TV.com

Friends Season 5 Episode 4

The One Where Phoebe Hates PBS

Favorite

Watched It I've Watched This 3

Next
Episode Previous
Episode

8.9

User Rating

233 votes

Your Rating: 10
Your Rating: 9.5
Your Rating: 9
Your Rating: 8.5
Your Rating: 8
Your Rating: 7.5
Your Rating: 7
Your Rating: 6.5
Your Rating: 6
Your Rating: 5.5
Your Rating: 5
Your Rating: 4.5
Your Rating: 4
Your Rating: 3.5
Your Rating: 3
Your Rating: 2.5
Your Rating: 2
Your Rating: 1.5
Your Rating: 1

Rate Now

EPISODE REVIEWS
By TV.com Users

Write A Review

Episode Summary

EDIT

AIRED: 10/15/98

Joey lands a job with a PBS telethon, which ignites an old hatred Phoebe has towards the network. Meanwhile, Monica tries to convince Rachel that she's dating someone from work to hide her relationship with Chandler.

FAN RECAP

Fan Episode Reviews (9)

Ross has to choose.

9.5

By Canogaparkcindy, Apr 09, 2009

Finally Emily reprises her role, and is shown in one scene. I would dump that ho in a second if she asked me to stop speaking to one of my best friends. I love how Ross resorts to an eight ball to solve his problems, and Phoebe believes in the eight ball. I also like the part when Rachel walks in on Monica "getting ready" for Chandler. The best part would have to be when Joey got in a fight with the telathon guy. And Phoebe tries to find a good selfless deed but cannot find a single thing until the end but then was proved wrong soon after that. I Love this episode!!! Great cliffhanger!moreless
DO YOU AGREE?
0 0

Flag
Share Hide
Pretty funny, but average for a Friends episode.

8.3

By Johnny2544, Jul 01, 2007

This episode is very funny and though its not classic or anything, it is certainly worth the watch. Honestly, I just watched the episode not long ago and can’t remember that many details about it for some reason. The whole bit about Joey thinking he is going to host the telethon is really funny. He even gets into a fight with another phone operator which made me laugh. Also, in this episode Chandler and Monica continue to think of ways to cover up their relationship. Chandler says the reason he brought champagne to Monica’s house is that his office “finally got wrinkle-free fax paper”. Overall, an average episode with some very funny parts.moreless
DO YOU AGREE?
0 0

Flag
Share Hide
a good episode

10

By simpfan90210, Apr 27, 2007

Joey lands a job with a PBS telethon but is in the back and hardly has any air time., which ignites an old hatred Phoebe has towards the network because sesame street never replied 2 her letters after her mom died. and also joey says there is no selfless good deed and pheobe intends to prove him wrong and in the end donates to pbs because she hates them, and joey gets a lot of air time. Meanwhile, Monica tries to convince Rachel that she's dating someone from work to hide her relationship with Chandler. a very good episode indeed.moreless
DO YOU AGREE?
0 0

Flag
Share Hide
...

9.5

By Andrew0000, Apr 16, 2007

A great episode, with a really interessting storyline and a good and funny cast. And like all episodes it has it's great wave in the storyline and a good cliff hanger at the end. A great episode, with a really interessting storyline and a good and funny cast. And like all episodes it has it's great wave in the storyline and a good cliff hanger at the end. A great episode, with a really interessting storyline and a good and funny cast. And like all episodes it has it's great wave in the storyline and a good cliff hanger at the end.moreless
DO YOU AGREE?
0 0

Flag
Share Hide
Joey lands a job with PBS telethon which has Phoebe towards the network. Monica tells Rachel that she is dating someone from work to hide her relationship with Chandler. Ross finally hears from Emily.moreless

