Friends S2:E10 – Good Monday, Friendsters and happy new year to each and every one of you. I hope everyone has shaken off the “returning to work” depression that probably set in last night after football ended (J-E-T-S…GO JETS!! Too soon?) and is having a productive first Monday of 2016. Personally, I’m happy to be back to work and I’m fired up to embark on another amazing year of writing witty and insightful pop culture content for theLeftAhead. Who knows? This year I might even venture out and take on some extra assignments on top of my Friends column. Rumor is Disney has some new space movie that is getting good word of mouth. Perhaps I should try to beat everyone else to the punch and write a post about this war in the stars thing before it catches on? At any rate, enough of my tongue and cheek posturing. Despite how much I know that you’ve come to enjoy my sarcasm, given that it is the first workday of the year and everyone has a thousand things on our to-do lists as well as New Year’s resolutions to break before the end of business today (I mean uphold all year), I plan on keeping our first 2016 foray into the Friends universe short and sweet.
When last we left our buddies, Ross was coming to terms with the fact that he’d almost had Rachel as his girlfriend, but somehow “pulled a Monica” and let her slip through his fingers during the unfortunate “pros and cons” computer incident of 1995. While he has had a few weeks to come to terms with the reality that he is not dating Rachel, Ross now has to come to terms with the idea of her dating someone else. To make matters worse, the someone else Rachel is dating is Russ, someone who is eerily similar in looks and personality to Ross. So much so that, in the words of Chandler Bing, “if we ever lose Ross, we have a spare.” Luckily, Rachel’s attraction to Russ is short lived. It finally dawns on her that she is dating a Ross clone because of an altercation that arises between the two doctors after Ross demonstrates a superior knowledge of the periodic table. While competing over a crossword puzzle, Ross correctly answers mendelevium to a question that Russ had incorrectly guessed dysprosium. The ensuing quarrel between the two doctors finally allows Rachel to realize how alike they are and as a consequence makes mendelevium the hero of today’s episode. Thank you, mendelevium for allowing Ross to show up Russ and demonstrate to Rachel that she is going for the rebound harder than Dennis Rodman. On top of that, as it turns out, Rachel’s trash is our old friend Julie’s treasure. I think it’s safe to say that mendelevium is Cupid’s favorite element because as a result of Rachel dumping Russ…Julie and Russ have a chance encounter at Central Perk that sparks a love connection. And we here at theLeftAhead could not be happier for Julie to have found her Russ. After the way Ross Geller did her dirty to be with Rachel, we’re overjoyed that Julie storyline has a happy ending. Going back to our hero (MENDELEVIUM aka THE MIGHTY MIGHTY MD) it’s a new year and apparently the major issue concerning the periodic table is population control. That’s right, mendelevium. While you’re saving twenty-something waitresses from disastrous relationships, you better also guard your corner because Elements 113, 115, 117, and 128 have officially been relocated to the neighborhood. Will the new elements on the periodic table prove to be as heroic as our good friend mendelevium? Only time will tell. One thing is for sure. Whether it’s 1996 or 2016…mendelevium is there for you.
Recap in the Key of Phoebe – This is the one where Rachel rebounds from the Ross debacle by dating a doctor who reminds people of Bob Saget, Joey is forced to decide if he is willing to use sex as a means for advancing his career, Monica convinces Fun Bobby to stop drinking which results in her dating Ridiculously Dull Bobby, Chandler gets pleasure out of meddling in the interaction between Ross and Russ, Phoebe tries to wake Rachel up to the fact that Russ is spookily similar to Ross, and Ross aka Weenie Number One gets Russ out of the picture by winning a debate about mendelevium.
Gandalf Gaffes – None. Flawless episode!
Chan Man Quip of the Week – [The Setup] Joey is at home making boatloads of marinara sauce and filling up every container with it that he can get his hands on. Chandler comes home and notices the ridiculous amount of sauce that Joey is making and inquires about what’s going on. He says, “Whoa, whoa, so I’m guessing you didn’t get the part, or… uh, Italy called and said it was hungry.” Joey responds, “Well, the part’s mine if I want it.” Excited, Chandler exclaims, “Oh my God!” However, Joey continues, “Yeah, if I’m willing to sleep with the casting lady.” Chandler repeats himself (this time in an exacerbated tone), “Oh my God!” Visibly distraught over his dilemma, Joey elaborates, “Ten years I’ve been waiting for a break like this Chandler, ten years! I mean, Days of Our Lives. That’s actually on television.” Chandler follows with the obvious question, “So, what’re you gonna do?” Joey, seemingly torn on which direction he is leaning, responds, “Well, I guess I could sleep with her… I mean, how could I do that?” [The Knockout] Chandler (unable to allow Joey to lob a softball right over the plate) smashes it with, “Well, I… I’ve got a pop-up book that told me everything I need to know.”
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Headline Image Source: Chemical Elements.com