I’m bored with writing about my art this week so I think I’ll write about a “Friends” episode. I’m up to Season Eight Episode Seven. I haven’t watched an episode since I last wrote so this will be two in a row. It’s titled “The One With The Stain” and I don’t recognize that title at all. It’ll probably come back to me though.
This one originally ran on November 7, 2001. Let me check my calendar to see what I was doing that day and week. Of course I watched it first run on Thursday night like I always did. On that day I was down in Manhattan working at Marvel Comics from Tuesday through Friday. Looks like I was also working on making some prints at that time. Someday I’ll have to figure out which ones.
My calendar also tells me that I went to the comic shop on Friday and then to the Nanuet Mall on Saturday. Usually I would go to both on the same day but I must have stopped by my LCS on my way home from my commute. On Saturday I paid $45 for the Gameboy Advance version of Doom. I don’t remember that at all and it seems like a whole lot of money to spend on a GBA game. I must have wanted to play it on the bus as I commuted. I don’t think I spent $45 on many video games at the time.
Let’s start the episode.
We’re off with Monica coming home to Chandler and she’s surprised and overjoyed that he cleaned the apartment.Chandler confesses that her hired a maid. Monica she doesn’t take it well. She doesn’t like to relinquish control. “Relinquish is just a fancy word for lose” is a funny line. Here comes the theme song.
And now a scene in the coffee shop. Phoebe gets a call on her cell (she never gets calls!) and it’s a continuation of Sean Penn guest starring as Eric who is Phoebe’s sister’s fiancé. The plot is that Ursula (Phoebe’s sister) is a terrible person who was going to take advantage of Eric so Phoebe not only saved him but has a crush on him. He broke up with Ursula and wants to date Phoebe. It’s weird and inappropriate and we get lots of cringe humor in this plot line.
Still in Central Perk Rachel mentions to Ross that she’s apartment hunting. She is having a baby and figures she can’t be living with Joey once the baby comes. But she hasn’t mentioned it to Joey yet. Ross mentioned that there might be an apartment open in his building. A woman died. They rush over to see the apartment even though that’s inappropriate. That’s our third plot and I think “Inappropriate” is the theme of this episode. A lot of cringe humor.
Ross and Rachel knock on a door. The woman’s daughter answers and tells them that her mother is still alive. Ross pretends to know the Mother but she only spoke Dutch. Uncomfortable humor follows.
Now we’re back at Monica and Chandlers’ and Monica if following around the maid in an uncomfortable way but then she won’t give out her tile cleaner’s secret ingredient. Then things get even more uncomfortable as Monica thinks the maid stole her jeans. To be clear those are the jeans the maid is wearing at the time. Some funny stuff but then the ante is upped by Monica wanting to find an ink stain on the crotch of the pants to prove their hers. Here comes more inappropriateness! Chandler is the voice of reason but it won’t last.
Phoebe shows up at Eric’s apartment for their date but he just got his engagement ring back from Ursula. He’s having a tough time dealing with his anger at Ursula. Some funny and uncomfortable stuff. I always hear what a great actor Sean Penn is and it really is true. I totally forget he’s Sean Penn and believe him in this role. That’s not true of all the guest stars on this show.
Back at the coffee shop Ross is trying to learn Dutch. It turns out that Gunther knows the language. Part of “Friends” continuity is that Gunther doesn’t like Ross because Gunther has a crush on Rachel so he makes Ross uncomfortable. This is a theme in the show and we get a little of it here.
Joey shows up with Knicks tickets and some jokes are built around that until Ross tells him that Rachel is moving out. That’s news to Joey.
I just had to run out to the store. I’m back. Where was I?
Ah yess, here we go. Joey is pensive about Rachel moving out.
Monica says “Nice jeans” to the maid. The maid is young and attractive by the way. Monica is scheming to get a look at the crotch of the jeans. Things get more uncomfortable. The theme of this episode is back. It’s less embarrassing to Monica that the maid thinks Monica is hitting on her than she thinks the maid is a thief.
Now it’s after the game and we’re at Joey’s apartment and he tells Rachel that he wants her to stay. Rachel thinks it too much of a sacrifice for Joey. It’s a very sweet scene.
Back at Eric’s he and Phoebe are making out but she has to go. Work calls. A massage appointment.
Chandler comes back home and Monica informs him of her misdeeds. The maid is still there too. Now Monica thinks the maid stole her bra too! Things spiral as Monica tries to get Chandler in on her plan.
Back at the Dutch woman’s apartment she’s on her last legs.
Back at Eric’s apartment he thinks he just slept with Phoebe but he didn’t. It was Ursula. They both realize what happened and are creeped out by it. That ends things. As it should.
Back at Chandler’s apartment he’s trying to get a good look at the maid’s pants and bra. It does not go well. She wants nothing to do with their creepy marriage.
Monica is waiting outside her apartment and Rachel walks up. She’s wearing Monica’s jeans. It also turns out Monica is wearing the bra she thinks the maid stole. The maid storms out saying that she quits. “Sounds right” says Monica.
Across the hall Joey is setting up for the baby and after Rachel walks in he explains to her how it will all work. She appreciates his enthusiasm and earnestness. Some funny stuff here and Rachel is convinced. A solid crib joke.
For the final scene we get Ross telling Rachel all he had to do to get her that apartment. She tells him that she’s staying with Joey. Ross is a little frustrated as it ends.
Now to check the website to see if anything was cut out of this show for syndication. It looks like some of Phoebe and Erics stuff was cut. Nothing too funny. One of Ross’s jokes talking to Joey about the Knicks was cut. I liked that joke. Some funny stuff between Monica and the maid was cut. A short Joey baby joke and an end Ross speaking Dutch joke were cut. Once again I glad I’m watching the DVD uncut ones.
I thought this was a solid episode. I’d give it a three out of five stars. Let me check what I rated it in the early 21st century. Looks like I gave it three stars back then too. So that’s how I’ll end this one. With a little bit of consistency.