The One with the East German Laundry Detergent

Season 1, Episode 5, Aired
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Episode Summary

This is the one where Joey tries to make an old girlfriend jealous and tricks Monica into posing as his new girlfriend, Ross teaches Rachel how to do laundry, and Chandler recruits Phoebe to break up with Janice for him.
8.9
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Fan Episode Reviews (20)

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  • Ah, Ross!!!

    9.5
    "Superb"
    By emmalou2704, Mar 15, 2011 Report Abuse
    I love this episode purely for the face that I could watch the part when Ross walks into the open washing machine door and than falls down after he kisses Rachel! That is something that I can watch time and again, literally every time I watch it I laugh so hard!!

    I love it!

    Also I love the part where Monica agrees to go out with Joey so he can win his girlfriend back, but tells Monica that her boyfriend is actually his girlfriends brother!

    Love this quote too,

    Chandler: So... Saturday night, the big night. Date night. Saturday night, Sa-tur-day night!
    Joey: No plans, huh?
    Chandler: Not a one.

    A great episode that I could watch time and time again!moreless

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    2 0

  • Great

    9.0
    "Superb"
    By efc91, Jul 31, 2009 Report Abuse
    This is the one where Joey tries to make an old girlfriend jealous and tricks Monica into posing as his new girlfriend, Ross teaches Rachel how to do laundry, and Chandler recruits Phoebe to break up with Janice for him. A great episode with a lot of development with Ross and Rachel, Loved the part where Rachel argued with that horrible lady and then kissed Ross, his reaction was very funny. Chandler was funny when he had too much coffee and then he hit Janice by accident and the parts with CHnadler and Ross talking about washing . I give this episode a 9 out of 10moreless

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    0 0

  • Awesome.

    9.5
    "Superb"
    By Sarah_LOST, Feb 08, 2009 Report Abuse
    Ross and Rachel wash their dirty laundry in public. Awesome episode. Ross and Rachel's "first date" type thing. I just love Ross and Rachel, the first time I watched it I was like get together already but I'm glad they haven't yet. (I know I have seen it before but you know.) I love this episode so much. I also love this episode because of Chandler and Phoebe break up together. I love that scene, always has me laughing. I also love the opening scence before the music comes on, it's so funny. A couple of greta lines just in the opening scence never mind the whole episode. I love it.moreless

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  • Janice is introduced.

    9.0
    "Superb"
    By Canogaparkcindy, Aug 15, 2008 Report Abuse
    This episode was so amazing, Ross & Rachel share their first kiss, that must be uplifting to all of the Ross & Rachel fans! Anyways the episode starts out simple with Rachel learning to do laundry with Ross but when she messes up & that lady kept on bothering her, they work everything out & Ross gets rewarded with a kiss! What must be embarrassing is having your head get hit after you kiss a girl. The subplot Chandler & Phoebe breaking up together & one of my favorite guest stars is introduced, Janice! Chandler has a billion espressos before & when he did, she didn't handle it so well, but when Phoebe did it she magically understood. The C plot with Monica & Joey them going on double dates but what she thinks is that she's on a date with the boyfriend of the girl who Joey wants to get who she is her brother which triggers funny moments, like incest questions?! And finally they both get what they want. An amazing episode.moreless

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  • Rachel: Come on! You guys can pee standing up. Chandler: We can? All right, I'm trying that.

    9.4
    "Superb"
    By Sarah_Is_Lost, Aug 14, 2008 Report Abuse
    Ross and Rachel wash their dirty laundry in public. Awesome episode. Ross and Rachel's "first date" type thing. I just love Ross and Rachel, the first time I watched it I was like get together already but I'm glad they haven't yet. (I know I have seen it before but you know.) I love this episode so much. I also love this episode because of Chandler and Phoebe break up together. I love that scene, always has me laughing. I also love the opening scence before the music comes on, it's so funny. A couple of greta lines just in the opening scence never mind the whole episode. I love it.moreless

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    1 0
 

Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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  • Trivia

    ADD TRIVIA
    • Goof: A sign in the laundromat reads "lost cloths" not "lost clothes," though a surprising number of laundromats have the same spelling error. Edit
    • Continuity: Rachel tells Ross that she can't even send back soup. But Rachel sends back a drink in "The One with the Flashback". Chronologically that would have been a year earlier. Edit
    • Trivia: Ross's detergent Überweiss is German for "Super White." Edit

  • Notes

    ADD NOTES
    • International Episode Title: Czech Republic: Praní špinavého prádla (Washing Dirty Laundry) Edit
    • Maggie Wheeler receives the "And" credit. Edit
    • Maggie Wheeler originally auditioned for the role of Monica. Edit

  • Quotes

    ADD QUOTES
    • Monica: So what does this Bob guy look like? is he tall, short...? Joey: Yep. Edit
    • Rachel: (About Ross's detergent) What's that? Ross: Uberweiss. It's new, it's German, it's extra tough. Edit
    • Phoebe: Wait here. Breathe. (Phoebe goes over to speak to Janice. She talks to her for a few seconds, and then Janice immediately smiles, hugs her, waves to Chandler, and leaves.) Chandler: How do you do that? Phoebe: It's like a gift. Chandler: We should always always break up together. Phoebe: Oh, I'd like that. Edit

  • Allusions

    ADD ALLUSIONS
    • Ross: Oh-oh, the laundry's done, oh-oh, oh-oh! Ross's song is a variation on the 1950's Jimmie Rogers hit, "Oh-oh, I'm falling in love again (oh-oh, oh-oh!)." Edit
    • Monica: I just couldn't stop laughing over your Norman Mailer story. Norman Mailer is an American novelist, journalist, playwright, screenwriter and film director. He is considered an innovator of a genre sometimes called New Journalism. He has been awarded the Pulitzer Prize twice and the National Book Award once. Edit
    • Monica: Something went wrong with Underdog, and they couldn't get his head to inflate. Underdog was a cartoon series made in the 1960s. Edit

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