We all just HATE Roger! Episode Analysis

Foregrounding (and the lack) of Emotional Intelligence in Episode 13 of Season 1, “The One with the Boobies”, of the sitcom Friends:

 "The dysfunctional group dynamics" in Friends! 

Emotional Intelligence, as described by ‘Psychology Today' refers to the ability to identify and manage one's own emotions as well as the emotions of others. It is a vast and debatable topic however is said to include three skills namely, Emotional Awareness which is the ability to identify and name one's own emotions, Problem Solving being the second one and the Ability to Manage Emotions as the final skill. It also includes regulating one's own emotions when necessary and cheering up or calming down people. 

In the episode, 'The One with the Boobies', there is certainly a foregrounding of 'Emotional Intelligence' expressed under a singular character. The teaser of the episode opens with Rachel and Chandler having an unforeseen encounter wherein Chandler barges into the apartment and witnesses a sight of Rachel's nude upper body. There is a slight argument about manners and comments on privacy however, being in the Sitcom genre it is, it goes unnoticed. The very famous theme song by The Rembrandts (it's lyrics) step up the scope of a personal, supportive and emotional encounter with the audience. In the episode, Phoebe dates Roger who is a shrink and as admitted by Phoebe herself is very "intense and analytical".

Roger seems to be a person who enjoys the power and who had supposedly mastered the Emotional Intelligence (EI) phenomenon since he could very vigilantly employ his words to expression, name the emotions, regulate them within the people and situations (like the Overshadowing Sibling Argument between Monica and Ross). He comes across as a very unpleasant person who speaks negatively of the whole group and their routine, He even makes a comment about "The dysfunctional group dynamics" and "The stupid cafe" when confronted by Phoebe. Roger also demonstrates the ability to correctly guess unpleasant facts about the friends backgrounds and lives from the issues in question even when not asked. He is very observant and dismisses the actions of the friends by providing his own analysis while managing to stay aloof. He makes strong comments about Ross and his failed marriage with a lesbian as a step to, as he explains, "to sabotage your marriage to feel like less of a failure in the eyes of your parents". He sharply observes the kind of relationship all the friends have between themselves. The sad part remains that they buy into it since he touches their sweet spot; such overwhelmed and flowing emotional discharge of the friends suggests the incapability of regulation of one’s emotions which again is a composite of Emotional Intelligence. He doesn't leave any stone unturned, be it by critiquing Monica's cookies for love or by commenting on Chandler's humour openly. He actually angers and depresses everyone. 

However fancy and sorted the concept of Emotional Intelligence might appear, all the humans or most of them have their vulnerable spots and are united by that experience. It is not easy to have control over one’s emotions, something which dawns upon so involuntarily. Even the subplot of Joey's learning of his father's affair hints towards a deviation from the intelligence put to use. Joey simply chucks the reality, is saddened by it and does whatsoever an average person would do in such a circumstance i.e. Take hasty emotionally driven decisions for everything. It is only later that he realizes that things were fine the way they were, had he held his base strong and tried to firmly analyse the relationship between his father, mother and the mistress, it would have been an easier reconciliation. 

Juvenile comments like "Why can't parents stay parents, why do they have to become people..." further suggest the absence of such emotional regulation, such hints can also be found in Joey’s treatment of his father’s truth especially when Ronnie herself appears in the scene; as he directs them like a caricature father figure towards his room. 

Since EI is also circumscribed by the ability to cheer and uplift the mood of other people or bring them to calm, that manages their emotional quotient in a present state; It would be wrong to deny that the friends didn’t have such awareness in them. The friends are always seen helping each other even if it is by the means of asking simple questions like “What happened?” and “Are you okay?”. In the episode itself, Chandler is seen putting some brains into Joey’s mind by reiterating to him about the uniqueness of his entity which should not be judged entirely by his father’s actions in the context of Joey following the father’s footsteps. 

The Friends seem to just “...hate that guy” (Roger) since he manipulates their being by uprooting their psychological issues and analysing their personalities, however, they fail to understand or choose not to mention about the actual cause of their unpleasantness experienced due to Roger. A person of high EI should have already measured the intentions so as to circumvent all the repulsion and inconvenience. The analysis provided in this answer is guided by a few definitions of Emotional Intelligence found on the Internet, three continuous successful attempts to closely watch an episode from a series yet untouched and so is fairly restricted.

-Narita