- 4 months ago
From drunken Vegas weddings to iconic proposals, season six of "Friends" delivered unforgettable moments! Join us as we look back at Ross's messy divorce from Rachel, Monica and Chandler's relationship evolution, and all the quotable moments in between. Bruce Willis guest stars, "The Routine" becomes legendary, and we learn the true meaning of Unagi.
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00:00Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and today we're looking at the moments that defined the sixth season of Friends.
00:10Well, we didn't get married.
00:12Married? That's ridiculous.
00:14The one with the season recap.
00:16Last time we caught up with Friends, Monica and Chandler were about to get married, only to realize they'd been beaten to the chapel.
00:23We always assumed Ross and Rachel would be endgame, but not like this.
00:27And clearly, they didn't quite picture it like this either.
00:30This is not a marriage! This is the world's worst hangover!
00:33What follows is arguably one of Ross's messiest divorces.
00:36In no small part because, well, he makes some pretty poor choices.
00:40Meanwhile, Monica and Chandler realize they might not be ready for marriage, but perhaps there's another step they could take.
00:47Live together. There've been no signs for that.
00:51Me asking is kind of a sign?
00:57Yes, yes!
00:59Okay!
01:00Yes!
01:01So the girls' apartment becomes Monica and Chandler's home, while Rachel moves in with Phoebe.
01:06Meanwhile, Joey finds a new roommate, a dancer called Janine, played by Al McPherson.
01:11Ross also gets a new job this season, or at least his British counterpart does.
01:15Imagine his consternation when...
01:18Oh, bloody hell.
01:24It's also where he meets Elizabeth, a student he dates for a while.
01:27That's not his only romantic interest this season that had us raising an eyebrow.
01:31Isn't there some rule about dating your ex's sister?
01:34Even if she is played by Reese Witherspoon.
01:36You're not at home. You're right here.
01:39Yeah, I know.
01:42And I bet you thought it would be weird.
01:44But it's not.
01:46Indeed, Friends went particularly hard on guest stars this season.
01:50We've already name-dropped two, but here are a few more for you to pick up.
01:54Conchata Farrell plays the judge in Ross and Rachel's annulment.
01:57Ralph Lauren shows up as himself.
01:59Ron Glass plays Ross' divorce lawyer.
02:01And Bruce Willis plays Elizabeth's dad.
02:04This season also gave us so many talking points, from Rachel's trifle to Ross and Monica's routine.
02:10When the snippy guy sees the routine, he'll want to build us our own platform.
02:14Then, of course, we also learned what it meant to have a total state of awareness.
02:18Weirdly, this season also featured what appeared to be just a very long commercial for Pottery Barn.
02:23That fan kind of looks like ours, and the birdcage, and...
02:27Wait a second, this is our exact living room!
02:30We also got another Cliffs episode.
02:32Apparently, one of six we'd get over the ten seasons.
02:36We also got an alternate universe double feature with the one that could have been.
02:50Finally, we got the proposal that truly set the standard for the romantic moment we'd want when our time comes.
02:56The one where Ross gets divorced, again.
02:58Okay, perhaps that title isn't entirely fair, but come on, he's definitely out in the lead in the divorce tally.
03:05What are you guys gonna do?
03:07Oh, I guess we just find a divorce lawyer?
03:09Well, I think, I think, Ross already has one.
03:15Now, this one's free, right?
03:16Because you paid for the first two, so you get the third one for free.
03:19But let's go back a second.
03:20In the season five finale, Ross and Rachel drunkenly get married and have no recollection of it the following day.
03:26It's not ideal, but it is reasonable grounds for an annulment.
03:30Unfortunately for Ross, it drags up every insecurity he's been carrying for years,
03:35and pushes him into some truly terrible decisions.
03:38Well, I tried, but when I got to my lawyer's office, all I could hear was,
03:42Three divorces! Three divorces!
03:45Look, I just don't want my tombstone to read Ross Geller, Three Divorces.
