Question: How come the gang never knew about Gunther having feelings for Rachel?
Answer: He never openly expressed his feelings, but the friends also never paid much attention to him or thought of him as anything more than Rachel's one-time boss and the person who serves them coffee. Just before Rachel is to leave for Paris in the last season, she acknowledges Gunther's feelings when he says goodbye and that he loves her. She says she loves him, too, though probably not in the same way, indicating she knows what his feelings are.
Question: In a few episodes, I've noticed a small black 'Reserved' sign on the coffee table that the friends always hang out at, is this how they always manage to get that sofa every time they go to the Central Perk? I didn't know that you could call and reserve tables at coffee shops.
The One With The Video Tape - S8-E4
Question: In episode 'The One With The Videotape' we get to know the story 'how Ross and Rachel got bonus night'. What I wonder is does anyone know the whole 'Western Europe' story or is it (unfortunately) one of those stories that doesn't have ending at all, because there's no need of one?
Answer: There is no ending. The DVD commentary includes the writers saying they never wrote the whole story, only the set up.
Answer: Joey tells as much of the story needs before its cliffhanger, so that when the other person responds they'll have been seduced, and the first person can make up the end whilst making a move.
The One With Chandler's Dad - S7-E22
Question: Chandler tells Monica about how his father has tried to get in touch with him over the years but Chandler's always had an excuse not to see him. He says "it's all very 'Cats in the Cradle'". What does that mean?
Answer: It's a reference to Harry Chapin's 1974 song of that name, about an inconsiderate father too busy too spend time with his son. The son then treats his father the same way later in life. Ugly Kid Joe also had a hit with a cover version in 1993. See http://www.birdsnest.com/catcrad.htm.
Question: What is the song on the radio that Ross dedicates to Rachel near the end of the episode 'The One With the List'?
Answer: It's With or Without You by U2.
Question: In Joey and Chandler's apartment, there is a small sign that reads, "Five card. Charlie pays. Five to One". Can someone please explain to me what this sign means?
Chosen answer: It's a Blackjack term. A "Five Card Charlie" is when the player Hits 3 times and doesn't meet or go over 21, thus having 5 cards in front of them. It's extremely rare, so there is a bigger payoff for the player than simply beating the dealer's hand. (It's also at the House's discretion whether or not to allow them as a win, thus the sign advertised that whatever gambling establishment it was taken from DID consider it a big win with appropriate payout.)
The One With The Princess Leia Fantasy - S3-E1
Question: I'm not positive it's in this episode, but there's a very cool, very large poster/print on the wall in Rachel's room that says "Film Noir," visible in a few scenes. Does anyone know who the artist is, and whether the print is commercially available?
Answer: It is a vintage italian art print. Google images may come up with something if you search that phrase. Otherwise check on allposters.com.
The One With Ross and Monica's Cousin - S7-E19
Question: I'm assuming in this episode that the problem with Joey is that he is circumcised and the role calls for an uncircumcised one. My question is, why don't they ever say the word in this episode? When Joey and Monica talk about it they skirt around it, would the censors really have such a problem with it?
Answer: It's a fairly standard humourous device to not actually name the thing you're talking about, especially when it relates to something a little risque. Also note that during the whole show, Joey tends to avoid talking about such intimate subjects with anyone but particularly the girls. Avoiding the word is just one way of reducing the embarrassment.
The One With Princess Consuela - S10-E14
Question: What exactly is "Tenure" and "Esgrow" (don't know how to spell this) which are mentioned on the show.
Answer: Tenure: the status of holding one's position on a permanent basis without periodic contract renewals. It is frequently granted to professors at universities, and is a valued commodity as you then know you will continue to have your job as long as you like, unless you do something egregious. Escrow: monies put aside, into a third party's hands, to be delivered only upon fulfillment of specific conditions. It ordinarily comes up in the process of buying a house - you place money in escrow to show good faith and the ability to pay your mortgage, and the builder only gets it upon completion of the home.
The One With Ross's Library Book - S7-E7
Question: Australian swimmer Ian Thorpe is in the background at Central Perk drinking coffee in one episode of Series 7. Can anyone tell me which episode this is?
Answer: He's a coffee shop customer in "The One With Ross's Library Book".
