Things I Just Love-Boston Red Sox

I am not a sports nut. I have a passing interest infootball. Basketball and hockey I can do without. And I find golf and NASCAR  to be incredibly boring (yes, Isaid it. I find NASCAR to be a giant bore). But there is one exception and thatis what I want to talk about today.

I have loved The Boston Red Sox for as long as I can remember. I don’t remember much from back in the early 80’s, but I do remember playing with a handheld baseball game and I knew the starting lineup of the team even then. I even remember liking Yaz and he retired in 1982! I wish I hada great “my first day at a ballpark” story but I don’t remember the first time I saw a game live.  Before anyone asks, yes I played little league and I sucked.Now let me clarify, I am not an obsessive fan. I don’t watch every second of every game. I don’t keep track of every stat or obsess about the standings. I will accept if the Sox are playing horribly. But I am not a fair weather fan either, I watch in good times and bad.

Analytical Episode Guide-Friends (Season 6, Part 4)

Analytical Episode Guide:

Season 6, Part 4

Season 6, Episode 20

The One with the Mac and C.H.E.E.S.E.

 

Plot Summary-Joey lands a role on a new TV series but Chandler almost blows it when he fails to give him a message (yeah that’s about it)

Funniest Line-“Joey, if you get this, you'll be the star of your own TV show. You'll be like the big cheese. Or the Big Mac. Hey, you love those!”….Rachel

Nitpick of the episode-The way Chandler forgets to leave the message for Joey is a tad forced, this is only the second time we see the birds all season it’s no wonder they will disappear for good the next year.

Standout Character-Monica, she only gets one real scene but that is a classic Monica moment when she brings up her phone pad

Syndication Edit-Nothing really in this one

FinalThoughts-Yeah, another clip show. This is one of the weaker ones to. A few highlights:Chandler talking to the birds about having moved out, the scene with Chandler being consoled by Monica and Rachel, and the end when Chandler and Joey realize they hug a bit too much. All in all this is a filler episode andit really feels like it. The big problem with clip shows is that when we see clips from the early days it makes us miss the way the show was when it was fresh and new.

Grade=C-

Analytical Episode Guide-Friends (Season 6, Part 3)

Analytical Episode Guide:

Season 6, Part 3

Season 6, Episode 13

The One with Rachel’s Sister

 

Plot Summary-Joey gets in trouble for giving free food away, a sick Monica tries to convince Chandler she is not sick, Rachel agrees to help her little sister out

Funniest Line-“Are you saying that you don't wanna get with this?”….Monica

Nitpickof the episode-Always had a problem with Monica insisting that she never gets sick. She has been sick on the show and handled it just fine those times.Sometimes the writers forget that she is competitive but not obsessive.

Standout Character-Rachel, Jill is a great way to look back at how Rachel started and see how far she has come

Syndication Edit-The missing tag where Monica's gotten Chandler sick and Joey's stolen all of the food out of their refrigerator to give away in the coffee house. Think this was removed because it causes a major continuity error with the next one.

Final Thoughts-I actually kind of liked this one. Yes the Joey story is painfully boring. It’s not bad but it’s just dull, we get it he works at the coffee house! And while you could argue Monica trying to convince Chandler she is notsick is silly, it kind of works especially that scene where she puts vapo rubon herself. And as I stated, seeing Jill really gives us an idea how far Rachel has come and we also stir up the Ross/Rachel stuff a bit when Jill goes out with Ross. More on that next episode. The one bad thing is that Phoebe really gets nothing to do here.

Grade=B

Seven Sitcom Face-Off's I Will Never Do!

 I have been doing the sitcom face-off's for a while now.Except for the episode guide's these articles are probably my favorite towrite. It gives me a chance to discuss and analyze some of my favorite shows inan engaging format. However there is some face-off's which seem perfectly logical but I will not do them. Here is why.

  VS

This seems like a perfectly logical face off since I Dream Of Jeannie was intended as a Bewitched clone sort of. The problem is that I adored Bewitched growing up, whenever I was home from school I would get up at 8:30 to watch the re-runs. But Jeannie…..not so much. Aside from loving Barbara Eden I just don't think I have enough good to say about that show to do a fair analysis.

Analytical Episode Guide-Friends (Season 6, Part 2)

Analytical Episode Guide:

Season 6, Part 2

Season 6, Episode 7

The One Where Phoebe Runs

 

Plot Summary-Rachel is embaeassed by the way Phoebe runs, Joey gets a sexy new roommate, Chandler tries to clean the apartment for Monica

FunniestLine-“Look, Chandler, Monica is really weird about this kind of stuff. Believeme, I  lived with her for sixteen years. She is going to freak out. Oh my God,she's going to sit on you.”….Ross

Nitpickof the episode- I always love when Monica tells Chandler she would never expect him to follow her neurotic ways. Funny considering she did expect Rachel and Phoebe to follow them when they lived with her. And how in the world did Chandler not know Monica would freak if her apartment was not exactly the way she had it?? It’s so crazy Ross even brings it up in the episode.

Standout Character- Joey, funny to watch him try to not attract Janine

Syndication Edit-The discussion about how Chandler and Ross repel women was longer

Final Thoughts-Phoebe’s story is delightfully pointless. Not much else to say about that one. We get introduced to Janine who did not do anything for the show really. Though the discussion Joey, Chandler, and Ross have about her is kind of funny. Chandler acts like he just met Monica in this episode, but it works in the end.

Grade=B-,could have been worst

Sitcom Face Off-Saved By The Bell vs Boy Meets World

Sitcom Face Off finally returns with a unique match up:

  vs 

Two school comedies which were big in the 90’s. One was a Saturday morning staple, the other a very important member of the TGIF family. One was corny; the other trended to more serious stories. But in the end, which was better? As always this is just opinion.

  
 

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