03:49What was he thinking? That Rachel would never find out?
03:52Of course, it all blows up.
03:54On the surface, it's selfish, and yet another reason Ross hasn't aged well with some fans.
03:59But underneath, it reveals something much sadder.
04:02Ross is still haunted by his romantic past,
04:05which leads him to make the kinds of decisions that make us scream at him through our TVs.
04:09First marriage, wife's hidden sexuality, not my fault.
04:13Second marriage, said the wrong name at the altar, a little my fault.
04:19Third marriage, well, they really shouldn't allow you to get married when you're that drunk
04:24and have writing all over your face. Nevada's fault.
04:27His desperation to hold on to this marriage, in some twisted way,
04:31makes him unbelievably infuriating, but also strangely human.
04:35Not that we're justifying a single one of his choices.
04:38No, they were all bad.
04:40Honestly, we needed to see the one where Ross goes to therapy.
04:43Look, Ross, you can't get an annulment unless you and Rachel are both there.
04:48Uh-huh.
04:49What about someone who looks like Rachel?
04:54I will think about the therapy.
04:56It takes five episodes for Ross and Rachel to close this chapter,
04:59and we wouldn't have blamed her if she'd cut Ross off for good after that.
05:03Instead, this arc gets a surprisingly compassionate ending,
05:07one that reminds us that this love story is far from over.
05:10I know I divorced a lot of women.
05:16Never thought I'd be divorcing you.
05:19I know.
05:20I always thought if you and I got married, that would be the one that stuck.
05:24The one where Ross dates a student.
05:26We imagine Ross and Rachel needed a cooling-off period after that whole divorce debacle,
05:31so in the meantime, they go on to date other people.
05:33Although there should really be some code about dating siblings,
05:37It's too weird for you. I won't see her again.
05:39Thank you. I, yeah.
05:40I mean, after tomorrow night.
05:42No, no, no. No, no, no, no. Please, Ross, I can't. I can't do it.
05:44Okay, okay. Oh, okay, okay, okay.
05:46Yet Ross's biggest relationship this season is with one of his students, Elizabeth.
05:51Age gap aside, the fact that he is her professor makes this relationship far more troubling
05:55than the series wanted to admit.
05:57Sure, they address the fact that it's actually forbidden in the university's rulebook,
06:01but that just makes them want each other more.
06:03It's wrong. It's, it's, it's naughty.
06:08It's taboo.
06:12Shut the book.
06:15Once again, Ross proves to be rather controlling in this relationship,
06:19letting those familiar demons from his past overrule any rational thought the second he feels insecure.
06:25In the end, it takes a water balloon to wash reality over him.
06:29However, did you know that there was a whole other plan for this relationship?
06:32Ross, wait!
06:34Elizabeth, thank God, I was just thinking about...
06:37You suck!
06:40What?
06:42The season six finale holds a very special place in our hearts,
06:46but apparently it could have looked very different.
06:49Originally, Elizabeth was going to come back into Ross's life to announce that she was pregnant.
06:53You brought protection, right?
06:55What, are there like bears or something?
06:56Oh, oh, oh, protection.
07:03Yeah, no, yeah, no, that, that, that I forgot.
07:06Season seven would see Ross deal with that bombshell,
07:08only to learn in that season's finale that the baby's not his.
07:12So why did they abandon that plan?
07:14Well, firstly, how would you feel if you spent a whole season investing in a storyline that ended up going nowhere?
07:20Yeah, exactly.
07:21Okay, breakup's still on.
07:25It's also not the first time Ross finds out that he's going to parent a child with an ex,
07:29and the writers already knew it wouldn't be the last.
07:32But that's a story for another time.
07:34We also can't talk about this relationship without mentioning Elizabeth's father, Paul,
07:38a role that won Bruce Willis an Emmy.
07:40I'm just a love machine.
07:43I'm just a love machine.
07:47Don't worry about it.
07:48But you have a baby bear.
