Friends From A to Z: Recent Episodes
Adele and Zoe
Join Adele and Zoe discussing possibly the best TV programme ever made in Friends From A to Z. Episode by episode they dig into the detail, laugh at the best bits and call out what’s unusual or just plain weird twenty something years on in Friends Thru A Lens - plus they have condensed each episode into a limerick! Could a Friends podcast BE any better?
Note that this episode was recorded before the untimely death of Matthew Perry
This is an easy favourite, with lots to love. There is also, though, a lot to forgive with several plot holes revealed through the discussion, but that doesn’t prevent this from being a classic. There’s surprise at Adele’s favourite joke, Friends-thru-a-lens makes an appearance with the OTT jokes about Monica being overweight and Zoe might just blow Adele’s mind with what she notices about why Monica would ever put a turkey on her head.
There’s a surprise in store for Zoe with a very special Epidimerick. There’s a lot of debate about possible explanations for very curious behaviour from Rachel, Zoe learns a new social hack and an iconic hand gesture takes the conversation from sitcom to psychology.
Does Phoebe have any way of justifying wearing the fur coat? There's a discussion about a possible flaw in the Danny storyline - is Rachel really ready for this yet(i)? And Zoe blows Adele’s mind by spotting that Emily and Ross are Ross and Rachel in reverse.
We're off to a racing start in this one with a cracking cold open and, despite it having a title that Zoe really (really!) doesn't like, it's jam packed full of fantastic laughs and stuff to discuss; Does Monica have the wrong idea of what a perfect weekend away should be like? Even though the weekend went a bit wrong, are they in a better situation because of it afterwards? Does Ross actually have any other option but to freeze Rachel out? And how on earth did clean-freak Monica fail to find Joey's box of emergency supplies under her bed?!
Apologies to any US listeners who will cringe at our lack of knowledge about PBS, but hopefully that doesn't distract from the discussion too much! Adele wonders what the plan was for Emily if the actress hadn't got pregnant when she did (meaning Emily is not only written out but also filmed only from the neck up). Zoe on the other hand isn't sure it's credible that Ross's love for Emily could be stronger than his lifelong devotion to Rachel. Elsewhere, after a very short debate about the philosophical idea of selfless good deeds, is it possible that there's one hiding in plain sight in this very episode?!
(Note: we got carried away at the beginning and forgot to do the ratings for this one! At the time of extracting the data, this ep scored 8.30/10 and was 16th for Season Five. It does not feature in Ranker.com's best 100 episodes).
It's The One Hundredth and that's not the only landmark thing about this episode. Elsewhere, Zoe reveals an improvised moment by Lisa Kudrow that never made it to air (understandably, when you know what it is!), we discuss why a tiny bump in the road for Chandler and Monica is so significant and we marvel at how an actor can make repeatedly delivering one line so memorable!
Important turning points here when another Rachel and Ross chapter closes, Monica and Chandler's story develops and Phoebe's life is about to change. We discuss why it's the right decision for Rachel to tell Ross she loves him, we find out what prompted Zoe's three smiles in the margin of her notes and we as why Monica and Chandler decide to have a romantic bath with Joey in the same room, when there's a perfectly Rachel-free apartment across the hall?
We’re back for Season Five and what an opening episode - the resolution to one of the greatest end-of-season cliffhangers in television history. So much here to discuss including of course the big question of just what it did mean that Ross said Rachel at his wedding, what to make of Emily’s reaction and just why it is that we’re so happy to ship Monica and Chandler when everything about their relationship has been totally platonic up to this point.
A feature length episode to cover everything that happened in The Reunion... and there was a lot! The memories! The tears! The surprises! The special guests! The table reads! The unseen footage! The list goes on... We discuss how much of the plan had been revealed and what was genuinely new to the cast. We figure out which guest star we liked the best and who or what was perhaps missing. Most of all, though, we savour every moment in the knowledge that nothing like this will happen again.
Christmas is a time for giving and, to round off the year, we’ve got an extended episode to cover off both parts of Ross’ wedding and two episodes means two epidimericks! We break down why these episodes are so beloved, which celebrity cameo is the best, how our knowledge of what comes next for Monica and Chandler shapes our response to the big twist and whether this episode gave us the biggest cliffhanger in television history. Note that due to ongoing Coronavirus restrictions in the UK this episode was recorded over Zoom so the sound may not be as tip top as we would like it to be.
Two episodes (well, one and a half) for the price of one here because we’ve wrapped up TOW The Invitation with TOW The Worst Best Man Ever, because The Invitation has very little original content. However, this does mean we’re double-epidimericking! There is a brief but interesting discussion about the Invitation episode, including Zoe inventing the perfect word to describe what it’s composed of and the answer to something that has remained unexplained to us for twenty years. In other discussions, is Monica and Rachel's alternative baby shower idea a good one? Just what time of day is it at Ross' bachelor party? And which Friends gathering do you most wish you'd attended?
