# What Is Your Favorite Opening on Friends? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 19, 2018, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-opening-on-friends/819881 "2018-08-19T20:44:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2018, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-opening-on-friends/819881/1 "2018-08-19T20:44:26Z")
I have a few favorites but hands down, my No. 1 favorite is the one with Robin Williams and Billy Crystal. ---
**Author:** ![epbrown01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7ba0ec/32.png) [@epbrown01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/epbrown01)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2018, 10:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-opening-on-friends/819881/2 "2018-08-20T10:31:35Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > I have a few favorites but hands down, my No. 1 favorite is the one with Robin Williams and Billy Crystal. For crossovers, the _Mad About You_ intro where Fran and Jamie mistake Phoebe for Ursula. Standard intro, the one where they’re helping Rachel send all her resumes and they discover a typo. “Do you think it’s on all of them?” “I’m sure the Xerox machine caught a few.” Then again, The One With All The Poker was my favorite ep for a long time. Aside: my favorite Frasier opening is when Roz was eating peanut butter and had to act out the name of the caller… Eye-Lean. And trivia, Kudrow was up for the role of Roz Doyle before they decided on Peri Gilpin. ---
**Author:** ![expectopatronum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/expectopatronum/32/173_2.png) [@expectopatronum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/expectopatronum)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2018, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-opening-on-friends/819881/3 "2018-08-20T15:36:41Z")
The quip about the xerox machine catching a few bugs me now because they gave the line to Joey and it’s much more of a Chandler line. Joey would be the one to ask if the typo is on all of them. But this was still pretty early on so they were still working out everyone’s character traits I guess. I love the Robin Williams/Billy Crystal opening too. I think I remember reading somewhere that they were just passing by the set one day and they improvised the whole scene. ---
**Author:** ![Folacin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folacin/32/3195_2.png) [@Folacin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folacin)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2018, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-opening-on-friends/819881/4 "2018-08-20T15:50:59Z")
> [@expectopatronum](#): > > The quip about the xerox machine catching a few bugs me now because they gave the line to Joey and it’s much more of a Chandler line. Joey would be the one to ask if the typo is on all of them. But this was still pretty early on so they were still working out everyone’s character traits I guess. I think it would work for either them - Chandler being sarcastic, Joey thinking the Xerox might have fixed some. ---
**Author:** ![Enright3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/enright3/32/2897_2.png) [@Enright3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enright3)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2018, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-opening-on-friends/819881/5 "2018-08-20T19:41:04Z")
The thing I immediately thought of was when Joey broke him arm jumping on the bed. Unless it’s a fake story; it’s my understanding that Matt LeBlanc hurt his arm IRL and they had to write it into the show. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2018, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-opening-on-friends/819881/6 "2018-08-20T19:51:58Z")
> [@Enright3](#): > > The thing I immediately thought of was when Joey broke him arm jumping on the bed. Unless it’s a fake story; it’s my understanding that Matt LeBlanc hurt his arm IRL and they had to write it into the show. It’s true. He hurt it acting in the 90s Lost in Space remake (some current sources say it happened on the set of Friends but that isn’t the case). My favorites are when they hum the Odd Couple Theme and when they come into Central Perk only to find other people on their couch. ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Woodhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/838e76/32.png) [@Miss\_Woodhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Woodhouse)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2018, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-opening-on-friends/819881/7 "2018-08-21T00:44:34Z")
The one where Rachel catches a bird in a pot. The episode is actually “The One With Phoebe’s Husband.” (Yes, I just looked it up.) ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2018, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-opening-on-friends/819881/8 "2018-08-21T02:15:42Z")
The one after Ross and Rachel have kissed for the first time. Rachel goes into tons of detail for Monica and Phoebe, who are enraptured and want every detail. Meanwhile, over in the other apartment, the boys are eating pizza. Ross: “And then I kissed her.” Joey: “Tongue?” Ross: “Yeah.” They all nod. Joey: “Cool.” ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2018, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-opening-on-friends/819881/9 "2018-08-21T13:36:09Z")
Not from an opening, I think, but when Phoebe tells her far-too-upbeat-and-happy boyfriend (Alec Baldwin) how annoying he is, and says he’s “Like Santa Claus… on Prozac… in Disneyland… getting laid!” I almost fell out of my chair. ---
**Author:** ![CaptMurdock](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/captmurdock/32/11736_2.png) [@CaptMurdock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaptMurdock)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2018, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-opening-on-friends/819881/10 "2018-08-21T18:56:05Z")
The episode where they play the “Who Knows Who Better?” game: Rachel is awoken by the rooster crowing in Chandler and Joey’s apartment. She goes over, pissed as hell, with Monica (“You’re really not a morning person!”) in tow and pounds on their door. Chandler opens it with serious bed-hair. Rachel growls “What … is …making… that …noise??” He answers: “YOU!” Joey says the “chick” is going through some changes. Sound of rooster crowing again. Chandler: “We’re getting a second opinion.” ---
**Author:** ![epbrown01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7ba0ec/32.png) [@epbrown01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/epbrown01)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2018, 10:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-opening-on-friends/819881/11 "2018-08-22T10:15:11Z")
Another good one is the ep with Reese Witherspoon as Rachel’s sister Jill. They’re sitting in Monica’s apartment and there’s a knock at the door; they look around the coffee table, confused, because all six of them are already there. ---
