Yesterday was my birthday, I turned 57, so today I am feeling a little bit nostalgic so I thought I’d turn on an episode of my go-to nostalgia show “Friends” to watch and write a walk through of an episode. I’m up to Season Six Episode Twenty One: “The One Where Ross Meets Elizabeth’s Dad.” We’ve got Bruce Willis playing Elizabeth’s dad in this episode. A bit of stunt casting getting a big movie star to guest star on a hit TV show.
It first ran on April 27, 2000. I was only 34 back when I watched this live on TV as it was being broadcast. Let me check my calendar to see what I was up to. I looks like I spent my day working at a place called Sterling Publishing. Coincidentally they were in the same building where Marvel Comics was at the time. 387 Park Avenue South. I was doing graphic design stuff for them. I also worked on a sketch for Oil Painting #13 whatever that is (I’d have to track it down). Plus I renewed my subscriptions to three magazines: Mac Addict, Dreamcast Magazine, and Archeology (which I still get.) I had a lot of magazine subscriptions in the 1990s. They were cheap!
Let’s start the show.
We begin in Central Perk with Rachel reading horoscopes. Chandler, Monica, and Phoebe act the horoscopes out as Joey walks in. Joey just booked a new TV show! He’s the lead! And all freaked out. A horoscope call back joke and the theme song starts.
Back to Central Perk. Phoebe is going to write another book. She’s written fourteen of them but none of her friends have ever heard of her writing any. Plot number one.
Here comes Ross. He’s been dating an ex-student of his, Elizabeth of the title, and her dad (Bruce Willis) wants to meet Ross. Bruce Willis being intimidating is the main joke of this plot line. I don’t remember finding that very funny but let’s see this time. Plot number two.
Joey arrives for his first day on the set of “Mac and C.H.E.E.S.E.” Where he has to act opposite a robot. He has to meet the guy who created and operates the robot but Joey mocks the robot he and the creator they don’t get along. This is our third plot.
At Central Perk again and here comes Liz and her dad to meet Ross. Paul (the dad) straightforwardly doesn’t like Ross and that makes Ross really nervous and uncomfortable and he rambles on and makes an embarrassment of himself. Here come the friends to talk Ross up. They don’t do that good a job. The stuff they say backfires on Ross. It’s mildly amusing. I also think it’s that I’ve never found people being uncomfortable to be very funny. Not my taste in humor.
Rachel walks and makes things worse for a moment.
Now we time skip forward and Monica and Phoebe are at the apartment as Phoebe is writing her book. Monica and Chandler have a cute conversation about toilet paper and then they realize Phoebe is using that in her book. This is how this plot plays out. Phoebe writing the stuff down that Monica and Chandler do.
Here comes Paul walking back into Central Perk and Rachel is the only one there. He lost his keys. They look for them, find them, and then flirting ensues. Flirting with Rachel was a lot of “Friends” in general.
Chandler and Monica are still in the apartment as Joey walks in. He tells them that the robot creator doesn’t like him. Joey gets a phone call from his agent. Turns out he’s in trouble and might lose the job. It’s up to him to make nice. Plot number three is pretty tame this episode. So is plot number two I think.
Another uncomfortable scene stats as Ross barges into Joey and Rachel’s apartment and Rachel is making out with Paul. That flirting escalated quickly! The conversation after Paul leaves between Ross and Rachel is funny. Good stuff there.
Now we’re at the other apartment with Joey explaining his problem. Monica tells him he has to turn on the charm. Meanwhile Phoebe is writing stuff down about Monica and Chandler. Monica is testy about it!
It’s the next day and Joey goes on his charm offensive with the robot guy. That scene was short. This plot isn’t very front and center.
Double date between Elizabeth, Ross, Rachel, and Paul! Even that doesn’t go well. Paul tries to apologize but then Ross makes things uncomfortable and Rachel piles on. The uncomfortable humor is piling up!
Back to the apartment where Chandler and Monica are bickering. They have a dispute about what time they were supposed to meet. Phoebe then spins in the chair to make a villainous entrance and declares that she has the time written in her book. Phoebe has demands. The time confusion was in the book. She let them suffer for the sake of literature!
Chandler and Joey are on Joey’s set. Wayne, the robot guy, walks in. He wants Joey’s help to get better with women. Chandler nudges him to do it.
Back to the double date. It’s not going well for Ross but he finally puts his foot down. That doesn’t go well either. But then everyone agrees to not like Ross (except Elizabeth).
The end credit scene wraps up the Joey plot line. He’s filming and talking to the robot who then starts to malfunction. Turns out Wayne is making out with a hot woman. Joey’s lessons stuck!
Now is the time when I mention that I always watch the DVD extended cuts of this show. Then I got on the web to see what was cut out of them for syndication. A nice Phoebe line about Rachel burning down their apartment was cut. They also cut one of Monica’s “Ross is dating a student” jokes. It was a funny moment too. A quick Joey on set joke was cut. They cut the whole intro scene with Monica, Phoebe, Chandler, and Paul shaking hands. A lot of flirting left on the floor. A Phoebe numbering the pages of her book joke was cut. They cut a joke about Chandler drawing naked picture of Monica. Never cut drawing jokes! Finally they cut some of the Wayne wants Joey to teach him jokes stuff. I liked those! I’m glad I don’t watch the short versions.
After watching this episode I’d rate it a three out of five stars. It was about an average show for me. Let me check my files and see what I rated in back in 2013 when I watched and rated all the episodes. Back then I gave it three out of five stars too. I guess my opinion hasn’t changed on this one. Happy nostalgia to you!