It’s (another) one with the lockdown, which means we’re back on Zoom for our recording of this discussion (and the sound quality is a teeny bit affected by that). There’s a debate about whether the wedding dress storyline stands up to 2020 scrutiny and whether it retains its humour with multiple viewing. Questions are raised about what’s going on in Ross’ unconscious and whether the writers are planting clues to exactly that. Zoe mirrors Chandler by learning that the way she pronounces a word may not be in line with the public at large and there’s a Netflix editing mystery that listeners’ help is needed to solve.
This episode’s easy to love for so many reasons: echoes of TOW The Embryos, Joey and Chandler solid bromance moments and significant storyline progress. Despite that, it does raise many question: Is Rachel counter-intuitively the reason why Ross proposes to Emily so quickly? How long does it take to pack up and move an entire apartment? And has Zoe spotted a sinister plan that Chandler plots from this moment until he moves in with Monica?
There is one standout storyline in this episode which is undeniably great for a number of different reasons. Beyond that, there’s plenty of debate about ‘that’ dress - not just the dress itself but several questions about the set up and the outcome of that storyline. Elsewhere, how do we feel about Ross’ paranoia 20 years on and why did no one have such a psychological insight into Ross when it could have saved his and Rachel’s relationship?
Interesting trivia right off the bat with this one and its main storyline, which also leads to a mass debate trying to make sense of a group of friends sitting around watching this particular type of TV channel. What does this tell us about how TV has changed in the intervening years? Elsewhere, which is better, Relaxitaxi or Relaxicab? Is there a candidate for an iconic line and is Ross the Hugh Grant of this episode?
This one might contain a fake party, but it’s the real deal when it comes to Friends episodes. There’s a lot of appreciation for the quick-fire funny lines and for Jennifer Aniston’s tour-de-force performance. There are also lots of questions to debate: why does the public at large not feel the same way about this episode? Just how many times has Phoebe kissed the other male Friends? And why on earth does Joshua ever agree to come to this lame party?
There’s plenty to discuss about why this one gets the IMDB rating it has. Is it because 15 Yemen Road, Yemen is so iconic? Is it because Janice is back? Is it the shape-shifting accents that Emily’s rugby pals seem to have? In Friends Thru a Lens, we ask who would have thought that Toxic Masculinity would be so prolific in 22 minutes of television from 23 years ago? Why is the Yemen Road joke so funny and what does Phoebe’s mistake with the switch and the television tell us about the contemporary issue of misinformation and opinion overriding evidence and facts? All of this and more explored!
It’s fair to say this isn’t a favourite episode of Season 4 for Adele or Zoe or indeed the audience at large. That said, this is a really important one because we meet for the first time one of the most disruptive and memorable characters of all ten seasons. It does raise a number of questions though: why does Emily sound like she has a fake British accent, even though the actress playing her his actually British? Why is her character still so hated twenty years on? How on earth did Charlton Heston’s cameo come into being? Why did the main hook joke of that storyline rest on a pun that doesn’t work? And how exactly do we make sense of the bizarre strip club situation?
Not the most popular episode of Season 4, but given the real life trivia around this one, there’s a great deal to discuss. There’s an in-depth exploration of Joshua’s background and a hypothesis that Joey might have unwittingly helped us understand the chemistry (or lack of) between him and Rachel. That’s not the only storyline that doesn’t really feel like it hangs together credibly: Why does the Chandler/Kathy situation end so abruptly? Was Kathy’s character treated fairly? Were we as an audience misled into investing in liking her? And have you seen the bloopers involving what Rachel can smell?
Is there such a thing as 22 perfect minutes of television? Not only do we think so, but, arguably, THIS IS IT! This is not just a good episode of Friends, this is one of if not THE best episodes of Friends ever made. All of the many (many) features that earn it this mantle are explored, but how can we possibly pick a favourite joke? Well we have to! Is there anything we don’t like? Doubtful! And perhaps the most important question of all is answered: who actually won the quiz?
Another one where the rankings differ between the people at large and the hosts - this time totally inexplicably because this is a great episode! All three storylines are not just funny but play a role in raising issues into mainstream culture that were interesting and brave, so we get our Friends Thru A Lens all over that. There’s an interesting discussion around how the writers might have decided to work out the Phoebe storyline in the way they did when there were so many other options and we about how we see Chandler here in his final term of being Monica’s perfect boyfriend-in-training. Also - can you identify all seven erogenous zones?
There’s a lot packed in to this one with four storylines and three of them scoring big points for great jokes (one not so much). We wonder whether the title of this one might explain the difference between our rating and the one on IMdB and Zoe has an idea for how to improve the summaries for all the episodes. There’s a lot of admiration for a classic pairing, an iconic song from Phoebe and Zoe solves a troubling admin question for Adele.
