While it wasn’t quite the Friends reunion most were looking for, Courteney Cox and Lisa Kudrow reunited on Thursday night, for a very good cause: Red Nose Day.
The one-hour special served as the lead-in for the network’s two-hour Red Nose Day fundraising special, hosted remotely by This Is Us stars Justin Hartley and Mandy Moore from their homes.
Reunited Friends: While it wasn’t quite the Friends reunion most were looking for, Courteney Cox and Lisa Kudrow reunited on Thursday night, for a very good cause: Red Nose Day
The special begins with Jack Black lounging in a smoking jacket and cravat as he introduces Celebrity Escape Room, which is being played off as being Jack Black’s actual house.
Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Adam Scott and Ben Stiller all arrive, and Ben says he’s being too formal with him, but Jack says, ‘This is the real me!’
‘I have personally created a series of mazes’ but if they’re stuck, they can put on a Red Nose and get a clue.
Arrival: Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Adam Scott and Ben Stiller all arrive, and Ben says he’s being too formal with him, but Jack says, ‘This is the real me!’
For every puzzle they solve, they get $15,000 for the Red Nose Day fund, as Ben thinks he’s gonna win, but they say they’re working as a team.
Jack turns on some weird elevator effects, saying it’s not really a puzzle, it just gives him time to explain the game, asking fans to donate at RedNoseDay.org or call 1-800-500-4373, and if the celebs can escape in under an hour, the Red Nose Day fund gets $150,000.
In the elevator, they argue over whether 9 times 4 is 36… which it is, though Adam disagrees as they go into the first room.
Disagree: In the elevator, they argue over whether 9 times 4 is 36… which it is, though Adam disagrees as they go into the first room.
They see that the room is full of 1980s themed items as Jack revealed they have to find something missing on the bulletin board.
Courteney pushes a phone, as a message from Jennifer Lopez is played, as they find their own yearbooks, each of which has a special magnetized photo, which has to be placed on the bulletin board.
When they try a combination, Jack presses a buzzer, but they ultimately get it right and earn $15,000 for Red Nose Day, and a couch pops out and they see a 1980s commercial for a Rubix Cube, when they learn the table is actually a large Rubix Cube and they try to solve it.
Rubix: When they try a combination, Jack presses a buzzer, but they ultimately get it right and earn $15,000 for Red Nose Day, and a couch pops out and they see a 1980s commercial for a Rubix Cube, when they learn the table is actually a large Rubix Cube and they try to solve it.
Jack reminds them that it’s a ‘one hour show, as they think they got it right, but they didn’t and finally get it as the next room opens, having earned $30,000 in just under 5 minutes as they go to a commercial break.
Jack teases that he has other celebrities trapped in other rooms, as he shows Kenan Thompson ‘trapped’ in another room.
Courteney, Lisa, Adam and Ben examine all the lockers, as Jack teases they have to focus on the rings on the floor, mascot head and the lockers if they want to ‘get out of trouble.’
Lockers: Courteney, Lisa, Adam and Ben examine all the lockers, as Jack teases they have to focus on the rings on the floor, mascot head and the lockers if they want to ‘get out of trouble’
Adam sees a sign that says, ‘Let’s get loud’ as they try screaming, but it doesn’t work, and Jack says, ‘That’s just annoying.’
Ben spots the rings on the floor, as they start rearranging the tiles to make a picture of Jack Black holding mascot head, earning another $15,000.
Adam puts on the bulldog head, and Adam says the head smells like Jack as Jack says it’s his signature smell, ‘Billionaire’s Ponytail.’
Annoying: Adam sees a sign that says, ‘Let’s get loud’ as they try screaming, but it doesn’t work, and Jack says, ‘That’s just annoying’
They realize that the eyes of the bulldog head lights up, as Jack says ‘All is going according to plan.’
Lisa says in confession that solving problems with a team means she assumes no one will figure it out.
They all put on Red Noses and get a clue, as Jack tells them to look at the lockers, as they all see their birthdays on the lockers.
Clue: They all put on Red Noses and get a clue, as Jack tells them to look at the lockers, as they all see their birthdays on the lockers
They all realize they have to open their lockers in a certain order, the order of their birthdays.
‘It’s not a competition, but I’m winning as far as that task is concerned,’ Adam says, as they have won another challenge and earned a total of $60,000.
Courteney sees that her locker has a door and goes inside, but when the others try it, Jack closes them off with a maniacal laugh as they go to commercial.
Inside: Courteney sees that her locker has a door and goes inside, but when the others try it, Jack closes them off with a maniacal laugh as they go to commercial
Paul Rudd says he needs to get out of his room, as Kristen Bell chimes in as well, as Jack says Courteney got stuck in the locker.
Jack says they should try the jackets on as they find tickets to the prom in their tickets as Courteney says Lisa wouldn’t leave her.
