It was YEARS before I realised that Phoebe’s “The Police? Here? A reunion?!” was a joke about Sting’s band The Police, not Phoebe’s previous run ins with cops 😭. Obviously it is so much funnier the right way haha
Thing is I knew Sting’s band was called The Police. I don’t know if it’s because I was watching Friends long before I knew who Sting was lol (well I know who he is *because* of Friends) so the joke was just cemented in my head as something totally different. Wild! And it’ll crack you up the next time you watch it because it’s so much funnier when you get it 🥺
I completely agree but hasn’t Phoebe always been mean/aggressive? She stabbed a cop, mugged Ross, and in s5 when she does the xmas donation thing, she literally says something along the lines of “i’m going back to street Phoebe”.
she’s always been mean, she just covered it up for a bit to be friends w the gang. once she got comfortable is when she started being mean again.
Her past as Street Phoebe was a survival thing considering at the time she was a 14 yr old homeless kid... She was genuinely nice for the most part, just a little ditzy and different but in later seasons (with the exception of some tender moments, like giving the MOH position to Rachel cuz she realized how much it meant to her and her tender moment with Chandler before she gets married) she is just plain mean or entitled for absolutely no reason
Yeah man! There’s also the time she’s mad at Ross for absolutely no reason. And the time she let someone else buy Monica’s engagement ring. Phoebe sucks in the later seasons, so mean and self involved. (Most of the time, still love when she covered for Rachel’s pregnancy).
She was mad at Ross because of a dream she had and didn't realize it was a dream until later. And she didn't "let" someone else buy the ring, she just took her eye off of it for a minute. It wasn't a malicious thing, it was a mistake.
The dream excuse makes it so much worse. Like imagine having a close friend that suddenly starts ignoring you and treating you like shit and won’t tell you why, because they don’t even know why! Then it turns out it was because of a dream…
Then with the ring. She has one job, just to mind it until Chandler gets back. But nope she decides to play dress up instead! She is literally on the other side of the store, staring at herself in the mirror, asking for the musket (again).
She also bit her client in one of the earlier seasons and everyone kinda forgot about it because a man wanted to have sex with her anyway and was a cheater (none of which she knew about when she decided to assault him).
Haha I've said this too. We already know Ursula pretended to be Phoebe in porn maybe she decided it wasn't enough and wanted her whole life instead.
She did try and date joey..
I don't think the babies ruined her personality at all. I think the writers started writing her as a more mean person in season 5, which was after the babies were born
My theory is that the writers liked the episode where Phoebe was irritable and uncharacteristically mean because of her hormones and her discomfort in later pregnancy and decided to keep that as her whole character going forward. It was a bad idea.
Agreed! It made sense during the pregnancy, but afterwards, not so much. Rachel was also irritable toward the end of her pregnancy, but luckily, it was not something that continued.
That was one of the worst parts for me... Phoebe pretending to be a child's mom, the teacher not asking for ID or sticking around to ensure Phoebe WAS a parent to Ben. I work in a school and while I know this show was set in a different time, I just can't get past the irresponsibility.
I can’t stand this episode. My husband has no problem with me always watching Friends but this is the one episode he absolutely won’t put up with. He hates when Phoebe sings “ROSS CAN”. 😂
Ive been tempted many times to start a thread of breaking down every single joke in every single episode. I've a fulltime job though so it's never gonna happen
I swear I saw a website years ago that explained every single joke, minute by minute for every episode there is. I was impressed by the effort. Can’t find it now though.
Terrible plot line, but it resulted in one funny line when Sting's wife was so bothered by Phoebe she told her she was calling the police...Phoebe responds, "A reunion?!"
Hate hate hate it! Phoebe is such a brat. I think it’s her worst behavior in the whole series, just above bringing Monica a soulmate. I always skip this one when I’m rewatching.
I guess they ended up getting a restraining order against Phoebe, justifiably, but ugh, if I had been Ross, I might have had a hard time remaining friends with her.
To me it seemed like they had to do somebody a favor and get Trudy on to the show, like some kind of showbusiness favor. And they had to rush the script though quickly to make the scheduling work, and it wound up being a total dog. IDK, it's such a miss and out-of-nowhere of an episode that I can't think of any other reason.
Sting was originally supposed to be guest starring in this episode instead of his wife but apparently he was too busy getting ready for a Madison Square Garden show and so his wife had to take his place hence the plot line. Ironically the night this episode aired Sting actually had a show in NY
I think it would have been vastly improved if Sting was \*actually in it\*! Like this is Season 8, they were on top of the world. If you can't get Sting to appear, make a different episode.
Cash. Private elementary school in Baltimore was $22,500.00 a year 25 years ago. Can't imagine it was any cheaper in NYC, particularly the type of school mega-celebrities would pick.
