I’m feeling nostalgic tonight so I think I’ll write a “Friends” walkthrough. I’m up to Season 7 Episode 8 “The One Where Chandler Doesn’t Like Dogs.” At least that’s the show I’m up to on my watch list. I haven’t been writing about every episode. I only write them when I feel like and just watch the shows in between writings.
The show originally aired on November 30, 2000. I watched it as it first aired but let me check my calendar to see what else I got up to that Thursday. I worked on a painting all that week. It was a painting I made for a friend. I took an old “Mystery in Space” cover and used that as a basis for about a 30×40 inch oil painting. I copied the entire cover as a painting and then painted shapes and designs over it. It’s hard to describe but I made three comic book cover painting around the turn of the century. I liked those paintings. Let’s start the show.
It’s a Thanksgiving episode. It starts with the bit where Chandler has them playing a game where they have to write down the names of all fifty United States in six minutes. The bit runs all show as Ross can’t get a few of them. I have never been a big fan of frustration humor. I usually just find it frustrating. I remember not loving this bit. Except for Joey. Joey comes up with 56 states. Phoebe comes up with celery. Here comes the song.
Tag (Rachel’s new assistant) isn’t coming to Thanksgiving diner! Oh no! (I’m not sure why I’m supposed to care). Ross gets the states game done and is all cocky about it. Of course he missed one. Make that four! How did he not notice that? Chandler tells us the beauty of the game is that it makes you want to kill yourself! It’s killing me as Ross gets more and more frustrated. Chandler and Ross make a bet. Ross gets no Thanksgiving diner if he can’t get all fifty states. Guess what? This is going to lead to more frustration. It’s a little too much for me.
Chandler and Monica have to go across the street to use Ross’s oven. This gives Phoebe the opportunity to try and sneak a dog she is watching out of the apartment but Ross catches on.
Monica and Chandler make it over there Ross’s apartment and make a few quips but then Monica looks out the window and sees the dog across the street in her apartment. She calls from Ross’s phone to her apartment and demands to know why there is a dog. Chandler claims he’s allergic to dogs so they can’t be there.
Meanwhile Tag shows up. He broke up with his girlfriend so he’s free.
Here comes Chandler bursting into his apartment and demanding to know about the dog. Monica is upset. Phoebe covers up poorly. The dog’s name is Clunkers. Funny name. Once again Chandler claims he’s allergies to dogs but Phoebe says, “That’s odd because this dog has been living here for the past three days.” He’s busted and has to come clean about not liking dogs. As a matter of fact he tells them that he hates dogs. This is a funny scene.
We’re back to Ross being frustrated at the States game. Oy!
Rachel wants to make a move on the recently dumped Tag. Joey has a funny line. And this is the episode where Joey says it’s a “Moo point.” It’s like a cow’s opinion. Classic joke from this series.
Chandler comes out in a pink turtleneck sweater to make a point about the dog. You had to be there but it’s a funny bit.
Rachel goes out onto the fire escape/balcony to comfort Tag. Joey ruins the sweet scene by giving away the info that Rachel likes Tag. That’s the “Situation” part of a situation comedy because no one would ever do that in real life. Rachel’s heartfelt speech gets interrupted by Tag seeing people breaking into his car. She gets no resolution.
Cut to Monica, Phoebe, and Clunkers across the street at Ross’s place. They don’t want to leave the dog behind so they sneak him back.
Ross continues to be frustrated. Oy again!
As they continue to hide the dogs from Chandler he decides to be the hero and bring the dog back from Ross’s apartment. He leaves the door open and then thinks the dog ran away (but it’s really back at his place).
Ross continues to be frustrated. Oy! Oy! Oy!
Now the show is moving fast!
Rachel comes back and is upset that she probably freaked Tag out. Joey gives her some bad but funny advice.
Chandler comes back upset that he lost the dog but the dog is there.
Ross continues to be frustrated.
Joey give Rachel some more funny bad advice.
Tag confesses to having feelings for Rachel too and he kisses her.
Here comes the credits’ scene. It’s the end of the Ross and the states bit as he shows up in the middle of the night looking to have some food. This is the funniest part of the frustrating bit. Except for the Joey parts.
Now I’ll check what was cut from the episodes for syndication. A couple of quick dog hiding jokes from Joey and Ross were cut. The whole pink sweater gag was cut. The setup scene between Monica and Chandler and the scene where Chandler is wearing the sweater. They cut the whole scene with Chandler in Ross’s apartment looking for the dog. They cut the whole scene where Joey is giving advice to Rachel after she screws it up with tag. That was a funny scene! That’s the end of the cuts but a lot of funny stuff was cut out for HD syndication.
My rating for this episode right now is three out of five stars. Maybe it was my mood but I found it only average. Let’s see what I rated it back in 201o. I gave it three stars out of five back then too so average it is.
As a side note I got a “Friends” Funko Pop this week. I don’t really collect them but I saw a Gunther Pop on Amazon for only four dollars so I ordered one on a whim. I got the chase variant where he is holding a “We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone” sign. It’s pretty cool but also makes me a little sad since the actor who played Gunther has passed away. It sits on my drawing table.