They find a note in a locker for a rock paper scissors tournament, as Ben admits he doesn’t know to play.
Not leaving: Jack says they should try the jackets on as they find tickets to the prom in their tickets as Courteney says Lisa wouldn’t leave her
‘Rock beats everything, right?’ Ben wonders, as Jack says that’s ‘not it’ as they all agree to get another clue and put their noses on.
‘Why don’t you check and see what the janitor had to do on his to-do list’ Jack says, as Courteney reads it, saying they have to fix the water fountain, which is the handle to the door, as they break Courteney out bringing their total to $75,000.
They see a message on the TV in the trophy case from Kelly Clarkson, as they see photos of them all in high school, saying they can ‘hang their jackets proudly on the wall of fame.’
Handle: ‘Why don’t you check and see what the janitor had to do on his to-do list’ Jack says, as Courteney reads it, saying they have to fix the water fountain, which is the handle to the door, as they break Courteney out bringing their total to $75,000
They all hang their jackets up, as they realize they all had their names on their jackets and they hung them up, as Jack says if they lose he’s gonna take their money and buy a Lamorghini Countach.
Lisa says that the buzzer is ‘rude’ and she wouldn’t mind hearing, ‘Please try again.’
They realize that they have to hang the jackets up in order of what place each sport on the jackets were, as Jack reminds them they almost have used half their time, as they solve the puzzle and Jack has them bring their prom tickets, with $90,000 earned for Red Nose Day.
Rude: Lisa says that the buzzer is ‘rude’ and she wouldn’t mind hearing, ‘Please try again’
‘We did this escape room before the COVID crisis started, but we had no idea what this crisis would bring,’ Kudrow says in a video message.
Cox says they plan on helping kids who are ‘especially vulnerable’ in these times, as Scott says the ‘need is so much greater.’
‘If you donate now, we can help keep them healthy, safe and educated,’ Scott says.
Jack adds that anyone who donates tonight is the ‘real hero’ as they go to commercial again.
Lil Rel Howrey appears in another room as Jack jokes that someone doesn’t know how to ‘Get Out,’ referencing his hit 2017 movie.
The gang has made it to the prom, as Jack teases they have to pay attention to the pictures and the clock on the wall if they want to solve the puzzle.
‘New environment, new frustrations,’ Ben says, as Lisa notices the clock isn’t right, as Jack says the clock has to be at 9 for them to move on.
Adam says he doesn’t feel he’s ‘pulling his own weight’ as Jack wonders if he should have pick other celebrities, wondering what The Rock is doing.
Prom: The gang has made it to the prom, as Jack teases they have to pay attention to the pictures and the clock on the wall if they want to solve the puzzle.
Courteney sees the ladder and realizes they have to fix the clock, as they take the photo and solve the puzzle, bringing their total to $105,000.
Jack sees messages from other celebs like Kate McKinnon, as Jack introduces a film that shows what the money you’ll donate will actually go to.
The celebs must figure out that the message on the prom tickets matches the champagne that also matches the tiles on the floor.
‘Most of the time I feel like I’m watching people discover things to do,’ Lisa says.
Courteney realizes that there are logos on their prom tickets and matches it to the bottles, as they have to match the colors to the buckets, which lights up the dance floor.
Message: The celebs must figure out that the message on the prom tickets matches the champagne that also matches the tiles on the floor
They finally realize red and white makes pink and they solve the puzzle to bring their total to $120,000 and go to the dance floor.
‘I see a bit of Monica coming out in Courteney and I like it,’ Jack says referring to Cox’s Friends character, while Adam adds that thankfully it’s not an IQ test.
They all step on the colored tiles as Jack says they’re ‘totally blowing it but they’re totally blowing it for charity.
They realize it’s the game Simon Says as they have to step on their colors when they come up as they have just 16 minutes left.
They finally advance a bit on the dance floor, as Ben says as long as it doesn’t involve coordination he’ll be OK.
Charity: They all step on the colored tiles as Jack says they’re ‘totally blowing it but they’re totally blowing it for charity
They make it to the third round and complete the puzzle, bringing their total to $135,000. Jack says there has been a ‘snafu’ and they have to take the stage and ‘sing your way out of here’ before going to commercial.
There is just nine minutes left as they get a message from Adam Yauch and Mike Diamond from the Beastie Boys as they must sing their classic tune Fight For Your Right To Party.
They realize that Lisa has no idea what the song is, as Jack Black rocks out in the control room.
After the song ends, they win and come back to Jack, earning $150,000 for Red Nose Day, plus the donations that came in, as they escaped with six minutes to spare as the show comes to an end.
Charity: After the song ends, they win and come back to Jack, earning $150,000 for Red Nose Day, plus the donations that came in, as they escaped with six minutes to spare as the show comes to an end