"The One with the East German Laundry Detergent"
I'm beginning to notice that Friends has a very specific formula already. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, although it's certainly disheartening to see your favorite sitcom turn out to be so formulaic (I was 12 when the show ended so formulaic wasn't really formulaic to me.) In fact, it helped the show pretty much be a safe option to watch every episode. You know what you're getting and if you like that product, than you're virtually guaranteed to like every episode.
The opening scene follows the tradition of the first five episodes and has the friends talk about sex and the differences between boys and girls yet again. With the exception of "The One with the Thumb," they've all been basically separated from the plot. None of them have been particularly strong either, although that could certainly be that it has aged poorly. Still, these kind of conversations were pretty limited in who they related to as it's about the New York dating scene. That applies to people who live in New York and maybe Los Angeles, but that's pretty much it.
The episode takes the three friends and puts them in three pairs. I found two of them to work really well and another one that didn't really go over well with me.
The one that didn't work for me was Monica and Joey trying to break up another couple on a double date. This portion wasn't terribly funny, or at least funny enough to justify why we should root for Joey and Monica to succeed. Joey broke up with Angela and from the scenes we see Angela and her date seem happy. Why would we root for Joey and Monica to break them up despite the fact that they are the title characters? It certainly doesn't help that we never see Angela again.
And really the justification for why he breaks up with Angela is that she nibbles loudly? That seems like it only applies to eating wings or food like that. Evidently, all's it takes to break up a couple is to spill wine on one of the spouse's shirts to get closer. I just never found a reason why the audience would root for Joey and Monica to succeed OR any scenes showing them succeeding.
I do find it interesting that the creators originally intended for Joey and Monica to get together, but ultimately scrapped this plan. I wonder if they intended it this early, which judging by the decision to double date them, I think they did. I also wonder if this episode did anything to dissuade them.
Ross and Rachel doing laundry together was another one that worked. David Schwimmer helped these scenes a lot in my opinion generating laughs just through his own comedic style. His attempts to woo Rachel are hilarious and not very successful. I mean if you're trying to woo another person, shouldn't the other person be at least somewhat aware that you are trying to do that? That said, I'm not sure Rachel's obliviousness really worked. She knows Ross has a crush on her and he has stated his intentions in the pilot. Here she acts like they've been best friends for years with no romantic intentions.
Still, Ross' attempts to explain why he can't do laundry in his building are hilarious. Also, when he tries to compliment Rachel and realizes he's just fawning and just stops the conversation is funny. When Rachel holds up her white panties and Ross crumbles, it works. This makes sense at the time since the Ross the audience knows has only had sex with one woman and so far has been a clumsy fool. I'll be looking for when they change his character, because he becomes a charming womanizer at some point. (Unlike with Rachel, this change is for the worse at least for character's sake)
Lastly, Chandler tries to break up with the infamous Janice. Her laugh is ever present in this episode, but she does not say "Oh. My. God." once. Matthew Perry pretty much steals this episode making a storyline that could have missed and elevating it to the best story in the episode. Specifically, he accidentally hits Janice in the face, buries his face in couch, and then jumps over the couch exclaiming "I hit her in the eye." The combination of the jump and dialogue is definitely a highlight. Plus, Phoebe's ability to break up with people easily while Chandler inadvertently says he will commit is a funny concept. I wonder why they never acknowledged her ability later on ever.
Side note: Monica says her brother didn't tell her when he lost his virginity, which we know is false. I mean this is to be expected in the later seasons, but like two episodes before this, we found out he told his sister about having sex with Carol.
Overall, I laughed a lot so this episode. Also, the best episode of the season has also been the most formulaic so it makes senses that the second best episode is also formulaic. I'm sensing a trend here.
Grade - B+
"The One with the Butt"
This episode is interesting because I don't know what to talk about. I mean whereas I found good or bad things in each of this episode, this episode was mostly serviceable. Again, I laughed a decent amount elevating it past an average grade, but there's not much that happens here.
In the opening scene, they do NOT talk about sex. And it's related to the plot! Joey's in an awful play, which hits the right notes. It's just ridiculous enough to be funny, but I could easily see this play existing somewhere. Anyway, it leads to Estelle being his agent, who's a great character, who lands him his first "big" role in playing Al Pacino's butt double.
Despite the fact that this literally requires no acting whatsoever, Joey over thinks this as what happens most times in sitcoms for easy tasks. But Joey saying he's going for "quiet desperation" in his butt acting is worth this whole story. Then at the end, the friends recited his play, which helped establish the type of friends these people are.
