# Musings on Watching the Whole "Friends" Series **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 20, 2012, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musings-on-watching-the-whole-friends-series/635235 "2012-09-20T03:39:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Sally\_Mander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e56c9b/32.png) [@Sally\_Mander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sally_Mander)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2012, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musings-on-watching-the-whole-friends-series/635235/41 "2012-09-22T14:11:52Z")
> [@Slade](#): > > Lisa Kudrow’s delivery of that line slays me every time. She manages to convey in just those three words that Phoebe genuinely thinks she’s being helpful by adding this - to Kathy - utterly baffling piece of extra information. Her delivery of lines was always spot-on. The episodes in Vegas, I think it’s just after they find out Ross and Rachel are married when Phoebe says, “When you get married in Vegas, you’re only married in Vegas.” Monica corrects her by telling her when you get married in Vegas, you’re married everywhere. Phoebe thinks about this for a moment, then just shrugs, says, “Eh” and walks off. She was so delightfully goofy. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2012, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musings-on-watching-the-whole-friends-series/635235/42 "2012-09-22T14:38:08Z")
My favorite Phoebe line is from The One Where No One Is Ready. She gets hummus spilled on her dress, and walks out of the bedroom a few minutes later with a gigantic Christmas bow over it. “I couldn’t find anything else to where so I figured I would be political.” “What are you supporting?” “Duh… Christmas.” ---
**Author:** ![Lust4Life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecc23a/32.png) [@Lust4Life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lust4Life)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2012, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musings-on-watching-the-whole-friends-series/635235/43 "2012-09-22T17:56:08Z")
> [@SykoSkotty](#): > > If you watch Jennifer Anniston close enough, you can see that the studio they worked in must’ve been very very cold. If you mean "Creepily stalking her ", then yes, I guess I watched her closely enough. ---
**Author:** ![Lust4Life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecc23a/32.png) [@Lust4Life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lust4Life)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2012, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musings-on-watching-the-whole-friends-series/635235/44 "2012-09-22T17:58:36Z")
I got tired of Chandler and Joey, doing the whole "Hurt married couple "thing. I always suspected that when the writers had run out of ideas, they’d recycle this joke. ---
**Author:** ![Raygun99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Raygun99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raygun99)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2012, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musings-on-watching-the-whole-friends-series/635235/45 "2012-09-22T22:42:14Z")
I never understood why Ross, the largest friend, never simply ate the other five. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2012, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musings-on-watching-the-whole-friends-series/635235/46 "2012-09-22T23:17:52Z")
Ross: (whiny) “My wife is a lesbian.” Joey: “Cool!” ---
**Author:** ![Chef\_Troy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/85f322/32.png) [@Chef\_Troy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chef_Troy)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2012, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musings-on-watching-the-whole-friends-series/635235/47 "2012-09-22T23:22:33Z")
(Chandler and Joey have invited Ross to a hockey game) Ross: “Thanks anyway, but I guess I’m just going to go home and think about my ex-wife and her lesbian lover.” Joey: “Screw hockey – let’s ALL do that!” ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2012, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musings-on-watching-the-whole-friends-series/635235/48 "2012-09-23T00:20:28Z")
> [@Slade](#): > > Remember the scene where Chandler’s locked in a box as punishment for kissing Joey’s girlfriend, Kathy? He explains that the meaning of the box is “threefold”: time to think about what he’s done; proof of his friendship with Joey, and forcing him to endure physical pain. > > Later in the episode, Kathy and Chandler have their sad parting-of-the-ways conversation (with him still in the box) and Kathy asks the others something like “Why is he in the box again?” > > “Joey had his reasons,” someone replies. > “They were threefold,” adds Phoebe. > > Lisa Kudrow’s delivery of that line slays me every time. She manages to convey in just those three words that Phoebe genuinely thinks she’s being helpful by adding this - to Kathy - utterly baffling piece of extra information. Kathy played by a young Emily Prentiss. (Paget Brewster) ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2012, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musings-on-watching-the-whole-friends-series/635235/49 "2012-09-23T02:07:28Z")
> [@Raygun99](#): > > I never understood why Ross, the largest friend, never simply ate the other five. Maybe they were saving that for sweeps. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2012, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musings-on-watching-the-whole-friends-series/635235/50 "2012-09-23T02:19:57Z")
I think the more appropriate joke for the series would have been young Monica eating all the other friends. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2012, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musings-on-watching-the-whole-friends-series/635235/51 "2012-09-23T02:28:11Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > “Watch her close enough”?! - what else would we be doing if there were Aniston high-beams on display? > > That’s, like, Man Rule #27. :: snorts :: Mid-to-late 90s Jennifer Aniston was cute enough, but mid-to-late 90s Courtney Cox was much cuter, and mid-to-late 90s Lisa Kudrow blew them both out of the water. (Yes, I’ll concede that 2012 Lisa Kudrow is less good looking than 2012 Aniston. Kudrow’s older.) ---
