Winter is upon us. And what better way to celebrate than by giving an old man with a beard the sack.

Yep, THE PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN (well a third of them) and it looks like Jeremy Corbyn’s days are numbered.

I’m pretty politicked out, and in the spirit of Friends™ won’t turn this into a big sad/angry rant. I think it’s pretty clear we still need a good hard look at the way our political system does or does not work. (Particularly regarding campaign rules on spending and dishonesty, and how more than half of voters can support a second referendum but not get one).

But it certainly won’t have happened by the time I’ve finished watching Friends™.

One thing I will say is I think J-Corbz (Britain’s very own “Mr Heckles”) did pretty well considering. I always said the main point of having such a leader was to move the narrative back to the centre and away from Austerity. With that seemingly achieved, Labour can move to take the centre ground next time. With someone fresh and slick like Chuka Umu… oh balls.

“The One Where I Don’t Talk Politics”

Speaking of blonde dudes who have issues with women (sorry), Gunther is being particularly creepy this week. He buys all the furniture Ross is getting rid of because it’s been contaminated by Rachel.

This is one of many throwaway gags about him which become a little more disturbing when you read into them. As long as he doesn’t start dressing like Ross and following Rachel home I think we should be ok…

It’s just a silly little joke really. With all the serious Ross stuff, and Mondler, it’s been quite a while since anything silly and “sit-com” has happened. Hell, it’s been two whole years since Ugly Naked Guy was last in the show! And yet as I get older I’m increasingly seeing an ugly naked guy when I look in the mirror.

It seems the silliness is bouncing back! Monica and Rachel mistake a fine young man for a yeti and bug bomb him and Phoebe’s grappling with inheriting a fur coat.

It reminds me of the time some mates of mine accidentally won a huge tub of Foie Gras in a meat raffle. What do you do in that situation? We reasoned we weren’t actually supporting its production (as it was free) so decided to eat it.

I started to feel a little guilty after the third time I went round only to have yet more of it rammed down my throat. I know how those little chicks and ducks feel.

The silliness is a nice counterpoint to Emily’s behaviour becoming more abusive. It’s clear the writers are turning her into the bad guy to keep things cushty with Ross. If the Rachel thing was a little dodgy forcing him to sell all his furniture and move far out of town is definitely not right. We’ve all already seen how hard being forced out the city can make keeping in touch with your mates.

It’s nice that Joey is the one standing up for Ross first. In all his silliness and selfishness it’s easy to forget he’s probably the best Friend™ when it comes to loyalty. Ross makes some good points about marriage being about compromise. But there is a limit. Thankfully his mates are there to remind him where it is.

Still it must be hard being the first of your friends to be married. Not once but twice…

Real Live Sitcom Moment:

I got to spend some time with my Real Live Ross Number 1 this week, himself the first of us all to get married.

I had a spare ticket to go see Devin Townsend, after my wife managed to get us tickets for my birthday and then conveniently forgot to put the date in her diary. It’s probably for the best. Ross definitely got more out of seeing a 47 year old prog-metaller than she would have.

It was a great show, if a little complicated by Ross bringing along an old saucepan for me as a gift. The poor cloakroom attendant didn’t know what to make of it.

I reckon Devin would have a got a kick out of it. Especially considering the extended drum solo section where he held up kitchen implements for the drummer to hit.

Yerh, my wife made the right decision.

We’ve recovered from the trauma of “seat-gate”.

But, after an abundance of leftover Halloween™ chocolate, it still isn’t safe to sit anywhere in the house without looking first.

Strangely Chandler’s got the same problem.

But there’s no time to dwell on that with all the Friends™ drama around!

“The One Without Christmas”

The cat’s finally out the bag and Joey knows about Mondler.

I’m surprised no-one worked it out sooner. There’s a lot of suspicious behaviour, and with Monica and Joey going on a trip together… hrrm where have I seen this before?

Ok, I can’t talk; it was several months before I found out about Chandler and Joey Number 1’s tryst. It seems so long ago now.

It’s funny that the dumbest character works things out first, even if it makes everyone else seem stupid by comparison. Especially when Phoebe and Rachel aren’t remotely suspicious of Chandler and Monica bundling Joey into a room after he starts screaming. My wife get’s suspicious of me when she thinks I’m spending too long in the toilet.

“That’s cause I know you’re on your phone…”

Hey, stop reading over my shoulder! Or I’ll take this laptop to the bathroom.