There are very mixed feelings about where this one ranks amongst the episodes of Season Four but no such disagreement with another favourite joke snap. Zoe’s initial insight into Rachel’s promotion storyline is surprising to Adele to say the least. There is an epiphany about the choices made by the writers when Monica and Phoebe don’t get to see out what could have been a future with lots of potential and there’s a lot of debate about whether Gandalph's absence helps or hinders when Chandler and Ross are going to party.
You may not expect a storyline with Chandler in a box to connect to mythology and ancient religious rituals but it does in Adele’s head. There might be only one hole in Chandler’s box but, one of the storylines has so many holes in its credibility that it’s blowing our tiny minds (even though we can forgive it because it’s very funny) and Friends Thru A Lens has a gender reference that, sadly, may not have evolved much over the last 20+ years. Due to continued lockdown conditions in the UK this episode was recorded using Zoom. Whilst the sound quality is not as crystal clear as we would like, we hope you enjoy listening to it as much as we did recording it.
A classic episode here, which means it’s fun to talk about and there’s loads to get your teeth into. Not only is this one choc full of great story and some iconic moments, but the discussion around Chandler, Joey and Kathy unearths a whole load of interesting debate about the deeper psychology of this storyline. Ross’ ‘sound’ is one of the most memorable moments of all ten seasons for Adele and there’s a question over whether this chat will make Zoe re-appraise her rating. There’s only one way to find out… (As with all of Season 4 so far, we’re recording these via Zoom due to continued lockdown conditions in the UK so the sound isn’t always as crystal clear as before but we hope you enjoy listening as much as we enjoyed discussing all the same).
There’s no debate over whether this is a favourite or not, but there is significant debate over both Chandler’s endgame here and (not for the first time) some of the choices made around how Kathy’s character behaves. Zoe has some interesting trivia about the Dirty Girl herself (as well as her real life husband), the favourite joke snaps reach unprecedented levels and Zoe admits that she just got one of this episode's jokes for the very first time in twenty years. We're recording these episodes under lockdown conditions, so we're using Zoom. That means the sound isn't always as crystal clear as we'd like, but we hope you enjoy listening as much as we did discussing all the same.
This is one of those episodes that’s scoring quite high but not from how many laughs it contains, more for the depth of character and narrative importance. There’s a lot of debate over exactly what Kathy is thinking and a lot of love for the ridiculous dating circumstances Rachel and Ross find themselves in. Phoebe’s storyline clocks up a possible record and she writes a song that is remarkably evocative of a gif that would become prevalent over 20 years later.
Due to current lockdown conditions across the UK, this episode was recorded over Zoom conference rather than in person. Whilst the sound isn't as crystal clear as usual, we hope you enjoy listening as much as we did chatting!
APOLOGIES There was a sound error with the first upload of this so it is being posted again!! I'm "sorry" (as Joey would say!)
We need the extra large machine for Friends Thru a Lens this episode as there are things in every storyline that don't quite feel right 23 years later, but there is one thing that was very insightful at the time and remains just as relatable today. Will it be four in a row for favourite joke snaps? That remains to be seen, but what's for sure is that Zoe learns some brand new information about the Rent Stabilisation Act of 1968 and how to dispose of old pizza boxes. As we continue to be in lockdown conditions, this episode has been recorded over video conference so it's not always the crystal clear sound we would like, but we hope despite this it's still as enjoyable to listen to as it was to record.
Cuffs, cleverness and quiches collide, Adele has a theory about strengths and flaws in all three. Zoe has her assumptions about who or what Milton Berle is thoroughly challenged and there are no fewer than three candidates for Friends Thru A Lens that show how much the world has changed since this episode first aired in the late 90s. Also, can we be heading for a record three in a row of favourite joke snaps? Surely not! In keeping with Season Four so far, this episode was recorded remotely due to the lockdown restrictions currently in place so the sound isn’t as crystal clear as we’d like it to be, but we hope you can enjoy listening as much as we did chatting despite that!
This is a tough one to rate because of brilliant highs and not so brilliant lows, but there’s plenty of interesting discussion about it all. Chandler and Joey being robbed provides a Favourite Joke snap and Monica dating Chip provokes a debate about how much this storyline reflects today’s views on weight and self-worth. The storyline about the cat may not be full of laughs, but there’s some good trivia from Zoe and find out why Adele thinks there’s a link to fake news (fake mews perhaps?!). (Note we’re recording from #lockdown again via video conference so the sound can't be as crystal clear as usual/as we would like it to be).
We were on a break! No, we really were… that break was officially for Zoe to have her baby, but little did we know a global pandemic would arrive shortly after, meaning that the sound will be a bit affected as we’re recording remotely. We’re off with a bang though with a universally loved episode that's got strong Rank Bank potential. Popularity doesn’t stop us from digging deep, asking whether Rachel is fair in her request of Ross, whether Chandler and Joey give good advice and whether the writers had Chandler pee on Monica to create a masterful diversion from events to come at the end of the season. There’s also a brilliant tip from Zoe on some background reading, for the more studious listener.
