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S1E2 The One With The Sonogram At The End!
18 Plays1 month ago
Reissue with better volume balance! Join Alasdair and DeeAnn as we talk names, sonograms and continuity errors!
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Transcript
Introduction of Hosts
00:00:10
Speaker
Well, hello and welcome to the second ever episode of the Purple Door Podcast, a friend's rewatch pod. I'm your host, Alistair, alongside my good friend, Deanne. Hello, Deanne. Hello, Al. How are you doing today? Wonderful. How are you doing? I'm doing great. Well, Deanne, who is first time on this podcast is a former co-worker of mine. How was your Christmas in New Year?
00:00:35
Speaker
Uh, it was fantastic, busy, crazy, you know, like nonstop. But currently right now I'm enjoying our snow day. Yes. So Deanna and I are both educators and we live, I don't know, 10 or 15 miles from each other. So we're both enjoying this snowy weather, which has been, we're both at home. So we can record this episode a little earlier than planned.
Discussion of 'The One with the Sonogram at the End'
00:00:59
Speaker
ah Today we're going to be discussing the one with the sonogram at the end. ah So I'm excited to get stuck into the episode with you, but first and foremost, let's play a little bamboozled. We have three questions for each other. And why don't you ask one of your questions first?
00:01:16
Speaker
All right. So my first question for you is um what age is Ross working on at the very beginning of the episode? They're putting together the the prehistoric set whenever Carol shows up. That is such a good question because of course I can picture the scene and he says something to his co-worker about you know, they're really just worried about glaciers or something. Yeah, not trying to get the mastodon smell out of the toilet. Yes. You know what? I don't remember. What is the answer? The stone age. This stone. I should have written that down. I didn't know that. All right. Well, my first question to you is, when Rachel first enters Barry's dental office, what is the name of the boy having the dental work done?
00:02:12
Speaker
oh
00:02:14
Speaker
um Man, and I see him, he's in the chair and he's, oh and she's like, I broke up with him and he's like, uh-huh. Okay. Yeah, exactly. Oh man, he's got glasses. Oh, man. Tyler, I don't think so. It's so frustrating, isn't it? His name right is Robby. He is Robby. I think it might be Weinberg, but um that might be the kids in the other room. His name is Robby.
00:02:44
Speaker
Wow. All right. So we're west we're over for one each. All right. What's your second question? I feel like this one should be easy. Who finds the ring in the lasagna? All right. Let me think this through. Cause I can picture the scene. I know Chandler says boys were going in or something like that, but I've got to go with Joey. He's got to eat the most.
00:03:14
Speaker
Nope, it's actually Phoebe. Phoebe finds it. She pulls it out and she's like, found it. And it's right after um Ross has come to the door. That's right. Hi. Hi, sad sack Ross, who we'll talk about. That's all for two. So those are quality questions. Yeah, we're doing great. So far. So
Timeline of Carol's Pregnancy
00:03:38
Speaker
well, let me see. So this when they're in the OBGYNs room,
00:03:42
Speaker
There are, the what are the first two names that Carol suggests? She just said that. I can tell you because that's one of my questions. I knew that would happen. um mini Marlin Marlin, exactly. Yes. So you get one. And I knew this would happen this is was bound to happen at some point. And we made yeah um we made it to our first episode where we come up with the same question. So I'll ask you one more.
00:04:10
Speaker
Okay. What does Phoebe describe the unborn child in the sonogram as? What does that what what does she think the sonogram looks like? They're watching it on the TV. yeah She turns her head and she's like, if you squint your eyes and turn your head to the side, he looks like an old potato.
00:04:29
Speaker
an old potato. It is. Look at you go. Okay. All right. Here's a fun one. Okay. What character makes their appearance in the first scene as a background character?
00:04:52
Speaker
Well, I know the first scene. There's this one that in Central Park. Yes. Okay. So I don't know, but I'm going to guess Gunther. You're right. It is Gunther. He's in the back um waiting on a customer. And that's the very first time we see Gunther. ah That I did not know. So as I said on the first episode, I love friends. I've watched it since it came out in the mid-90s, but I don't claim to be like a super fan who knows all the stuff. So I'm kind of use utilizing this podcast to read about the show and find out more stuff. And that I did not know.
00:05:28
Speaker
um I know that he wasn't an actor. he worked and He was a barista and they brought him in because he'd be able to use the stuff. So that that is brand new information. That's fantastic. So he made his first appearance on episode two. On episode two. I will now never ever forget that. That's awesome. ah Well, I love those questions. Those were fantastic. They were. Yours were so good too. Especially the um the name one, right?
