Friends (TV Series) The One with the Thumb (1994) User Reviews

The Best Episode So Far

[slightlymad22 · 7/10 · 14 November 2014]

After a substandard episode, the show is back on track.

Plot In A Paragraph: Monica is reluctant to introduce her new boyfriend, Alan, to her friends because they've made fun of all of the previous boyfriends they've met before. To her surprise, they love Alan. Chandler starts smoking again and Phoebe encounters a problem with her bank account, when a bank error in her favour nets her $1,000. She gives the money away to a homeless friend, who in turn buys her a can of soda. When Phoebe opens it, she sees a severed thumb, so the soda company gives her $7,000.

One bit a bit picking and it really is not picking, all of the others faults Chandler picks out, were never seen before, and never were again.

The best episode of "Friends" so far.

Show bulks up on writing and plot with less outside distractions

[hupholland2014 · 8/10 · 5 December 2014]

Matthew Perry and Lisa Kudrow are finally given material to stretch their characters out beyond the arena of the group ensemble and both put forth exceptional acting performances that give some layers to the show beyond Cox, Schwimmer and Anniston and indicate the writers are bulking up their characters with individual nuances and traits that would build to a crescendo in season three with their personalities fleshed out. Show really starts to gel from this point on with less focus on the outside and more on the inter-workings of the main characters and their relationships and how they impact the inner circle of friends. Astrof & Sikowitz flesh out a more youthful, less forced and more spontaneous script that flows more naturally than the first two scripts written by the show creators. Nice step forward for the show.

The one Phoebe gets U$ 7.000

[Lady_Targaryen · 8/10 · 20 October 2007]

In this episode,Monica starts to date a guy named Alan, but after introducing him to her friends, everybody starts to enjoy Alan's company way more than she does.(And the irony of the thing, is that Alan doesn't like them!) Eventually Monica breaks up with him, making everybody depressed.

We discover that Chandler was a smoker in the past, who eventually comes back to his smoking habit after helping Joey to perform a scene with a cigar. (Ps: He stops smoking in the same episode, after talking with Alan on the phone!)

Phoebe is the one who had luck with money : first, she receives U$1,000 from her bank, after seeing a problem in her account ( and she gives all the money to a beggar on the streets!), then, in the same day, she finds out a thumb in her soda and the soda company gives her U$7,000 to avoid a lawsuit.

The One Where Chandler Quits Smoking...

[taylorkingston · 10/10 · 26 January 2015]

I love this episode so much. It's definitely in the Top 5 episodes of Season 1. It's just so funny. The entire first season is. Well, in that case, the entire series is funny. But I like this episode because of the things that happen in it. But that's pretty much why anyone likes any TV show, episode or movie, isn't it?

In this episode, we have two major plot points. The first one was is Chandler trying to quit smoking. He's got a terrible habit and all of his friends want him to stop, desperately. The second plot point is where Phoebe gets money put into her bank account, that she didn't earn. She reports it to the bank, and they give her a bonus $500 and a free football phone. Since she know she didn't earn the money, she gives it to a homeless lady. The lady can't except the money, but Phoebe convinces her to, and in return, the lady would buy Phoebe a soda. And once Phoebe opens that soda, she finds a human thumb inside it. Which gets her even more money, from the company.

Overall, I give this episode a 10 out of 10.

Lots of Fun

[callanvass · 9/10 · 2 December 2013]

Monica is hesitant to introduce her new boyfriend, Alan, to her friends because she is used to her friends making fun of her guys. Alan turns out to be a hit, and the gang becomes rather attached to him. Monica doesn't feel the same way, and calls it off. Phoebe gets a bank error in her favor when she gets 1000$. She inexplicably, yet arguably, generously gives the money to a homeless woman, in return that the woman buys her a can of soda. Phoebe opens the soda, and finds a severed thumb inside of the can, so the soda company gives her 7000$. Meanwhile, Chandler is helping Joey rehearse his lines, but Joey has to smoke for the part. Joey can't handle the cigarette, so Chandler shows him how, only to realize how much he's missed smoking, and resumes his dirty habit. Chandler's love for cigarettes would become an on and off thing, throughout this series, but this was the first time they ever explored it. The gang also mocks each other's flaws, such as Joey's knuckle cracking, Phoebe's hair biting, Monica's snort when she laughs, and Rachel getting her orders wrong. How I Met Your Mother did a very similar thing in one episode, so I wonder if HIMYM was influenced by this episode? Perhaps it was just coincidental, but it was a thought that appeared in my head. I also loved how they poked fun at clichés when it comes to breakup saying. The Friends song was a bit plain at this juncture, with no clap included as of yet. As much as I love Phoebe's incredibly kind gesture, I don't think i'd be able to give away all that money, unless it was something I felt strongly about. But that's what I love about the Phoebe character. Her zany personality was a huge hit. This is a really memorable episode, filled with laughter and smiles. My only complaint is that Rachel is stuck in the background, with barely anything to do.

