Friends, "The One with the Candy Hearts": It's nice to have a date on Valentine's Day

My review/recap of the February 9, 1995 episode after I try to let go of the anger and learn to love myself.

Another good episode with three side-plots and no real main plot. Perhaps this is what makes a good Friends episode.

The best, and one the episode spent the most time with, was Chandler getting back together with Janice on the night before Valentine's Day. Joey wants to go on a date with a girl , but she wants to bring her friend, so Joey brings Chandler. To everyone's surprise the other girl is Janice. Joey ends up leaving with his girl and leaving his credit card with Chandler. Chandler and Janice take advantage of this and get two bottles of champagne. They end up sleeping together. However, the "new" relationship doesn't last long, as Chandler breaks up with her the next day. Janice is okay with it because she knows that Chandler loves her and will keep looking for her.

The girls spend the holiday burning mementos of past boyfriends. Rachel almost sets the apartment on fire when she pours in the rest of Paolo's alcohol. Three good looking firemen come to help them with the fire and give them tips on the next time they want to have a boyfriend-burning bonfire. The girls ask them out for drinks at the end of their shift. As the firemen leave they agree not to tell their wives and girlfriends.

Ross gets a date with a woman from his building, which also happens to be his first date since his divorce with Carol (I guess the date with Rachel at the laundromat didn't count). Carol and Susan end up at the same restaurant and Ross spends more time worrying about them than focusing on his own date. Susan has to leave due to a work emergency and Ross invites Carol to sit at their table. His date leaves, without him noticing, and tries to get back together with Carol (they even share a kiss). Carol says that things have changed but that he will meet someone right for him.

Funniest parts of the episode:

• Janice and Chandler's reactions when she first walks into the restaurant
• Everyone's reaction when they see Janice in the hallway the next morning

It seems like we have figured out what makes a good Friends episode. Instead of having one main plot and one or two sub-plots that only feature a few characters, it is better with two or three side plots and no real main plot (or just one plot total) that features all characters. Hopefully the upcoming episodes follow the successful ideas.