07:51That's even more impressive and kind of funny when you know how he ended up on Friends in the first place.
07:56You see, Willis and Matthew Perry had just starred together in the whole nine yards.
08:01Willis wasn't convinced it would be a hit, but Perry was, so they made a bet.
08:05If the movie crushed it at the box office, Willis would guest star on Friends.
08:09Sure enough, it pulled in $106 million and even got a not-so-great sequel.
08:15Willis kept his word and then donated his fee to several charities.
08:19He really is the man.
08:20Because you're a neat guy.
08:25You are the man.
08:28You are the man.
08:30The one with all the water cooler moments.
08:33There were so many moments this season that we couldn't wait to talk about with our own friends.
08:37Oh my god! Is everybody getting married?
08:40For instance, sure, Monica and Chandler didn't get married.
08:43But who else had spotted the homage to Courtney Cox and David Arquette, who had gotten married between seasons?
08:48Another unforgettable Thanksgiving episode proved just how perfectly Friends worked in the bottle format.
08:54So, now, Rach, this is a traditional English trifle, isn't it?
08:58It sure is.
08:58Wow.
08:59So, then, did you make it with beef or eggplant?
09:02Beef.
09:02I can't have any, you know, I don't eat beef.
09:05Oh!
09:07It allowed everyone to show off their comedy chops while showing why this dynamic has kept audiences hooked for six seasons.
09:13The infamous English trifle gag became instantly iconic, teaching us two valuable lessons.
09:19Never mix beef with dessert.
09:21And sometimes, friendship means pretending to enjoy something even if it tastes like feet.
09:25It tastes like feet.
09:29I like it.
09:35Are you kidding?
09:36What's not to like?
09:37Custard?
09:38Good.
09:39Jam?
09:40Good.
09:40Meat?
09:41Good.
09:41It also marked a huge point in Monica and Chandler's relationship.
09:46It turns out the Gellers aren't big Chandler fans, thanks to Ross.
09:49I got high in my bedroom and my parents walked in and smelled it and so I told them that you had gotten stoned and jumped out the window.
09:57He's forced to clear Chandler's name, leading to a hilarious cascade of secrets being revealed.
10:02In short, its chaotic, rapid-fire humor and high-stakes revelations quickly made this episode a fan favorite.
10:08Monica and Chandler are living together!
10:11Ross married Rachel in Vegas and got divorced!
10:18Again!
10:20I love Jacques Cousteau!
10:25I wasn't supposed to put beef in the trifle!
10:28Staying in the holiday spirit, few sitcom dances are as burned into our brains as the routine.
10:34Is it really that good?
10:35What?
10:36We got honorable mention in the brother-sister dance category.
10:40Look, it's almost fake midnight.
10:42Do we really have any other choice?
10:43You know, the one Monica and Ross whip out at the taping of Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve?
10:47The one we know every step of, like one of those dances we choreographed with our own friends as kids.
11:01But did you know it was choreographed by Robin Antin, the very same one who went on to put together the Pussycat Dolls?
11:07She was told to make it, quote, extremely funny and over-the-top, but we needed to believe that Ross and Monica truly thought they were doing something special.
11:15Do we really need to ask who's going up on the platform next?
11:18By the way, this isn't the only time she choreographed on Friends.
11:31We have two words for you, Danny DeVito.
11:34Anyway, Antin praised Courtney Cox and David Schwimmer for how quickly they picked up the choreo, and for the Geller flourishes, they added.
11:41Fans still can't hear that song without busting out these moves.
11:48Just maybe make sure you know who's lifting who, or whom, before you get to that bit,
11:57or make sure you've both developed a more heightened sense of awareness.
12:01Yes, that does bring us to another season highlight.
12:04In this episode, Rachel and Phoebe take up self-defense classes,
12:07but Ross thinks he alone can impart the most important lesson of all.
12:11And there's a concept you should really be familiar with.
12:14It's what the Japanese call unagi.
