Friends (season 4)

The fourth season of Friends, an American sitcom created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman, premiered on NBC on September 25, 1997. Friends was produced by Bright/Kauffman/Crane Productions, in association with Warner Bros. Television. The season contains 24 episodes and concluded airing on May 7, 1998.

Friends
Season 4
Friends season 4 DVD cover
Starring
Country of originUnited States
No. of episodes24
Release
Original networkNBC
Original releaseSeptember 25, 1997 (1997-09-25) –
May 7, 1998 (1998-05-07)
Season chronology

Reception

It was one of three seasons included on TV Guide's list of the Top 100 TV Seasons.

Collider ranked it #8 on their list of the ten Friends seasons, and cited "The One with the Embryos" as its best episode.[1]

Cast and characters
(In particular, Introduced in season 4 or Only in season 4)

Episodes
See also: List of Friends episodes
No.
overall		No. in
season		TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateProd.
code		U.S. viewers
(millions)
741"The One with the Jellyfish"Shelley JensenWil CalhounSeptember 25, 1997 (1997-09-25)46660129.4[2]
Ross breaks up with Bonnie and gets back with Rachel, though she insists he first read her 18-page letter discussing their relationship and insisting he take full responsibility for their break-up. Ross reluctantly agrees, suppressing his anger. Joey and Chandler come to Monica's rescue after she is stung by a jellyfish--one of them has to pee on her leg to relieve the pain. Phoebe goes to see her sister, Ursula, who reveals she already knows about their birth mother. Ross and Rachel break up again after Ross refuses to take all the blame for their previous problems and insists they were "on a break".
752"The One with the Cat"Shelley JensenJill Condon & Amy ToominOctober 2, 1997 (1997-10-02)46660225.5[3]
Monica runs into Chip Matthews, Rachel's high school prom date. Monica is thrilled when he asks her out, though it causes tensions between her and Rachel (and ultimately Ross); Monica quickly realizes Chip has never matured beyond high school and dumps him. Chandler forces Joey to sell the entertainment unit he built. A prospective buyer traps Joey inside the unit, then steals the guys' belongings. Phoebe is overjoyed to find a cat she believes contains her mother, Lily's, spirit.
763"The One with the Cuffs"Peter BonerzSeth KurlandOctober 9, 1997 (1997-10-09)46660324.0[4]
Joey is enticed when a door-to-door encyclopedia salesman shows up at the apartment. Joey can only afford to buy the sample volume and becomes knowledgeable on subjects starting with the letter "V." Monica caters a party for her mother, but the mini-quiches are ruined when her false fingernails gets lost in one. Judy says she expected Monica to mess up so she bought frozen lasagnas as a back-up. Monica, angry, whips up a delicious dish at the last minute, impressing her mother. Chandler begins seeing Rachel's boss, Joanna again, but lands in a sticky situation and faces Rachel's wrath after Joanna handcuffs him inside her office, then leaves for a meeting, getting delayed and stranding him.
774"The One with the Ballroom Dancing"Gail MancusoTed Cohen & Andrew ReichOctober 16, 1997 (1997-10-16)46660424.3[5]
Phoebe struggles to remain professional with an attractive client. When she finally confesses her feelings to him he reciprocates. While kissing, Phoebe's boss walks in, she informs Phoebe the man is married, then fires her. Chandler needs Ross' help to quit his gym when he becomes intimidated by the assertive staff. Joey confronts Mr. Treeger after he makes Rachel cry. Treeger then threatens to report Monica for illegally subletting her grandmother's apartment. To make amends, Joey agrees to help Treeger practice ballroom dancing for his upcoming social event.
785"The One with Joey's New Girlfriend"Gail MancusoGregory S. Malins & Michael CurtisOctober 30, 1997 (1997-10-30)46660524.4[6]
Phoebe has a cold that she thinks improves her singing voice only to be frustrated when her "sexy phlegm" disappears. She then tries to catch Monica's cold. Ross attempts to make Rachel jealous by dating Amanda, a beautiful woman with a child Ben's age, only to discover she thinks he is her babysitter. Rachel dates an immature guy who is stealing from her and the other friends. Chandler is smitten with Joey's new actress girlfriend, Kathy.
796"The One with the Dirty Girl"Shelley JensenShana Goldberg-Meehan & Scott SilveriNovember 6, 1997 (1997-11-06)46660625.7[7]