00:05:55
Speaker
the name one because I tested, I tested them out on Kate earlier and she gave me the the name of, they mentioned some other names, but I was really hoping you'd get the first two, which you did. That's awesome. yes ah like So let's, why don't we dive into this episode? the The first scene, as you just said, that in Central Park, and they're talking about, it looks like it's like the importance of kissing and the opening act. It's a funny conversation to have.
00:06:20
Speaker
It is okay and here's something that I thought was so funny because I listened to the first podcast with you and Steve and y'all were talking about um Steve was talking about like how he was 12 whenever he watched that or he watched that first and a lot of the jokes and stuff they probably they were probably geared for a couple of years or older and And I was a couple of years older and I remember this episode because we, it was brand new. It had just like, it was, um, had just gotten like a bunch of my parents were like, you know, we should watch it. So we turned it on and I remember that scene and we were all like, well, this is awkward. And then we turned it off. Right. It's such a, to me, it's a weird awkward scene to begin with, but. Yeah.
00:07:07
Speaker
and But yeah, but it it's uh, I don't know so so many years later whenever I actually watched this series um because I didn't watch it until it was in reruns but it's so funny and that whole the opening act and You know, you'll find yourself listening to the record at home alone, right? It's getting those hidden meanings. They're very funny. Yes, absolutely I love it. Well, we moved from there into the museum, were kind of getting into the meat of the episode, where Carol shows.
Change in Actress for Carol
00:07:42
Speaker
Well, now we know it's the Stone Age, thanks to your question for setting up that scene where Carol shows up. But of course, this is not the Carol that we get to know later on. This actress, Anita Barone, I believe, the only episode she was in.
00:07:58
Speaker
Um, which I'll talk a little bit more, but more about that later on, but I wanted your opinion on the timeline of this. Cause I think it's weird that she's pregnant. She's referred to as Ross's ex wife.
00:08:14
Speaker
So are they already divorced? They were obviously, let's this is a family friendly podcast, intimate, not, you know, a couple of months prior. So was she with Susan? I would love to hear your thoughts about that kind of timeline. Cause I've got some thoughts on this.
00:08:33
Speaker
Huh, so that's an interesting question. I could be overthinking this completely. Well, no, I don't think so. I don't think so, because I think it's also important to kind of remember whenever they first started the episode or the series, they didn't know that it would be the hit that it was going to be and that the lines would go on and everything else. um But i am I making it up in my head? But I feel like later in the season,
00:09:03
Speaker
their divorce is final. So I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I don't remember them talking about the divorce, but that doesn't mean it didn't, it didn't happen. Well, and and you know, um Ross had a ah couple of divorces be final. right so Um, so that's, it oh man. Yeah, that's interesting because I just figured they were separated, but, and filed for divorce.
00:09:32
Speaker
because she had already moved in with Susan. Her and Susan were together. Yeah. So that was my kind of thought that was that even though they're referring to each other as ex-wife and ex-husband, that it's probably not official. You know, it's probably in the works and it does seem pretty amicable. um I can't help but wonder, and um this is me being very skeptical here, if Carol almost used Ross to try and have a baby for her and Susan.
00:09:59
Speaker
oh Do you know I would not be surprised about that? and And maybe Carol, but more so Susan, right? Because there's something about Susan that makes her, hi I don't know, she seems like kind of a controlling kind of manipulative type like a little bit. So I, I, I've tried not to be skeptical, but I just wonder if there was a bit of manipulation because Ross clearly loves Carol and he's in, he seems like a nice guy and the divorce seems amicable to all of that stuff. So I'm just curious and maybe
00:10:40
Speaker
Maybe like I said, I'm overthinking it. And maybe when the writers wrote this episode 30 years ago, they weren't thinking they would be people analyzing it know the way that they are. but i kind of I don't know. It's just something that's set with me. that I thought that's the timing of it all seems a little funny.
Monica's Parental Anxiety
00:10:57
Speaker
It does because you know that they were ah they had already met at the gym and they were talking and and kinda she was having a thing on the side. Yes. And so, man, that's going to make me, as I'm rewatching this series, look at them in a completely different light.
00:11:17
Speaker
So I like so I've not been doing much deep diving deliberately until we get ready to review the episodes and I did a little bit on this and there does seem to be there's there's people who feel that yeah they're kind of skeptical thinking that they maybe they've manipulated Ross but also he ends up walking Susan down the aisle no spoilers in the later episode or Carol, sorry, Carol. And then Susan does say a couple of things like you did a really nice thing today. And they do seem to kind of mend some fences of some sort. um I don't know, it was just a a thought I had um while watching that.