12:18Isn't that a kind of sushi?
12:22Before this, like Rachel, Phoebe, and even Chandler, we too thought unagi was just freshwater eel.
12:28But oh, how wrong we were.
12:31Maybe they took a cue from the whole pivot gag last season,
12:34but it was clear the writers had found a formula that worked.
12:37Danger!
12:38What the hell was that?
12:45A lesson in the importance of unagi.
12:49Ross latches onto something with all his might.
12:52No one else takes him seriously.
12:54And he doubles down by repeating the same word until it becomes a cultural touchstone.
12:59It also allows the cast to show off their physical comedy talents.
13:02Unagi is a short, quirky, and easy-to-repeat phrase,
13:05making it a classic quotable moment that still pops up in conversation, memes, and social media decades later.
13:12Danger!
13:12Ah, salmon skin roll.
13:23The one that could have been.
13:25As we mentioned earlier, Friends gave us another clip show this season in the one with mac and cheese.
13:30However, they also broke the usual sitcom structure by imagining alternate realities for our six leads.
13:36Did you guys think if all those things happened, we'd still hang out?
13:40In this world, Rachel married Barry, Monica was still fuller-figured,
13:44Phoebe became a stockbroker, Joey wasn't fired from Days of Our Lives,
13:48Chandler quit his job to focus on writing, and Ross and Carol had never gotten divorced.
13:54All this to answer the key question, would they all still be friends if these realities had panned out?
13:59And the short answer is yes.
14:01In this universe, the typically shallow Chandler and Monica still get together too.
14:05Hey, lobsters always find their way to each other, right?
14:08I'm the ruptured spleen.
14:12Why would you do that?
14:13Because you shouldn't be with him.
14:19You should be with me.
14:20Plus, who hasn't had those what-if conversations?
14:23And how great would it have been to see them play out?
14:26This was a bold move for the series, which was typically driven by consistency and familiarity,
14:31but it showed that the creators were willing to take risks and explore character dynamics in fresh and creative ways.
14:37Indeed, it was really fun to see these characters in new lights and watch the actors stretch out a little more.
14:43You're in my office.
14:45Look, I have made a lot of cash for this company, okay?
14:48I am talking big bucks.
14:50It was a brilliant example of pushing beyond the usual sitcom formula,
15:01and we loved it almost as much as the main takeaway that no matter where life took them,
15:06they'd always be friends.
15:07Even better, Phoebe would have still found her way to music.
15:10Tell all your hate and anger, it's time to say goodbye,
15:15and that is just what I will do as soon as those bastards I worked for die.
15:23La-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la.
15:27The one with the product placement.
15:29It's not uncommon for TV shows, movies, and other forms of entertainment to double as advertisements.
15:35Oh, I love these little drawers.
15:37Oh, look, look, it says that it holds 300 CDs.
15:41Ah, just like the apothecary tables of yore.
15:43From a marketing perspective, it's brilliant for widening your reach.
15:47From a storytelling perspective, though, it can be hit or miss,
15:50depending on how naturally it's integrated into the story.
15:54Friends made it painfully obvious,
15:56centering a whole storyline around Pottery Barn,
15:58yet it fits so seamlessly that we barely noticed.
16:01Can we please just cover this up with something, please?
16:03What? No, no, I am not gonna hide it from Phoebe.
16:06Oh, although I did get some great Pottery Barn sheets.
16:09Oh, I forgot they made sheets.
16:14Yeah.
16:14Of course, Phoebe would hate Pottery Barn.
16:17That's hardly out of character.
16:19Meanwhile, we barely realize the amount of product placement
16:22blatantly being laid out before us.
16:24Phoebe even comes around in the end.
16:26Are you saying that you would move out if I didn't buy that lamp?
16:30No, I'm not gonna move out.
16:31Are you saying that you would move out if I didn't buy that lamp?
16:35Oh, yes!
16:38I would so move out.
16:39Okay, then I don't have a choice.
