Throwback Thursday - Friends - The One Where Monica Gets a Roommate

Throwback Thursday, a weekly article in which we look back at our favorite TV episodes from over the years.

Hi, everybody! I'm filling in for Robert Fruin this week for Throwback Thursday article. This is my first time doing this and I am happy to contribute to this. I chose Friends as one of my favorite shows to do. I had to decide which episode I was going to write for. In the end, I chose to do the very first episode to those who have never seen the show and/or want to re-live through this show again via Netflix.

This image below are credited to Friends-Central.com, Warner Bros, and NBC for letting me using this image below:

Review
The episode begins with Monica (Courteney Cox) telling her friends about her "wine date" named Paul. This causes Chandler (Matthew Perry), Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow), and Joey (Matt LeBlanc) to start teasing her. Then Monica's older brother, Ross (David Schwimmer) finds out that his now ex-wife is a lesbian and she moved out his stuff, which upsets him. Phoebe, the goofy one in the friends group tries to play with him but he doesn't like it.

Then, we see a woman, Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) in her wedding dress. Monica recognizes her and they hug. It is revealed that they went to high school together. She tells her and her friends that she left her fiancé, Barry at the altar. At the apartment, she also finds out that her father will not give her any more money. She then tells him on the phone that she will stay with Monica, which she agrees to. Then, she introduces her "wine date" to her friends.

Ross gets help from Chandler and Joey to build new furniture for his new place and he tells the men that he hopes that a woman could be compatible for him. Monica's date with Paul goes very well that night and she could not even be more happier.

The next day, Rachel serves coffee to Chandler and Joey at Monica's apartment. It is revealed that Monica and Paul slept together and her three friends are trying to butt in because they want to know what they are discussing. Joey continues to tease Monica. Chandler's a data analyst, Monica cooks at a restaurant, and Joey acts for a living. Rachel hopes that she tries to find a job. At work, her colleague lets her know that Paul has a reputation for sleeping more than one woman.

At the coffee shop, Monica is disappointed about Paul's true colors. Joey continues to tease her but she slaps him. Then, Rachel is upbeat and her friends thought she went shopping because she got a job. However, she used her credit card to do this, which her father pays for. Then, her friends try to convince her to cut all of the credit cards so she can pay stuff without the assistance of her parents. She finally cuts all of the cards.

At the end of the night, Ross admits to Rachel that he has a crush on her and asks if she wants to go out with him. She replies to him, "Maybe". The next day, Rachel gets a job at the coffee shop, which impresses her friends.

Memorable Quotes
Ross: You know, you probably didn't know this, but back in high school, I had a major crush on you.
Rachel: I knew.
Ross: You did. Oh... I always figured you just thought I was Monica's geeky older brother.
Rachel: I did.

Monica (to Rachel): Welcome to the real world. It sucks. You're going to love it.

Verdict
I really enjoyed this episode and first watched it with my parents back when it first aired on NBC and have watched it over and over again in syndication and Netflix. What really impressed me was how the characters clicked with one another. This is one of the reasons why the show lasted 10 years and was a success throughout. I was lucky enough that my mother let me watch Friends on Thursdays when it first aired on NBC. On nights that I could not because I had to go to school the next day, I would easily tape the episode. The pilot emphasized about living on your own but also if you choose the right people to support you, you will succeed in it.