Like a lot of us, Chonica’s first trip alone together is a little stressful. They get in their first fight after it’s ruined by each of their feebles. Monica demands a clean room, and Chandler gets distracted by the TV. Pfft, this is so unrealistic. I would never get upset by mess or distracted by a screen …

Hang on, THIS IS CLEARLY THE SAME ROOM EACH TIME. Given they’ve just spared no expense on three episodes in London you’d think the producers would put out for two hotel room sets. Maybe the cast have had a payrise? Oh wow, yes. At this point they’re getting $100,000 an episode. EACH. That’s four times their season one pay! Maybe I need to up my career game?

I could always go on the Apprentice™ (lol, no). Joey works it out after both Chandler and Monica claim to have seen a pre-Apprentice Donald Trump waiting for an elevator. Shame they didn’t push him down the shaft.

(Strange to think just a year later he’ll be running for President)

Even as Joey’s getting dumber, he’s showing a knack for the sort of smart-brained dumbness that Trump espouses. With things coming to a head over Emily demanding Ross give up Rachel, the gang once again find themselves locked in a bedroom, listening in. And this time Joey prepared snacks.

Why are they all always together when the big moments play out? Is it just because they hang out way more than me and my mates?? Is it me that’s unusual or the Friends™?

I remember we always used to wonder what would happen if some of us broke up. Mercifully we’ve never had many “Kips”. Though I wonder if that’s only because there’s been less break-ups… God that’s a terrifying thought, at any point we could lose someone forever in a messy break-up. Closest we’ve come on the break up front is Chandler and Joey and they are probably the most absent, although that’s through work rather than any emotional fallout.

Hrrm, I don’t envy Ross or Rachel. I wonder what I would do in this situation? Ross’s decision seems a lot harder when you consider how it would affect Rachel’s friendships too.

What would I do? Probably just move to England, mate.

Real Live Sitcom Moment:

As Christmas approaches, my ever-keen wife is determined to bagsie a good tree this year.

Her and her mother set aside their traditional “Christmas Tree Day” to pick out a good one.

But it turns out they were a little too keen. When they arrived at the garden centre there were no trees there! Just a solitary attendant telling them to “come back in a few weeks.”

Think we’ve finally got proof it is possible to love Christmas™ TOO much.

After a cracking day out for David the Science Guy’s birthday I definitely don’t feel any annoyance over my Real Live Friends bailing on our Halloween party anymore.

David’s love of scavenger hunts took us on our own trip through the touristy sites of LONDON, baby.

And without the need to sit through a wedding!

We had to find and consume a “delicacy” from all the countries of Europe, finishing in a lovely Belgian alehouse.

I take thee, Belgian Beer, I take thee Belgian Beer, I take thee…

“The One With Too Much Belgian Beer”

Yes, I’m feeling it a little today, why do the Friends™ never seem to get drunk? Sure, Chandler’s got a bottle of Champagne™ for him and Monica. But I don’t see them getting drunk on anything other than love. At least one good thing came from Ross’s wedding!

Elsewhere, Ross is now starting to go fully crazy, harassing Emily’s family as he tries to get in touch with her. It’s a difficult situation, how would you get a person to re-open a dialogue after something like that? But he’s rewarded for bad behaviour, as she finally relents, if only to tell him to bugger off.

Being rewarded for your behaviour is a bit of a theme, as Phoebe and Joey are arguing over whether any deed is truly selfless.

I’d say David the Science Guy’s wife planning a scavenger hunt for his birthday is pretty selfless. But then she got the fun of taking part, judging who’s the best; and incorporating her love of mediaeval shipping into it.

Hrrm, like Phoebe I’m struggling to think of a selfless deed. Which I doubt will surprise my wife as she thinks it's an alien concept to me. I think I’m with Joey on this one; people claiming to act selflessly usually get something out of it. Even if it’s just satisfaction.

But what’s wrong with that? This whole question seems irrelevant to me. If a person doing something for someone else gets something out of it too, doesn’t it give people MORE motivation to put a little goodness in the world? What’s wrong with things being mutually beneficial?

If we had a little more kindness, even for selfish reasons, maybe people like Phoebe wouldn’t grow up living in a box??

Perhaps Emily and Ross would find it easier to patch things up if either of them were willing to act selflessly? Alas, there’s a big difference between donating a bit of money to charity and leaving your family behind in another country. If I were Emily I certainly wouldn’t move to America after that wedding. But Ross can’t leave his kid either… So Emily is prepared to act “selflessly” and move to America. But only if Ross cuts out Rachel from his life…

Isn’t cutting a spouse off from their friends one of the first signs of domestic abuse? God this is a level of complexity my hung-over brain did not expect Friends™ to throw at it.

