Friends (TV Series) The One with the Cake (2003) User Reviews

It's Emma's birthday!

[Lady_Targaryen · 8/10 · 26 April 2009]

Chandler made a reservation for him and Monica in a inn in Vermont for the weekend. Ross and Rachel doesn't want them to travel, since they are having a party for Emma's first birthday and they want Emma's uncles to be presented. Monica and Chandler are not very happy with the situation, but are persuaded by Ross and Rachel to travel after the party. At the party, all the Friends are present, and Ross ' parents too.

Ross tries to record a cool birthday video to give Emma when she is 18, but everything that is recorded is terrible, like Ross' parents declarations saying that they will be dead when Emma sees the video or Monica's and Chandler's, saying that they are probably going to be divorced since they couldn't travel because of Emma's birthday.

Phoebe prepared a performance to do in Emma's birthday, and since Joey didn't buy a present for her, he decides to do the same. Phoebe made a song and Joey did a dramatic reading of one of Emma's books. To make Phoebe sad, everybody enjoyed more Joey's reading then Phoebe's song. The party becomes a tragedy when the cake, who was supposed to be a bunny, is in shape of a penis, and Emma, who stays napping most of the episode, makes everybody anxious waiting for her to wake up.

The One With Emma's First Birthday...

[taylorkingston · 8/10 · 18 April 2015]

I love this episode. It's hilarious. I like that it takes place in one night, in pretty much one room.

In this episode, it's Emma's first birthday, and Rachel is so excited. Why wouldn't she be? Emma's party takes place in her and Joey's apartment, and everyone's invited. Monica, Chandler, Ross, Phoebe, Joey and Ross's parents. Rachel won't let the party officially start until the birthday girl wakes up. Everyone films a video talking to future Emma, as Ross and Rachel will give her the tape on her eighteenth birthday. Rachel is so excited for the cake. It's supposed to be a bunny with Emma's face on it, but it turns out that they made the wrong cake. It's a penis with Emma's face on it. Why Rachel wouldn't check the cake before leaving the shop is beyond me, but whatever. So, Rachel and Ross have to drive back to the cake store to get a new cake. And everyone wants to leave. But since they're not allowed, they play with Emma's toys.

Fun Fact: This is a rare episode in which there are no scenes in Monica and Chandler's apartment.

Overall, I give this episode an 8 out of 10.

The One with the Cake

[ComedyFan2010 · 8/10 · 13 September 2011]

And another fun episode. It is Emma's first birthday! It is kind of sad how nobody besides Rachel thought of it as a big deal. Why would Phoebe have massage clients that day or Chandler and Monica a trip planned? Wouldn't people take a day off for something as special as the first birthday of their best friend's kid?

But this weird detail brought some fun in the episode! It was funny how Joey tried to keep them all in the apartment and yet wanted to leave for his audition. And how they had a contest of robotic toys race!

I also liked Phoebe's song and how she also tried to do dramatic reading since Joey's was so successful!

Ross trying to make the video and all the things his parents and friends were saying for Emma was awesome as well

The Funniest Episode In The Whole Series!

[roupoalabash98 · 9/10 · 17 August 2008]

It's the 5th time I'm watching this episode, and frankly, I realize I can't get enough of it.

The laughs start from the moment the Geller parents arrive. They start off with the story of how Ross pulled on his testicles so hard out of jealousy at Monica's first birthday, and the penis shaped cake, and Phoebe's book reading. Actually the funniest part is when Joey is trying to stop people from leaving the party, from Joey and Phoebe following Chandler to the bathroom, and the showdown of the toys.

Some of the memorable lines:

Chandler: There's this thing I really want us to do I read in Maxim.

Monica : What are you barking at?

Chandler: They left!

Judy : I remember your first birthday, Ross was jealous of all the attention you were getting, he pulled on his testicles so hard,we had to take him to the emergency room!

Jack : I know what you're thinking Judy, the resemblance is uncanny!

Ross : I am this close to tugging on my testicles again!

Ross : What if we cut the baby's face off the penis, and move it on the bunny. Okay that's a weird sentence!

Monica : Another way to organize your toys is by size.

Chandler: Did I just impart wisdom?

Phoebe : RUN YOU HAIRY BASTARD!