00:11:56
Speaker
Now, they moved from there, Intoletti, into Monica's apartment where she's furious and cleaning. His appearance are coming over. And loving the pillows. And the reaction was, if Phoebe, Phoebe, or Chandler, says something and she stares them down, you know? About the ball. She's like, what is that? Yeah, that's right, the ball of paper. I wrote myself a note. I didn't need it. I crunched it up. And now I wish I was dead. That's right. It's like they're an old married couple already. Like, I think it's just brilliant.
00:12:25
Speaker
Yes, and I don't think that probably they had that that relationship planned from the very beginning, but it was such a natural progression. That's like my favorite relationship in the whole series. Absolutely, because it doesn it doesn't feel forced. it doesn't feel There's no huge drama. It's a very positive thing.
00:12:46
Speaker
followed closely by Phoebe and uh the the guy she ends up marrying I can't um with um uh I'm gonna call him Paul but that yeah that's Paul Rudd yeah yes yeah i yeah for me Monica and Chandler's the healthy relationship I really like it's a lot too Yes. But I did have a question for you. So we get introduced to ugly naked guy in this scene. With his time master. I would love to hear about fad item you have bought maybe from like an as seen on TV or something you bought thinking this is going to change my life and it ended up being a regretful decision.
00:13:25
Speaker
Oh gosh, Al, that's embarrassing. There's so many things that are impulse buys and right ah things like that. I mean, back in the day, I bought some abs of steel where you want a VHS tape and yeah and I'm sure it's perfectly preserved wherever it is that it got poked away to. Has it been moved from house to house? as you No, do you know what was a good one? It was an ab roller.
00:13:55
Speaker
Yes. Yes. Lay down and. Yes. Yes. That's awesome. I was thinking about this because Kate and I are both at the station of life where we sometimes think that a new pillow will solve all of our ailments that we've ever had. And there's the running joke, you know, oh, my stomach's upset. I you just need a new pillow. So i I think we've both bought several new pillows over the years that we think are going to be that will solve all of our problems. And of course, they never do. ah But have you bought a my pillow? I think so. I think so. The guy on the commercial with the really big like brush mustache and he's like, of the pill yeah, I mean, i I have thought I have gotten too distracted before I actually hit, you know, purchase on that one. Right. i Totally see that happening.
00:14:47
Speaker
That's awesome. Well, we kind of move on. And let's see, I think Ross comes in at that point and he says that, you know, Carol is pregnant. Again, it rubs me the wrong way that, oh, they'll let me be involved or they're giving me the choice to be involved. No, you're the dad. You're going to be involved in this kid's life. But that's just, you know, that also goes back to your thought about if it was a manipulate or a manipulative situation to begin with where it's like,
00:15:13
Speaker
yeah He's kind of the side character in this family that's being created. Right. And maybe it's maybe could be manipulative or maybe yeah they just haven't established kind of who fits where in this dynamic of everybody yet. ah Yeah. Two episodes in. Well, we kind of flash forward a few hours, I guess. We're still in Monica's and Rachel's apartment where we meet the gellers, Mr. and Mrs. Geller for the first time. Do you have any thoughts on them when we first meet them?
00:15:41
Speaker
ah Well, okay. So ah my only thought about them is that they seem such stereotypical Southern parents, right? Where the dad's just kind of, I mean, he's a 90s sitcom dad is what he is. Yes, ma'am. And mom is over controlling and judgmental and, and all the things.
00:16:06
Speaker
but um Yeah, just those are some stereotypical, stereotypical parents. And I keep saying that, but like, um it just, ah it makes my skin crawl, like everything that she says to poor Monica, and then turns to Ross. And and I mean, even whatever. Well, we'll get to that. But and you know yeah, they are very stereotypical though, aren't they? they are um ah You know, this to me, especially Mr. Gell Jack, you know, there's a lot of love there. He's got that harmonica nickname for her.
00:16:43
Speaker
Yes. I quite like that line about, you know, this what, even though it's, I mean, it's it's sexist, there's nothing short ah of it when he sort of says, you know, some of these women who want to all I'm so glad that's not harm harmonic. And basically, you're the kind of person that won't get cancer, because you're not trying to do everything. You're content like a cow. He's right. Incredibly sexist and outdated. But you know, the the the cancer line, I thought that was quite funny. But um Again, I was curious about the timeline of everything, because now they're sort of saying, Ross says, you know, you're wondering what happened with Caroline. And Pearl Monica gets it again. Oh, yeah. You knew about this? Right. play You know, there's absolutely nothing she could do. And it can it I don't know. She's still, what I don't know, maybe 24 at this point. She's been to college. She's working at a restaurant on the career ladder.
