TV Meme: Day 12 - An Episode I’ve Watched More Than 5 Times

A few years ago now I got a Christmas present from Mrs. Kano's aunt. It was a little weird at the moment, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.

You see, I got season 4 of Friends on DVD. It is a perfectly normal and thoughtful gift, however, when you factor in that I didn't have season's 1-3 on DVD it sort of loses some of the luster.

I still accepted it with open arms and Mrs. Kano and I dove into the season - I guess I should also thank her aunt for costing me a ton of money as I then bought all the seasons of Friends and it also got me interested in TV on DVD and I bought a ton of other shows, but I digress.

I love season 4 of Friends for many reasons but the one that sticks out the most is because it has my all-time favorite episode The One with the Embryos.

You see, the name of the episode is a bit misleading even though it is true. This episode Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow) is getting Alice's (Debra Jo Rupp) fertilized eggs placed in her because she is going to be the surrogate for her brother Frank's (Giovanni Ribisi) child.

I say it is misleading because although this is actually happening in the episode it isn't the most exciting part - that comes in the form of a game played by Joey (Matt Le Blanc), Chandler (Matthew Perry), Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) and Monica (Courtney Cox), which was administered by Ross (David Schwimmer).


Earlier in the episode Joey and Chandler bet that they can guess all of the items in Rachel's shopping bag because they know Monica and Rachel so well. After they correctly guess all of the items in the bag - Monica says that she and Rachel know them (Joey and Chandler) just as well and the game is born.

Ross creates questions about the foursome and asks them the questions and the two pairs square off against each other. After the first part of the game they are all tied up and a lightning round ensues. To up the ante, Monica bets that if the girls win that the guys have to give up their birds - if the guys win they get the girls' apartment.

It is a hilarious episode that not only can make you laugh, but gives you even more information about the characters in a sneaky little (and fun) way.

There are a ton of shows that I have seen episodes way more than five times, so I could have selected any of those, but this one stuck out to me. I loved the show, but to me this was definitely one of their best and funniest episodes.

TV Meme: Day 11 - A Show That Disappointed Me

This was difficult, seriously. I had a very hard time coming up with a show that disappointed me. For the most part I do a pretty good job at scouting new shows before I watch them - or accidentally coming across a show and beginning to like it. So, I don't really have too many shows that have truly disappointed me.

That being said, I guess I am going to have to select Joey. This show was essentially a spin-off of Friends a show that I really enjoy - but out of the characters on the show I think Joey (Matt Le Blanc) might be the most difficult to follow along by himself - but they tried it anyway.

I can't even really pinpoint what exactly didn't work about the show. Perhaps it was that we spent 10 whole years getting to know this character and his five friends. To totally remove them from the scenario just didn't seem to work.

I don't have too much to say really - I think if they were to spin-off Friends they should have followed Chandler (Matthew Perry) and Monica (Courtney Cox) into suburbia - especially if Janis, Chandler's ex-girlfriend, seriously moved next door. That would have been a great show. And of course, have the other cast members visit them on occasion since they just lived in the city. That would have worked I feel.

Random Netflix Movie #5: Numb

I usually tend to watch these Random Netflix Movies when I have a brief amount of time on my hands, therefore they tend to run within the 90 minute range. So, I am almost always browsing the comedy section - most comedies can usually be told with 90 minutes.

So, I happened upon this movie called Numb starring Matthew Perry. I have been a huge fan of Perry for awhile, heightened of course by his portrayal as Chandler on Friends. So when seeing him in a starring role for a film, I thought I would check it out - heck it was also in the comedy section.

Well, I have to say that Netflix really got their labels wrong on this one. Perhaps they saw Perry in a film, and much like me, assumed it must be a comedy. But, I didn't really laugh during this film - it's premise was definitely more on the drama side.

Hudson (Perry) has lost touch with reality. He is diagnosed with depersonalization (quick definition: Depersonalization (or depersonalisation) is an 'alteration' in the perception or experience of the self so that one feels 'detached' from, and as if one is an 'outside' observer of, one's mental processes or body.)

Throughout the film he is desperately trying to find a cure for this ailment. He is a 'writer' along with his partner Tom (Kevin Pollack) - Hudson, as he later describes, is not really the writer, but the bullshitter when it comes time to pitch Tom's ideas to companies. During a pitch, he meets Sara (Lynn Collins) and is somewhat, but not completely, brought out of his head and into reality. They form a quick bond and soon are a couple. Despite still suffering from his ailment, Hudson asks Sara to marry him - and her reaction is to wait until he is fixed. But, he doesn't believe he is ever going to be fixed, and in order to ease her out of loving him, he sabotages the relationship.

After a string of therapists, including a cognitive specialist named Dr. Cheryl Blaine (Mary Steenburgen), with whom he has a sexual relationship with, and she becomes attached to him - Hudson realizes there might be no hope.

The only true stability in Hudson's life has been his father. His mother was distant, and his older brother hardly had anything to do with him - but his father was always there for him, and always comforted him. Hudson had always been afraid to talk about his father and death, in fear of losing him. But it wasn't until his father did die that he started to take charge of his disease (that and his arrest for stealing shoes).

Hudson was able to track down Sara at a video store and confessed his true feelings to her, telling her that he would love her for ever no matter what, but it would be nicer with her in the picture.

This movie had sort of a Garden State feel to it. Zach Braff's character in Garden State was also a highly medicated person, who had no real connection with the outside world - he too was always inside of his own head. And it was a girl that helped him figure things out in the end.

Although I went into the movie expecting a comedy, I wasn't totally disappointed. I felt Perry did a pretty nice job in the film, and although I am not really familiar with Collins, she too was pretty decent. I give the film a 3/5. Although, I would recommend Garden State ahead of this one.

Newsworthy Notes: I plan on revamping my grading process a little bit. I am a frequent visitor to the blog of Random Ramblings of a Demented Doorknob and I like the way he has his ratings setup (as long as he doesn't mind of course). I will try and figure out my own little way of using movie quotes to rate the movies, though.

Another blog should be out today, if I have time, documenting my wonderful weekend. So check back if you wish.