"The Last One, Part 2" is the second of the two-part series finale of Friends, which aired on May 6, 2004. It serves as the seventeenth and eighteenth episodes of season ten; Part One and Part Two ran as one episode. 52.5 million viewers tuned in for the finale when it was originally broadcast. It was written by series creators David Crane and Marta Kauffman, and directed by executive producer Kevin S. Bright.
Plot
The cast take their final bows.
After calling Monica to verify their information, Ross and Phoebe race to the right airport. Afraid they are not going to make it in time to catch Rachel (who is actually on the plane), Phoebe calls Rachel, telling her there's something wrong with the plane's "left phalange". The guy sitting next to Rachel freaks out and alarms the rest of the passengers, making everyone get off. This diversion is perfect for Ross, who catches Rachel just before she takes off again (also thanks to Phoebe's screaming, which makes Rachel turn around at the gates). Ross confesses his love for Rachel and says he wants to be with her, but it's too much for Rachel to take at the moment and she leaves him without a reply.
Meanwhile, Chick Jr. and Duck Jr are stuck inside the foosball table, which Joey and Chandler don't want to break. Breaking it apart is a piece of cake for Monica, and she busts the table open. Joey and Chandler try to hide the awkward moment they have together as best friends, but they can't hold it and hug.
Ross and Rachel finally get back together for good.
Ross doesn't meet the others at Monica's apartment because he is too sad about how he left things with Rachel. He goes home and checks his messages, and finds a message from Rachel. She admits repeatedly she loves him too, and by saying it over and over she realizes she wants to get off the plane. The message is cut in the middle of an argument between Rachel and an air-stewardess. Ross tries to hear the rest of the message, asking himself "Did she get off the plane?". The door opens and he hears "I got off the plane." He turns and finds Rachel at the door. They kiss, and both state how this is going to be "it", and Ross rectifies with "Unless we're on a break"; despite this, they get back together.
At Monica and Chandler's apartment, which is completely empty now, the guys cherish their last moments together. It's too much for the friends to handle, and they all look tearful as they note that over the years they've all lived in the apartment at some point (including the summer Ross stayed with his grandmother while he attended dance classes in his youth). Monica tells Chandler they need to leave their keys, and it turns out that all six have a copy. Monica and Chandler have some time before they go to their new house, and the friends decide to go for a last cup of coffee. Chandler tries to break off the tension by asking "Where?" this being the last line of the show. They walk out of Monica's apartment. The camera slowly pans over the empty apartment, showing the friends' six keys on the counter, and then ends on the door.
Cast and Crew
Main cast
Jennifer Aniston - Rachel Green
Courteney Cox - Monica Geller-Bing
Lisa Kudrow - Phoebe Buffay
Matt Le Blanc - Joey Tribbiani
Matthew Perry - Chandler Bing
David Schwimmer - Ross Geller
Guest cast
Jim Rash - Nervous male passenger
Vincent Boyle - Another Passenger
Anthony Cistaro - Gate Attendant
Manao DeMuth - Ticket Agent
Jason Kravits - Man in Cab
Paula Newsome - Stewardess
Brian Palermo - Airline Representative
Michelle Pereira - Female Passenger
J Graigory - Coffee Shop Patron
Angelica Roberts - Coffee Shop Patron
Crew
Directed By:
Kevin S. Bright
Written By:
Marta Kauffman & David Crane
Trivia
- In Jewish tradition a child is not named after a family member unless they are dead. Despite this, Monica names her son after her father, Jack, who is still alive.
- The song playing when Ross and Rachel have their final on-screen kiss is the same song that played when they had their first kiss in "The One Where Ross Finds Out" (S2E7). It also played at the beginning of "The One With The Morning After" (S3E16).
- During scenes in Joey's apartment with Chandler and Joey, where they had just rescued the birds by breaking down the foosball table, two Chinese takeout boxes can be seen on the kitchen counter. The Chinese character for "Friend" (you) was written on both boxes in red, a tribute to the show's own title and its main characters.
- Courteney Cox was pregnant during this episode and hid her pregnancy bump with loose clothing and props throughout the episode. However, it was so obvious that she was pregnant in the scenes where Monica left for the bathroom in the hospital and when she and Chandler bring the babies home.
- In this episode it is stated that all six members of the group have lived in Monica's apartment at some point. Although it is not mentioned, they have also all lived in Joey's apartment. It is also stated by Monica that Ross lived in Monica's apartment one summer during college before the series began when their grandmother, the original tenant, lived there.
