Who would have ever thought an american TV-show around six friends dwelling in Greenwich Village/New York City, whose episodes are entirely entitled "The One Where.." or "The One With.." would still be the unbeaten Number One sitcom five years after it was launched? Those razor sharp dialogues, those incomparable charakters and that overwhelmingly crazy plot on the tight clique attracted millions of viewers weekly all over the world within a short period of time. The series itself was already numinated for the Emmy Award twelve times.
The plot:
The main part of the scenerio takes place in a New York coffehouse named Central Perk and in the gang's apartments where the friends meet on a daily basis. In spite of the relatively big crowd in Central Perk they always share the same couch. Monica Geller (Courtney Cox-Arquette) is a chef with a very big obession for order in life. Her roommate Rachel Green (Jennifer Aniston-Pitt) was Monica's best friend in high school. She worked as a waitress at Central Perk for the first 
2 1/2 seasons. But because she always remained a terrible waitress she changed into fashion later. She moved into Monica's after having left her husband-to-be, an orthodontist, at the altar. Monicas brother, paleonthologist Dr.Ross Geller (David Schwimmer), has a crush on Rachel since their school days, but he doesn't bring up the courage to show her his feelings in any way. And when he finally wants to tell her, there are always some things that prevent him from doing so: Cats, lost monkeys, ex-fiancees or passionate italians. Being married once, Ross had to get to know how hard life can be when his wife Carol (Jane Sibbett) left him to live togther with her lesbian lover Susan (Jessica Hecht) and raise their new born son Ben with her.
Across the floor from Monica and Rachel live Chandler Bing (Matthew Perry) and Joey Tribbiani (Matt Le Blanc). Chandler is a data processor who can't stand his job but doesn't bring up the courage to give it up. He is a perfect Cycic who attracts attention by his jokes even in the bitter parts of his life. Joey, an unlucky actor with a low velocity level of thinking, is half-italian and gets quite close to the cliche of the typical macho-italian. But in a nice, humorous way hardly any woman could it ever hold against him. To come full circle there is Monica's former roommate Phoebe Buffay (Lisa Kudrow). She is an amateur guitarist and singer with an obsession for the eccentric and for mythology. Phoebe's almost childlike naivity and fanatic love to nature combined with the ones' things is what makes an essential part of the success of Friends.
In the US Friends is shown on NBC thursdays at 8.00am and on 7.00pm.
Quotes from the show:
Ross:: Yeah, she's got to go back to London. But you know what? I've been prepared for this from the start. We both knew we had two weeks together, and that's it. Y'know.
Joey: Hey that's what all my relationships are like.
Chandler: Yes, but in Ross's case, they both know in two weeks that's it.
(from TOW the Fake Party, season 4, episode 16)
Joey: Some girl ate Monica.
Monica: Shut up, the camera adds ten pounds.
Chandler: Ahh, so how many cameras are actually on you?
(from TOW the Prom Video, season 2, episode 14)
Monica: Okay, everybody relax. This is not even a date. It's just two people going out to dinner and not having sex.
Chandler: Sounds like a date to me.
(from TOW Monica Gets A Roommate, season 1, episode 1)
Rachel: I realised that I was more turned on by this gravy boat than by Barry! And then I got really freaked out, and that's when it hit me: how much Barry looks like Mr. Potato Head. Y'know, I mean, he always looked familiar, but...
(from TOW Monica Gets A Roommate, season 1, episode 1)
Chandler: When did that happen to you?!
Joey: Don't you remember when we were jogging in the park and we saw that really pretty bird and wanted to take a picture-I didn't have my camera!
Chandler: Oh yeah. First off all, chasing the Churo guy isn't jogging.
(from TOW the Inappropriate Sister, season 5, episode 10)
Monica: Alright, you know, we got it, we got it. Let's play for real. High stakes... big bucks...
Ross: Alright, now, you sure? Phoebe just threw away two jacks because they didn't look happy...
(from TOW All the Poker, season 1, episode 18)
Ross: Marcel, bring me the rice, come on. Bring me the rice. Come on. Good boy, good boy. Come here, gimme the rice. Thank you, good boy. Well, I see he's finally mastered the difference between, "bring me the..." and "pee in the...."
(from TOW the Monkey Gets Away, season 1, episode 19)
Joey: No, still too ethnic. My agent thinks I should have a name that's more neutral.
