Customer Reviews

Friends: The Complete Ninth Season

5 star:		(84)
4 star:		(15)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

Heading into the ninth season of Friends, just about everyone associated with the show figured this was going to be their last season. Even fans were expecting the show to wrap when filming on the ninth season ended.

Only midway through season nine did the powers that be and the actors agree on one more season, a truncated 18 episodes for the 10th and final season.

With that possible ending in mind, writers had to be careful as they opened the season, knowing that they may be pushing toward a finale when the season drew to a close.

Getting caught up, season eight ended with the birth of Ross and Rachel's baby, Emma. Joey inadvertantly proposed to Rachel, and the new mother, obviously a little confused, said yes, prompting an interesting start to season nine.

Joey's feelings for Rachel had come out in season eight, and he knew that his accidental proposal to Rachel would certainly cause a lot of tension with everyone, particularly Ross. The story line surrounding the three served as a good start to the ninth season.

The season took a lot of moves along the way, with all the characters making some major choices in their lives. Monica and Chandler agree that they want to have a baby of their own, but continually fail to become pregnant, leading them to a fertility clinic, where they learn it may be impossible for them to have kids. While this show was known for its comedic moments, this storyline served as one of the more touching moments in the show, yet still was able to maintain the comedy aspect. Chandler and Monica are great together, as Courtney Cox Arquette and Matthew Perry have some very good chemistry. His laid-back approach and her uptightness go well together. Season nine also finds Chandler out of a job and serving as an intern with an ad company, finally moving on from statistical analysis and data reconfiguration.

Of course the big life changing moment for Ross and Rachel is Emma. Rachel moves in with Ross, which provides many strange moments, as they both try to live their lives with an ex and a kid in the same apartment. One of the funniest moments in the season is an episode where Rachel is leaving Emma for the first time and her and Ross get locked out of the apartment with the baby still inside. Ross's great story about the eagle and the baby, along with his great gestures to go with it, was hilarious. Of course, Ross and Rachel have a history and eventually they decide living together wasn't the best idea and Rachel heads back to Joey's.

After his proposal to Rachel, Joey finds himself in a tough situation with Ross. A viewer genuinely feels that Joey's feelings for Rachel are true, but at the same time, he knows he can't act on them. At least not at the beginning of the year. Through the season, Joey wrongly believes that Monica is cheating on Chandler while he is in Tulsa, gets Phoebe a job as an extra on Days of our Lives and misses his appearance in the big Thanksgiving Day parade. His life changing moment however, comes at the end of the season. After his breakup with paleontologist Charlie, he sees Ross kissing her and decides that is time to act on his feelings for Rachel, closing the ninth season.

Phoebe got caught in a love triangle, forcing her to choose between David, her scientist boyfriend who returned from Minsk, and Mike, the piano playing former lawyer who Joey set her up with on a blind date (accidentally of course). When Phoebe finds out that Mike never wants to get married because of his failed marriage, this causes them to break up, sending her into the arms of David. However, it is Mike who swoops in at the end to take Phoebe's heart away.

The season ends in Barbados, a great way to end the season, as the gang gathers for Ross's convention. Mike's proposal, Joey and Rachel's kiss and even Ross and Charlie, provide fuel for the final season.

Season nine featured some great guest stars. Paul Rudd is excellent as Mike, and he fits right in with the cast. Hank Azaria is also very good as the stammering, nervous David. He hits the nail right on the head. Aisha Tyler is good as the beautiful paleontologist Charlie. However, stealing the guest star show is Christina Applegate as Rachel's sister Amy. She won an Emmy for this role and it is well deserved. She was fantastic in her role in the Thanksgiving episode.

Extras include three commentaries from the executive producers, a quiz show, a look ahead to the final season, a music video and a great gag reel.

This season set, like the eight before it, is very well done and will help preserve one of the best comedies of our generation for years to come.

Several people have said that season 9 isn't that great, but I actually think the first half is top notch. I like that they shook up the formula (having Chandler in another city -- Ross and Rachel dealing with the baby), and Mike is a great addition. Most of the episodes from early in the season are laugh out loud funny (the one with Phoebe's birthday is a personal favorite). The problem, I think, is that halfway through this season, they decided they were going to extend into another season. So, even though the producers say they didn't want it to seem like they were dragging out storylines -- that's exactly how it comes across. The later episodes lose a lot of energy -- although the ping-pong game between Monica and Mike in the season finale is hilarious. I do hope that the 10th season DVD will have some cast commentary and interviews. There really isn't much more that Kevin Bright, Marta Kaufman and David Crane can say at this point. Definitely worth buying for the first two discs alone -- and the gag reel.

