Episode 1.10- The One with the Monkey

The TV.com Summary
This is the one where the gang makes and breaks a pact to celebrate New Year's Eve without dates, Ross compensates for his loneliness by getting a roommate - a monkey named Marcel whom everyone adores (Well, everyone except Monica, who can't get past the feces-throwing thing), and Phoebe faces a difficult decision when she meets a shy physicist who's thinking about giving up a fellowship in Minsk to stay with her.

The Guest Stars
Hank Azaria as David
Vincent Ventresca as Fun Bobby
and
Maggie Wheeler as Janice

The Ratings
Creativity- 8.7
Humor- 8.5
Emotion- 8.6
Fun- 8.7
Overall- 8.6

Chandler- 8.9 (Back to his intense vulnerability, he shines in those shoes as well)
Joey- 8.7 (Funny, calm, and friendly, he has suddenly become the stable one among all his friends, because at least he knows where he's at)
Monica- 8.5 (Doesn't have a big role in this episode, but she does have funny lines throughout)
Phoebe- 9.1 (Stellar, as Phoebe finally taps into that emotional bank in a big way)
Rachel- 8.7 (Sad, at times pathetic, Rachel still finds a way to bring smiles and laughter to all)
Ross- 9.0 (Another powerhouse performance by Schwimmer as a lonely, bordering on depressed Ross)

The Best Lines
Ross (talking about Marcel the monkey): My friend Bethel rescued him from a lab.
Phoebe: That is so cruel! Why, why would a parent name their child Bethel?

Rachel: Well, for your information, Paolo is going to be in Rome this New Year's, so I'll be just as pathetic as the rest of you.
Phoebe: Yeah, you wish.

Chandler: I've got an idea! Dinner.
Ross: It's perfect! We'll put it between lunch and breakfast.

Phoebe (singing): I made a man with eyes of coal and a smile so bewitchin', how was I supposed to know, that my mom was dead in the kitchen?

Rachel: I mean, by my sixth date with Paolo he had already named both my breasts. (Silence). Ooh... did I just share too much?
Ross: Just a smidge.

Phoebe: Did you ever see An Officer and a Gentleman?
Monica: Yeah.
Phoebe: Well... he's kind of like the guy I went to see that with.

Janice: Smile! You're on Janice Camera!

Phoebe: Everybody looks so happy. I hate that!

The Moments
Marcel the monkey is introduced.
We meet Phoebe's long love David.
Janice comes back for the New Year's party.
Joey kisses Chandler on the lips.

The Romances
Chandler invites Janice to the New Year's party, only to dump her minutes after she arrives.
Phoebe meets David, a scientist. They fall in love but he has to go to Minsk.
Paolo almost makes it back to New York for New Year's, but he misses his flight.
Joey meets a hot mom named Sandy but she gets it on with another guy at the party.
Monica invites her ex-boyfriend Fun Bobby to the New Year's party but he is grieving.
This all happens after they make a no-dates-at-New Year's pact.

The Verdict
A good episode. A bit of a step down from the last few, but that means very little because the last few episodes have been incredible. This is a great, solid episode with good performances as the friends all wind up in the lonely hearts club. A bit of a downer, but there are megatons of funny lines peppered throughout. Good job by the writers, and maybe I gave this one a little bit lower of a rating than it deserves, just because the last few episodes have been so damn good.