Friends Watch Party Recaps (Season 2): Relationships & Mega Events | EPISODE 2
The One with the Season Recap
By the time Season 2 rolled around, “Friends” felt less like a TV show and more like, well, our friends. We’d settled into Central Perk, knew everyone’s deal, and were ready for the deeper chats. Joey experiences a dramatic career rise and fall, and Monica goes from top of her game to an all time low. Phoebe’s family tree is suddenly sprouting new branches; she meets her half-brother, almost meets her dad, and even goes through a divorce. The gang even broaches the subject of money in ways most people would rather avoid. Rachel also deals with her parents’ divorce, a reminder that life’s curveballs don’t stop just because you’re grown. Chandler and Joey’s friendship is tested, and Chandler starts thinking twice about how quick he is to judge women. Ross and Rachel’s “will they, won’t they” really takes off, and the season makes a big step in LGBTQIA+ representation, handled with a warmth and normalcy rare for ‘90s network TV. NBC even gave “Friends” a double-length slot right after the Super Bowl, a slot that can often be a gamble. But in this case, it paid off. The double-episode pulled in the biggest audience the series had ever had and became the top-rated post–Super Bowl show in history.
What gave this season its appeal, aside from the central will-they-won’t-they story, was how the writing managed to diffuse all those uncomfortable conversations we all need to have at some point. It did that with plenty of humor. It delivered sincerity and comedy in equal measure. If Season 1 had us watching from the next table over, Season 2 invited us to take a seat on the sofa, with who knows what number cup of coffee in hand, talking life as if we were part of the gang.
The One with the Lobsters
Of course, one of the biggest storylines of the season was Ross and Rachel’s will-they-won’t-they. They weren’t the first to play with this now extremely popular trope, but they did take it to new territory. It wasn’t just about near misses or snarky banter masking true feelings; it was a rollercoaster ride through the complexities of unrequited love, timing, and emotional vulnerability.
This was a slow burn in season one, with Ross fixating his puppy dog eyes on Rachel while she seems, for the most part, clueless. Well, actually, he’d been pining after her for like a decade, but we digress. By the time she finds out and thinks she might like him too, it’s already too late. This was a brilliant move by the writers as it not only throws in some real obstacles, but it also forces them to face messy feelings while someone else is in the picture. Rachel’s jealousy and regret feel heartbreakingly real as she wrestles with her own hesitations from last season.
While in season one it’s Ross who faces internal battles, season two shifts that central conflict to Rachel. We watch her get more consumed by her feelings, especially as she can’t really act upon them (not that she doesn’t try). Of course, it all explodes in “The One Where Ross Finds Out,” not that things are a cakewalk from there either. “The One with the List” reminds us that love is a feeling, and you can’t logic your way through it. Yes, Ross was conflicted, but if he’d just listened to his own heart, he might’ve broken fewer others in the process.
Luckily, “The One with the Prom Video” came in the nick of time to break the tension. And no one gave Ross more sound advice than Phoebe. When you find your lobster, you know it. It’s only after watching the titular prom video that Rachel realizes that Ross could very well be her lobster, and that’s something to take a chance on. Although we’re told more than once that Ross is allergic to Lobster…Make of that what you will.
But did you know that Phoebe could’ve been talking about a completely different pairing had the writers stuck with plan A? They initially envisioned Joey and Monica as the central romantic couple, but after casting the roles, the chemistry just wasn’t right. Just as well because then there’d be no Mondler, the steady counterbalance to Ross and Rachel’s drama. What was written as a drunken one-night in London turned into a surprise fan favorite.
Season two also gives Rachel much-needed closure from her past and the life she left at the altar. That’s not the only relationship to close its chapter that episode, either…
The One Where Monica Dates a Doctor
Monica really goes through it in season two. In the very same episode, she gets promoted and fired from her job at the restaurant. After that, she gets a little lost, clinging to anything to give her a sense of purpose. But when one door closes, another opens: if she hadn’t been fired, she never would’ve had time to cater a party for a certain ophthalmologist.
