chandler stuff is great, it makes sense Chandler would be proud to be the best she ever had and he is accurate when he explains it’s her who makesthe sex so great.

Grade=B+,the opening teaser is the best part

Season 5, Episode 5

The One with the Kips

 

Plot Summary-Rachel is irate when Ross tells her that he can no longer see her.Monica and Chandler try to have a weekend getaway. Joey discovers the big secret.

Funniest Line-“You know, I feel like I don't even know you anymore, man! Look, I'm justgoing to ask you this one time, and whatever you say I'll believe you. Were you or were you not on a gay cruise?”….Joey

Nitpick of the episode-Monica and Chandler are equally in the wrong in the hotel. Talk about forgetting what they were there for

Standout Character-Joey, for the last five minutes which is gold.

SyndicationEdit-The scene where Rachel finds out about her dog is longer as is the hotel stuff, the tag with Monica being a pain

Final Thoughts-I will just say it, the scene at the end when Joey discovers the secret was one of the funniest of the series. Soooo well done! I didn’t like how Ross had to try like three times before telling Rachel, it just felt paddedout and unbelievably so. For instance why did Rachel’s mom write to her about the dog, wouldn’t calling have made more sense? But once he does finally tell her the scene isvery powerful. The stuff with Monica and Chandler is great. Nice to see Chandler move past the first stage of a relationship finally, this may be the first time the series has honestly depicted a relationship.

Grade=B+

Season 5, Episode 6

The One with the Yeti

 

Plot Summary-Emily makes Ross eliminate all trace of Rachel, Rachel mistakes a hairy neighbor as a monster, Joey has trouble with all the changes going on while Phoebe gets a fur coat

Funniest Line-“Here it is... right underneath a can of bug bomb. I wonder if the best place to put something that cooks food is underneath a can of poison.”…..Monica

Nitpick of the episode-Well here we go. We had to get rid of Emily and I guess the best way the creators decided to do that was to make her a witch.  I am glad she is gone but they went above andbeyond to make us hate her which wasn’t necessary.  And why does Ross let her get away with all that?

Standout Character-Joey, fun watching him deal with the changes going on

SyndicationEdit-A cut joke I approve of. During Ross’s phone call with Emily there was a dumb gag with Joey interrupting by picking up the extension. Stupid and ruins the scene, also he’s dumb but not that dumb!

Final Thoughts-Yeah, that Danny story was lame. It was obviously one idea that they had to stretch into a whole story. Phoebe’s story is only a bit better, if story is even the right word. I am amazed at how much Ross tolerates in this one. He must reeaally love Emily. The scene where the relationship finally ends was very well done.

Grade=B-

Season 5, Episode 7

The One Where Ross Moves In

 

Plot Summary-Ross and Chandler regret letting Ross move in, Phoebe gets involved with a health inspector while Rachel believes Danny is playing mind games.

FunniestLine-“Um hmm! Look, I don't know how much more of this I can take! Did you know he taped over my Baywatch tape with some show about bugs! My God! What if that had been porn?”…..Joey

Nitpick of the episode-Rachel is back in stupid mode, does she really believe the things she says in this one?

Standout Character-Joey & Chandler, as the series progresses we get less and less Joey/Chandler stuff so it’s fun to get it here

Syndication Edit-Scene Extensions

Final Thoughts-This is an interesting episode as we get insight on Ross and how annoying he can be. But shouldn’t have Chandler and Joey already known that? I really don't like the change in Ross as he has gone from sweet and lovable to annoying dufus. Phoebe’sstory is just silly, but it’s fun too. Rachel is funny but her insistence that Danny is playing her makes her look downright nuts.

Grade=C+