I haven’t watched an episode of “Friends” nor written a walkthrough in a couple of months. So I thought I would sit down and do one now. I’m up to Season 6 Episode 15. Looks like I watched about five episodes since my last walkthrough which I wrote last August. That’s not many episodes watched over the half a year that has passed since then but it can be long time between episodes for me. It depends on how nostalgic I’m feeling. “Friends” is my go-to nostalgia show after all.
It looks like this is a double length episode too. It’s “The One That Could Have Been.” The episode first aired on February 17, 2000. That’s a week over 23 years ago as I write this. Let me check my calendar to see what I was doing that day besides watching this show. Looks like I was working on some animated gifs for a website I was freelanceing for back then. Plus I finished an oil painting that day. I was working on both of those things all week. Plus I worked on a mini-comic. That may have been one of the last mini-comics I ever made. It was called “All Ugly Theatre.” I bet I still have a copy of it somewhere.
Let’s start the show. They’re at the coffee shop. Chandler hits us with a quick “The internet is here to stay” joke then we find out that Barry (Rachel’s original fiancé from episode one) and Mindy are getting a divorce. This kicks off a fantasy episode of what would have happened if Rachel actually married Barry. The Ross divorce joke fly. And Ross Kar-aht-tay jokes. A solid opening.
Here is the complete set-up. Rachel got married, Ross never got divorced, Chandler quit his job to write comedy, Joey never got fired from “Days of Our Lives,” Phoebe has a high powered finance job, and Monica never got skinny. Let’s see what they do with it. The opening theme is filled with the alternate versions of them. Nice immersion.
The plot starts at a newsstand where Ross runs into Rachel for the first time since high school. The joke is that Ross is buying a dirty magazine (cause he ain’t getting any) in front of Rachel but then they’re off to see Monica. The running Monica joke is that she is fat, a virgin, and has a boring boyfriend. Not the funniest plot line of the show.
The flip flop of the plot is that Joey is a success and has “Days of Our Lives” money but Chandler is a broke wannabe writer. So Joey is always giving Chandler money. The joke continues with Joey hiring Chandler as his assistant. It’s a sit-com. You know how this is going to go.
A big money Phoebe walks into the coffee shop with the gang already there, lights up a cigarette, fires someone over the phone, and establishes her bonafides as a cold-hearted big wig. Rachel walks in with Ross and surprises Monica. Turns out Rachel is a big “Days” fan so she loves Joey’s character. Of course Joey hits on her. Will there be alternate world romance?
Back to Phoebe in the apartment being a big-wig, Chandler is being a writer and Joey’s assistant, and Monica is riffing on Chandler and eating. Phoebe loses 13 million in the market and starts having a heart attack. Off to the hospital for some “Phoebe can’t stop working” jokes. Plus some “Ross isn’t getting any” jokes. Not the funniest material.
Of course Chandler isn’t having a good time being Joey’s assistant but then we get Joey showing Rachel around the “Days” and putting the moves on her. But she’s still married even if it is unhappily. More Joey is a bad boss jokes. He doesn’t like pulp in his orange juice. Always a go-to diva joke.
Next we get Ross and his “In the closet” wife, Carol. He wants to spice things up in the bedroom since he’s not getting any. She isn’t going for any of it until he mentions another woman for a threesome.
Hey! Chandler sold a story to Archie Comics! Ye-haw! I love any mention of comic books!
Joey tries to make up for being a bad boss and the Monica fat jokes still go on.
Back to the coffee shop with Monica and Rachel and Rachel goes on about Joey. A good “On a break joke” and we find out that Monica is a virgin but Rachel encourages her to bang her boyfriend. It’s always good advice to bang your boyfriend.
In the hospital and we get jokes about Phoebe smoking and not being able change her bad habits. Plus she gets fired and doesn’t know it because Ross doesn’t tell her. Hence the “Situation” in “Situation Comedy.”
This episode is moving fast and we see Rachel watching Joey on “Days.” She makes the decision to call Joey for a hookup.
Carol makes a threesome list for her and Ross. She’s got a lot of namers at the ready. Ross is a little stunned and horny. That describes a lot of life.
Back to the hospital and Phoebe is mean to everyone. She still doesn’t know she’s fired. Phoebe is one note in this episode.
I just took a little break to eat some dinner. There was no reason to tell you that but I like to inject the mundane everyday stuff into my writing. Now back to our show. It’s at the 25 minute mark with 19 minutes to go. Twice the length and twice the nostalgia!
Rachel is at Joey’s crazy apartment that he got when he first got the “Days” job but then had to give up when he got fired. In this reality he still has the job and the apartment. It’s filled with goofy decor. Will Rachel be seduced by it all?
Meanwhile Monica is trying to seduce her boring boyfriend. He’s going for it until he is called away on doctor business.
Double meanwhile Ross and Carol are about to have their threesome. It’s Susan (Carol’s wife from the regular continuity) who walks in. Ross is kinda left out.
Triple meanwhile as we get back to Monica and she’s having diner with Chandler. Monica lets Chandler know she was about to lose her virginity. She bonds with Chandler over not getting any. Now they’re attracted to each other. Will they do it or won’t they?
Joey continues his seduction as Rachel has second thoughts. They kiss but Rachel starts to throw up from drinking. That’s always a mood killer.
Chandler and Monica negotiate. It’s awkward but romantic. After all they are together in the regular show show they have to get together in this alternate reality. They do and are happy.
It’s the next morning and Joey and Rachel haven’t hooked up. They talk to each other like human beings and become friends.
We’re back at the hospital. Let’s see if Phoebe has learned a lesson. So far no, but it gives a chance for Ross and Joey to talk about Ross’s threesome. It didn’t go very well. Since Ross’s wife was gay in the real timeline neither woman in the threesome wanted anything to do with him. He made a nice sandwich though. I like a nice sandwich!
Chandler and Monica are giddy but then the subject of her boyfriend come up. Yeah, friction.
Rachel walks in on her husband with another woman.
Phoebe goes back to work and finds out she was fired. She doesn’t take it well. The teacher from “Breakfast Club” plays her boss. Nice! Phoebe has another heart attack at work. Tough episode for Phoebe. They’re really driving it home that she’s better off being her regular weirdo self.
Rachel shows up to the coffee shop angry at her cheating husband and vents at Ross. This is a funny scene. Rachel tells Ross that his wife is probably gay. Epiphany time.
Now for some resolution with Chandler and Monica. He tells Monica that she should be with him. Happily ever after just like the regular timeline.
We do get a final credits’ scene with Phoebe finally becoming a singer.
Since I always watch the old DVD extended cuts let’s see what was cut out for the HiDef version. The very first Chandler internet joke was cut. Hmmm… I liked that goofy intro scene. They cut the beginning of the Ross buying a dirty magazine scene as a woman looks at him with distain. A couple of random one line jokes in various scenes get cut. A moment of Joey and Chandler hugging gets cut. That was a funny bit. Phoebe making fun of Chandler’s hat gets the ax. That’s about it. Overall not too much got cut. No real scenes. It’s mostly one or two line jokes. I prefer them in there but that’s why I watch the low res DVD shows.
Right now I’d give the episode three out of five stars. That means it’s average for me. Let’s see what I rated it back in 2008 when I rated all the shows as I watched them back then. I gave it four stars back then. I bet I was in a more nostalgic mood. Sometimes my ratings change as I watch them now but usually by only one star. Either way it was a solid episode.