Sure, the age gap and the fact that he’s her parents’ friend get played for laughs, but Richard’s maturity and stability give Monica a kind of security she hadn’t found before. They connect emotionally and intellectually, especially in their more lowkey moments. They’re an unexpectedly perfect match.
Sadly, the true emotional weight of their relationship comes out when they face their future. Monica is in her late 20s, and marriage and family are still on the horizon. Richard’s already been there, done that. He loves her enough to compromise, but Monica sees that neither one of them should have to give up what they truly want. Their breakup hurt us, too, but it was the healthiest and most respectful choice for them. Plus, it clears the way for Monica to find the right man, the one who truly wants to walk life’s journey with her, and not because he has to.
The One with the Bro Breakup
Chandler gets exposed in season two, but that’s much ado about nubbin for today’s purposes. He does, however, go through a dating metamorphosis. Early in the season, he makes some terrible calls, dismissing women for shallow reasons, catfishing and manipulating a heartbroken woman named Jade, and, of course, helping create the infamous list. It’s the behavior of someone emotionally stunted and terrified of real connections.
However, he does have a moment of enlightenment when he sees his future headed in the same direction as their curmudgeonly neighbor, Mr. Heckles. That pushes him to reconnect with Janice. The timing isn’t right, but it’s the first time his fear of loneliness outweighs his fear of commitment.
The real turning point, however, is in the series finale, where Chandler tries online dating. By removing the pressure and awkwardness of face-to-face interactions, he’s able to lower his guard and access the sincere, vulnerable side of himself that he typically buries beneath jokes. His mystery match turns out to be far from a stranger. It’s a real “oh my god” moment… or should we say, “oh. my. god.”
Still, none of his relationships face more ups and downs this season than the one with his roommate. Thanks to his “Days of Our Lives” success, Joey becomes financially independent and moves out. Sure, that’s a completely rational move for personal growth, but it’s a huge blow to Chandler, who’s been his support in countless ways. He realizes he needs Joey almost as much as Joey needed him. While Julie is Ross and Rachel’s obstacle, for this bromance, that’s Eddie. Still, even at his most unhinged, Eddie can’t break up these platonic lobsters. Just like their Barcaloungers, they’re at their best when paired.
The One Where Phoebe Gets Some Romantic Storylines
For Phoebe, season two is more of an exploration of her identity and history. We learn about her past through the reveal of her marriage and her search for her father, which unexpectedly leads to a half-brother. One of her most moving moments is when she sits outside her father’s house in her cab, not frozen by fear, but by the weight of what finally meeting him could mean. Luckily, she has her chosen family to hold her hand through it.
Romantically, we see a rare flicker of insecurity from the usually self-assured Phoebe when she worries she’s not attractive to her boyfriend. And in the penultimate episode, an old beau reappears, only for their reunion to get somewhat derailed by chicken pox. But for the most part, this season didn’t do much for her love life.
“The One with the Lesbian Wedding”
If you were around in the ’90s and part of the LGBTQIA+ community, this storyline might have felt even bigger than Ross and Rachel finally getting together. About a month earlier, “Roseanne” had made sitcom history by reportedly featuring the first same-sex marriage for a supporting character, and now “Friends” was hot on their heels doing the same. Yes, the show often fell short on diversity, and much of its handling of LGBTQIA+ characters wouldn’t fly today. Still, for the ’90s, this was huge, so huge that some networks chose not to broadcast the episode.
That censorship drew backlash from GLAAD, who urged members to write to their stations in support and praised both the series and network for including this much-needed representation despite potential controversy. NBC prepared for an avalanche of angry calls and letters. How many did they actually get, according to showrunner Marta Kauffman? Four. Not four thousand. Just four. It seemed like the “outraged masses” were just a handful of people yelling really loud. And with 31.6 million viewers making it the highest-rated show of the week, it’s safe to say audiences were more than ready for greater diversity and representation on their screens.
Indeed season two set up some of the show’s most unforgettable couples and pulled us in like they were part of our own lives. And for plenty of them, the drama was just getting started…
What was your biggest “Friends” watercooler moment? Let us know in the comments