Chandler: Joey... Switzerland?
Joey: Plus, y'know, I think it should be Joe. Y'know, Joey makes me sound like I'm, I dunno, this big. Which I'm not.
Chandler: Joe...Joe...Joe...Stalin?
Joey: Stalin...Stalin...do I know that name? It sounds familiar.
Chandler: Well, it does not ring a bell with me...
Joey: Joe Stalin. Y'know, that's pretty good.
Chandler: Might wanna try Joseph.
Joey: Joseph Stalin. I think you'd remember that!
Chandler: Oh yes! Bye Bye Birdie, starring Joseph Stalin! Joseph Stalin is the Fiddler on the Roof!
(from TOW Fake Monica, season 1, episode 21)
Chandler: Uh, two larges, extra cheese on both. But listen, don't ring the buzzer for 19, ring 20, Geller-Green, they'll let you in, OK. If you buzz our door, there's no tip for you. OK, thanks. Pizza's on the way. I told you we wouldn't have to get up.
Joey: What if we have to pee?
Chandler: I'll cancel the sodas.
(from TOW Ross and Rachel...You Know, season 2, episode 15)
Chandler: Alright, let's get some perspective here, ok? These things, they happen for a reason.
Monica: Yeah. You!
Chandler: Alright, Pheebs, back me up here, ok? You believe in that karma crap, don't you?
Phoebe: Yeah, by the way, good luck in your next life as a dung beetle.
(from TOW the List, season 2, episode 8)
Joey: Hi, here's the deal. We lost a carseat on a bus today. It's white plastic, with a handle, and it fits onto a stroller. Oh, and there was a baby in it.
(from TOW the Baby On the Bus, season 2, episode 6)
Pete: Well I'm not gonna stop until I'm the Ultimate Fighting Champion.
Monica: That guy stood on your neck until you passed out!
Pete: Let me tell you a story. When I set out to create MOS 865, do you think it just happened overnight? No. There was MOS 1, that burnt down my Dad's garage. There was MOS 2 that would only schedule appointments in January. And 862 others that I learned from... just like I learned from this fight never to let a guy stand on my neck.
Monica: You didn't know that already?
(from TOW the Ultimate Fighting Champion, season 3, episode 24)
Ross: Monica's right. We're talking about getting married here. Okay? She-she can't just rush into this.
Rachel: Oh please, what do you know! You married a lesbian!
(from TOW Ross' Thing, season 3, episode 23)
Joey: Because you waited too long to make your move, and now you're in the friends zone.
Ross: No, no, no. I'm not in the zone.
Joey: Ross, you're mayor of the zone.
(from TOW the Blackout, season 1, episode 7)
Chandler: Oh, come on! You've been acting strange all day!
Joey: Alright! There is something. I kinda had a dream, but I don't want to talk about it.
Chandler: Whoa-whoa-whoa-whoa-whoa-what-what if Martin Luther King had said that? I kinda have a dream! I don't want to talk about it.
(from TOW the Cop, season 5, episode 16)
Chandler: Sometimes I wish I was a lesbian... Did I say that out loud???
(from TOW Monica Gets A Roommate, season 1, episode 1)
Rachel: Julie! Julie, isn't that great? I mean, isn't that just kick- you-in-the-crotch, spit-on-your-neck fantastic?
(from TOW Ross' New Girlfriend, season 2, episode 1)
Chandler: Carol, Carol? I was just wondering if Joey could ask you a question about breast-feeding?
Carol: Sure.
Joey: Uh, does it hurt?
Carol: It did at first, but not anymore.
Joey: Chandler?
Chandler: So, uh, how often can you do it?
Carol: As much as he needs.
Joey: Ok, I got one, I got one. If he blows into one, does the other one get bigger?
(from TOW the Breast Milk, season 2, episode 2)
Ross: Look, would you guys grow up? That is the most natural beautiful thing in the world.
Joey: Yeah, we know, but there's a baby suckin' on it.
(from TOW the Breast Milk, season 2, episode 2)
Carol: You slept with another woman?
Ross: Oh, y-you're-you're one to talk.
(from The One Without the Ski Trip, season 3, episode 17)
Monica: Oh hi! Hi! Y'know, we were just talking about bacon.
Phoebe: No, we were talking about tennis. Tennis is more believable.
(from The One After Vegas, season 6, episode 1)
For more friendly quotes go to All About TV Friends
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