Friends (Season 4)

Seasons 4 & 5 of Friends are what I like to call the peak of the series, and I think they both compliment each other really well. Season 5 is the funniest season of Friends, and it's not even close, but Season 4 is the most well-written of the bunch.

Unlike the last two seasons, Season 4 isn't really split into thirds, rather it feels more like one continuous story. Ross and Rachel are both trying to move on from each other, so Ross gets a girlfriend named Emily who eventually almost gets married to by the end of the season, while Rachel tries to date a coworker named Joshua. I like Emily and I think she fits the cast well, but I also think Joshua is a dull bore and is one of the season's lowest points. Meanwhile, Chandler and Joey have their own storyline about them both having a crush on the same person, while Monica, Rachel, and Phoebe all have big job changes. There are also great storylines about Phoebe trying out surrogacy and Monica and Chandler switching apartments. There's a lot to this season and most of it works really well.

The way in which all of these storylines intertwine and flow throughout the season is great, and the balance between humor and drama has never been better. Joey and Chandler's storyline about sharing feelings for the same person is especially well-paced and heartfelt. The apartment switching storyline is also a lot of fun and results in some of the funniest episodes of the season. Ross and Emily are the main focus of the season and while they're not the most fun to watch all the time, their wedding at the end of the season is one of the greatest moments in the whole show.

It's not all great, though. There are some weak episodes scattered throughout, and Season 4 is infamous for having the first clip show episode of Friends. From then on, every season had a clip show and none of them were enjoyable. As mentioned before, I also think Joshua was a dull character and dragged down most of Rachel's storyline.

As for the most notable episodes:

The One With The Jellyfish: Another excellent premiere for the season, resolving all of the cliffhangers from Season 3 and doing a great job at it too. The final scene was top-notch between the hilarious "jellyfish" incident and Ross and Rachel's amazing fight that feels like a comedically-driven reversal of the breakup from Season 3.

The One Where Chandler Crosses The Line/Chandler In A Box: The climax of Joey and Chandler's Kathy arc is one of the strongest pairings of episodes in the show. Seeing Joey so pissed at Chandler is genuinely sad to watch, but they manage to wring a lot of humor out it. The latter episode in particular is one of the finest of Friends's many great Thanksgiving episodes, between Joey's fake Italian, Monica snapping at all of the friends, Chandler being stuck in a box, and the heartwarming final scene. 

The One With The Embryos: Sure, Phoebe's surrogacy storyline is sweet, but we all know why I put this episode here. The apartment bet is one of the funniest moments in any sitcom ever, between the hilarious answer to Ross's quiz questions, Monica at her competitive best, and the genuinely surprising ending. There are so many iconic and quotable lines scattered throughout the episode and the group dynamic has never worked better.

The One With All The Haste: It always surprises me just how much happens in this episode. I always remember it for the Morning Guy, along with Rachel and Monica winning their apartment back, but I keep forgetting that Ross and Emily get engaged in this episode too! Definitely a high point in the season.

The One With Ross's Wedding: One of the greatest season finales of all time, and definitely not just for Friends. This wedding has been built up the whole season and it definitely impresses. We get Joey's hilarious tour of London, Rachel meeting Dr House (before House was a thing), Monica and Chandler getting together, and one of the most genuinely surprising cliffhangers of all time with Ross accidentally saying Rachel's name in the wedding. It's an oddly ambitious episode for the show, but man, does it pull it off and then some. I think I wouldn't love Season 4 nearly as much if it didn't end on such a high note.

Overall, Season 4 is Friends at its best. The writing, acting, comedy, drama, and storylines all come together to create a truly top-notch outing for the show. While not every episode is a standout, I think this season manages to be even greater than the sum of its parts, all building to a stunning finale.

5/5 Stars