The One with All the Poker - S1-E18
Question: After playing poker for the second time and winning over the girls, the guys say something like "Thanks for teaching us cross-eyed Mary." I assume it is a poker technique, however as a poker player, I've never heard about it. Is anyone familiar with it?
Chosen answer: I've been unable to locate any information about an actual poker game or technique called "cross-eyed Mary." The only reference I can find to "Cross-Eyed Mary" is a track on the 1971 Jethro Tull album "Aqualung." It's unlikely Joey is referring to the song, so I am guessing it's just something the show creators made up, possibly implying that Monica's aunt taught them a new variation/technique/trick so they could win and they still ended up losing, teaching it to the guys in the process.
Answer: It is largely believed that a player's eyes can give away a good or bad hand and that good poker players need to have a "poker face" - not moving eyes or making facial gestures. If a poker player has cross-eyes, the implication is that other players will not be able to "read" that person's face or be able to discern if the player has a good hand or is bluffing.
The One With The Lesbian Wedding - S2-E11
Question: Why did the gang not understand why Ross didn't want to go to the wedding? Most people wouldn't go to their ex wife's wedding.
Question: How was the relationships between Matthew Perry, David Schwimmer and Matt Le Blanc on the set? Were they as close as the ladies?
Answer: On various documentarys, it is noted that all of the cast were very close friends, to the extent that guests felt very left out during filming. To answer your question yes, they were all very close.
Answer: The actor who played Chandler's crazy roommate said that he, Matthew Perry, and Matt Le Blanc used to go to bars together at night, etc., which implies David Schwimmer didn't attend. I think Perry and Le Blanc were close friends, while Schwimmer was more of a colleague.
The One With Barry & Mindy's Wedding - S2-E24
Question: In the episode where Richard and Monica break up at Barry and Mindy's wedding, we see that Chandler is chatting on the computer with a girl (that ends up being Janice). When Joey comes in and Phoebe tells him that they are wondering whether or not the girl Chandler is talking with is actually a girl. Joey says, "Ask her how long she is going to live. Girls live longer" and Chandler says, "Why don't you fall down more?" What does he mean?
The One Where Ross Finds Out - S2-E7
Question: Did Rachel ever find out that Chandler was the one who told Ross that he's in love with her (The One Where Rachel Finds Out)? Wouldn't Ross want to know when/how she started liking him?
Answer: Season 2, Episode 7 "The One Where Ross Finds Out". Rachel gets drunk on a date and calls Ross - she leaves a message on his answering machine telling him she's "over him". Ross checks his messages in Rachel's apartment, while on his way to get a cat with Julie. He says "you're over me? When were you...under me?" and asks how she found out. Rachel tells him that Chandler told her, to which Ross replies, "when did he when did he, when did he...?"
Question: We can see a decoration in Ross' apartment, a kind of big Japanese sword hanging on the wall, especially on Seasons 2-3-4. Can anybody give some info about that weapon? I find it really beautiful.
Answer: This is a Chinese axe called a Pudao or a Guan Dao. It's made of a broadsword, but has a much longer handle - about four to six feet. Also known as the 'Horse-Cutter'.
Question: How much do the friends make at their different jobs during the seasons? Could they afford the apartments they're living in?
Answer: Monica's apartment is rent controlled so she has no problem. Chandler has a regular job for most of the time he and Joey live together and it's clear that he pays for most of the apartment and related bills. Phoebe stays in various places where she doesn't have to pay and seems to end up in her grandmother's former apartment which may also be rent controlled (or owned by her grandmother and left to Phoebe). She is the only one whose income vs expenses doesn't really match up, although in later series she starts working at a professional massage parlour which may pay at least half decent money.
Question: The very first episode of Friends includes Rachel leaving Barry on their wedding day and coming to live with Monica. The rest of the group are already friends. But I know I've seen an episode which has Phoebe moving out of Monica's, Joey moving in with Chandler and making a move on Monica. It also shows Central Perk as a bar, before it gets turned into a coffee bar and Ross anouncing him and Carol have broken up. In which episode does this happen?
Answer: "The One With The Flashback", series 3.
Answer: A.A. Milne is the name of a famous author, but of course he never said "Get out of my chair, dill-hole!" Chandler is setting us up for a deeply philisophical comment only to deliver a crass insult.
Phixius ★