00:17:36
Speaker
living on her own, like she does still see, I mean, I guess compared to Ross, who somehow has a PhD at 24 and is working in the museum, maybe she's not seen as successful, but she seems successful. She's, she knows what she wants to do with life. She's educated, you know, and she's walking her way up. Well, and I wonder,
00:17:57
Speaker
um I wonder what kind of, what plays into that? Because you know Ross is a couple of years, he's a little bit older than she is. okay And I lost my butt. Oh yeah, all good, yeah, but I wonder if he gets.
Parental Expectations Compared
00:18:17
Speaker
Older than her, but um like he got married and he did all these things and then the their mom, it was like, almost like she was,
00:18:27
Speaker
And I, this is just my thoughts, but right she was going to live vicariously through Monica and Monica is not living the life that she would have chosen. She would have liked her to be married. She would have liked her to do this and that and the other. Yeah. I suppose they're cut from the, they live in the same community and type of lifestyle that Rachel's parents who Rachel was meant to,
00:18:48
Speaker
get go to college and then get married. you know That's what they were supposed, that's the life path. That's what you're supposed to do. Yeah, when you live like that. Because I think, I can't remember what Jack Geller's, his job, do you remember? I don't. I don't need to look that up. But again, assuming they're in the same kind of tax bracket as Rachel's parents, her dad was a doctor. You know, you assume he's a successful man.
00:19:12
Speaker
Yeah, I don't know, though, I didn't I felt like, okay, so the thing about Monica and Ross's family, you know, I said southern parents, because right, whenever I was growing up, the thought was always like, Northeastern people, like they're faster, and they're more liberal, and they, they don't have all those certain expectations, you know, but the fact that her family does and everything kind of makes me think everybody's a lot more alike than what we know. Right. But what? Oh, but I don't think because if you, ah you know, they had the yacht and Rachel did the yachting lessons and she had the three sisters. Like to me, it was almost like Rachel was the rich friend.
00:20:02
Speaker
and like middle class. Right. Not like lower middle class at all. But i I always thought Rachel, because she got the nose job, like if they had a lot more. money Yeah. So she didn't she get a pony or a horse at one point, I think. Uh huh.
00:20:20
Speaker
Yes. Yeah. And while the Geller's house looks very nice, we see it a couple of times, it doesn't look opulent or incredibly fancy. So I think you might be right. And they've got the Porsche, but it's, but that's really, that's the one thing. It's classic Porsche, which yeah I mean, as as ah I'm sure you could you could buy one for not very much if it's not running and maybe he spent time, who knows, who knows how he right acquired that.
00:20:49
Speaker
Yeah, they're an interesting couple. um When I think of Jack Geller, I think of when he came around to Monica's after she and Richard, you know, spoiler, looking way ahead, when did they split up? I always thought it was lovely that he came into the city on his wife's bridge night um to kind of comfort Monica. Like, I think he's a good dad. um yeah And maybe they just show their love in different ways. I don't know.
00:21:15
Speaker
But after that, they go back to Central Park and Ross and Monica kind of debriefing about their parents to Joey Chandler and Phoebe. And I think this is an interesting, it's not really continuity error, I suppose, because we didn't you didn't know where the show was going at this point. But I think Monica kind of checks in and and clarifies that Chandler's an only child. Well, they knew each other for years when you know he and Ross were in college. i I felt like she would have known that.
00:21:42
Speaker
um Whereas Rachel might not have probably didn't know that Phoebe was a twin because they just recently met. So I thought that was kind of an interesting, again, just continuity. Yeah. And it, yes. And like the purpose of that one scene right there was just to give backstory for everybody else and a not obvious, I don't know. It was a pretty obvious way, but. Yeah. Just to continue to build the layers of these, of these characters. Um,
00:22:13
Speaker
And Liza, obviously, jump in with thoughts you have. I'm going to move over to the next scene, which was the hospital. And, you know, Carol's going to skip right over because isn't that where, like, Ross leaves, he goes to the bathroom and then he comes back and then puts her head on his hand. And then he's just like, oh, OK, I'll just sit down because I'm not going to move my hands.