We made it! We’re at the Beach (house?) which means it’s the end of Season Three! This episode contains the single biggest cliffhanger of Adele’s TV watching history and her second all time favourite Ross and Rachel kiss - but there’s a lot of discussion about what leads up to that moment. There’s a discovery of two words - critical to this episode - for some reason Zoe can’t say and there’s something of a farewell (but not goodbye).
It’s time for the (pen)ultimate fighting champion episode, introduced with some trivia about the cold open that Adele gets particularly excited about. Despite having to search more than usual for the good jokes there’s lots to discuss: there’s something about the Chandler butt-slapping storyline that’s making it not quite sit right, there’s a happy goodbye wave for Pete when Monica makes it a triple of mis-matched life-goal relationships and there's plenty of debate about why it matters whether or not Bonnie is bald. All to get us on the road to the Beach House. Beach. Beach House. (It's Beach).
Full agreement on the rankings of this one in Season Three and lots to discuss. There’s plenty of Friends Thru a Lensing with Pete’s tech-laden den and how it compares to the similar things we have today that are now commonplace. What can explain the uncomfortable reaction both Adele and Zoe have to Phoebe’s double-dating, and Zoe has a theory that there’s a real-life link with Pete’s choice of hobby (and is looking for proof if you can help!).
We may have a record gulf here between Adele and Zoe’s opinions of the screamer (both the man and the episode), we’ve got a rank bank feature for one and literally almost the worst episode of the season for the other - but that’s OK because it sparks a lot of debate! One thing that is agreed on, is the lovely real life link between this episode and the next one - do you know what that is? No amount of discussion can make Zoe feel any better about Kate and here’s where we see why Phoebe should never have given away that football phone.
There’s a lot of debate about Monica’s behaviour towards Pete and whether one kiss could really take him from zero to hero. Chandler and Joey’s new roommates are a welcome addition and Ross’ decision to forego a TV appearance to care for Rachel is closely dissected, leading to several u-turns and the invention of a new word. Oh - and Adele promises to be more careful before getting over-excited about Tweets that are, like Pete’s girlfriend, fictitious, no?
Curiously there’s a misalignment between our rating of this episode and what the people (ie IMDB ratings) think. Three meaty storylines provoke lots of debate and questions: Why did Rachel voluntarily let her worlds collide? Why didn’t Ross knock on the bathroom door? How many nouns did the writers go through before they settled on ‘sweater’? Also there is moment that is fleeting but so totes emosh it makes it into Zoe’s rank bank - but which one is it?
There are strong feelings towards all the plus ones in this episode (and there are a lot of them - Pete, Mark and Kate) but which one of them is one of Zoe’s worst Friends characters of all time?! There’s a heated debate about Rachel’s life choices and can what we know about Monica’s psyche explain why she continues to date a man she’s not attracted to? And who knew a t-shirt that is so tiny could be so jam packed with symbolism and future hope?
One of this episode's storylines needs Friends Thru A Lens due to it’s central joke and there’s an incredulous response to several of Monica’s date’s antics. There’s the usual good trivia from Zoe here on not one but two of the non-core-six actors and a lot of love for what they bring to this episode.
It’s the one without the ski trip... or is it? That’s not the only question this one raises: what do you think Phoebe and Ross would do on a weekend alone together? Did you get the ‘secret’ rude joke in this episode? What kind of anniversary are Carol and Susan celebrating? And have you spotted the (almost) unique thing about this episode?
So here we are: no spoiler to say this is an all time crying Rank Bank episode but we explore all the reasons why, despite that, it’s such a high-ranking episode all round. Many questions are raised: Why are Monica and Phoebe waxing hair-free legs? Who knew Gunther was such a passive aggressive psychopath? Will Adele even get through the epidimerick without bursting into tears? Relive with us an iconic moment of TV history...
It’s the biggest question in TV history - were they or weren’t they on a break? That question has its inception in this episode - perhaps Adele and Zoe will figure it out and come up with the definitive answer… or perhaps not, but there’s a concerted effort to explore through human psychology whether it’s possible to excuse Ross’ decisions here. Other questions are unearthed: Is Mark actually a scheming saboteur making strategic interventions? Was Rachel right to let him in her apartment given the context? Just how hot is the Xerox girl? Is there a universe in which you can watch this episode and it has a less upsetting ending? All this and more packed into this one!
Chandler’s moral quandary over one fewer than average legs and one more than average nipples creates some soul searching discussion. There’s a whole storyline that’s necessary for continuity, but creates some anger nonetheless - particularly so many years on. There’s a lot of chat about the celeb cameo, a lot of wondering when Phoebe will finally get a meatier storyline and more leg puns than you can shake a stick at.