Phoebe helps Monica cater a funeral, but the merry widow intimidates Monica to avoid paying them; Phoebe takes charge, demanding the widow settle the account, prompting the girls to start their own catering business. Chandler reluctantly helps Joey find Kathy a birthday present better than the one he bought for her, ultimately sacrificing his gift to substitute for Joey's tacky one. Ross, revolted by his beautiful new girlfriend's filthy apartment, finally calls it quits. Rachel is determined to complete a crossword without help. Kathy later thanks Chandler for the book, realizing he bought it.
807"The One Where Chandler Crosses the Line"Kevin S. BrightAdam ChaseNovember 13, 1997 (1997-11-13)46660726.4[8]
Ross starts playing keyboards again leaving the gang aghast by his unusual compositions which Phoebe thinks are brilliant. Chandler's feelings towards Kathy reach a breaking point after they kiss. He vainly tries to fix things after telling Joey the truth. Joey is outraged, even though he is dating another woman at the same time.
818"The One with Chandler in a Box"Peter BonerzMichael BorkowNovember 20, 1997 (1997-11-20)46660826.8[9]
During Thanksgiving dinner, Joey punishes Chandler for kissing Kathy by sentencing him to "time out" inside a crate. Joey finally relents and gives Chandler and Kathy his approval. Ross is shocked to learn that Rachel exchanges every gift she is given, but she shows Ross that she keeps things that matter. Monica becomes infatuated by Richard Burke's son, also an eye doctor, when she has an appointment with him.
829"The One Where They're Going to Party!"Peter BonerzTed Cohen & Andrew ReichDecember 11, 1997 (1997-12-11)46660923.9[10]
Monica and Phoebe buy a van for their new catering business, but plans are upended when Monica is offered the head chef job at 'Alessandro's", a restaurant she recently trashed in a review for a neighborhood paper. Rachel applies for an assistant buyer job in another Bloomingdale's department, only to be sabotaged during the interview by her boss, Joanna, who wants to keep Rachel as her assistant. Rachel confronts Joanna, who then offers to make her an assistant buyer in her department. Unfortunately, Joanna meets an untimely end before Rachel's promotion takes effect. Ross and Chandler are excited when their friend Mike 'Gandalf' Ganderson is coming to town to party. When Gandalf cancels, Joey says they can still have a great time.
8310"The One with the Girl from Poughkeepsie"Gary HalvorsonScott SilveriDecember 18, 1997 (1997-12-18)46661223.2[11]
Chandler's attempt to set up Rachel up with someone from work gets out of hand when his colleagues start competing with one another, believing she only wants a fling. He then scares everyone off by saying Rachel wants a serious relationship. Monica's new staff at Alessandro's resent her for replacing their family member as chef. She then hires Joey so she can fake "fire" him to show them who is boss. When Joey gets lucrative tips, he refuses to give her a reason to fire him. However, when he truly sees the degree of cruelty and abuse Monica is being forced to endure, which almost makes her resign, he sticks to his part and Monica fires Joey in front of everyone. This is enough for Monica to acquire control over her colleagues who realize they could get fired too. Ross is torn between a pretty but overly-serious girl who lives nearby and a fun one from upstate that takes all his free time commuting to see. Phoebe writes a holiday song for her friends but has trouble rhyming words.
8411"The One with Phoebe's Uterus"David SteinbergSeth KurlandJanuary 8, 1998 (1998-01-08)46661023.7[12]
Monica and Rachel offer Chandler advice on improving his performance in the bedroom with Kathy. Ross lands Joey a job as a tour guide at the museum. Joey is disappointed when Ross will not sit with him in the lunch room, exposing a greater "class divide" within the museum. Phoebe's brother, Frank, and Alice have eloped and want children right away. They are unable to conceive naturally and ask Phoebe to carry their baby. After much consideration, Phoebe agrees.
8512"The One with the Embryos"Kevin S. BrightJill Condon & Amy ToominJanuary 15, 1998 (1998-01-15)46661127.1[13]

Rachel and Monica demand that Chandler and Joey get rid of the birds when the rooster starts crowing every morning. Joey and Chandler argue with Monica and Rachel over who knows whom better, so Ross designs a trivia quiz with high stakes: if the men lose, they give up the chick and duck, but if the women lose, they switch apartments with the men. The result comes down to a tie breaker, which the girls lose, forcing them to move. Frank and Alice's embryos are implanted into Phoebe's uterus, leading to a tense wait that results in her pregnancy.