00:22:36
Speaker
I wrote down Ross Helps Rachel's Sweep and I skipped right over it. What a pivotal moment in the show. I'm so glad you caught that, yes. Well, because it that that kind of previews everything, like the whole ro Ross and Rachel and everything. Yeah, I kind of love the way that, you know, he offers to help and then she just sits down. that it's It's brilliantly done.
00:23:02
Speaker
Oh, yeah. And that's so typical of both of their characters. Yeah. And and it's kind of foreshadowing because i'll I'll probably butcher the quote, but what did she say about, didn't you just think life would be simple? You'd meet somebody and fall in love forever as she's leaning on his hand, right? Is that right? Yes. Yes. Yes. Yeah, exactly. And then he is just like, and then he pulls the stool and just sits down because he's not going anywhere. That's right. He's not moving his hands for anything. That's right. Yeah. What a pivotal.
00:23:32
Speaker
moment that is that physical closeness. yeah But then, yeah, we move over to the hospital and let's see Carol's on the the on the bed. Ross comes in. um I feel that with. It's just awkward. It's weird. And um something that I think it runs through the show, because why wouldn't it? Because it was the 90s. There's still some sort of little stereotypical things that wouldn't necessarily be in the show today.
00:24:00
Speaker
I know there's an instant in next week's episode, but um like where um Susan and Ross shake hands and he's like, farm handshake.
Outdated Stereotypes in Friends
00:24:10
Speaker
I'm assuming because she's a lesbian, he's making some kind of ah loosely veiled homophobic joke that wouldn't be done now, but we have to look through this, of course, in the lens of the 90s and these kind of jokes are throughout the entire show.
00:24:24
Speaker
Oh, yeah. But men alive, it was awkward, you know, they're, you know, not knowing what to say. um and And then he's trying to be funny. And then it's like, yeah, that's quack, quack, quack. Yeah. Yes. It's like, it's so awkward. Like he's trying to defuse the situation anyway he can. Yeah. And it just makes everything worse. so And then that's the end.
00:24:52
Speaker
Yeah, because then they jump quickly or to Barry's dentist office. I think it's excuse me the first time we meet Barry. Yes. And it's a very quick scene. that I forgot that this, we jumped from the hospital to Barry. We kind of go back and forth a few times. We see Barry and then suddenly he sees Rachel and then he has to go and rescue a kid who's choking, I think. And we're back in the hospital and man alive. I've got feelings on this scene because they start discussing baby names.
00:25:25
Speaker
And why in the world Susan thinks she's got any reason, right, to have her name in this child? Right. Right. I hope I'm not wrong. And please tell me if you think I am. But that's so out of line. Uh-huh. Right. I think so, too. Because it's like, and and Ross even says, you know, what part do you have in all of this? Yeah. But that also goes back to how long were her and Susan together in a thing and making plans for their future.
Susan's Role in Naming the Baby
00:25:59
Speaker
Right. Was this Ross had any idea? Was this more planned out that we are led to believe?
00:26:07
Speaker
um Yeah. Like I said, I think Susan redeems herself later on in some ways, but to me, that's just i said how dare you moment for that.
00:26:20
Speaker
But we go from there, then straight back to the dentist, where Barry reveals he went to Aruba with Mindy. um my yeah ah that was he he Was he having an affair with Mindy while he and Rachel were together? That that was established. Is that right? Yes, yeah yes, yes. She's like, Mindy? My maid of honor, Mindy? Right. Yeah, Barry's not exactly. um making himself look great at this point. who fully just met him I'm assuming plugs are where you have a ball patch and you got hair put in.
00:26:56
Speaker
Yeah, I feel that might be kind of like antiquated technology almost now. I don't know if these people still get plugs. I don't know. Yeah, I don't I don't know. Yeah, I have no idea if that's still a thing or not. But that's exactly I think everybody just shaves their head. I think that so. that But yeah, that used to be you get hair plugs and they put in like patches of hair. And if they were cheap ones, then you could see like the patches. And then if they write better ones. Yeah. Cause I know of I've got a co-walker who's had a hair transplant where they took care from the back of his head and put it towards the front. I didn't know if that was the same thing or if it's completely like, I don't know. I would have to, he's, he's a cool guy. He's a cool walk and he's very open about it and actually shows his kids in class and stuff.
00:27:46
Speaker
Um, that's like, like, you know, I'm sure, snack guy yeah, he's awesome. I'm sure some people try to hide it and stuff, but he's like, no, I'm doing this. I'm too young to go bald. Look at my hair now. You know, and he's got this perfect hair. So I didn't know if it was the same thing or if it was a different thing.