**Author:** ![chrisk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@chrisk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chrisk)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2012, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musings-on-watching-the-whole-friends-series/635235/52 "2012-09-23T02:37:29Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > :: snorts :: > > Mid-to-late 90s Jennifer Aniston was cute enough, but mid-to-late 90s Courtney Cox was much cuter, and mid-to-late 90s Lisa Kudrow blew them both out of the water. > > (Yes, I’ll concede that 2012 Lisa Kudrow is less good looking than 2012 Aniston. Kudrow’s older.) Ehh, that’s a debate that’s best left back in the mid-to-late 90s, if you ask me. Though it did make me laugh when the gang got locked out of Phoebe’s taxi, and Joey started a conversation between the girls on whose chest was bigger - for the underwire out of their bras, to break into the car somehow. That conversation mirrored some I watched unfold on the alt.tv.friends newsgroup. ---
**Author:** ![Sealemon88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c68b51/32.png) [@Sealemon88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sealemon88)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2012, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musings-on-watching-the-whole-friends-series/635235/53 "2012-09-23T03:07:56Z")
By far my favorite plot, B or otherwise, was when Joey and Chandler fought over who got to sit in the chair, after whoever was originally there got up to use the bathroom. “Look at me I’m Chandler! Could I BE wearing anymore clothes?” [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/de-mXVQL3po/hqdefault.jpg "Friends - Chandler tries to get the chair") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=de-mXVQL3po) [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/w0JgkuNBuWI/hqdefault.jpg "Friends - Joey is a commando! :D") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0JgkuNBuWI) [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/q--6wtCPHg8/hqdefault.jpg "Friends - Joey is Chandler") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q--6wtCPHg8) When Joey starts doing lunges I pretty much laugh myself unconscious. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2012, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musings-on-watching-the-whole-friends-series/635235/54 "2012-09-23T03:29:21Z")
I thought the others were so horrible to Ross that he should have dumped them as friends. example, the night he was getting some award for his work and everyone was being late to get ready to go to the dinner. ---
**Author:** ![Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ce7236/32.png) [@Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mona_Lisa_Simpson)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2012, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musings-on-watching-the-whole-friends-series/635235/55 "2012-09-23T03:31:47Z")
> [@SaharaTea](#): > > Seasons 2-5 were the best, IMO. > > It’s an unpopular opinion but Ross was always my favorite character. The episode where he tries to wear leather pants on a date, only to have it go horribly awry, still makes me howl with laughter. > > Monica started out as loveably OCD but became annoyingly uptight and shrill by the end. I 100% agree with this post. Everything in it. “Ross in leather pants” is one of my go-to mantras when I know I am kind of feeling glum and projecting unfriendly/angry/fuck-off-world vibes. It makes me smile, and I loosen up and instantly become more approachable. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2012, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musings-on-watching-the-whole-friends-series/635235/56 "2012-09-23T15:40:31Z")
To me, one of the best lines of the series came from Phoebe in the episode “where everyone finds out”, when Monica and Chandler’s relationship was openly acknowledged to the other friends. Phoebe, Rachel, and Joey had each figured out what was going on, and to force Monica and Chandler’s hand, they had Phoebe massively hit on Chandler, who had to pretend to go along with it in order to maintain the secret. Ultimately, Chandler folds and admits that he can’t kiss Phoebe, because he was in love with Monica. (This admission was as much a surprise to him and Monica as it was to the rest of the gang.) Phoebe’s response encapsulated the entire ‘90s attitude towards relationships: "I thought you guys were just doin’ it - I didn’t know you were in love!" ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2012, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musings-on-watching-the-whole-friends-series/635235/57 "2012-09-23T17:56:47Z")
> [@BrotherCadfael](#): > > To me, one of the best lines of the series came from Phoebe in the episode “where everyone finds out”, when Monica and Chandler’s relationship was openly acknowledged to the other friends. > > Phoebe, Rachel, and Joey had each figured out what was going on, and to force Monica and Chandler’s hand, they had Phoebe massively hit on Chandler, who had to pretend to go along with it in order to maintain the secret. Ultimately, Chandler folds and admits that he can’t kiss Phoebe, because he was in love with Monica. (This admission was as much a surprise to him and Monica as it was to the rest of the gang.) > > Phoebe’s response encapsulated the entire ‘90s attitude towards relationships: "I thought you guys were just doin’ it - I didn’t know you were in love!" I thought you were going to go with one of the other excellent lines from that episode - “I’m very bendy.” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2012, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musings-on-watching-the-whole-friends-series/635235/58 "2012-09-24T00:38:26Z")
> [@Sealemon88](#): > > By far my favorite plot, B or otherwise, was when Joey and Chandler fought over who got to sit in the chair, after whoever was originally there got up to use the bathroom. > > “Look at me I’m Chandler! Could I BE wearing anymore clothes?” > > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=de-mXVQL3po&feature=relmfu](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=de-mXVQL3po&feature=relmfu) > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=w0JgkuNBuWI](http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=w0JgkuNBuWI) > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q--6wtCPHg8](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q--6wtCPHg8) > > When Joey starts doing lunges I pretty much laugh myself unconscious. While it is arguable whether it was invented here or not, those scenes (which were hilarious) certainly fast tracked the phrase “Going Commando” into popular culture. ---
**Author:** ![Yorikke](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yorikke/32/4335_2.png) [@Yorikke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorikke)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2012, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musings-on-watching-the-whole-friends-series/635235/59 "2012-09-24T01:38:19Z")
Was I… was I talking… about gas? ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2012, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musings-on-watching-the-whole-friends-series/635235/60 "2012-09-24T03:03:57Z")
The braless joke was referenced in an episode of “Married… with Children”. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musings-on-watching-the-whole-friends-series/635235.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musings-on-watching-the-whole-friends-series/635235.md?page=4)