In 2009, TV Guide ranked this episode #21 on its list of the 100 Greatest Episodes.[14]
8613"The One with Rachel's Crush"Dana DeVally PiazzaShana Goldberg-MeehanJanuary 29, 1998 (1998-01-29)46661325.3[15]
Monica is determined to continue being 'the hostess' and strives to succeed after the girls have to switch apartments with Chandler and Joey. Chandler worries when Kathy and a fellow actor get steamy on stage in a play and unfairly accuses her of cheating on him. When he later goes to her apartment to apologize, he discovers she is now sleeping with her co-star. Rachel is unhappy after being switched to another department as a personal shopper. Her job attitude improves after meeting a handsome young customer named Joshua.
8714"The One with Joey's Dirty Day"Peter BonerzWil CalhounFebruary 5, 1998 (1998-02-05)46661425.1[16]
Chandler is depressed over his break-up with Kathy, requiring the girls' intervention that includes a strip club. Rachel asks for Ross' help after she becomes double-booked with Joshua, who invites her to a club opening, and her boss who wants her to accompany his niece, Emily, just in from London, to the opera. Joey arrives home with an unpleasant odor following a three-day fishing trip with his father. He oversleeps and rushes to a movie set without showering. He sneaks into Charlton Heston's dressing room to use his shower. Ross reluctantly agrees to meet Emily and take her to the opera, then shocks everyone when the couple end up spending the weekend together at a Bed & Breakfast.
8815"The One with All the Rugby"James BurrowsStory by : Ted Cohen & Andrew Reich
Teleplay by : Wil Calhoun		February 26, 1998 (1998-02-26)46661724.4[17]
Ross risks life and limb when he wants to show Emily how tough he is by playing rugby with her athletic British friends. Monica becomes obsessed with a wall switch in the apartment that appears to have no function. Chandler runs into Janice and goes to extreme measures to avoid her, including telling her he is being transferred to Yemen.
8916"The One with the Fake Party"Michael LembeckStory by : Alicia Sky Varinaitis
Teleplay by : Scott Silveri & Shana Goldberg-Meehan		March 19, 1998 (1998-03-19)46661523.1[18]
Pregnant Phoebe, a vegetarian, craves meat and enlists Joey's help. He offers to refrain from eating meat, thus balancing out what Phoebe consumes. Ross wants to spend as much time with Emily as possible before she returns to London. Rachel throws a fake surprise goodbye party for Emily as a ruse to invite Joshua, disrupting Ross' more intimate farewell plans.
9017"The One with the Free Porn"Michael LembeckStory by : Mark Kunerth
Teleplay by : Richard Goodman		March 26, 1998 (1998-03-26)46661623.2[19]
Phoebe is shocked she is expecting triplets and wants to find a way to help financially support Frank and Alice. Monica persuades Ross to pursue Emily to the airport. Ross arrives just as she is boarding and says he loves her. Emily merely says thank you and leaves. She later calls to apologize for her lukewarm reaction and says it was because there is someone else. Monica believes Emily loves Ross and convinces him to go to England to say he loves her. Ross flies to London, unaware Emily has returned to New York to tell Ross she loves him. They finally connect by phone. Phoebe and Frank decide to start a massage/taxi business using the van Phoebe and Monica were once going to use for a catering business. Chandler and Joey are delighted to discover a free pornography channel on their TV, becoming addicted when they refuse to turn it off.
9118"The One with Rachel's New Dress"Gail MancusoStory by : Andrew Reich & Ted Cohen
Teleplay by : Jill Condon & Amy Toomin		April 2, 1998 (1998-04-02)46662021.7[20]
Frank and Alice ask Phoebe to name one of their unborn triplets. Both Joey and Chandler compete to get her to choose their name. Joey says "Chandler" is a sissy name, prompting Chandler to consider changing it, though he has ulterior motives. Ross becomes paranoid when Emily and Carol's wife, Susan, spend time together in London. Rachel wears a revealing dress and an even sexier slip under it while dining with Joshua at his apartment, only to be unpleasantly surprised when his parents unexpectedly arrive.
9219"The One with All the Haste"Kevin S. BrightScott Silveri & Wil CalhounApril 9, 1998 (1998-04-09)46661821.8[21]
Monica and Rachel make desperate attempts to win their apartment back from Joey and Chandler, including bribing them with Knicks tickets and challenging them to another game. The girls lose the tickets and the game, but are ultimately triumphant in getting their place back with Phoebe's help. Ross is disheartened with Emily returning to London again, so they spontaneously decide to get married.
9320"The One with All the Wedding Dresses"Gail MancusoStory by : Adam Chase
Teleplay by : Gregory S. Malins & Michael Curtis		April 16, 1998 (1998-04-16)46662121.9[22]
Chandler, frustrated by Joey's loud snoring, takes him to a sleep clinic where he meets an attractive woman with her own sleeping issues. Rachel, struggling to accept Ross and Emily's engagement, shocks Joshua by saying they should get married. Monica and Phoebe pick up Emily's wedding gown at the bridal shop. Monica tries it on and does not want to take it off, then puts it on again at home. Phoebe then shows up in a rented wedding dress. Rachel leaves Joshua a phone message explaining she was just upset about Ross and Emily. She never expects to see Joshua again. The girls try cheering Rachel up by getting her to wear her old wedding dress, only for Joshua to show up. Seeing her in a bridal gown, he runs off for good.
9421"The One with the Invitation"Peter BonerzSeth KurlandApril 23, 1998 (1998-04-23)46661921.5[23]