00:28:02
Speaker
Um, I, I really don't know, but I would imagine it's the same kind of thing. Yeah. And, but and at the, at the end, Oh, I'm jumping ahead. Nevermind. My favorite line though. Yeah. No, you're good. That makes me laugh so hard is at the very end whenever she calls Mindy on the phone. yeah no I hope he's got, or I hope your kids have his old hairline and your old nose. Right.
00:28:30
Speaker
And considering she's had a nose jump too, i was like that's a bold, bold attack. I kind of love that line because to me I imagine that the quote unquote old Rachel from several weeks ago who was getting married wouldn't be so bold as to kind of speak her mind like that. I kind of feel it's some growth. But now she's got a job. And then I also thought it was funny whenever um she very first went in there and then Barry and she's like, Oh, you look great. You're tan. And then, and then ah she like takes her hair down and kind of tries to fix it up. And and all of that. Yes, I thought I saw one, a Wilson child behind you, but I think he went away. Yeah, I thought I saw him too. Yeah, no, yes, that was so interesting that and then he's already decided he's moved on, but
00:29:24
Speaker
He's a bit of a train wreck, I think. Oh, yeah, for sure. For sure. We move from there again. We seem to go. Oh, sorry. Go ahead. Go ahead. Oh, no, I was just I was skipping ahead a few episodes whenever he's to marrying Mindy Mai and Barry Yor and whenever he's marrying Mindy and then all all that happened. Yeah it gets very interesting and then Mindy ends up being played by two different characters or two different actresses which for some reason I didn't catch that until I started re-watching this last time. We'll get into that when that happens. Later.
Ross's Emotional Development
00:30:04
Speaker
bit um So we end up jumping back to the hospital where there, yeah Susan says she wants the baby's name to be was a Willick Bunch which thankfully Ross disagrees with. Right. It isn't going on with that. um
00:30:17
Speaker
I still think he should have been even farmer, but I think he still, he still loves Carol. Um, he didn't choose this situation like he says. So I still think he's got so much love for her. He's not going to be too pushy. I would have been, go ahead. good He's not pushy ah ever. I mean, about anything he's, he's kinda like a noodle.
00:30:39
Speaker
like You know, I mean, even with the just across the board, always, he doesn't ever really like think about the sandwich thing later. And yes, all that. And he gets mad and then he's finally going to stand up. But like her take, can I help you? And here's the thing. And she sits down and, you know, it's just he's kind of a Yeah, he seems to me like generally he's kind of a pushover and then sometimes he stands up and is kind of pushy about things he maybe shouldn't be. Like when Rachel, fight say finally, when she gets her career, suddenly he gets a bit, I don't know, weird about some of that stuff, which of course we'll get to near the time. yeah But um sometimes he's a pushover and other times he really wants to be kind of almost aggressive, but I think sometimes his timing might be a little off. Oh, for sure.
00:31:31
Speaker
But I don't, I think if he had walked out and not heard the heartbeat, he would have ended up coming back. I don't think he would be an absentee dad. I don't think Monica would have allowed that. Let alone, know you're right. She is going to be that end. Let alone the fact, I think he's a good guy. I think he would have been in his child's life, which, uh, yeah, but his parents would want to be grandparents. Yeah. It wouldn't have lasted. I think just the emotion of it all, um, got to,
00:32:00
Speaker
Now I asked Kate about this and we ended up having to Google it earlier when we rewatched it. When would, and you'll know having a couple of children, when do you hear a heartbeat? Roughly. Cause it seems awfully early to me. Okay. So it's not the heartbeat that's weird because you hear the heartbeat. You can hear that pretty early on. Okay. It's that that sonogram picture actually kind of looks like a baby.
00:32:27
Speaker
I didn't notice that until today when I re-watched it before, we called. Yeah, like no, no. It's like six months on the grand picture, right? Like you see the hand of the- Well, because it's not a perfect, it's still kind of like a little blob. So I was thinking like 20 weeks. So like, you know, the four month, five month type mark. Right. Yeah. That's what I'm thinking. I know, I said,
00:32:57
Speaker
maybe being a guy. I don't know. I didn't notice that until this rewatch this morning. And I was like, that seems again, the timing of all seems a little off, but that's interesting about the heartbeat. Um, cause I'm obviously we're glad that that Ross hears that and he comes back in and everything else seems to kind of wash away. Well, and my question is, I mean, knowing that he is mid twenties, like, do you know that that's what you're hearing right then?
00:33:26
Speaker
Right as a first time. Right. Because I remember the first time I heard my kids and it was like, what is, like, what? Yeah. What's going on here? How does this work? Right. Yeah. Um, but yeah. And it looks like an old potato. Yeah. It's it's just a brilliant line. Yeah. But no, so like four months is what I would think. Um, but yeah, so that's weird.