One storyline dominates the discussion here - not only does it evoke lots of emotion and have a rank bank moment for Zoe, it perhaps even challenges long held beliefs about one of the favourite couplings of all ten seasons. There are technical questions about exactly how the mouse is out of the house and a revelation that could have created a very different life for Monica.
Very different rankings at the start of this one but by the end of the discussion there's been a shift, bringing opinions closer together. One storyline is effortlessly popular whilst the other two both have more questionable elements that cause lots of debate. This week we're also issuing a pre-apology for the total loss of sanity in the very final part where we figure out what the next one is, it had been a long week!
We kick off with a double epidimerick (but only because Chandler’s not the only one who can’t remember which sister). There’s some Friends Thru A Lensing around how two of the storylines here use some pretty archaic techniques to resolve them and there’s the rarest of occurrences - Adele shares some trivia that Zoe didn’t know. In an important debate: can they agree on whether Rachel or Joey are right about why men are nice to strange women?
This might be the one where Rachel quits, but the discussion also wanders into insights about Ross that are more telling and prophetic than at first glance. There’s a Friends Thru A Lens about Monica’s addiction parody and how contemporary society has shaped the response to Ross’ attempts to do right his wrong towards the little girl whose leg he accidentally broke. There’s also a matching Favourite Friend… again!
This is (no surprise) a zinger all round. It’s ticking so many boxes of the things we’ve learnt are criteria of the best loved episodes, including a distinct memory for Adele of this first airing in 1996. The topic of the Dutch girl raises a few questions and there’s a big Friends Thru A Lens debate about whether or not the Lens is revealing a different take on some of the funniest moments.
As with any good discussion, this one has Adele and Zoe rethinking one storyline and changing their opinion of it. In addition, they discover there's a side shown to one friend we've never seen before or since and suggest that this episode is a re-birth of sorts for another who emerges here as the fully rounded friend we love so much.
There's agreement that the storylines here are quite different: one is basically filler ahead of the next episode, one is strangely unsatisfying and Zoe helps Adele pinpoint why that is and the third one is helped by Friends Thru A Lens to highlight that just one word makes the difference between it being culturally appropriate and culturally questionable twenty years on. The Race Car Bed might not be a favourite of Season Three overall, but it sure sparks some interesting chat!
It's no secret that this is a beloved episode of Season Three with so much to enjoy with such fondness. Friends Thru A Lens sparks a debate that calls into question the response to one of the most iconic moments of all ten seasons and who'd have thought that dropping things and hitting things would be the source of two favourite jokes?
Phoebe's weekend with Frank Jr raises a question about something pretty fundamental she hasn't told him and there's much discussion of the freebie list choices and how they stack up twenty years on. There's a debate about why there are more matched favourite jokes in this season than ever before - can you figure it out? Answers on a postcard/tweet please! There's a fashion related Friends Thru A Lens and a spontaneous test of how freakily well Adele knows Zoe.
Adele is fond of how one of the characters is in training here for a future storyline and there's a food-related Friends Thru A Lens that is remarkably ahead of its time. There's a LOT of gender-related discussion, some of which made Adele delete and re-write her notes twice, but Zoe helps bring some clarity to the debate. There's a question raised that will be examined in every episode from now on until the very end and how would Jack Geller feel about Ross' Bea phase?!
There are differing views on where this episode ranks in Season Three. There’s a lot of love for Monica and the life questions she faces here, but at the same time a lot of discussion about how the friends respond to her ideas. Zoe has spotted several iconic lines in this one, but you might join Adele in challenging the iconic claim for one of them! Also find out if this episode’s celebrity cameo star in either of the Rank Banks - is he in yours?
Ross may wait a total of 22 minutes to get everyone out of the door, but we've been waiting forty nine episodes to be able to talk about this one! Spoiler alert: it's an all round zinger with so much to love and lots to talk about. Zoe reveals where the idea for the episode came from and Adele explains why it resonates so personally for her. It might just hold the record for the largest number of iconic lines in one single episode and, not surprisingly, the doors to the Rank Bank are cranked open. So, grab yourself the essence of a chair and enjoy!
We open Season Three with lots of things anew - not just the storylines but also the hair, clothing and even the curious responses of the audience. There’s even the appearance (temporary thankfully) of a seventh friend: Spider Fringe and there’s the first cyclical Friends Thru A Lens which has gone from relevant, to irrelevant right back to very relevant again. Adele has to awkwardly explain why her favourite joke is funny and Zoe’s slip of the tongue on one of Phoebe’s lines is worth looking out for!
It's a big day! Not only is it the second of Barry's weddings but it's also the end of Season Two! Very different opinions of this episode - it's in the top ten of the season for one and almost the worst of the season for the other. Adele has tears of sadness when talking about a Rank Bank moment and tears of joy when there's a rare occurrence of recognising an actor from a later, more famous role that Zoe didn't spot. There's also a great Friends Thru A Lens where the Chandler storyline is years ahead of one of today's most commonplace pastimes. Hats at the ready people.... the bride's nearly here!