9.1

By Black_Grace, Feb 15, 2007

Good episode. Monica and Chandler still on their secret relationship no one knows about. Joey is like so desperate for a job and doesnt even know that he has to be on the phone and not t.v. Haha. I like the part when the gang calles Joey and he says if he is on t.v. and they say no so he puts his hand over so you can see his hand on t.v. The part was great. Emily must really hate Rachel then or unless she is jealous! Joey really wants to be on the t.v. and he is when he tackles that guy on t.v. and when Phoebe donates 200 dollars.moreless
DO YOU AGREE?
0 0

Flag
Share Hide

See All Fan Reviews

Cast & Crew: STARS

EDIT

Jennifer Aniston	Rachel Green
Courteney Cox	Monica Geller
Lisa Kudrow	Phoebe Buffay
Matt LeBlanc	Joey Tribbiani
Matthew Perry	Chandler Bing
David Schwimmer	Ross Geller

See All Cast & Crew

Cast & Crew: RECURRING AND GUESTS

EDIT

Sandra Thigpen	The Stage Manager	Guest Star
John R. McLaughlin	The PBS Volunteer	Guest Star
Jane Sibbett	Carol Willick-Bunch [DVD only]	Guest Star
Helen Baxendale	Emily Waltham	Recurring Role

See All Cast & Crew

Watch Online

Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

FILTER BY TYPE

TRIVIA (7)
ADD TRIVIA
- Goof: When Susan and Ben come in, they knock. Why would Susan knock at her own apartment?
  EDIT SHARE
- Goof: At the beginning of the episode when Rachel is going into Monica's room, she is wearing closed-toe heels. However, when Rachel bursts out after seeing Monica waiting for Chandler, she is wearing open-toe heels.
  EDIT SHARE
- Continuity: Ross's year of birth is inconsistent. In "The Pilot", (1994) Ross says he is 26, implying he was born in 1967. Also, in "The One Where Monica and Richard are Just Friends" (1997) he says he is 29. However in the next season in "The One Where They're Going to Party" Ross also says he is 29, implying he was born in 1968. Furthermore, in the next season in "The One Where Phoebe Hates PBS" Ross says he is about to get divorced again before he's thirty, implying he is still 29 and born in 1969. Also, in "The One with the Video Tape", Ross claims that he backpacked across Europe in 1983 then whispers to himself "I was thirteen?", implying he was born in 1969 or 1970.
  EDIT SHARE
- Goof: In the scene where Phoebe complains that she can't find a single selfless good deed, the boom mic is briefly visible at the top of the screen just before the camera zooms in on her.
  EDIT SHARE
- Goof: When Monica walks into Chandler's apartment to get her pan back, the Magna Doodle pen is hanging down. When she goes to leave and Chandler stops her, the pen is attached to the board. When the camera angle changes, the pen is hanging down again.
  EDIT SHARE
- Continuity: Phoebe claims to hate PBS and Sesame Street. But in "The One Where Old Yeller Dies" she watches Sesame Street with Ben.
  EDIT SHARE
- Magna Doodle: Evil Joe (with a drawing of fire)
  EDIT SHARE
QUOTES (12)
ADD QUOTES
- Joey: Look, there is no unselfish good deed. Sorry.
  Phoebe: Yes there are! There are totally good deeds that are self-less.
  Joey: Well, may I ask for one example?
  Phoebe: Yeah, its... you know there's... No, you may not!
  EDIT SHARE
- (Rachel knocks on Monica's door)
  Monica: (Thinking it's Chandler) Come in. I've been waiting for you.
  Rachel: Hi, I've just-- (Rachel screams and walks quickly out of Monica's room) Oh, my God! Monica!
  Monica: I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I was, um, I was taking a nap.
  Rachel: Since when do you take naps in that position?
  EDIT SHARE
- Chandler: (To Monica) Now, I understand if you never want to sleep with me again. But that would be wrong. We're too good. We owe it... to sex!
  EDIT SHARE
- Phoebe: (About donating $200 to PBS) By supporting them, I'm doing a good thing. But, I'm not happy about it. So, there! A selfless good deed.