16:41I have to buy that lamp.
16:42That's right.
16:43Some people saw it as nothing more than a cash grab
16:46to cover high production costs,
16:47but Pottery Barn insisted they didn't sponsor the show,
16:50although they had sent over some items.
16:53Either way, it was a win.
16:55Years later, phones continued to light up with catalog requests
16:58whenever the episode re-aired.
16:59All I could think about is how I don't have that lamp!
17:04But then, honey, buy the lamp!
17:07Hey, we have that 60 bucks from Ross!
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17:24The one that could have been the series finale,
17:27a.k.a. the one with the proposal.
17:30Back at the start of the season,
17:31Monica and Chandler realized that perhaps
17:33they weren't quite ready for marriage yet,
17:35no matter what the universe tried to tell them.
17:37We're doing the right thing, right?
17:38Oh, of course we are.
17:40We left it up to fate.
17:42If we were supposed to get married,
17:44there would be a clear-cut sign.
17:49Instead, they took another huge step in their relationship.
17:52This wasn't just a milestone for them.
17:54It marked the end of one era for the gang
17:56and the start of the next.
17:58For a character known for commitment issues,
18:01Chandler's growth was both surprising and satisfying,
18:04proving once and for all
18:05that Monica and Chandler were meant to be.
18:08The double feature finale kept everyone on edge,
18:10with Chandler all too convincingly
18:12taking marriage off the table
18:13and Richard throwing a spanner into the works.
18:16Fair would have been you wanting to marry me back then,
18:19or fair would be Chandler wanting to marry me now.
18:21Believe me, nothing about this is fair.
18:24Nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing,
18:26nothing, nothing, nothing.
18:27The writers carefully considered Richard's role in this arc
18:30before even asking Tom Selleck to reprise his role.
18:33It was important to them that his appearance
18:34had the right impact on this story,
18:36and oh boy did it pay off.
18:38You go get her, Chandler.
18:43And can I give you a piece of advice?
18:44If you do get her,
18:47don't let her go.
18:50Trust me.
18:51And then came the proposal.
18:53It's hard to overstate the scene's impact.
18:56This was Friends at its best,
18:57bringing together humor and heart
18:59without tipping into overly saccharine.
19:01You wanted it to be a surprise.
19:02It reminded us why Monica and Chandler belong together
19:12while also delivering gut punch, joy, and happy tears.
19:15The moment has lived on in pop culture for a reason,
19:18appearing on countless best proposals
19:20and best episodes lists.
19:22Monica,
19:23will you marry me?
19:26Fun fact,
19:33the real reason Ross misses out on this monumental moment
19:36is because David Schwimmer was filming
19:38Band of Brothers overseas.
19:40Oh no, wait, no, this is wrong.
19:42Ross isn't here.
19:45Oh hell, he's done this three times.
19:47He knows what it's about.
19:50What makes this moment even more special
19:52is that it could have been the series finale.
19:54Not just the season six finale.
19:57The cast was still negotiating their salaries
19:59and the finale nearly aired
20:01without the pay agreement settled.
20:02With a raise to $750,000 per episode
20:06and two more seasons signed,
20:08the deal came through just four days
20:09before this landmark episode aired.
20:11The only thing that matters is that you,
20:13you make me happier
20:19than I ever thought I could be.
20:22What a relief that was to us all.
20:24Can we come in yet?
20:25We're dying out here.
20:28Come in, come in.
20:31We're engaged.
20:35We basically watched this proposal
20:37with the same level of excitement
20:38we would have held for one of our own friends
20:40and we wanted to be invited to the wedding.
20:42After all those seasons ending on total cliffhangers,
20:45it was refreshing to actually just breathe in the romance
20:48and let it sink in.
20:50Could it be any more perfect?
20:51Oh, my darling, you are wonderful tonight.
21:00What was your season six highlight?
21:03Let us know in the comments.
21:04Let us know in the comments.
21:17We'll see you next time.
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