This one should be renamed “The One With All The Gay Jokes”, because about 2/3 of this Friends episode is dedicated to Joey and Chandler’s ‘relationship’ as roommates, with a lot of lesbian jokes thrown in when Ross, Susan, and Carol share a scene together. With four writers credited to the episode (the most for any non-season finale or double episode in the show’s run), there’s no doubt in my mind this episode went through many revisions – and because of the many writing voices being crammed into 22 minutes, “The One with the Dozen Lasagnas” suffers greatly.
Friends episode title names are gimmicky to begin with, but “The One with the Dozen Lasagnas” don’t really have anything to do with the episode, except a joke about ‘scraping off the meat’ by Monica, and her handing them out to Joey/Chandler, Carol and Paulo through the episode. I suppose there is some importance to the lasagnas – without Carol calling Monica to thank her, Ross wouldn’t have found out what the sex of his baby was – but mostly, the lasagnas are a joke without a punchline – or in terms of storytelling, without much of a point.
What strikes me most about the episode is how disingenuous Ross and Phoebe feel in the episode – particularly Ross, who doesn’t want to know the sex of his kid, even when everyone else does. I just can’t buy it – Ross is known to be a character who is in control of his environment, and only is into surprises for the sake of holding out the moment where he finds out until the end of the episode. The delayed reveal does provide a nice, sobering moment for Ross at the episode’s close, but there isn’t much of a reason given why he wants to be left out of the loop (a feeling I don’t believe Ross would ever have… that is, if Friends wrote consistent characters for 10 seasons).
The same goes for Phoebe – her relationship with Rachel is new, and her conversation about that with her involving the cookies is probably the only real honest moment of “The One with the Dozen Lasagnas”. Why wouldn’t Phoebe want to tell Rachel that Paulo tried to have sex with her? Unlike Ross, I don’t see it as a ‘feminist issue’, and I don’t think anyone in their right mind would want to hold back that kind of information, especially after hearing Rachel’s unexpected emotional investment in their relationship, which is described with a sickening line about feeling like the girls in Danielle Steele books (it fits her character yes, but what does that say about Rachel?). Their scene together is both the highlight and the low light of the episode: its a conversation founded on unbelievable character traits, but one that shows the vulnerability of Phoebe, and how important it is for her to not be abandoned (her first two rules are “my friends are the most important thing to me in the world” and “I don’t lie”).
I suppose Phoebe’s character isn’t written in a dishonest fashion – its just very, very inconsistent throughout. And with that being the only real plot of the episode (Joey and Chandler fighting over a table is just a load of cheap gay jokes) ‘Dozen Lasagnas’ is an unfunny pile of scenes, barely connected by the presence of some meaty lasagnas.
Other thoughts/observations:
- Ross kissing Carol and then punching Susan on the arm is probably the funniest moment of the episode. A rare example of Schwimmer physical humor gone right (see his many, many, MANY hand motions in the episode for the flip side of that coin).
- “In some cultures, mothers eat the placenta.” Chandler: “… and we’re done with the yogurt.”
- the foosball table is introduced, and Monica kicks everyone’s ass.
- what the fuck was Chandler wearing in this episode? Neon flannel short-sleeve button-down, tucked into blue jeans with a brown woven belt. It was like the early 90s threw up on his skin.
- the opening scene where they hum the theme to The Odd Couple is one of the series’ best.
- Up next: Chandler and Rachel play a dangerous game in “The One with the Boobies”.
@The Roger Plot: A tendency (ie. problem) Friends had over the course of its ten season run was to portray a love interest in an impossibly positive manner for a period of time but then randomly turn him/her into a complete jerk or weirdo at some point and immediately end the relationship. If your plan is to review the remaining nine seasons, you’re going to see this kind of plot plenty more times (Pete The Tycoon, Gary The Cop, Paul The Overprotective Dad, etc.).
Having a one-episode boyfriend/girlfriend who turns in the final three minutes is really a staple of the modern (post-Cheers) multi-camera comedy. Single comedies do it as well, but tend to carry them out over extended guest spots until the ‘reveal’ is made in their final appearance.
On some level, I suppose its a bit silly for me to criticize a genre staple so heavily, but the final scene of ‘Boobies’ is so jarring when Roger flips shit, it stands out. Gary the cop (Michael Rappaport sighting!) is another one, whose ‘reveal’ and subsequent breakup is three seconds long).
As for the other nine seasons, I may do season 2 (because its the best), but I’m not planning on going any farther, unless I do selected episodes from the last 7 seasons… there’s just too much material in those seasons I have no desire of watching again (or writing about).
As always, thanks for reading (and sharing your thoughts, of course)!
New to your blog…loved it! Could not have imagined better analysis of Friends episodes.
I have some thoughts to share as well…
The OW Dozen Lasagnas: My major problem with this episode is Monica specifies that the lasagna is non-vegetarian and then we see Phoebe eating it!
I personally do not find Ross not wanting to know the baby’s gender as OOC. In fact he did not check Emma’s file at first. He only did when he thought Rachel did (childish Ross of later seasons..ugghh!) But I can totally believe as a first-time-father he would want to be surprised (even if it is for surprise’s sake!)
Paolo was such a waste of space. I did not care for his exit on the show nor did I feel Ross trying to milk the moment by ‘being there’ for Rachel was cool. I just hate the nice-guy-pining-for-hot-girl scenarios!
Foosball story line was dull but man alive Monica made it rock!
The OW Boobies: Love love and love for the actors playing Joey’s parents. Why didn’t we get more of them?! 🙁
Loved the way Joey forbids his dad to share a room with his GF becuase they are under ‘his roof’. Vulnerable Joey wins over dumb Joey any day!
Roger was right but then he was a mere outsider. Nobody asked him to give his oh-so-analyzed opinions and boy he was rude!
Chandler and Rachel (n later Joey n Mon) peeking game was light and fun!
Man that was a long post! But I am a huge fan of Friends so guess I could not help it!
p.s. Please continue writing the reviews as they are very apt and as a content writer I can say that I am getting to learn a lot from your writing style!
thanks for the kind words! Friends reviews will be printing two at a time every Friday – except for the season finale, which will get its own post.
Paolo is the worst. Although he does have one all-time great line: “Monopoly!”
and “I do Raquele” 😉