The other story is Monica's OCD like manners. This is an example of a story where I don't know what to say. It wasn't exactly great, but it's not like it didn't work. It helped develop a part of Monica the character that's already been established. So I can't really say anything bad about this either as that's more than I can say about Joey.
I don't think Matthew Perry could do any wrong in this first season. I don't even know if it's the material's he given, but he is clearly the most polished and identifiable character right now. He "lucks" into a girl who is willing to have sex with him, but she also gets around.
Chandler's attempts at getting a date with her are pretty hilarious, but not to the extent where it's shocking she says yes. Also, I do think it was a good decision to have Chandler break up with her, because it reveals that there's more to him than it seems. I don't know I can't imagine it would be that easy to date someone who you know has at least three other mates despite her beauty.
Overall, a funny, if somewhat nondescript episode.
Grade - B
The One with the Blackout
Well, this episode is just awesome. Again, Matthew Perry is the MVP of this season. He gets stuck in an ATM vestibule with Jill Goodacre and most of the episode is Chandler's thoughts and actions. Almost all of it is hilarious. He almost completely screws up and yet it doesn't matter because they are stuck in the same place.
Then there's Chandler's mumbling to Joey, which I know so well I understood it. I don't remember if it was clear the first time or if knowing it ahead of time makes it clear. Then Joey doesn't say anything at all, and probably says something dirty, to which Chandler responds, "Oh like I haven't thought of that." It was a smart decision to not know what Joey is saying because our imagination is probably funnier than what he actually said.
Then the rest of the friends get blackout when Phoebe begins playing her song. I don't think they have utilized her funny songs yet in this show's run, and it will be at least another another episode until they do. It was pretty smart to start the show like that though. And hey again the opening is pertinent to the plot and not completely unrelated!
So the friends invariably end up talking about sex, because that's evidently what you do when there's no power and you have to entertain yourself. This leads to the weirdest places they have had sex, and I don't think Rachel's weirdest being at the foot of the bed actually makes any sense, but whatever. It's an excuse for her to want passion and the show makes that passion Paulo.
Because it's certainly nothing else. He doesn't even speak English. I suppose this is kind of a new direction from the standard. Create a threat for the two title characters to postpone getting together and they literally made the threat as little of an actual threat as possible. I mean this relationship is completely based off sex so this pretty much gives the writer's free reign to do whatever.
It kind of works surprisingly in stalling the inevitable though. I mean they made it funny by having the cat jump on Ross when he's about to make his move. Unfortunately, when we hear Phoebe, Monica, and Joey singing "Top of the World" it's really clear the cat is fake. Not that I want it to be a real cat, but it has to at least appear to be a real cat.
So the episode ends with Ross and Rachel's inevitable relationship put on hold. I'll be wondering how much of this toying with the audience seems organic and how much seems like the writers just stalling. While this is obviously stalling, it's decently good writing and not completely contrived so there's no reason to get annoyed yet. And of course, you had to know they would stall it if you've ever seen a sitcom ever. So this is a great episode of Friends that doesn't follow it's typical formula!
Late addition - The episode prominently features Joey proclaiming Ross is in the "friend zone." That's not a real thing in my opinion, but I didn't have a problem with it because Joey's the one saying it so that's perfectly in character. But I don't think there is such a "friend zone" personally.
Grade - A
"The One with the Butt"
This episode is interesting because I don't know what to talk about. I mean whereas I found good or bad things in each of this episode, this episode was mostly serviceable. Again, I laughed a decent amount elevating it past an average grade, but there's not much that happens here.
In the opening scene, they do NOT talk about sex. And it's related to the plot! Joey's in an awful play, which hits the right notes. It's just ridiculous enough to be funny, but I could easily see this play existing somewhere. Anyway, it leads to Estelle being his agent, who's a great character, who lands him his first "big" role in playing Al Pacino's butt double.
Despite the fact that this literally requires no acting whatsoever, Joey over thinks this as what happens most times in sitcoms for easy tasks. But Joey saying he's going for "quiet desperation" in his butt acting is worth this whole story. Then at the end, the friends recited his play, which helped establish the type of friends these people are.
The other story is Monica's OCD like manners. This is an example of a story where I don't know what to say. It wasn't exactly great, but it's not like it didn't work. It helped develop a part of Monica the character that's already been established. So I can't really say anything bad about this either as that's more than I can say about Joey.
I don't think Matthew Perry could do any wrong in this first season. I don't even know if it's the material's he given, but he is clearly the most polished and identifiable character right now. He "lucks" into a girl who is willing to have sex with him, but she also gets around.
Chandler's attempts at getting a date with her are pretty hilarious, but not to the extent where it's shocking she says yes. Also, I do think it was a good decision to have Chandler break up with her, because it reveals that there's more to him than it seems. I don't know I can't imagine it would be that easy to date someone who you know has at least three other mates despite her beauty.