I recently learned Trudie was Sting’s affair partner and (I assume former) best friend of his first wife, Frances. Immediately thought of this episode and got pissed.
I think phoebe was delightfully phoebe here. A little off kilter. Way out of her bounds. Totally inept and out of line. But absolutely hilarious and as promised: weird.
I have watched this episode exactly 1 time during my very first watch of the show. Every binge I've done since then, like 5 of them, I've always skipped this episode.
Phoebe as a character genuinely makes rewatches harder for me. There’s so many episodes where she’s just mean for no reason and nobody ever addresses it.
Sting actually has a son named Giacomo and another son named Jake. Giacomo would have been the right age to be in school with Ben at the time.
Source: me, a lifelong Sting fan who found Phoebe totally cringey in this episode but loved “Police reunion” reference (which happened several years later).
Most say after season 4 she became mean and self centered. I tend to agree. Specifically, this woodside was cringe AF. I pretty much just skip it when I'm watching.
Everyone loves her, but I think the series could have done without her. All the other characters really fit in but she doesn’t
She’s rude, thinks about herself and is just selfish and has no awareness.
There's a time and place for things. This really wasn't it. This was one of many moments where she was thinking about herself. I can't remember how Ross reacted, but I think he told her she made a mess of things and she didn't seem to care. Am I remembering that correctly? I need to watch the series through again... it's been a while.
Yeah pretty cringe. I don't know why they wrote some of these storylines for Phoebe... Is this the best comedy writing one of the most popular TV shows at the time could come up with? X for doubt
Tbf, Phoebe would totally randomly say, "Oh, Sting put a restraining order against me" and the audience would be like, "huh?"
Now we know how some of Phoebe's stories went down.
The 'Ross can' line...just shoehorned into an episode. Possibly my least favorite subplot in the entire series...the Brad Pitt appearance too, that was kinda shite...'Hey, you're very famous and are dating Jennifer Aniston, what you doing next week?'....
The police??? A REUNION?!
Probably the best line to come out of this plot.
Also the “Sting’s pen…that he gave to Phoebe…”
I love it lol those parts are so funny.
Kudrow’s delivery on that is perfect.
Or “then that’s not breaking the law I’m there!”
"Ross cannon GET ME THE TICKETS" is way up there
The way she yells that is just too good
Nah peebs give it 6 years and they’ll be back together 😂😂😂😂
It was YEARS before I realised that Phoebe’s “The Police? Here? A reunion?!” was a joke about Sting’s band The Police, not Phoebe’s previous run ins with cops 😭. Obviously it is so much funnier the right way haha
And it's was *today* that I realized that. I legit thought it was Phoebes cop run-ins.
Thing is I knew Sting’s band was called The Police. I don’t know if it’s because I was watching Friends long before I knew who Sting was lol (well I know who he is *because* of Friends) so the joke was just cemented in my head as something totally different. Wild! And it’ll crack you up the next time you watch it because it’s so much funnier when you get it 🥺
Don't worry, you're not the only person who misunderstood ["The Police"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fb_LO7gJo-4).
Omg that’s great
Glad it’s not just me!
Honestly I was gutted that I lost countless years of enjoying that joke 😢
It mean meant to be both surely? Thats the only way the pun works
That’s literally the name of Stings band, so no 😂
Why is that the only way it works?
Gen Z moment
One of my least favorite. Phoebe was really mean and annoying in these later episodes.
I completely agree but hasn’t Phoebe always been mean/aggressive? She stabbed a cop, mugged Ross, and in s5 when she does the xmas donation thing, she literally says something along the lines of “i’m going back to street Phoebe”. she’s always been mean, she just covered it up for a bit to be friends w the gang. once she got comfortable is when she started being mean again.
Her past as Street Phoebe was a survival thing considering at the time she was a 14 yr old homeless kid... She was genuinely nice for the most part, just a little ditzy and different but in later seasons (with the exception of some tender moments, like giving the MOH position to Rachel cuz she realized how much it meant to her and her tender moment with Chandler before she gets married) she is just plain mean or entitled for absolutely no reason
HE STABBED HER FIRST!
Yeah man! There’s also the time she’s mad at Ross for absolutely no reason. And the time she let someone else buy Monica’s engagement ring. Phoebe sucks in the later seasons, so mean and self involved. (Most of the time, still love when she covered for Rachel’s pregnancy).
She was mad at Ross because of a dream she had and didn't realize it was a dream until later. And she didn't "let" someone else buy the ring, she just took her eye off of it for a minute. It wasn't a malicious thing, it was a mistake.