00:33:53
Speaker
Yeah, it's all very interesting. And Carol's just recently moved out, right? I mean, that's the other thing. I don't know, the timeline's interesting. Maybe we'll need to deep dive into this. Yeah, I think so. A little bit. Again, 30 years ago when this was written, they probably weren't thinking, ah, there's going to be people on the internet discussing this. But here we are. But here we are. Here we are doing exactly that.
00:34:18
Speaker
And we can of then, I guess, move into that great line of Rachel on Mindy, which I don't know. I was quite proud of her. I think it's great when she fires those little shots, ah um especially because she turns out later she had a nose job, I believe. yeah um So kind of the audacity of doing that, I think is fantastic.
00:34:37
Speaker
It is, but it's also right in line with her. where Yeah. Okay. For me, but not for others. That's exactly right. Yeah. That sort of slightly stereotypical rich girl, whatever, you know, yes kind of thing.
00:34:53
Speaker
Well, the and then the episode kind of ends there, I think. But I'd love to hear if there was anything that you saw in this that was like new information to you on this rewatch, getting ready for the podcast, or just anything you thought was interesting when you rewatched it.
00:35:08
Speaker
Well, uh, the sonogram thing for sure. Like that. was I'm so glad you brought that up because yeah, that, but the man, that timeline, the timeline situation, like I'm ready to deep dive into that now.
00:35:23
Speaker
like right So like I said, I've deliberately, I've never really deep dived into Friends as much as I've loved it. I'm rewatching it before the podcast and then um my plan is to kind of deep dive afterwards um when I've talked to you and just kind of had this discussion and thinking about things through a ah different lens than just watching it, you know?
00:35:44
Speaker
ah So something i I kind of I looked into Anita Barone who was the lady who played Carol for just this episode and this was a little bit of a
Why Anita Barone Left Friends
00:35:53
Speaker
deep dive. She did this and then after recording this episode she was offered a role on the Jeff Foxworthy show.
00:36:02
Speaker
And she had to do one or the other. I've never seen, I know who he is, of course, but I don't know the show. She thought that would be more stable. She thought that had a better future. So she chose to go onto the Jeff Foxworthy show and have a recurring role there and not do friends because she didn't feel it was going to be as successful.
00:36:20
Speaker
Right. which Well, and she's a side character. And so she would have had no idea how big and important Carol ended up being. Exactly. So while it seems perfectly understandable at the time, i I'd be curious to find out if that's a regret of hers or if it ended up working out great or, you know, how she feels about it now with hindsight being 20, 20 and friends being, you know, the the huge thing that it obviously became.
00:36:49
Speaker
Right. Okay. Oh, I have a piece of, of just random knowledge. yes Okay. So, you know, the Rembrandt song at the beginning. Yes. Okay. And it started off just being the theme song. And then they liked the theme song so much, they went back to the Rembrandts and asked them to flesh it out into an entire song. Um, but the opening credits, this episode was the first one.
00:37:14
Speaker
that set the stage for the whole rest of the series, like where they do the little, the montage of the fountain and the pieces from the episodes because they didn't like them frolicking around in the um ah fountain the entire time because they felt like it portrayed them to be elitist and like they, you know, not who they wanted their characters to be in the show.
00:37:43
Speaker
That's really interesting. I didn't know that at all. I've seen the original introduction when the show was going to be called Friends Like Us, ah which has, it's not YouTube, REM, I think was originally going to be this. I've seen that, but I didn't know that. It's interesting you bring that up because I've thought a bit about trying to like track something through this podcast. and I thought about tracking the amount of coffees that people drink.
00:38:10
Speaker
all the way through the show. But I Googled it and it's been done. You can find out how many cups of coffee Chandler drinks, it's this charts have been made. And then I thought, well, maybe we'll track some phrases or something. But it it might be interesting to look at the introduction for each episode, because I know it changes all the time.
00:38:28
Speaker
ah just to see what what little clips they use. ah Maybe that's something we'll think about doing. See? And I would be interested if they show the same, because you stream it, right? Yeah, we watch it almost always on um HBO Max, or exclusively on HBO or Max, and it's now called Yeah. Okay, and so I dug out my old DVDs. Yes. And so I'm curious if the beginnings, because I know whenever they were streaming like Dawson's c Creek,
00:38:57
Speaker
they changed the opening sequence really through the streaming service. That would be interesting to see. So as I mentioned, Steve and I originally bonded years ago over Frasier. And every beginning of Frasier, they just have a three or four second little clip of the Seattle skyline. And they add something add something slightly to every episode. And there's one random episode where in the US s and the UK, it's different on the DVDs. Every other one is the same.