9/10

The One With Three Beautiful Stories

[devashishparnami · 8/10 · 20 November 2017]

A very cute episode the entire part with Alan was super hilarious, the part with Monica interacting with her su chief was also really funny and I think that girl did a great job. Alan did a great job and the story line was just superb. I think it was one of the best episode from this season. Even how the stories went going parallel with Phoebe and Chandler was very nice. The dialogues like always were great.

Fun episode

[conorlawrenson · 8/10 · 3 October 2018]

Not the most memorable or will ever be considered one of the great episodes but it's a bit of fun and will keep a smile on your face throughout, which is what season 1 friends is all about.

A decent episode

[jpapanone · 6/10 · 5 July 2021]

So...this is the 3rd episode...not sure when the new episode "forgiveness" kicks in.

This episode was fine. Had some funny bits...and funny plot of Chandler smoking. So...memorable in as much as the one where Chandler smokes, but not amazingly/gotta see it again funny.

Him smoking at work is a memorable scene though.

I haven't seen this episode in a LOONG time. So...nice to revisit, but if I never see it again, would be ok.

Oh.. And Rachel's a bad waitress.

I did like how they pointed out all the flaws of each other, but they did it very throw away and matter of fact.

I liked how How I Met Your Mother did the realization of flaws better...and Curb Your Enthusiasm did it with Susie's ahhhhhh's after drinking something. Larry David was a social assassin.

It's fine... but Friends glossed over what could have been made a bigger deal. Left a lot of material untapped there.

Phoebe gets money deposited in her account...then money for the bank screwing up...then a football phone...then money for a thumb in soda. Eh. Whatever.

It's stuff like this and her dialogue etc that made Phoebe my least favorite for a long time.

It's funny. Not sure if Phoebe got less worse as the show went on... Or if eveyrone else just got that much worse that Phoebe in comparison didn't seem that bad.

I wish he was a woman..."me too" Rachel said!!!

[00Yasser · 9/10 · 13 March 2021]

A good episode with a lot of comedy in it; the gang support Chandler quitting smoking is too pretty also; Phoebe character is so good, I loved it; Monica and a lot of broken relationships again.

The one with the thumb

[ComedyFan2010 · 8/10 · 5 June 2011]

The very first scene where they talk about the dating language is hilarious. "'You are such a nice guy' means 'I will be dating leather wearing alcoholics and complain about them to YOU'" lol

I also liked the little scene where Chandler was smoking at work. Very creative! Btw, it was funny to see his work computer, this really makes one realize that this episode is almost 20 years old!

I didn't really like the storyline with Monica's boyfriend Alan. The only good part about it was how at the end it turns out that he hated them all.But I didn't like the way the cast was acting in it

Another good thing about this episode is that we got to know more about Phoebe and her crazy way to look at things.

#3!

[Analog_Devotee · 9/10 · 13 June 2021]

Three different storylines here in this one. The most entertaining two are Chandler's and Phoebe's. Chandler resumes his smoking habit to the disgust of his friends. Phoebe is led down a strange anti-rewarding path after her bank accidently gives her $1,000. Definitely a strong episode among the early ones.

He hee

[bevo-13678 · 10/10 · 12 November 2020]

I like the bit with the laugh track so you know what's funny

THE BEST SCENE.

[shafihapatel · 8/10 · 27 June 2021]

RACHEL -THE WAITERSS: This is the beginning of the episode, when Rachel gives everyone those things that they have not ordered and then everyone passes each other to get their right order.