Now, having just read the review of this soon to be released ninth season and a couple of the other customer reviews, I'm a bit surprized to hear people say this season was lackluster. Yes, the show had been on for eight years previous to this season, so of course it's going to go a bit stale. But considering some of the plotlines and performances, the show held insanely well during this season. Phoebe finally has a romantic love interest that lasts for more than four episodes and who doesn't immediately break for Minsk. Paul Rudd is an amazing addition to the cast in this season, and Aisha Tyler is brilliant in her role as well. The regular actors really have fit into their niche. We've finally gotten away from Ross being disgustingly whiney about everything that happens. The only character that seems to fall short is Courtney Cox Arquette's portrayal of Monica, as she becomes more and more of a type and less of an actual character. Yes, the Tulsa storyline is rather unbelieveable, but how often do we see a girl give birth to her step-brother's triplets as in the fourth season? As for the people who say this season was not their best, have you seen the seventh season? There is very little redeeming in the first twelve episodes of that year. I enjoy them because it is Friends, but come on. If any year is going to be hailed as the worst, it is definately the seventh. In compairison, the ninth is golden. As for accusations against the tenth season, let's face it: it was the final year. At that point the writers and producers aren't necessesarily going to be coming up with the most inventive material because they have to focus on giving "the audience what they want" and wrapping up all the storyines that have accumulated over ten years. This is usually why "final seasons" of shows are sub-par. After all, who would want to watch Ross and Rachel become unresolved, Phoebe end up alone, etc.? It's a sitcom, not reality. And thank heaven for that.

Season nine is one of the best friends seasons! It's just as good as the previous eight, but in this one, we add another major character: Emma! In this season, Rachel becomes a mom, Monica and Chandler try to have a baby, Joey almost proposes, Phoebe meets Mike, Ross raps, Chandler moves to Tulsa and back, the whole Rachel-Joey fiasco, everybody almost wins the lottery, Ross and Joey date Charlie (a girl), Monica has singing issues, we meet Rachel's other sister, Phoebe realizes she mugged Ross, Ross still sees his Pediatrician, Rachel goes back to work, and they all go to Barbados. I love this season and I hope you do too! :D

Episodes Included:

The One Where No One Proposes
The One Where Emma Cries
The One With The Pediatrician
The One With The Sharks
The One With Phoebe's Birthday Dinner
The One With The Male Nanny
The One With Ross's Inappropriate Song
The One With Rachel's Other Sister
The One With Rachel's Phone Number
The One With Christmas In Tulsa
The One Where Rachel Goes Back To Work
The One With Phoebe's Rats
The One Where Monica Sings
The One With The Blind Dates
The One With The Mugging
The One With The Boob Job
The One With The Memorial Service
The One With The Lottery
The One With Rachel's Dream
The One With The Soap Opera Party
The One With The Fertility Test
The One With The Donor
The One In Barbados (Part 1)
The One In Barbados (Part 2)

Most people buy a season on DVD because they like the show enough to want to see the episodes more than once, to pop in for a quick laugh when nothing else is on TV, or because the show makes them happy. Some people buy a season of a much loved show just so they can have them all in one place, neatly on a shelf for future viewing when re-runs of the show aren't as readily available. That is just what you get here. It seems kinda silly to review this product "because the show sucks" as another reviewer said. While another reviewer points out that there are no interviews with the cast about the show, most people won't be bothered by that. If you love the show and are collecting each season, you will get what you paid for. If you don't love the show why would you review it here, because you clearly haven't bought it, so only talk about what you know for heaven sakes.

Season 9 deals with Rachel being a mother to the newborn Emma, the introduction of Phoebe's soon to be husband Mike (Paul Rudd), Chandler and Monica deciding to finally have a baby, and the last minute reemergence of Ross-Rachel-Joey triangle. I believe all of them produced productive stories for the characters except the triangle. I think it was a wrong turn not only was it already done before, it produced absolutely nothing except dragged the Ross and Rachel hookup. (I mean does anybody really think Rachel and Joey will end up together?) But I can forgive that wrong turn because Season 9 is a strong season in spite of that.

There are a number of standout episodes but here are my top five.

1. TOW the Lottery - this is an ensemble show and the fact that I chose this as the best episode of the season just proves that the show is really at its strongest when all the cast is together. There's some great one-liners, some slapstick, and some drama. I love this episode!

2. TOW Rachel's Other Sister - Another ensemble episode and another standout Thanksgiving episode. Christina Applegate gave an amusing performance. Some great one-liners from Rachel ("I went to the zoo yesterday, now I'm a koala bear" "Yeah Ross when I have a heart attack at a restaurant I want you there with your fossil brush") Some classic Monica obsessing with the plates and kookiness of Phoebe (check out how she's the only one eating the food the way Monica asked them to protect the plates) and you've got a classic episode.

