The TV.com Summary
This is the one where Monica's biological clock ticks away like a time bomb, as Carol goes into labor, Ross and Susan can't stop bickering over who gets to help Carol more, so Phoebe drags both of them into a closet to settle their differences - but all three end up getting locked in just as Carol's about to give birth to the baby, and Rachel flirts with an OB/GYN who has a love-hate relationship with women's private parts.
The Guest Stars
special guest star
Jonathan Silverman as Dr. Franzblau
guest starring
Jane Sibbett as Carol
Jessica Hecht as Susan
Leah Remini as Lydia
June Gable as Nurse
The Ratings
Creativity- 8.6
Humor- 8.7
Emotion- 8.9
Fun- 8.5
Overall- 8.8
Chandler- 8.7 (Very funny in the moments he had, although he didn't do that much, and his attempts to be sweet to Monica were very charming)
Joey- 8.7 (He also tapped into his sweet, funny side with the bond he formed with the pregnant Lydia)
Monica- 8.6 (Funny-neurotic-sweet in her role as the budding aunt, and she would've had a higher rating if she'd had more to do in the episode)
Phoebe- 8.8 (Great pivotal small role in this episode, as the peacemaker and as the one who, momentarily, brought Ross and Susan close by hitting them with a dose of reality)
Rachel- 8.3 (Shallow Rachel came out, and while she managed to be sweet and charming throughout, I didn't particularly like it)
Ross- 8.9 (The emotion and empathy he brought to his role as a new father were very touching, but I didn't find myself incredibly moved)
The Best Lines
Monica (to Phoebe, after she enters the hospital with a guitar): What's with the guitar?
Phoebe: Well I just thought we might be here for a while, so you know... things might get musical!
Doctor: How are you doing with the contractions?
Carol: Oh, I love them! Each one's like a little party in my uterus!
Monica (sees a baby being wheeled by): I want a baby!
Chandler (sleeping on her shoulder): Not tonight, honey, I got an early day tomorrow.
Monica: Come on, get up, let's get some coffee.
Chandler: Oh, okay, because we never do that.
Phoebe (addressing Susan and Ross, who have been fighting): My God, you guys, I don't believe you! There are children coming into the world in this very building and your "negative fighting noises" are not the first things they should be hearing!
Susan: You're the baby's father!! And who am I? There's Father's Day, there's Mother's Day, there's no Lesbian Lover Day!
Ross: Every day is lesbian lover day!
Susan (after Phoebe has been lifted into a vent to escape from the locked room): What d'you see?
Phoebe: Well, Susan, I see what appears to be a dark vent. Yes, it is in fact a dark vent.
Carol (after she just delivered the baby): What does he look like?
Ross: Kind of like my Uncle Ed covered in Jell-O.
Phoebe (talking about the baby): Aww, Susan, he looks just like you.
Rachel: I can't believe one of us has one of these.
Chandle: I know. I still am one of these.
Chandler (looking at Ben in the crib): He doesn't do much, does he?
Ross: Nope. This is pretty much it.
The Moments
Joey befriends a lady basketball fan who is delivering a baby.
Ross, Susan, and Phoebe get stuck in a closet.
Carol delivers the baby.
Ben.
The Romances
Rachel flirts up the doctor delivering Carol's baby.
A Chandler-Monica relationship is hinted at for the very first time.
The Verdict
Another great episode by the Friends crew, as this one was packed full with rapid humor and, of course, due to the subject matter of this episode, heartfelt emotion. However, it was hard to avoid cliche. And cliche isn't always a bad thing- I'm just not used to it from Friends. And, by all means, they tried their best to avoid a lot of cliches that could come with such a "birth" episode. Also, a shallow, pandering Rachel and a "nervous about whether or not I'm ever going to have a baby" Monica were not prime examples of how great those two characters can be. But, regardless of the shortcomings, a great episode, and I'm looking forward to how the writers close out the freshman season.
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