For the second time in a row I’ve been jolted by a sudden switch to sad, as Ross decides to let Rachel go at her own (unknowing) insistence. Well I guess that’s the end of Friends™ then? It’s been fun…

To be fair, given Rachel was barely in the episode and I didn’t even notice, I say go for it Ross! Similarly, Rachel Number 2 was only at part of the scavenger hunt, and on the other team so I didn’t see her! Certainly missed her more than the real Rachel. Oh man, now Friends™ is starting to interfere and cutting me off from MY friends.

Hey, Ross, wait! Rachel’s given you the right advice; so you can’t lose her! You need to keep people like that in your life!!!

Real Live Sitcom Moment:

A little bit grim, this one…

My night’s sleep was very broken as I struggled to digest my beers.

Eventually it was too much to take and I stumbled to the bathroom, where I loosed the fury of the last couple of pints through my face, like a fresher at a rugby club initiation. Only without the pig’s head and piss.

After flushing I stared forlornly at the bowl, getting ready to clean the seat, when my wife habitually came in and immediately took her usual position on the throne.

I’m sure I looked triply pale at this point, and her concern for me must have been strong, as she got quite a way into asking if I was OK before realising what she’d done. And coldly asking me to turn the shower on for her.

That’ll be the last time she asks me to leave the seat down.

ONE HUNDRED EPISODES.

We did it.

Thank you, thank you!

You may hold your applause…

What do you mean there are 136 episodes still to go?!

JESUS.

Well, there’s no time to be sad.

IT’S BABY TIME.

“The One With the Halloween Party”

Yep, Friends™ marks its 100th episode, not with a lame clip show, or an extra-long cameo stuffed bonanza (as so many lesser shows do), but with a fantastic, and surprisingly moving, episode as Phoebe finally gives birth to her brothers babies.

It’s a timeless tale of love, and incest against the odds… hang on. I think I’ve got confused with Game of Thrones™.

It’s great to have Frank Jnr back. Even if his absence matches that of my own half-brother. Or, indeed, my own my absence in my sisters life. Think I’ve seen her about five times since she gave birth?

Despite the humour, it all builds to an incredibly sad ending as Phoebe must give up the babies. It’s easily up there with some of the best turns in comedy since. Bojack Horseman™, The Good Place™, Extras™ (I’m sure I’ve missed loads) I don’t think we would have had any of the best moments in these shows without Friends™ showing you can do comedy and emotion together.

This time it’s all down to Lisa Kudrow, no doubt channelling all the emotion of recently becoming a mother herself, and making me and my wife cry on the sofa.

The episode plays with the blurring of real life and film too. First with Joey’s attempts to document everything with his video camera, and making a video for the baby. It’s the early days of Selfie™ culture. And I’m definitely gona be the sort of parent who does videos like that. Are you even pregnant if it’s not on Facebook™?

And I’m not the only one obsessed with a popular TV show now! Phoebe’s doctor likes the Fonz from Happy Days™ a little bit too much, which isn’t reassuring her. What if I end up like him? A highly paid professional helping the species continue? God it’d be awful…

But, hey, I’d be played by Sam Anderson. Best known for his great turns in cult geek shows Lost™ and Angel™, as well as popping up in X-Files™ and Star Trek: The Next Generation™ among others.

Stick that in your pop culture obsession pipe and smoke it.

Yet, for some reason, Phoebe doesn’t like him? I don’t care if he’s a bit too obsessed, man’s a healthcare professional. You should trust him. Phoebe wanting a different doctor reminds me of a recent news story. An NHS™ doctor of Asian descent being interviewed and talking of his shock at a racist patient asking for a different person to perform a life saving operation on him.

Even Friends™, the poster child for poor representation of B.A.M.E. character’s, does better than this, with Joey treated by an Asian doctor after suddenly coming down with Kidney stones. It’s another classic gender swap joke (“what if one of the guys goes through all the tropes of a pregnancy scene”) that works well.

Although the show loses any 21st Century points gained by the doctor’s casting by Joey introducing Frank Jnr’s kids to Playboy™ before they’re even born. Ah well, you can’t have everything.

But, fuck, I tell you what I was NOT expecting that ending. Give an Emmy to the baby that reached out for a high five.

Real Live Sitcom Moment:

As Friends™ celebrates their 100th episode, we celebrated Halloween™.