Other notable funny episodes include "The One With Ross's Grant" and "The One Where They Stay Up All Night"

Not the best

[eslike · 3/10 · 18 October 2016]

Really not a fan of this episode. Rachel drives me absolutely crazy. She planned a birthday for her daughter, didn't tell anyone about it, and then got mad when they made plans. And she's so obsessed with "having the party on Emmas birthday." I understand Monica and Chandler should have considered Emma's birthday when making their plans, and maybe ask Rachel if/when she was planning on having a party. But the fact that they planned a party without telling anyone, and then actually had the nerve to get mad at Monica and Chandler for making plans was ridiculous. And it was annoying that Rachel didn't even check the cake before she left the bakery, and then she made them stay there while she drove two hours to New Jersey to replace the cake. And it was stupid that Ross said she would be back any minute with the cake, when she was still on her way to New Jersey. Rachel didn't care about anything that was going on in her friends' lives. All she cared about was having the perfect party for her one-year-old daughter, who wouldn't even remember this, no matter how much it screwed up everyone else's plans. This party was more for her than it was for Emma, which I understand. But she was so paranoid that an imperfect birthday party was going to ruin Emma's life. And I hate that she acted as if Emma was everyone's daughter. Yes, they are her best friends, and two of them are Emma's aunt and uncle. But she can't honestly expect them to put Emma first in their lives the way she does. She's not their daughter. They have other things going on, and if she's planning something for her daughter, she needs to tell them in advance so they don't make other plans. I really hate how crazy and overprotective of a mother they make Rachel. Also, I'm not sure why Phoebe is still taking massage clients when she works at a corporate massage chain. I figured that would be against their policy.

Overall, this episode shows how tunnel vision Rachel gets when it comes to Emma, and it is very frustrating.

Emma turns one

[studioAT · 5/10 · 17 August 2017]

This is another good episode from Series 10, though as other reviewers have said, some of the actions of the characters are a bit odd.

If Rachel wanted to make such a fuss of Emma's first Birthday, why not plan the party in advance so that the others wouldn't make plans? That aside there are some good moments in this episode, from Joey's dramatic reading to Phoebe's song.

I found Monica and Chandler a bit annoying here, but they do have a sweet scene at the end that makes up for it.

A nice episode overall.

Not a good episode

[weegschaal-33277 · 1/10 · 3 October 2021]

Where are the father and mother of Rachel is their granddaughter birthday ?

Where are the sisters of Rachel ?

Where is Ben the son of Ross on his sister birthday ?

The one where spoilt Rachel and whiny Ross harass everybody

[puzgolac · 1/10 · 13 August 2023]

A terrible episode. Not only are Ross and Rachel extremely annoying, there is not a single funny joke here. You will just get more and more annoyed at how stupid the whole episode is.

Ross and Rachel plan a birthday party without telling anyone, and then they demand that everybody changes their plans to suit their whims? Rachel goes all the way to New Jersey to get a special cake, and doesn't even look at it in the bakery, in fact she doesn't even look at it when she gets home, she only sees that the cake is not what she ordered well after the "party" has started? Rachel's parent's are not invited to that extra special birthday party?

So many dumb ideas, not a single funny joke.

Really strange episode

[mphervey · 4/10 · 13 April 2021]

I actually like this episode and watch it every time it comes on. But there are some things about it that drive me crazy. It is both a mixture of funny and straight up bizarre. Ross and Rachel want to celebrate Emma's 1st birthday, but do not tell anyone, then get upset when their friends have made other plans. Rachel basically bullies everyone to come. So I was expecting everyone to be there. What was the point in making their friends and everyone on Ross' side of the family drop their plans and come if she wasnt going to also make everyone on her side come as well? And no one called her out on it! I realize the production budget may not have stretched to include all of those guest stars, but then write the lines so that it doesnt sound/look weird for her to make everyone except her own family show up.

Another bizarre thing was the cake. She went all the way to New Jersey for the cake. Who drives that far for a custom made cake and doesnt check it before paying and/or leaving? Then she drives back to New Jersey, forcing Monica to give her the keys to take her car, keeping Monica and Chandler from going on the vacation they've already paid for.

I also took issue with her refusing to start the party because Emma was still asleep, for driving without her license and having Ross come get her, and for them not trying to find a solution to the cake dilemma closer to home. At this point forget the custom cake, just find something at the closest bakery.

It just felt weird that Rachel had absolutely no regard for anyone other than herself. It was almost as if a different set of writers took over penning this episode.

I am laughing so much...

[jpapanone · 3/10 · 24 July 2021]

At how bad this episode is.

I did not crack a smile until I started writing this review and laughed at...holy mackerel....none of that was funny at all.

This is so so so bad.

This show should have been put out if its misery after season 8.

Of course....had no idea season 9 and 10 would be as bad as they were. I remain optimistic for underdogs to pull one out....until I've given up all hope.

Did it with friends.

Did it with its always sunny....and modern family.

Did it with LSU football beating Alabama.

Nope. No need in getting your hopes up. Complete waste of time.

Spoiler...this episode blows.