We have a big celebrity guest star here - will he make a Rank Bank of best celebrity appearances of all ten seasons? Either way, the response to him causes some debate all these years on. There are two small Paul Rudd diversions, even though we're a few years from his debut on the show(!) and do you know who the mystery actor was who offended Lisa Kudrow so much?
Adele and Zoe appreciate the unusual structure of this episode and how the ensemble cast are free to be their best selves selves and find that super endearing. There are a couple more jokes from the past that needed Google's help to explain them and a secret hidden in the costume choices that Zoe is able to reveal.
The bullies take us to Friends Thru A Lens-ville and we follow the meandering route to two really significant events that go on to be springboards to big storylines. Each of Adele and Zoe notice things the other one didn't and there's nothing short of wonderment at what on earth is going on with Monica's fringe.
There's a lot going on and a lot of people in this episode but one storyline stands out clearly above the others, ticking the boxes on Zoe's episode criteria list - which she reveals here. Adele thinks she's spotted dark psychological clues to Ross' future self and Zoe spots a solution to Monica's money troubles that they can't believe no one else thought of at the time. To top it off, one of the rarest recipients of 'favourite joke' is the winner for both in a record first.
It’s worth listening just to hear Zoe’s childhood interpretation of a famous double entendre from this episode - and bear witness as her eyes are opened to its real meaning. The exquisite resolution to the Eddie Trilogy not only pushes this into a high-ranking spot for Season Two, but contains a moment which, some years ago, secretly revealed Adele and Zoe’s shared love for this TV show.
A varied mix of opinions as to where this episode sits in the Season Two rankings. It's a Friends Thru a Lens Fest with so many things that were pioneering for a prime time TV show in the mid 90s and there's fascination at someone's underpants.
There's a clear preference for two of the three storylines in this episode. Adele confesses to not getting a ridiculously obvious joke and there is a major difference of opinion about how Rachel delivers just one line and what she's trying to imply. Listener intervention is requested to break the deadlock!
It’s getting emotional with tears of both laughter and sadness when discussing this episode. There’s an environmental Friends Thru A Lens when Joey raises a topic that the world is still wrestling with twenty years on and there is a first when, despite there being a huge amount of jokes to choose from, both Adele and Zoe's favourite jokes are different, but oddly neither one uses words.
Love is all around in the discussion of another cracking episode. All (L)obstacles (geddit?!) are out of the way so there’s much to say about Ross and Rachel’s first date. It’s not just Monica who’s a smitten kitten when it comes to Richard, there are Friends Thru A Lens theories about how Chandler and Joey invented modern day binge watching and Zoe recognises where one of her and Adele’s frequent gestures has stemmed from.
It's Prom Night (thirty years ago!) and we are in iconic episode territory. To accompany that we have a high pressure epidimerick that's good enough to eat and (spoiler alert) the love in the room for every minute of this episode is palpable. That Best Buds bracelet might be a woman-repeller but it's a laugh magnet and as for our first ever Friends flashback, well, it might just rival gum for perfection. There's a small sweary slip of the tongue (just the one!) but emotions are running high!
BUMPER LENGTH EPISODE Two for the price of one here with Parts One and Two of The One After The Superbowl. There are major differences of opinion over which of the two episodes is the best, the acting talents of the many celebrity guest stars and whether Phoebe's truth songs are a Friends Thru a Lens in a good way or a bad way. Zoe invents a new film genre and Adele finally admits to an obsession that has gone out of control.
This episode's epidimerick makes Zoe wonder whether they should pack up and go home (in a good way). It's Friends Through an extra large Lens here with such a landmark TV moment - art pioneering ahead of reality by some 15 years. The wedding brings our podcast debate lots of gifts: Classic Monica comes to the fore, Ross is a heart-melting stand up guy and Rachel's mum delivers a surprisingly moving storyline.
Rachel isn't the only one who keeps getting confused between Ross and Russ when we discuss this episode. There's a debate about whether the gang are fair in their treatment of Fun Bobby and why Joey suddenly has a moral conscience in his storyline. The first meeting of a classic character makes a strong impression on Adele, and Zoe really wants a scotch on the rocks with a twist... until she finds out what one actually is.
After a short planned (and unplanned) absence over Xmas we are back on track! There are some question marks over the structure of storylines in this one, but despite that there's a lot of love for the sweetness of the friends' support for Phoebe, some fierce defence of Monica's homemade tips and strong admiration for Joey's radiator skills, as well as some trivia about one (or two) of Jennifer Aniston's body parts.