A clip show where pregnant Phoebe is frustrated at being unable to attend Ross' London wedding. Ross surprises Emily by inviting Rachel, causing him to reminisce about their time together. Rachel believes it will be too heart-breaking to attend and decides not to go.

  • This episode includes much footage of Ross and Rachel's relationship throughout the show.
9522"The One with the Worst Best Man Ever"Peter BonerzStory by : Seth Kurland
Teleplay by : Gregory S. Malins & Michael Curtis		April 30, 1998 (1998-04-30)46662223.2[24]
Rachel and Monica have a baby shower for Phoebe who is experiencing extreme mood swings and growing depressed about giving up the babies. Ross chooses Joey over Chandler to be his best man, but Joey loses the wedding ring after throwing a bachelor party featuring a stripper. They discover the duck ate the ring and take it to the vet, who retrieves it. Ross decides to make both Chandler and Joey his best men.
96
97		23
24		"The One with Ross' Wedding"Kevin S. BrightMichael Borkow
Story by : Jill Condon & Amy Toomin
Teleplay by : Shana Goldberg-Meehan & Scott Silveri		May 7, 1998 (1998-05-07)[lower-alpha 1]466623
466624		31.6[25]
Everyone except Rachel and Phoebe fly to London for Ross and Emily's wedding. Joey embarrasses Chandler while sightseeing in London. Ross and Emily are shocked that their wedding venue is undergoing an early demolition. Monica suggests postponing the wedding, infuriating Ross. Back in New York, Rachel, realizing she loves Ross, heads to London to stop the wedding. Later, Ross and Monica surprise Emily by transforming the partially-demolished church into a suitable venue. Joey becomes homesick but a bridesmaid cheers him up. Phoebe repeatedly calls London to stop Rachel. After seeing Ross and Emily together, Rachel is unable to tell Ross the truth. Monica and Chandler sleep together, hiding it from the other friends. At the altar, Ross says Rachel's name instead of Emily's.

Notes
  1. These episodes originally aired as a single double-length episode but are sometimes split into two episodes for syndication, reruns and DVD presentation.

References
  1. Chitwood, Adam (December 26, 2019). "'Friends' Seasons Ranked from Worst to Best".
  2. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/41307958/the-los-angeles-times/
  3. https://web.archive.org/web/20010622063640/http://tv.zap2it.com/news/ratings/networks/970929networks.html
  4. https://web.archive.org/web/20011124140425/http://tv.zap2it.com/news/ratings/networks/971006networks.html
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  8. https://web.archive.org/web/20010622071824/http://tv.zap2it.com/news/ratings/networks/971110networks.html
  9. https://web.archive.org/web/20010622034436/http://tv.zap2it.com/news/ratings/networks/971117networks.html
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  12. https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/477863784/
  13. https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/477659844/
  14. "TV Guide's Top 100 Episodes". Rev/Views. Retrieved July 4, 2016.
  15. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/41302921/the-los-angeles-times/
  16. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/41316393/the-los-angeles-times/
  17. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/41373362/the-los-angeles-times/
  18. https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/478131480/
  19. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/41310058/the-los-angeles-times/
  20. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/41314398/the-los-angeles-times/
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  23. http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:29aME0naAG8J:mrpopculture.com/1998/44-1998/684-april-24-1998+&cd=2&hl=pt-BR&ct=clnk&gl=br
  24. "Friends Nielsen Ratings Archive – Season Four". Newmusicandmore.tripod.com. Retrieved July 31, 2014.
  25. https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/403929748/
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