Hanging Out With Friends 06.19.08:The One Where Eddie Won't Go

Posted by Jerome Cusson on 06.19.2008

Self-motivation is for idiots.



Jennifer Aniston...Rachel Green
Courteney Cox...Monica Geller
Lisa Kudrow...Phoebe Buffay
Matt LeBlanc...Joey Tribbiani
Matthew Perry...Chandler Bing
David Schwimmer...Ross Gellar
Adam Goldberg...Eddie
June Gable...Estelle Leonard
James Michael Tyler...Gunther
Jason Graae...Casting Director
Tim Hutchinson...Supervisor

Written by Michael Curtis & Gregory S. Malins
Directed by Michael Lembeck

Original Airdate: March 28, 1996

Because Eddie won’t go.

Although the universe will be righted in this episode, I just can’t help but think if this storyline were two or three episodes longer, how much better it would have been. Honestly, the last few episodes of this seasons are decent but nothing all that special anyway. Building to a big Joey/Chandler reunion for the finale or anytime in sweeps would have been interesting and meant a lot more.

Sadly, Eddie does have to go because in the opening scene, he’s watching Chandler sleep. Chandler tosses Eddie out of the apartment. Funny start.

Joey has a new hat as we begin. He shows it off to the girls at the coffeehouse and is even using bigger words because of a word-of-the-day roll of toilet paper. Phoebe enters and talks about a new book called “Be Your Own Wnd Keeper.” Just kill me now. Self-help books, motivational speakers, and anyone resembling Dr. Phil or DDP’s character circa 2002 deserves to be burned at the stake. I have no use for that garbage, and for any of my readers who feel the need for self-help, allow me to steal a part of George Carlin’s routine. If you’re motivated enough to go to the bookstore to buy the damn book, you’re motivated enough to make your own life better. So put the book down, save your money, and enjoy life.

If nothing else, the whole women thinking that man take their wind or whatever is funny. Poor Joey even gets sucked into it too. After being yelled at for having a phallic cake, he then visits his agent for another job. He is offered a part by Estelle as a cab driver on another soap opera. Rachel does read the stupid book and turns her bitterness toward a very confused Ross. When did he steal her wind? I’m sorry. Who denied Ross for that many years, and then punished him for an additional three months for creating a stupid list?

Ross and Joey rightfully make fun of the book, and Joey makes it clear he doesn’t date women who read. Mr. Tribbiani gets his credit card bill, and at this point Ross urges him to audition for the part. The list of stores he names off is pretty funny too. The two friends then begin arguing. Boy, Ross and Joey are having a bad day.

Speaking of bad, Chandler walks into his apartment and Eddie scares the bajesus out of him. Eddie claims he doesn’t remember anything about the moving out thing. Joey orders a lemonade at the coffeehouse from Gunther, who says he was on All My Children. Well, things just worked swimmingly for him. Chandler is so paranoid, he’s sleeping at Monica’s. He is mortified when she finds her watching him sleep too.
Eddie is obsessed with dehydrating fruits and water balloons as Chandler once again tells him to get the hell out. Mr. Bing is insane at this point, and as Eddie grabs the goldfish out of the tank, it’s almost debatable who’s worse. Joey is at his audition, and things don’t go well. Joey can’t read, much like his dates. Monica, Phoebe, and Rachel take some sort of goddess quiz. Righteous forest? Lightning bearer? Who comes up with this shit?

The repo men (not Adam Pierce or Barry Darsow) come to collect Joey’s stuff. Ross apologizes for what he said earlier and is being supportive of his friend. He even helps Joey out by buying the white dog looking straight up. At Central Perk, the girls resolve their differences. PLEASE BURN THE BOOK! NOW! Chandler is just happy Eddie is gone. Nope, there he is. Eddie stole a mannequin head from Macy’s, and once again is either insane or loves to harass Chandler. Well, that’s the last straw as there’s only one way to settle this thing.

Eddie heads back to what he thinks is his apartment. Chandler answers the door and pretends not to know who Eddie is. Chandler has a roommate, and it’s Joey. Burt and Ernie are reunited. All is right with the world. In the last scene, Chandler and Joey bring the dog out so Ross can see it.

The “How you Doin’ moment?”Funniest Lines/Moments: Chandler and Joey are roommates again.

The “Oh no!” moment (weakest moment of the episode): I’m usually not in favor of burning books, but I want to make an exception in this one case.

FRIENDS TRIVIA REVEALED!: Rachel, Monica, and Phoebe are all typical females who’ve slept with each other’s boyfriends.

Before I end this review, I wanted to promote a very candid and insightful interview with independent wrestling superstar Tyler Black. If you're an ROH fan or just a fan of him through IWA-MS, PWG, or FIP, then please check out his interview HERE.

The 411: I stand by everything I said, but it is good to have Joey and Chandler pulling off their hijinks together. One of the big reasons the show suffered in the last three to four seasons is because those weren’t allowed to be their stupid selves together. Although, I could live without hearing the phrase lightning bearer ever again.

Final Score:  8.0   [ Very Good ]