FRIENDS: THE ONE WITH THE SOAP OPERA PARTY (TV)
Summary
One in this comedy series about six Generation-X friends who live together in New York City and share a favorite haunt, a coffee bar called Central Perk. In this episode, Joey offers his pals tickets to a one-woman play, regretfully stating that he cannot attend. Rachel confesses her superficial interest in Joey to Monica, though Monica strongly advises her against an impulsive hookup. Ross, instructed to show two new professors around NYU, is pleased when Dr. Charlie Wheeler turns out to be a very attractive woman, though they are then joined by the exceedingly boring Professor Stafford. Rachel is indignant to learn that Joey is intentionally sending his friends off to the play in order to keep them away from his secret annual "Days of Our Lives" party on the roof, as they tend to "act like idiots" around famous people, and she convinces him to let her join in. Charlie and Ross spend an enjoyable day together after ditching Professor Stafford, and when Monica calls Rachel out on her fake illness, Rachel spills the beans about Joey's trick. Phoebe, Monica, Ross and Charlie end up attending the soap opera party as well – forgetting all about Chandler, who is stuck alone listening to an angry woman ranting about her life's misfortunes onstage.
Rachel flirts with many of Joey's co-workers as Ross continues bonding with Charlie, but he is dismayed to learn that she only seems to date extremely high-achieving scientists. Joey looks through Rachel's new list of suitors and declares that most of them are unworthy, as she "deserves the best," further complicating her feelings for him. Chandler arrives and assures a guilt-ridden Monica that the show was an excellent, life-changing experience, and Phoebe urges Ross to pursue Charlie despite the fact that he is just an "average Joe PhD" and not a Nobel Prize winner. Rachel tells Monica that she is going to throw caution to the winds and kiss Joey after all – only to find him kissing Charlie, who has apparently changed her policy about dating only geniuses, much to Ross' annoyance. Later, Chandler gets his revenge on his friends for abandoning him at the play. Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: NBC
- DATE: November 30, 1999 8:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:24:30
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: 117519
- GENRE: Comedy
- SUBJECT HEADING: Comedy; Friendship
- SERIES RUN: NBC - TV series, 1994-2004
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Kevin S. Bright … Executive Producer
- Scott Silver … Executive Producer
- Marta Kauffman … Executive Producer, Created by
- David Crane … Executive Producer, Created by
- Andrew Reich … Executive Producer, Writer
- Shana Goldberg-Meehan … Executive Producer, Writer
- Ted Cohen … Executive Producer, Writer
- Todd Stevens … Co-Executive Producer
- Sherry Bilsing-Graham … Co-Executive Producer
- Ellen Plummer … Co-Executive Producer
- Brian Buckner … Co-Executive Producer
- Sebastian Jones … Co-Executive Producer
- Noel Bright … Coordinating Producer
- Mary Rodriguez … Coordinating Producer
- Mark Kunerth … Producer
- Dana Klein … Producer
- Wendy Knoller … Producer
- Richard Allen … Co-Producer
- Robert Carlock … Co-Producer
- Richard Choi … Associate Producer
- Sheldon Epps … Director
- Michael Skloff … Music by
- Rembrants, The … Theme Music by
- Allee Willis … Theme Music by
- Jennifer Aniston … Cast, Rachel Green
- Courteney Cox Arquette … Cast, Monica Geller-Bing
- Lisa Kudrow … Cast, Phoebe Buffay
- Matt LeBlanc … Cast, Joey Tribbiani
- Matthew Perry … Cast, Chandler Bing
- David Schwimmer … Cast, Ross Geller
- Aisha Tyler … Cast, Dr. Charlie Wheeler
- James Michael Tyler … Cast, Gunther
- Ken Lerner … Cast, Professor Spafford
- Alex Borstein … Cast, Bitter Woman on Stage
- Ethan Erickson … Cast, Dirk
- Matthew Ashford … Cast, Himself
- Kyle Lowder … Cast, Himself