00:39:27
Speaker
and And we don't know, why there's no rhyme or reason that anyone knows of, but that might be interesting to look at the DVDs versus the streaming.
Differences Between DVDs and Streaming Versions
00:39:35
Speaker
And I know in the UK that some of the episodes um cut out certain jokes when they're shown on the television, whereas they don't do that here, I don't believe. um So that'd be interesting to compare your DVDs to be streaming it and see see what's the same and what's different.
00:39:54
Speaker
Yeah, that is mine. Yeah, we should do that. And then was there any character, I like to think of this section as the Gunther Central Park, because I just love that name, section, was there any actor or character in this episode that stood out to you in particular?
00:40:11
Speaker
Okay. So I have an unpopular opinion or maybe it's popular. I don't know. I don't care for Ross. I think he's a wiener. Um, but I mean, I just, I do, but I really like.
00:40:27
Speaker
him in this episode because and it's not so much him but the actor um that plays him because he does such a good job of making him just so eorish you know that's the perfect one to describe him yes yes just and i mean and that's hateful of me i mean he's going through a lot his character's going through a lot right now and everything else but he just does a really good job I wonder if, and we all, you know, I guess I've had this moment in our life. He was, seems to be the the golden child and he went to college and then just PhD and you know, his life is, it would appear has been just very successful. And I wouldn't want to say easy, but without a lot of trouble. And so maybe this is the first time in his life that he's really dealing with some adversity.
00:41:21
Speaker
that, you know, wasn't part of the master plan of education, good job, married, you know, the stereotypical linear life progression, maybe lots of people are expected to do. um So he does Eeyore's the perfect way to describe a high and all that stuff. Yeah, you're right. I kind of like him and Monica. no For me, nobody really stood out in this episode as being a phenomenal character. But i kind of I like the dynamic of the two of them kind of dealing with the parents I feel from the character of Monica quite a bit. um Seems like just nothing she could do is ever going to be good enough in having to live in poor in poor Monica, living in Ross's shadow the whole time. um So I kind of like the two of them, the way they play off each other.
00:42:13
Speaker
Oh, yeah. And then he, you know, he puts it all out there just to kind of save her from this. ah Right. It's still backfires. And then at the very end, whenever he's, are you welling up whenever she's, you know, getting all teary eyed about the baby?
00:42:30
Speaker
and stuff It is, it is a good, good relationship. but Yeah. And I was just thinking about the relationship and I'm reading far too deeply into something that's absolutely nothing. But when Ross was about to tell his parents about Ben and Carol and all of that, Monica is digging her elbow into his hand on the table. Um,
00:42:52
Speaker
you know, what did she say? Something like, don't you have news to share or something to share? she's And then it's the very next scene that you brought up where Rachel is leaning her hand gently, leaning her head on his hand on the couch. Probably nothing in it, but two scenes in a row, you know, his hand is is getting hurt by Monica and then kind of. being Physically abused. Right. So I don't know, probably nothing in it, but these are the kind of minutia that we might dive into and kind of discuss and just see, see what happens.
00:43:26
Speaker
That's so fun. I love that. Yeah.
Community Engagement via Instagram
00:43:28
Speaker
Well, kind of on that note, as this podcast grows, we're hoping to add some more sections. I think it'd be fun to look at the introduction, but also hopefully hopefully we'll start getting some listener mail where people who are listening can send in their thoughts and we'd love for everyone to get in touch. And the best way to do that is going to be through our new Instagram page. If you just look up the purple door podcast,
00:43:48
Speaker
um You'll find us there and you can send us a message. We'd love to build a small community around this pod and have all of you guys involved. But on that note, Deanne, have you got any final thoughts about this episode?
00:44:04
Speaker
This is a good one. Yeah, no. No, it's a good one. It's a good one. It really kind of sets the stage for things that are happening. And I'm still just kind of reeling over deep diving into what the heck is Susan Steele.
00:44:20
Speaker
Right. Well, I know what we're both going to be doing this evening. So that's awesome. Right. Well, next week, Steve is going to be back for another episode and he and I are going to be discussing the one with the thumb. But on that note, Deanne, thank you so much for joining us on this episode. This has been fantastic. It's been so much fun. Thanks for having me. Of course. Thank you everyone for tuning in to the Purple Door podcast.