Pals is broadly often called probably the most widespread sitcoms of all time. It follows a bunch of finest pals navigating early maturity in New York Metropolis in the course of the mid-’90s and early 2000s. The present’s characters, in addition to the actors who performed them, have turn into well-known, and plenty of of its jokes have turn into quotable traces in popular culture (“We had been on a break!”).
Pals continues to draw new viewers, making a fanbase that spans a number of generations. Whereas it’s nonetheless a beloved sitcom, sure elements of Pals have aged poorly since its record-breaking sequence finale in 2004. Some jokes and storylines could really feel dated and may not make sense to youthful viewers. Different episodes are simply straight-up darkish, making jokes out of grim storylines. Beneath all these laughing tracks, listed here are ten episodes of Pals that get actually, actually darkish.
- Launch Date
- September 22, 1994
- Seasons
- 10
10 The First One
Episode 1, Season 1
This episode has many names. “The First One.” “The One The place It All Started.” “The One The place Monica Will get a Roommate.” “Pilot”. No matter what you name it, that is the very first episode of Pals. It introduces us to this iconic forged of characters: Rachel (Jennifer Aniston), Monica (Courtney Cox), Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow), Joey (Matt LeBlanc), Chandler (Matthew Perry), and Ross (David Schwimmer). A lot of those characters’ pasts are a thriller at this level, because it’s solely the primary episode, however we do discover out an terrible lot about Phoebe.
Whereas attempting to console Rachel, who had simply left her groom on the altar, the quirky Phoebe tells us, “I keep in mind once I first got here to the town. I used to be 14. My mother had simply killed herself, and my stepdad was again in jail… And I ended up residing with this albino man, who was, like, cleansing home windows exterior port authority, after which he killed himself.” From that time on, Phoebe’s traumas turned a working joke all through the present, notably her mom’s suicide. She has a fairly upbeat angle in the case of speaking about her hardships. However actually, Phoebe has a darkish and traumatic previous that may ship most individuals to remedy.
9 The One with Ross’s Wedding ceremony
Season 4, Episode 24
“The One With Ross’s Wedding ceremony” was the two-episode finale of Season 4. As its title suggests, it revolves across the extremely anticipated occasion of Ross’s marriage ceremony in London. Its cliffhanger conclusion has turn into probably the most iconic moments in Pals. Within the episode’s remaining moments, whereas reciting his vows, Ross commits a horrible blunder when he by accident says the identify of his ex-girlfriend, Rachel, fairly than the identify of his bride, Emily (Helen Baxendale).
The jaws drop on each character in attendance whereas the reside viewers erupts with screams and gasps. And that is as a result of it is a actually, actually tousled second. Did it create numerous suspense for the viewers? Completely. However poor Emily. That is presupposed to be probably the most unbelievable and particular days of her life, however her marriage ceremony day is ruined when her groom, the love of her life, says the unsuitable identify on the altar.
8 The One with Ross and Monica’s Cousin
Season 7, Episode 19
A younger Denise Richards stars as Ross and Monica’s scorching cousin Cassie within the appropriately titled episode “The One with Ross and Monica’s Cousin.” Everybody who lays eyes on Cassie appears to fall for her – together with her personal first cousin, Ross. Regardless of their familial relationship, Ross makes a transfer on Cassie whereas they’re watching a film. In different phrases, the man tries to commit incest. This might need been alright a whole bunch of years in the past, however at the moment? Not a lot.
7 The One The place Eddie Will not Go
Season 2, Episode 19
One of many main story arcs in Season 2 includes finest buds and roommates Joey and Chandler going their separate methods. Joey strikes out to reside in his personal bachelor pad and is changed by Chandler’s new roommate, Eddie (Adam Goldberg). Eddie looks as if an OK man at first, however he shortly morphs into an unstable and nightmarish roommate. He reveals disturbed interior ideas and reveals alarming conduct, akin to stealing model heads from Macy’s and watching Chandler sleep. Eddie additionally appears to undergo from delusions. He accuses Chandler of sleeping along with his ex-girlfriend and killing his goldfish and imagines a highway journey to Las Vegas that by no means truly occurred.
When Eddie refuses to maneuver out, it takes a wild dupe to kick him to the curb. Actually. Joey and Chandler change the locks, transfer Eddie’s stuff out into the corridor, and fake that he by no means lived there, convincing Eddie that his time with Chandler was simply one other delusion. This episode is darkish in additional methods than one. On one hand, you have got a disturbed particular person stalking and threatening Chandler. However however, you have got a unfavorable image of psychological sickness that may not fly with audiences at the moment – particularly since Eddie is just about rendered homeless by the top of the episode.