3. TOW Emma Cries - The girls stole this episode. And it was a relief that Emma would actually be used well as a comedic material Lisa Kudrow was just a riot here ("This just proves that no good can come from having sex with Ross" "Have I gone deaf") And there's the Ross-Joey storyline which is a good B story.

4. TOW the Inappropriate Song - I like this episode largely because of Lisa Kudrow as Phoebe finally meets Mike's parents. I love how she adopts that "upscale-Hepburnesque" accent, how she inadvertently blurts out her not so impressive past, how she forces herself to eat meat, and how she brings Smelly cat in the conversation. I love everything about it.

5. TOW the Male Nanny - The 200th episode, Freddie Prinze Jr. surprisingly gave an amusing and not to mention a non-annoying performance. It's a funny storyline with Schwimmer and Aniston having some funny scenes. ("It's not like you just came in from branding cattle" "Its like firing Elmo")

Grade: A

It's been my general observation that the longer shows last, the worse they get (ER, Charmed, Will & Grace, etc) and Friends is no exception to the rule. Sooner or later the writers run out of material and they were scraping bottom by season nine. It's understandable, given the shifting scenarios, these six are no longer the single twenty-somethings they were at the start of the series and it's a process of evolution.

However, I love this show and can understand this kind of flaw as it happens to the best of shows. If you don't like FRIENDS, you don't have to buy it, and you don't have to complain about it. I love this show and so I will be buying it to update my collection.

Friends is the by-far the best comedy show ever. They have the best charcacters and I spend hours and hours watching the show. The ninth season was so incredible and soooooooo funny. some of the first episodes I saw were from the ninth season and I became totally hooked. All of my friends and I love the show and we quote it all the time because we love it so much, especially the ninth season. This is one of the best seasons of one of the best shows. If you dont own this season, or any of the seasons you shoud buy it right now. It will have you laughing for hours! This is truly a must have Tv show on DVD.

I think I have watched Friends/Joey since the second season.
At First I thought this was the worst season because of all the stupid plot twist. But the charectors were pretty good. Here are the episodes that I feel were the best on this season.

196(2)-The one where Emma Cries-Chandler accidentally falls asleep and accepts a job in Tulsa.Joey is mad at Joey and takes a swing at him at central perk and breaks his finger.

198(4)-The One with the Sharks. Monica sees Chandler at the hotel in Tulsa and thinks Chandler is the master of Domain at the Hotel to sharks. It is discovered it was regular porn
(Why didn't he keep the door closed thats obvious)

199(5)-Phoebe has her B-Day party with the other 5. She gives a lecture on them arriving late and her self leaves early. Joey sais to the waitors that he will eat 6 servings of food.

200(6)-The One with the male nanny. Freddie Prinze was not good but Ross was really funny. Ross has the guy get fired.

204(10)-The One with the Christmass in Tulsa-Chandler's female hits on him. He has to now quit the job because of it.

208(14)-The One with the Blind Dates-Joey and Phoebe want to get Ross and Rachel back togeather they get terrible dates.Rachel goes out with Steve(Lovitz) the pot head from Episode 15(The One with the Stoned Guy) the dates go bad.

209(15)-The One with the Mugging-Joey had hard time with a audition with Jeff Goldblum. Phoebe mugged Ross when he was a younger person. Chandler becomes a intern in advatising.

211(17)-The One with the Memorial Service-Ross and Chandler do stupid things. Ross calls Chandler a homosexual and Chandler sais Ross is dead. Ross decides to be a perv and holds a memorial service.A Hot girl is the only one there. Ross tries to get her of course he does not as she leaves angerily.

212(18)-The One with the lottery-They gets some lottery tickets.
A nice little episode that is about true friendship.

214(20)-The One with the soap opera party-Joey holds a secret Days of our Life Party.Chandler goes to some Crazy ladies play.
Ross meets Charlie and starts to like her.

217(23)-The One in Barbados Part 1 and 2. This one has Ross at a conference. They end having a balloon fight. We find out that Chandler is a great table tennis player also as he beats Mike.

This season Is pretty good. The Plot lines are very thin but the charectors had a good resurgance.Chandler had his best season since the 5th season. Joey and Ross were also good to.
I forgot which women was the best I think it may have been Mon.

This set is great. However, sound quality was an issue on one episode. Every episode was remastered very well into Dolby Surround 5.0 except for "The One In Barbados". Someone who remastered that sound must've goofed. The sound mix is messed up a little, which can be bothersome at times. That caused one star to be dropped from my rating