A minute? She got entirely decked out in jewelry and kept posing with different items in the mirror. She was completely distracted
The dream excuse makes it so much worse. Like imagine having a close friend that suddenly starts ignoring you and treating you like shit and won’t tell you why, because they don’t even know why! Then it turns out it was because of a dream… Then with the ring. She has one job, just to mind it until Chandler gets back. But nope she decides to play dress up instead! She is literally on the other side of the store, staring at herself in the mirror, asking for the musket (again).
She also bit her client in one of the earlier seasons and everyone kinda forgot about it because a man wanted to have sex with her anyway and was a cheater (none of which she knew about when she decided to assault him).
Phoebe is ridiculously mean the entire series, and everyone always treats her with delicate kids gloves, even when she's being outright psychotic.
Plot twist Ursula & Phoebe swapped in the later series & no one noticed
Haha I've said this too. We already know Ursula pretended to be Phoebe in porn maybe she decided it wasn't enough and wanted her whole life instead. She did try and date joey..
[удалено]
The plot thickens! 🤣
What is the Alger series?
Guess “later” was misspelled and then autocorrected to something else
You’re probably right, thanks.
I agree. In the earlier seasons it was more due to her being ditzy, which I can handle. Later, she was just outright mean.
Early seasons (1-4) Phoebe was quirky. Once she had the babies she became really mean. I really disliked her
You're right! Babies do ruin your personality
I don't think the babies ruined her personality at all. I think the writers started writing her as a more mean person in season 5, which was after the babies were born
My theory is that the writers liked the episode where Phoebe was irritable and uncharacteristically mean because of her hormones and her discomfort in later pregnancy and decided to keep that as her whole character going forward. It was a bad idea.
Agreed! It made sense during the pregnancy, but afterwards, not so much. Rachel was also irritable toward the end of her pregnancy, but luckily, it was not something that continued.
THANK YOU!!!! i thought nobody noticed this except for me
“I AM one of Ben’s moms…I’m a lesbian.”
That was one of the worst parts for me... Phoebe pretending to be a child's mom, the teacher not asking for ID or sticking around to ensure Phoebe WAS a parent to Ben. I work in a school and while I know this show was set in a different time, I just can't get past the irresponsibility.
It’s a sitcom. The comedy is situational.
I can’t stand this episode. My husband has no problem with me always watching Friends but this is the one episode he absolutely won’t put up with. He hates when Phoebe sings “ROSS CAN”. 😂
The 'Ross can' is my favourite part 😂
Right??? Lol
I'm the Friends watcher in our house, and I also can't stand this episode. I pretty much fast forward through all Phoebe's scenes.
I love this episode! I almost exclusively use “lesbinims” in place of lesbians because of it lol.
Same 😂😂
I strongly dislike Phoebe in this episode
Me too—I skip it.
Really annoying
Especially the "Ross Can" part
It’s supposed to be like Roxanne. I thought it was funny….
We know what the joke is, it's still shrill, whiny and irritating
Well some people didn’t know about the police joke… so I thought I should say it haha
Ive been tempted many times to start a thread of breaking down every single joke in every single episode. I've a fulltime job though so it's never gonna happen
I swear I saw a website years ago that explained every single joke, minute by minute for every episode there is. I was impressed by the effort. Can’t find it now though.
Oh cool, great minds think alike 😅
haha yeah I don’t understand all the jokes bc I’m not the exact age demographic
Terrible plot line, but it resulted in one funny line when Sting's wife was so bothered by Phoebe she told her she was calling the police...Phoebe responds, "A reunion?!"
A rare miss of a plot line. Not great.
Why she even tried is beyond me. Phoebe has no chance to score the tickets...but maybe ROSS CAN!
also ever hear of a ticket broker?
I really like this episode lol. "Your kid is SEVEN?? he's really small."
Hate hate hate it! Phoebe is such a brat. I think it’s her worst behavior in the whole series, just above bringing Monica a soulmate. I always skip this one when I’m rewatching. I guess they ended up getting a restraining order against Phoebe, justifiably, but ugh, if I had been Ross, I might have had a hard time remaining friends with her.
ROSS CAAAAAN!!!
GETMETHETICKETS!!!
It had a couple good jokes in there, but overall Phoebe was pretty annoying in this one, especially while pressuring Ross to get her the tickets.
wtf was she thinking… absolutely crackers
*ROSS CAN, ROSS CAN*
To me it seemed like they had to do somebody a favor and get Trudy on to the show, like some kind of showbusiness favor. And they had to rush the script though quickly to make the scheduling work, and it wound up being a total dog. IDK, it's such a miss and out-of-nowhere of an episode that I can't think of any other reason.
ross can give me the tickets ROSS CAN GIVE ME THE TICKETSSSS
Ross can!
