Ep 1. The One Where Monica Gets a Roommate

The One Where Monica Gets a Roommate is the very first episode of the popular sitcom Friends, which aired in 1994. The episode opens with the main character Monica, played by Courteney Cox, sitting alone in a coffee shop, lamenting the fact that she has just left her fiancé at the altar. Her old friend Rachel, played by Jennifer Aniston, enters the coffee shop in a wedding dress, having just run away from her own wedding.

The two friends catch up and Monica tells Rachel that she is looking for a new roommate since her old roommate moved out. Rachel, in need of a place to stay, decides to move in with Monica despite her lack of experience in any kind of domestic duties.

The episode also introduces us to the other main characters: Ross, Monica's brother played by David Schwimmer, Joey, played by Matt LeBlanc, Chandler, played by Matthew Perry, and Phoebe, played by Lisa Kudrow. Ross is introduced as a recent divorcee who is in love with Rachel, Joey as a struggling actor who is always on the hunt for his next gig, Chandler as a sarcastic office worker with a bad habit of cracking jokes at inappropriate times, and Phoebe as an offbeat, free-spirited musician.

Throughout the episode, we see the group of friends interact and get to know each other better. They all gather at Monica's apartment, where Chandler starts joking around and Ross reveals that he still has feelings for Rachel. The group decides to go to a nearby club, where they run into some of Ross's ex-wife's friends who are shocked to learn that Ross is single.

As the night goes on, Joey gets a gig that turns out to be a pornographic film, much to his embarrassment. He tries to hide it from his friends but eventually confesses to them. Meanwhile, Rachel comes to the realization that she needs to start building her own life and decides to cut up her father's credit cards.

The episode ends with Monica and Rachel sitting in their apartment, discussing their future as new roommates. They agree to start fresh and move on from their past mistakes.

The One Where Monica Gets a Roommate sets the stage for the rest of the series, introducing the characters and their personalities, as well as the close bond that they share as friends. It also showcases the humor and witty banter that would become a hallmark of the show, as well as the emotional and heartfelt moments that would endear the characters to viewers.