- The song playing when Rachel first boards the plane is "Yellow Ledbetter" by Pearl Jam. The song playing at the end of the episode when the camera pans across the empty apartment is "Embryonic Journey" by Jefferson Airplane.
- The scene where Ross is stopped by the man asking for a boarding pass is nearly identical to the scene from "The One Where Rachel Finds Out" (S1E24) where Rachel tries to stop Ross from getting on his flight to China (the interaction between Ross/Rachel and the employee use almost the same exact lines, with minor differences).
- This is one of the rare episodes without any major recurring characters, such as Gunther.
- This is the final time in the series that Phoebe uses her alias 'Regina Phalange'. She uses it this time to delay Rachel's flight so Phoebe and Ross can reach Rachel on time. Phoebe also used this alias in "The One After Ross Says Rachel" (S5E1), "The One In Vegas, Part 2" (S5E24), "The One With The Videotape" (S8E4) and "The One Where Joey Speaks French" (S10E13).
- When the friends put down their keys, the keys' positions change when the camera pans the apartment.
- The tenth season was supposed to last 24 episodes, but due to Jennifer Aniston's movie schedule, the season was cut down to 18 episodes.
- However, some episodes in this season are hour-longed, adding up the 22 episodes.
- Rachel says her seat is 32C where it's obvious that her seat is 1C (or 1D), you could see it both from the fact she sits in first class and on some scenes where you see the seat numbers.
- The final episode drew an audience of 52.5 million people, when it was first shown in the USA. This was the fourth most watched finale in US television history. Interestingly, "The One After The Superbowl" (aired 28 January 1996), in season two, had higher figures with 52.9 million viewers.
The similarities between The Last One, Part 2 and the Young & Hungry episode, Young & Amnesia
- The end credits play over stock footage of New York City's skyline and streets, all of which was used at various points in episodes throughout the series. This is the only episode in which this occurs; all other episodes without an epilogue scene use the opening credits footage of the cast around the fountain.
- Chandler has the last line of the entire series. He asks "Where?" when Rachel suggests they all get coffee.
- After being apart for 7 years, Ross and Rachel finally get back together. Its then revealed in the spin-off, Joey, that they are married.
- Ross finally says he still loves Rachel, although he has been in love with her throughout the whole series, but didn't want to say it after they broke up, until this episode.
- The scene where Ross and Rachel kiss and get back together for good is paralleled in the Young & Hungry episode, Young & Amnesia, when Gabi and Josh get back together and admit they love each other, and it's assumed (and very likely) they got back together for good like Ross and Rachel did in this episode. Ironically, Josh and Gabi are very similar Ross and Rachel, especially with the "on-again-off-again" relationship.
- The Finale was immediately followed by the spinoff Joey.
Goofs
- In "The One With The Blind Dates" (S9E14), Joey mentions that Monica and Chandler agreed to name one of their children after him. Yet, they name the children Jack and Erica. However, it is obviously Monica and Chandler never actually intended to name their child Joey, but just said it so that Joey wouldn't tell Rachel that they were having sex when they were looking after Emma.
- On the plane, when Rachel says,"She's almost never right," (about Phoebe) you can see the guy's hand is on the armrest. Then a split second later, his hand is about half a foot off the armrest while saying "But she is sometimes."
- After Ross and Rachel have their last on-screen kiss and Ross says, "unless we are on a break" while his hands are on Rachel's shoulder, but when the camera came back to him, his hands were on her waist.
- In the last scene, two minutes before the end, it is obvious that the babies are dolls.
Images
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 |
| Preceded by "The Last One, Part 1" |
Series Ten Episodes | Followed by "None" |
| << Season 9 | Season 10 | ||||||||
| #01 | "The One After Joey And Rachel Kiss" | #07 | "The One With The Home Study" | #13 | "The One Where Joey Speaks French" | ||||
| #02 | "The One Where Ross Is Fine" | #08 | "The One With The Late Thanksgiving" | #14 | "The One With Princess Consuela" | ||||
| #03 | "The One With Ross' Tan" | #09 | "The One With The Birth Mother" | #15 | "The One Where Estelle Dies" | ||||
| #04 | "The One With The Cake" | #10 | "The One Where Chandler Gets Caught" | #16 | "The One With Rachel's Going Away Party" | ||||
| #05 | "The One Where Rachel's Sister Babysits" | #11 | "The One Where The Stripper Cries" | #17 | "The Last One, Part 1" | ||||
| #06 | "The One With Ross' Grant" | #12 | "The One With Phoebe's Wedding" | #18 | "The Last One, Part 2" | ||||