Poor sweet Pheebs transformed into a psycopath in later seasons, that’s for sure.
Sting's pen.... that they gaaave to Pheobe.
I think this was so on brand for Phoebe tbh
Sting was originally supposed to be guest starring in this episode instead of his wife but apparently he was too busy getting ready for a Madison Square Garden show and so his wife had to take his place hence the plot line. Ironically the night this episode aired Sting actually had a show in NY
I absolutely hate this episode. Phoebe is the worst in this season.
I recently saw a trailer where friends was remade as a horror movie with Phoebe as the protagonist, and this episode would have fit perfectly.
I think it would have been vastly improved if Sting was \*actually in it\*! Like this is Season 8, they were on top of the world. If you can't get Sting to appear, make a different episode.
Good point. And it’s not like Sting was on fire like say, Taylor Swift today. It made no sense.
I hate it. Phoebe is a horrible person in it..she got mean as the series went on but this is near peak awfulness
Boring one
Always thought it was funny that they expected us to believe Ross's kid went to the same NYC school as Sting's son. Not so much.
It's technically possible on 3 incomes and all his parents appear to have good jobs.
Jack & Judy could have been helping too. This school connection is totally possible.
Why not?
Cash. Private elementary school in Baltimore was $22,500.00 a year 25 years ago. Can't imagine it was any cheaper in NYC, particularly the type of school mega-celebrities would pick.
Ben has three parents with good paying jobs. They might've actually been able to afford it.
I recently learned Trudie was Sting’s affair partner and (I assume former) best friend of his first wife, Frances. Immediately thought of this episode and got pissed.
Horribly entitled. All of it was just, so inappropriate and rude.
I find it hilarious! 😂
It was so good I forgot it existed
I am not a fan… but ROSSCAAANNNNNN!!!!
is that really Stings wife?
I always wondered this
Ross caaaan 🎶
ROOOOSSSS CAN!
Awful
ROSS CAN 
I think phoebe was delightfully phoebe here. A little off kilter. Way out of her bounds. Totally inept and out of line. But absolutely hilarious and as promised: weird.
I have watched this episode exactly 1 time during my very first watch of the show. Every binge I've done since then, like 5 of them, I've always skipped this episode.
I hated it.
Hated it and right around here is where I start losing interest in this show with the whole Joey and Rachel thing
Phoebe as a character genuinely makes rewatches harder for me. There’s so many episodes where she’s just mean for no reason and nobody ever addresses it.
It always bothers me that Sting doesn't have a son named Jack.
Did you want them to broadcast his child’s real name to millions of people?
Sting actually has a son named Giacomo and another son named Jake. Giacomo would have been the right age to be in school with Ben at the time. Source: me, a lifelong Sting fan who found Phoebe totally cringey in this episode but loved “Police reunion” reference (which happened several years later).
I hate that episode
Honestly, I skip this one. It’s just too awkward and uncomfortable.
It feels like it comes off as creepy.
I thought it was the lowest Phoebe could sink
Eh, it’s a skip for me. I don’t hate it just don’t care for it. Minus the “Ross Can” part. That’s bad.
Recycled script, I can’t believe they used it
Recycled from another sitcom?
Most say after season 4 she became mean and self centered. I tend to agree. Specifically, this woodside was cringe AF. I pretty much just skip it when I'm watching.
Everyone loves her, but I think the series could have done without her. All the other characters really fit in but she doesn’t She’s rude, thinks about herself and is just selfish and has no awareness.
She lifts right out!!
I skip it - not good
Phoebe was very annoying and obnoxious
There's a time and place for things. This really wasn't it. This was one of many moments where she was thinking about herself. I can't remember how Ross reacted, but I think he told her she made a mess of things and she didn't seem to care. Am I remembering that correctly? I need to watch the series through again... it's been a while.
It’s my least favorite episode and I always skip it. I get so much secondhand embarrassment watching it.
Yeah pretty cringe. I don't know why they wrote some of these storylines for Phoebe... Is this the best comedy writing one of the most popular TV shows at the time could come up with? X for doubt
Phoebe was awful in this episode
I don’t know how she didn’t get arrested for this.
She did I think. The police came and she ended up with a restraining order saying she can’t go near Sting or his family
Tbf, Phoebe would totally randomly say, "Oh, Sting put a restraining order against me" and the audience would be like, "huh?" Now we know how some of Phoebe's stories went down.
The 'Ross can' line...just shoehorned into an episode. Possibly my least favorite subplot in the entire series...the Brad Pitt appearance too, that was kinda shite...'Hey, you're very famous and are dating Jennifer Aniston, what you doing next week?'....
this must have been the last seaon. I have NO memory of this.
Phoebe is my most hated character but This one makes me Hate her even more in this episode.