Or, more accurately, me and my wife celebrated with some of her mates, as none of mine showed up.

My hopes weren’t high to be honest, given the silence every time I posted about it in the WhatsApp™ group. And I don’t really blame them given its either side of Chandler Number 2 and David the Science Guy’s birthdays. But we’ve definitely crossed a rubicon now; from people saying no to things they can’t make, to any events requiring active consent before going ahead. Welcome, to your thirties…

Fair play to them though for coming to the party in the end, dressed as my fear that they wouldn’t come.

The hunt continues for Monica Number 2’s new job.

I suggested they’d be good doing something with their hands. Before remembering a psychic once told my wife I would work with my hands, and that it’s a huge cop-out as all jobs involve using your hands.

We floated a few other ideas, joining Ross in insurance, Chandler in the civil service. Joey in whatever the hell they do. (Something with computers… Transpondster?)

You should play to your strengths… you like cats? How about something really leftfield... Battersea cats home?

“Oh, they’re not hiring”

“You… you’ve already checked?”

“Of course, it was the first place I looked.”

“OK then…”

What’s the best job for someone who loves pointless facts, and being right all the time…

Stay at home dad!

I don’t think they’re quite ready for that. And also they’d lose some serious Monica points.

They seem pretty content just taking a break for a while. Hopefully they’ll see the light and start a new life as a head chef any day now.

“The One With the Over-Enthusiastic Bridesmaid”

Except for the job thing, Monica Number 2 is pretty divorced from Monica at the moment.

Real Monica’s finally sorted her career out, and is in the throes of passion. Not to suggest my Monica’s relationship is missing any passion, but, ya know, they are a few years in. Plus Monica’s fling is with Chandler, so I’m sure Monica Number 2 isn’t that disappointed to not be matching her.

With our Chandler in Egypt I would be quite the commute for a sexy bubble bath.

I’m surprised Chonica are going straight into the heavy romance with their bubble bath. But it makes for a great scene.

It’s cute how into each other they are already. My wife and I agreed getting them together is the best decision the show makes, breathing new life into it as it’s at risk of getting stale, and also offering the most realistic portrayal of what being in a relationship is actually like. Though for now it’s secret (if very poorly hidden).

I’m not convinced the others wouldn’t guess something’s up when Chandler starts kissing everyone to cover a slip up. He’d certainly get more flack from Phoebe and Rachel nowadays, I’d hope. You certainly can’t pass off such behaviour as being “European” anymore.

Anyone who’s had mates go on holiday without them will be familiar with Phoebe’s feelings at the moment. FOMO dialled up to 11 now the guys are back from England. They try and make her feel better with a spur of moment holiday to Atlantic City. I think of all the quirky sitcom things that have happened in the last 4 years, the most unrealistic is six friends dropping everything and planning a spur of the moment holiday.

And now the question on everyone’s lips… Is Rachel still in Athens?

Well, she was… As I expected this gets cleared up pretty quick. It’s a little annoying. They play with our expectations with her pretending not to be angry at Ross for stranding her. But then, by the end of the episode, it’s all done and dusted anyway, as she finally comes clean about her love.

Great timing Rachel, I know he’s a prick but hasn’t Ross got enough on his plate?

Rachel needs to wake up and smell the coffee. He’s married. Even if he hasn’t even spoken to Emily since the wedding. As they (almost) lay everything on the table in Central Perk, Rachel starts laughing. Ross agrees: it is funny. (Fortunately for us, seeing as it’s a sitcom).

Earlier in the episode, Rachel gets Monica to make her decisions for her. Someone else making all your decisions for you… isn’t Ross the one who just got married? (Badumsh…)

But as Monica tries to help Rachel get over Ross, we’re all there wanting her to JUST TELL HIM HOW SHE FEELS. If only she could ask the audience instead of phoning a friend.

And then she finally does tell him and, just like real life, it never goes the way you expect. It’s moments like this where David Schwimmer excels. We can all see what Ross wants to say to Rachel, even if she can’t and keeps interrupting “Yes, I know, you’re married.” So it is funny. But in a tragic way.

Maybe they both need to wake up and smell the coffee?

Real Live Sitcom Moment:

So it’s been yet another wedding this weekend. I think our third this year? It’s like the movie executive of our life has realised he’s onto a good thing. THREE RELEASES A YEAR! Same formula every-time. For now and forever. Maybe Scorsese does have a point?