6 The One with the Fertility Take a look at
Season 9, Episode 21
Each Pals fan is aware of that Monica has child fever. In “The One with the Fertility Take a look at”, Chandler and Monica are hit with the devastating information that they each undergo from infertility points. And due to this, they could by no means get to be organic dad and mom. Regardless of just a few ill-timed laughs, it is a darkish and sobering second because the present’s funniest couple takes the time to course of this unhappy data collectively.
5 The One with Russ
Season 2, Episode 10
In “The One with Russ,” Monica goes out with a man recognized solely as Enjoyable Bobby (Vincent Ventresca), because of his fun-loving and humorous demeanor. This episode, nonetheless, takes a darkish flip when it is revealed that Bobby solely appears enjoyable as a result of he is continually drunk. The man is definitely a raging alcoholic. Monica encourages him to stop ingesting, which turns him into a tragic and boring character. The gang pokes enjoyable at his drastic shift in character, with Chandler altering his nickname to Ridiculously Boring Bobby. Bummed out by his depressive temper, Monica begins ingesting closely herself to assist get her by means of their relationship.
This episode flippantly addresses a standard realization and challenge amongst many alcoholics: of their minds, they’re empty shells with out booze to fill them up. The episode downplays Bobby’s wrestle with alcoholism and turns his illness into the butt of a joke. It additionally does not precisely paint Monica as essentially the most supportive associate.
4 The One The place Rachel Quits
Season 3, Episode 10
“The One The place Rachel Quits” options just a few darkish moments. At one level, Ross by accident whacks a lady scout (performed by a younger Mae Whitman) with a tennis racket, knocks her down the steps, and breaks her leg. Is breaking just a little lady’s leg not darkish sufficient for you? OK, nicely, how about this one? Later within the episode, whereas Ross is visiting the little lady, she opens up about her father’s extreme playing habit. She mentions on a regular basis that he spends in Atlantic Metropolis and the way he is “doubling down” on her faculty fund. Yikes.
3 The One The place Rosita Dies
Season 7, Episode 13
It looks as if poor Phoebe cannot shake storylines that contain suicide. Whereas working as a telemarketer in “The One The place Rosita Dies,” Phoebe comes throughout Earl, a suicidal provide supervisor. Earl sadly confides in Phoebe, telling her that nobody cares about his existence, and divulges his plan to commit suicide. Phoebe then spends the remainder of the episode attempting to cease Earl from killing himself. There’s a constructive message right here that encourages suicide prevention, emphasizing help and luxury for these in want, however that also does not make this episode any much less darkish.
2 The One with Ross’s New Girlfriend
Season 2, Episode 1
Season 2 of Pals kicks off with Ross getting a brand new girlfriend and devastating Rachel… and darkly sufficient, sexual abuse. In “The One With Ross’s New Girlfriend,” Joey sends finest bud Chandler to a extremely beneficial household tailor. All of the man needs is a few altered pants, however Chandler will get far more than he bargained for when the tailor inappropriately touches him. It takes the mixed effort of Chandler and Ross to clarify to Joey that tailors ought to not contact any non-public components throughout fittings. Joey is appalled to study that he is been sexually abused, and that his tailor has spent the previous couple of many years measuring and groping numerous members of the Tribbiani household.
1 The One with the Child on the Bus
Season 2, Episode 6
For some unusual cause, Ross entrusts the care of his new child son, Ben, to the very younger and immature Joey and Chandler. The comedic duo seems to be doing a fantastic job at taking good care of Ben till they neglect that they’re, the truth is, in possession of a child and by accident depart him on a Manhattan bus. Horrified, Joey and Chandler watch because the bus drives off with out them. They handle to seek out Ben on the equal of a child misplaced and located, however there’s one other downside: they do not know which one is Ben.
Joey and Chandler roll the cube and randomly choose a child, hoping for the perfect. They current their child to Ross, figuring out full nicely that they could have chosen unsuitable. “The One with the Child on the Bus” could pack loads of laughs, however once you cease and give it some thought, it is a fairly tousled episode. These guys misplaced their pal’s little one—in New York Metropolis, of all locations—and it simply may’ve stayed that means. It is a darkish episode that may’ve had Youngster Providers knocking on Joey and Chandler’s door. Fortunately, nonetheless, it is only a sitcom.
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