Some unfinished business from the previous episode kicks off this one and extra audio effects are courtesy of Adele's Christmas Cold. In this one: Are Rachel's pros and cons fair? Should Ross be forgiven? Does the right person even take the fall for this mess? There might be an upsetting blockage for Ross and Rachel but there's a Rank Bank moment for Adele and a favourite joke for Zoe that's so loved it's made its way into her everyday speech. Enough with the list, bring on the lobster!
So much to discuss when Ross finds out! One of the simplest storylines creates a surprising amount of debate, there's appreciation that a future plan for two of the characters was conceived at the time and there's a sudden lightbulb moment about cats. It's an all-round favourite where we have six characters being their best selves, three iconic scenes and one Rank Bank worthy kiss.
Here we have perhaps the biggest disparity so far between what Adele and Zoe think and what the IMdB and Ranker.com data says the people think. Zoe is so excited to show she knows the answer to a question that she can't get her words out and there's a debate about Lisa Kudrow's decision to never have Phoebe get any better at the guitar.
This one has a storyline that resonates so strongly and is done so well that it’s almost too uncomfortable to watch. Adele thinks Tinder would have ruined one storyline if it happened today and for the first time in Friends From A to Z history both Zoe and Adele have the same favourite joke!
In this episode there's a debate about the required suspension of disbelief, in a scene where even Zoe would have been seduced by Rachel's not-so-subtle advances. We get the first ever mid-epidimerick exclamation and there's an enlightening discussion about the nature of 90s porn.
Deep discussions of science, death, life and lamps in this episode. Also: could Chandler and Janice be happily married in a parallel universe? Does Chandler have a problem understanding maths or biology? And have you ever put a jacket on so vigorously that you broke a sea-shell lamp?
This episode raises a topic that's still dividing opinion in 2018. Zoe and Adele differ on the way the audience laughs at a joke - is the tone of it positive or negative? Elsewhere, there are echoes of episodes yet to come, some (too much?) suspension of disbelief is required and a question of why the name Todd is considered so bad.
It's Season Two!! Zoe's favourite season kicked off with a cracker of an episode back in 1995, here in 2018 find out why Adele's improved trivia game earns her a Liz Lemon eye-roll. There's a show of love for a new, improved Joey, Zoe (maybe) invents a new game and see where you land in the debate about an ethically questionable but unquestionably funny storyline.
Play along as Zoe tests Adele with a fiendish Season One quiz and find out why Adele's spreadsheet of Friends From A to Z data reveals that Zoe is perhaps the nicer person. Zoe thinks the podcast has uncovered an extreme talent and Adele puts to bed a few of the unanswered questions that were raised over the season. All in all, it's a fitting farewell to Season One and gets us all ready to kick off Season Two...
Zoe has a strong reaction to this final Epidimerick of Season One. In this slightly extended edit there's a delicate discussion about exactly what Joey is being super dim about, for some reason Adele is looking at herself with disgust and the long awaited crystal duck moment and all that comes with it has them in a Friends-related flap.
Adele and Zoe fall head over heels for the Chandler/Janice storylines in this episode, the Valentine's gift that keeps on giving. Adele has a fixation with Benihama and one particular discussion risks unintentionally upsetting one potential listener.
Adele and Zoe are logging all the signs moving us along the Rachel and Ross road to the crystal duck moment - and there are lots of them in this episode. In Friends Thru A Lens they discuss some of the undeniably uncomfortable themes that crop up but, despite that, it's in Zoe's top ten for ticking three of her boxes and Adele remains inexplicably obsessed with apartment door numbers.
A classically bad, point-missing episode summary from Netflix kicks us off. Opinions differ from the audience data and Zoe reckons she's figured out one of the major reasons why. This penultimate episode shows another side to a so far relatively two-dimensional character for Zoe, brings a tear to the eye on more than one occasion and - to top it all off - features a Rank Bank Laugh Out Loud moment from all ten seasons for Adele.
An onion of an Epidimerick kicks this one off. Several questions to resolve here: is 'Got the keys' second only to 'We were on a break' for misunderstandings in Friends history and is it easier to resolve? How often do you say 'Only dogs can hear you now?' to a distressed friend? What's Mario not telling you? And is $100 a big amount of money or a small amount of money for a ticket to Vail?
Get ready for the best worst Netflix episode summary of Season One. Zoe thinks she's found a hidden numerical code, there's a huge amount of 2018 shock at Paolo's behaviour in Friends Thru A Lens and Adele ends up in a total tiz over how the apartment numbers have traveled through time PLUS find out which biggest Laugh Out Loud moment has made it into Zoe's Rank Bank of all ten seasons.
Zoe has an idea for how to improve the Netflix episode summaries and Adele has an unconventional nominee for her Best Friend. More Emmy trivia is revealed and there's a big debate about Chandler's 'gay quality' storyline, including whether it birthed another term that's made it into today's vernacular.
