Friends, "The One with the Sonogram at the End": Helen Gellar? I don't think so.

A review/recap of September 29, 1994's Friends coming up after I avoid touching the lasagna.

"The One with the Sonogram at the End" was definitely a more polished episode than the pilot. Instead of trying to focus on all six main character, the spotlight was on Monica, Ross, and Rachel.

We find out that Ross's ex-wife Carol is pregnant. Ross is stunned but wants to be a part of the child's life. Monica is frantically cleaning her apartment as her and Ross's parents are coming for dinner. However, the lasagna is ruined when Rachel drops her engagement ring into the meal.

Jack and Judy Gellar, played by Elliot Gould and Christina Pickles, come for dinner and it is clear from the onset that they either look down on her or are think more highly of Ross. They are typical Jewish parents - very gossipy, wanting to know everyone's business. To get the spotlight off of her, Monica get Ross to tell her parents about Carol being pregnant. Instead, Judy Gellar only looks at Monica and says, "And you knew about this?"

The group meets at Central Perk to talk about their parents and childhood. Ross and Rachel are left alone where Rachel tells Ross that in high school she always dreamed that she would grow up and marry the man of her dreams. They share a tender moment when Rachel rests her head on Ross's hand. (I see sparks happening)

The next day, Ross goes to the hospital for Carol's sonogram and Rachel goes to Barry's office to give him back his ring. After seeing Barry, who is tanner, wearing contact lenses and got hair plugs, she tries to impress him. However, he tells her that he went to Aruba (where the two were going to go on their honeymoon) with Mindy, Rachel's Maid of Honor. At the hospital, Ross meets Carol's partner Susan. They get into an argument about what to name the child, leading to Carol telling Ross that child's last name will be Willick-Brunch (Carol and Susan's last names), and not Gellar. Ross is mad enough that he begins to walk out of the room until he hears the baby's heartbeat on the sonogram and comes back.

The ending shows Ross showing the sonogram video to the rest of the group while Rachel calls Mindy to yell at her.

This episode was an improvement over the pilot, in terms of pacing, controlling the characters, and particularly the comedy. Instead of quick one-liners, the comedy was much more situational. Mr. and Mrs. Gellar talking to their child and Ross in the hospital room around the different gynecological equipment is much funnier than Chandler just spitting out one-liners and Joey just saying a stupid thing. This show is definitely on the up.

Four future important things to take away from this episode:

• This episode has the first mention of the naked guy across the street
• We learn that Phoebe has a twin sister, who may be identical, but she doesn't see it
• We learn that Monica was chubby and had no friends as a child.
• This is the only episode where Anita Barone portrays Carol. For the rest of the series, she is played by Jane Sibbett.

234 episodes to go. I hope Ross can figure out his child situation with Carol, and that Rachel can just find true love.