Overall, a funny, if somewhat nondescript episode.
Grade - B
The One with the Blackout
Well, this episode is just awesome. Again, Matthew Perry is the MVP of this season. He gets stuck in an ATM vestibule with Jill Goodacre and most of the episode is Chandler's thoughts and actions. Almost all of it is hilarious. He almost completely screws up and yet it doesn't matter because they are stuck in the same place.
Then there's Chandler's mumbling to Joey, which I know so well I understood it. I don't remember if it was clear the first time or if knowing it ahead of time makes it clear. Then Joey doesn't say anything at all, and probably says something dirty, to which Chandler responds, "Oh like I haven't thought of that." It was a smart decision to not know what Joey is saying because our imagination is probably funnier than what he actually said.
Then the rest of the friends get blackout when Phoebe begins playing her song. I don't think they have utilized her funny songs yet in this show's run, and it will be at least another another episode until they do. It was pretty smart to start the show like that though. And hey again the opening is pertinent to the plot and not completely unrelated!
So the friends invariably end up talking about sex, because that's evidently what you do when there's no power and you have to entertain yourself. This leads to the weirdest places they have had sex, and I don't think Rachel's weirdest being at the foot of the bed actually makes any sense, but whatever. It's an excuse for her to want passion and the show makes that passion Paulo.
Because it's certainly nothing else. He doesn't even speak English. I suppose this is kind of a new direction from the standard. Create a threat for the two title characters to postpone getting together and they literally made the threat as little of an actual threat as possible. I mean this relationship is completely based off sex so this pretty much gives the writer's free reign to do whatever.
It kind of works surprisingly in stalling the inevitable though. I mean they made it funny by having the cat jump on Ross when he's about to make his move. Unfortunately, when we hear Phoebe, Monica, and Joey singing "Top of the World" it's really clear the cat is fake. Not that I want it to be a real cat, but it has to at least appear to be a real cat.
So the episode ends with Ross and Rachel's inevitable relationship put on hold. I'll be wondering how much of this toying with the audience seems organic and how much seems like the writers just stalling. While this is obviously stalling, it's decently good writing and not completely contrived so there's no reason to get annoyed yet. And of course, you had to know they would stall it if you've ever seen a sitcom ever. So this is a great episode of Friends that doesn't follow it's typical formula!
Late addition - The episode prominently features Joey proclaiming Ross is in the "friend zone." That's not a real thing in my opinion, but I didn't have a problem with it because Joey's the one saying it so that's perfectly in character. But I don't think there is such a "friend zone" personally.
Grade - A
Quotes
"Why do you have to break up with her? Just be a man and stop calling her." - Me and Joey have very different definitions of how to be a man
"You want to know a freakish coincidence. Guess who's doing laundry there too?" - Ross
"Who?" - Rachel asks with genuine curiosity
"Me. Was that not clear?"
"This is great. We never do anything together" - Phoebe
"Yeah, maybe tomorrow we can rent a car and run over some puppies." - Chandler
"Ew, I don't want to do that." - Phoebe
"Oh come on. Like you've never gotten a little rambunctious with Ross." - Joey
"She said yes! She said yes! Awful play man" - Chandler
"Hey butt guy, what the hell you doing?"
"I mean this woman was unbelievably sexy, intelligent, unattainable.... tell me why did this again?" - Ross to Chandler
"Mental note: If Jill Goodacre offers you gum, you take it. If she offers you mangled animal carcass, you take it." - Chandler's thoughts
"Technically the sex is not being had." - Ross
"Ross, this probably isn't the best time to bring it up, but you have to throw a party for Monica." - Joey
Playlist
1. "Royals" - Lorde
2. "I Feel Free" - Cream
3. "The House that Heaven Built" - Japandroids
4. "Jesus Christ" - Brand New
5. "Roses" - Outkast
"She said yes! She said yes! Awful play man" - Chandler
"Hey butt guy, what the hell you doing?"
"I mean this woman was unbelievably sexy, intelligent, unattainable.... tell me why did this again?" - Ross to Chandler
"Mental note: If Jill Goodacre offers you gum, you take it. If she offers you mangled animal carcass, you take it." - Chandler's thoughts
"Technically the sex is not being had." - Ross
"Ross, this probably isn't the best time to bring it up, but you have to throw a party for Monica." - Joey
Playlist
1. "Royals" - Lorde
2. "I Feel Free" - Cream
3. "The House that Heaven Built" - Japandroids
4. "Jesus Christ" - Brand New
5. "Roses" - Outkast
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