The episode that popped Zoe's Friends cherry way back in 1994 - what a way to have started! There's a lot of love for everything about this episode but also some questions: why is Zoe so sceptical of Adele's trivia fact about Joey's parents? Why is Adele's favourite joke the grimmest line of the episode? Any why is Rachel behaving like Donald Duck?
Adele writes an Epidimerick that only works in a Northern English accent and gives Zoe the gift of explaining a joke neither of them had got for almost twenty five years. Chandler’s storyline reminds them of a 90s Oprah Winfrey show, Zoe’s shipping Monica and Chandler years before the writers get there and who IS actually Rachel’s best friend? Does Zoe also spot a plot hole in the girls’ supposed ignorance of Ross’ love for Rachel? You decide!
There is some disagreement about whether there is a deeper meaning in the Fake Monica storyline and even more debate about the next occasion when we see Monica drunk. Zoe makes a point that Adele finds double excellent but also makes a number of references that leave her worrying slightly about Zoe's personal finances.
There’s a big positive reception to Friends going meta with Chandler in this episode and Zoe shocks Adele with information on the real life age of one of the cast members. There is plenty of discussion about the symbolism and importance of Rachel’s triple sex dreams and a Friends Thru A Lens that’s about something so obsolete two people who were actually around in the 90s can’t explain it.
We're in some unfamiliar territory here where two of the three storylines are left tantalisingly unresolved ahead of Part Two but more shocking is a Chandler storyline Adele and Zoe both find it difficult to get on board with. Zoe does some shipping of the Friends couple that never was and Adele admits to something about the magical tricks of TV technology that Zoe quite rightly ridicules.
Adele, Zoe and the audience ratings go all in with their opinion on this episode, will you agree? Shockingly Adele can't bear a particular friend she's previously been a big fan of and instead identifies with the annoying traits of another one. Zoe is surprised to hear a famous line has been cut from repeated screenings on TV and unwittingly shows off her varied knowledge of card games.
As fans of fairy lights at any time of year, both Adele and Zoe are sorry Rachel has to take them down but very happy about what unfolds as a result. Adele is told about a deleted scene, Zoe compares the ending to a Quattro Formaggi and Adele totally cheats by getting away with having two favourite friends.
A few surprises in store - not only does the power go off in New York, but there's a shock for Adele's Epidimerick and the people's scores create excitement. They also find the first real-life influence of Friends culture in Friends Thru a Lens that has endured for the decades since. What could it be? Only one way to find out!
It's Zoe and Adele against the data here as they stand together in stark contrast to the imdb viewer ratings. They also play Rank Bank snap when something from this episode features in each of their Best Laugh Out Loud Moments of all ten seasons - but which part is it?
Mixed opinions here with Zoe fiercely opposed to the rest of the global population (sort of). Find out which US TV star Zoe thought was a swear word, who Adele Googles to see them with their shirt off and why Zoe thinks Adele has come up with her favourite ever Friends Thru A Lens.
Coma guy continues to cause a rift between pals twenty years later as Adele and Zoe disagree about how good a storyline it is. Zoe spots a background reference that makes Adele very happy and there's a debate about whether, when it comes to Ross and Mrs Bing, there's a obvious clue of who came on to whom.
Silence in court! There's a case to be made on each side when Adele and Zoe have different views. In an episode with lots of Friends firsts (and some lasts (sorry Carol)) they get to know all three generations of the Gellers, see Rachel pay a painful visit to the dentist and find out that for some reason there are noodles in a lasagne.
Some constructive feedback for whoever's writing the Netflix recaps after their attempt at this one. Adele and Zoe find themselves worshipping at the altar of Chandler (not for the last time) and try to figure out what Alanness is. Zoe tests Adele on the smoking habits of the cast when Chandler returns to his habit and they debate theories on why one of them won more Emmys than the others.
Warning: accidental profanity ahead (just the one, at the start). Zoe wonders what the technical term for the lid of a washing machine is, Adele celebrates the first Rossisms and they both are in awe of the debut encounter with Janice. As if that wasn't enough, find out what first Rank Bank moment makes Zoe extremely excited.
After a strong start, Zoe has some constructive feedback for Adele on this episode's Epidimerick. Not all storylines are equal here with much discussion about which are particularly strong and which a bit more meh. Adele learns some trivia about a cameo appearance and they both wonder about the mysterious Aurora's personal hygiene.
It's the Pilot! Is it the best pilot of a comedy show ever? What makes it so good? Adele and Zoe kick off the first episode of the first season, reveal the first ever Epidimerick and get to grips with the six guys and gals they came to know and love.
It's a boys night out and a girls night in for the first time. Why does Ross have to be so mopey? Why are Rachel's old pals so screechy? Why is Adele's favourite joke not found funny by Zoe or anyone in the audience? Zoe comes up with a casting idea that disappointingly wasn't thought of at the time and a special Health and Safety Friends Thru a Lens is required.