This time it was the turn of an old school friend of ours. It didn’t quite turn into the school reunion I’d hoped for, with only a few left from the old days. I wonder what they’re all doing now… doing now… doing now…

But it was still fun and a good excuse to get drunk with my wife doing the driving for once. To be fair, I was supposed to be driving the way there but somehow all the trains home we’re cancelled. Honestly, who has a wedding on a Friday?

This lead to an exercise of military precision, with me triangulating the exact position where I could use public transport to get to my wife’s route to the venue at the exact point she would be there. And culminated in me suiting up in a car park, perfectly tieing my tie without a mirror as we walked into the venue. LIKE JAMES FREAKING BOND.

 Was she impressed? Not in the slightest.

This real life sitcom was rounded out with an excellent guest turn from a lady who I can only assume was Bridesmaid Number 4. After a rather forceful attempt to get us to sign the guest book early in the night we surmised she had been given this one responsibility. And god dammit, she was going to do it.

What followed was increasingly desperate attempts to harangue guests into signing the guestbook. Because, darn it, this is her one job, and she was going to smash the shit out of it. It all culminated in her taking the mic from the band to make an announcement, when I suspect almost everyone had already signed the book and just wanted to get on with dancing.

It must be hard wanting to do a job SO much you end up doing it badly. Oh shit, did I just accidentally empathise with Boris Johnson?

Ross, you moron.

Yet, as he says the wrong name at the altar, I feel like we’ve been here before.

Is it because it’s the fifth time I’ve started a season? We’re four years now into my quest to watch all of Friends™ as we age together.

Is it cause I’m married myself? Or even, it being Ross’s second attempt? This sense of Déjà vu.

Nah. It’s probably cause this isn’t the first wedding I’ve seen where the wrong name was said.

 “The One Where Seriously, Friends™ is Just Copying Me Now”

Ross isn’t the only one shooting around false names. Phoebe cunningly tries to dig him out his hole by telling Eddie from Ab Fab™ Ross has a rare condition where he gets names mistaken. Perhaps a more convincing pseudonym than ‘Doctor Phalange’ might have helped?

Ask any Zooarchaeologist and they’ll tell you, it’s a bit weird to essentially call yourself “Doctor Toe-bone”.

Funnily enough Doctor Phalange doesn’t save the day and Emily makes a swift getaway from the wedding.

I guess you might say she got…
 
….
 
COLD FEET™

It’s weird that, even though Ross is the one going through a real trauma (albeit, self-inflicted), the show focuses more on Rachel’s experience. You really feel for her when she hears him trying to convince Eddie and Nina Conti’s dad that Emily really is the only woman for him.

I guess it’s hard to get laughs from someone whose life’s just been ruined?

Although I’m familiar with the experience of your parents looking less than happy at your wedding this wedding couldn’t be further from my own. Least of all as there’s no way we could have afforded getting married in London.

I do like to think, if I were in Ross’s position, I’d totally go on the honeymoon by myself. Wouldn’t let  that go to waste! Even if it meant swanning around Vietnam with a bunch of pensioners. Hey, you never know, I may have had a lucky rebound with one of them!

Rachel’s wrong, however, Ross should CLEARLY not go by himself on the honeymoon. Man’s a mess. As he proves by immediately asking her to go with him… The big idiot.

Fair play to him for choosing Emily when she catches them, but I suspect it won’t do much good… Plus he’s, presumably, now got to deal with the fact he’s just stranded Rachel alone in Athens? Not very wise. (A little joke for fans of Ancient Greece there...)

Athens is an interesting choice for a honeymoon. I suppose it makes sense for a history buff like Ross. I don’t really think of it as a romantic destination? But the show is setting the bar quite low for a “foreign romantic city” with even London getting a pass, as Chandler and Monica excuse their fling. Do Americans really think London is romantic??

To think of all that hot granny love I missed out on…

Real Live Sitcom Moment:

We’ve been catching up a lot recently. First Ross Number 2’s birthday lunch, and then we went out to see a play by Rachel Number 1’s elderly father (speaking of large numbers of grannies…)

They were both nice and relaxing occasions, but I found out Monica Number 2 has been doing a much better job of being Monica than I thought. No secret mate bonking (that I’m aware of), but they’re currently in-between jobs with little idea of what they want to do next. What is this? Season two?!?

But really it’s just another example of what a poor Real Live Friend I am. I’ve been so wrapped up in my own stuff I had no idea Monica’s been unemployed for three whole months! Maybe I should try and find her a job?