**Author:** ![Proudest\_Monkey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/proudest_monkey/32/13257_2.png) [@Proudest\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Proudest_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2018, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-opening-on-friends/819881/12 "2018-08-23T21:28:19Z")
> [@CaptMurdock](#): > > The episode where they play the “Who Knows Who Better?” game: Rachel is awoken by the rooster crowing in Chandler and Joey’s apartment. She goes over, pissed as hell, with Monica (“You’re really not a morning person!”) in tow and pounds on their door. > > Chandler opens it with serious bed-hair. Rachel growls “What … is …making… that …noise??” He answers: “YOU!” > > Joey says the “chick” is going through some changes. Sound of rooster crowing again. Chandler: “We’re getting a second opinion.” Love this. Also how one of the subsequent episodes has Rachel being awakened in Joey’s old bedroom by “Morning Guy” singing from across the alleyway. She hates it; the episode closes after Monica and Rachel take back their apartment and Joey wakes up chiming in with the song to greet the day. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2018, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-opening-on-friends/819881/13 "2018-08-26T05:46:49Z")
Another good one is the one where Joey and Chandler decide to do something with their lives and come up with climbing Mount Everest. They end up settling for renting _Die Hard_ again, some day. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2018, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-opening-on-friends/819881/14 "2018-10-27T18:03:30Z")
Ross Geller seems to have hit hard times and become a beer thief in Blackpool, England. Story [here](https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-lancashire-45960806). But David Schwimmer swears it is not him and [offers this video proof he was stealing beer in New York at the time](https://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/news/celebs-tv/friends-star-david-schwimmer-responds-2144107). ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2018, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-opening-on-friends/819881/15 "2018-10-27T21:38:41Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > Ross Geller seems to have hit hard times and become a beer thief in Blackpool, England. Story [here](https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-lancashire-45960806). > > But David Schwimmer swears it is not him and [offers this video proof he was stealing beer in New York at the time](https://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/news/celebs-tv/friends-star-david-schwimmer-responds-2144107). My very most favorite reply to the Blackpool tweet was “it hasn’t been his day, his month or even his year.” My favorite cold opening ever is Cheers with Coach. Two couples are waiting for their seats at Melville’s, the upstairs restaurant. . Phone rings, Coach answers and yells. “Two for Melville’s.” The two couples both stand up. One couple is overweight. “Jones?” says one guy “Smith?” says the other. Coach consults with the person on the phone. “Nope, neither of you guys,” shouts, “The Blubberbutts! Table for the Blubberbutts!” ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2018, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-opening-on-friends/819881/16 "2018-10-28T14:28:51Z")
Not an opening, but more of a closing. Rachel and Chandler dropped a cheesecake in the hall between the two apartments. They took to kneeling down and eating it off the floor. Joey happens upon them and gives them a slight look of disproval. Joey then sits down, pulls a fork out of his pocket and asks “what are we having”. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2018, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-opening-on-friends/819881/17 "2018-10-30T04:53:04Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > Not an opening, but more of a closing. > > Rachel and Chandler dropped a cheesecake in the hall between the two apartments. They took to kneeling down and eating it off the floor. Joey happens upon them and gives them a slight look of disproval. Joey then sits down, pulls a fork out of his pocket and asks “what are we having”. Yes, that is a good one. ---
**Author:** ![Mk\_VII](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Mk\_VII](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mk_VII)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2019, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-opening-on-friends/819881/18 "2019-08-16T20:11:41Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > Ross Geller seems to have hit hard times and become a beer thief in Blackpool, England. Story [here](https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-lancashire-45960806). > > But David Schwimmer swears it is not him and [offers this video proof he was stealing beer in New York at the time](https://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/news/celebs-tv/friends-star-david-schwimmer-responds-2144107). And the David Schwimmer lookalike has now been sentenced to nine months for being a persistent thief. [David Schwimmer lookalike jailed for Blackpool thefts | Crime | The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2019/aug/15/david-schwimmer-lookalike-jailed-for-blackpool-thefts) ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2019, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-opening-on-friends/819881/19 "2019-08-16T23:42:30Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > I have a few favorites but hands down, my No. 1 favorite is the one with Robin Williams and Billy Crystal. I don’t much care for that one, actually. Not that Williams and Crystal weren’t funny, but that bit seemed very out of place. They dropped a sketch comedy improv bit into a sitcom, and it didn’t really fit. IMO. Anyway, a couple of Central Perk opens that stand out for me: - Everyone is sitting quietly. The camera pans to each character in turn and we can hear what they’re thinking. Joey’s thought is simply himself humming the Baby Elephant Walk. Then they pan to Phoebe as she thinks, “Who’s singing?” - Ross begins idly humming the theme from The Odd Couple. The whole gang eventually joins in, becoming more enthusiastic and animated as they build to the final notes. After a beat, Ross starts in with the I Dream of Jeannie theme, but Phoebe cuts him off with, “No, we’re done with that.” The look on Schwimmer’s face is great. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2019, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-opening-on-friends/819881/20 "2019-08-17T05:32:15Z")
> [@Wheelz](#): > > - Ross begins idly humming the theme from The Odd Couple. The whole gang eventually joins in, becoming more enthusiastic and animated as they build to the final notes. After a beat, Ross starts in with the I Dream of Jeannie theme, but Phoebe cuts him off with, “No, we’re done with that.” The look on Schwimmer’s face is great. No, actually it’s Chandler who cuts him off. They just played that episode again a day or two ago. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-opening-on-friends/819881.md?page=2)