17. The One With Unagi

Nitcentral's Bulletin Brash Reflections: Friends: Season 6: 17. The One With Unagi
First aired: 2/24/00

Story by Zachary Rosenblatt
Teleplay by Adam Chase
Directed by Gary Halvorson

---Guest Cast:
Louis Mandylor as Carl
James Michael Tyler as Gunther
Jill Matson as The Receptionist
Ron Recasner as The Doctor
Mongo Brownlee as The Instructor
Maggie Wheeler as Janice (voice only)

---Synopsis:
Rachel and Phoebe’s confidence following their taking a self-defense course prompts a series of challenges between them and Ross. Joey participates in another medical study to make money, one for which he isn’t exactly qualified. Chandler and Monica plan to celebrate Valentine’s Day by exchanging presents that they made themselves, but both forget until the last minute, unbeknownst to each other.
By LUIGI NOVI on Monday, March 29, 2004 - 4:01 pm:

---Great Rare Rebuff by a Woman of one of of Joey’s Pick-Up Lines:
(After Joey discovers there are no medical studies for which he is qualified…)
Joey: “Well, how about this one: Testing the effects of Joey Tribbiani on attractive nurse receptionists?”
Receptionist: “We already go the results back on that one, and they're not good.”

In the beginning of the episode, when Ross mentions to Rachel and Phoebe the Japanese concept of unagi, which he asserts is a state of total awareness, Phoebe and Rachel respond that unagi is sushi, specifically a salmon skin roll. Actually, unagi isn’t salmon, it’s freshwater eel. In Japanese, salmon skin is called sake. Chandler does come over to Ross’ apartment in Act 2 and tells him that it’s an eel, but even after he leaves and Rachel and Phoebe jump out from behind the curtains to scare Ross, Rachel continues the line about salmon skin roll.

After both Monica and Chandler forget to make each other their Valentine’s Day gifts, Monica tries to pass of one of Phoebe’s sock bunnies as her gift, and Chandler a mix tape of romantic music that Janice gave him for his birthday years ago. Monica fesses up first, and tries to make it up, but Chandler is eventually exposed himself when, as the tape plays during their romantic evening, Janice’s voice comes on, wishing Chandler a happy birthday. By the next Chandler/Monica scene, Chandler has gotten Monica to forgive him, but when Janice’s voice comes on a second time, Monica storms off to the bedroom, telling him that he won’t be sleeping with her that night. Why is this? Why is she getting angry all over again over the same thing if she already forgave him?


By Brian Fitzgerald on Tuesday, March 30, 2004 - 1:14 am:

Not a nit, it's just female.


By Dan Gunther on Tuesday, March 30, 2004 - 1:25 am:

Yeah, people are like that sometimes...


By kerriem on Tuesday, March 30, 2004 - 6:46 pm:

Not a nit, it's just female.

Yep. As much as I hate to play the 'women are more emotional' card, that's what's going on here. Monica's just having a viscerally feminine reaction (one that sitcom writers have been exploiting for decades, come to that...)


By John D on Wednesday, July 28, 2004 - 1:27 pm:

Great Lines

Monica:Anything you want in there!(points to Kitchen)Anything you want in there!(points to bedroom)

Later
Chandler: (points to kitchen)Anything you want in there!(points to bedroom)Anything you want in there!
Monica: (points to Kitchen)Yes you are!(points to Bedroom)Who are you kidding?


By LUIGI NOVI on Thursday, July 29, 2004 - 4:58 am:

Wasn't the "Who are you kidding?" line in reference to the kitchen, rather than the bedroom?


By Andre Reichenbacher (Amr) on Thursday, August 08, 2013 - 9:26 pm:

The ending. Oh, lord, that incredibly hilarious ending. It was one of my all-time favorite endings of the whole series. Where Ross actually attacks (in public!!) who he thinks are Rachel and Phoebe, who are NOT them, but only look like them from behind. And they watch him "attack", and then wonder if they should help, and then notice that the women don't seem to need any help!

And in the moment when Ross runs past the window, he looks in and sees them, and looks back at the two look-alikes and then runs away even more. And the audience absolutely erupts with laughter!

I swear, the expression on his face at that moment is priceless! I loved it! Yeah!


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