  Joey: All right. You don't feel a little good about donating the money?
  Phoebe: No, it sucks. I was saving up to buy a hamster.
  Joey: A hamster? But those things are like ten bucks.
  Phoebe: Yeah, not the one I had my eye on.
  EDIT SHARE
- Ross: (On the phone) I, I, I don't care if I said some other girl's name you prissy, old twit!
  Joey: Ross! Way to suck up to the family.
  EDIT SHARE
- Chandler: (Entering with a bottle of champagne for a secret date with Monica) I'm so glad you guys are all here! My office finally got wrinkle free fax paper!
  EDIT SHARE
- Phoebe: Joey, when you said the deal with Santa Claus, you meant?
  Joey: That he doesn't exist.
  Phoebe: Oh, right.
  EDIT SHARE
- Joey: That's because all people are selfish.
  Phoebe: Are you calling me selfish?
  Joey: Are you calling you people?
  EDIT SHARE
- Phoebe: Ooh, PBS...
  Joey: What´s wrong with PBS?
  Phoebe: Oh, what´s right with them?
  EDIT SHARE
- Ross: Okay then. Here we go. Magic 8-Ball, should I never see Rachel again? "Ask again later." Later is not good enough!
  "Ask again later." What the hell! This is broken! It... it is broken!
  Monica: Alright, let me see. Will Chandler have sex tonight? "Don't count on it." Seems like it works to me.
  EDIT SHARE
- Phoebe: I just found a selfless good deed; I went to the park and let a bee sting me.
  Joey: How is that a good deed?
  Phoebe: Because now the bee gets to look tough in front of his bee friends. The bee is happy and I am not.
  Joey: Now you know the bee probably died when he stung you?
  Phoebe: Dammit!
  EDIT SHARE
- Phoebe: I will find a selfless good deed, because I just gave birth to three children, and I will not let them be raised in a world where Joey is right!
  EDIT SHARE
NOTES (5)
ADD NOTES
- International Episode Titles:
  Czech Republic: Phoebe a dobrý skutek (Phoebe and a Good Deed)
  EDIT SHARE
- This is the only episode in season 5 that uses Phoebe's name in the title.
  EDIT SHARE
- Music: "Pizzicati" from Sylvia by Leo Delibes
  EDIT SHARE
- Helen Baxendale, who played Emily, was pregnant during the filming of the season 5 episodes. In this episode, and the next, she hides her midsection with either a quilt or a pillow.
  EDIT SHARE
- This episode runs 24:47 on DVD (a typical sitcom runs about 22:00). Among other things, there's a scene added with Ross trying to convince Carol to move to London.
  EDIT SHARE
ALLUSIONS (5)
ADD ALLUSIONS
- Monica: I'm seeing a guy from work!
  Rachel: That cute waiter guy from your restaurant? The one that looks like a nonthreatening Ray Liotta?
  
  Ray Liotta is an Emmy Award-winning actor known for his roles in Goodfellas and Something Wild, and for portraying psychotic characters.
  EDIT SHARE
- Ross: Does Rachel get to pick the movie that we're all going to see tonight?
  Rachel: Excellent. What's the answer? Whoo! Looks like Stella's gonna get her groove back tonight.
  
  Rachel was referring to How Stella Got Her Groove Back is a romance starring Angela Bassett and Taye Diggs.
  EDIT SHARE
- Telethon Host: Now, if you've been enjoying the performance of Cirque du Soleil and you'd like to see more of the same type of programming, it's very simple.
  
  Cirque du Soleil ("Circus of the Sun") is a famous circus production where the performers are people acting to music.
  EDIT SHARE
- Ross: It'll be just like Three's Company only there's a kid and my wife... and you're the gay ones.
  
  Three's Company is a an American TV show about a guy and two girls living together and their misunderstandings.
  EDIT SHARE
- Phoebe: ...After my mom killed herself, I was just in this really bad place, y'know, personally. So, I just thought that it'd make me feel better if I wrote to Sesame Street, 'cause they were so nice when I was a little kid!
  
  Sesame Street is a popular children's television show.
  EDIT SHARE