Thank God It’s Friday

Thank God It’s Friday

Year: 1978

Runtime: 89 mins

Language: English

Director: Robert Klane

RomanceMusicComedySong and danceDance rhythms and catchy tunes

After five millennia of civilization, everyone is craving a break, and Friday night finds the town flocking to the hottest new disco. The Commodores are set to perform—if Floyd arrives with his instruments—while Nicole hopes to launch a disco‑star career. Friends compete in a dance contest and aim to add excitement to a fifth‑anniversary celebration.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline – Thank God It’s Friday (1978)

Trace every key event in Thank God It’s Friday (1978) with our detailed, chronological timeline. Perfect for unpacking nonlinear stories, spotting hidden connections, and understanding how each scene builds toward the film’s climax. Whether you're revisiting or decoding for the first time, this timeline gives you the full picture.

1

Sue and Dave arrive at The Zoo

Sue insists her uptight husband Dave take her to the disco. He is reluctant but agrees, hoping for an uneventful evening. The couple's arrival sets the stage for a night of tangled schemes and misadventures at The Zoo.

Evening The Zoo
2

Tony bets he can charm Sue

Tony bets Bobby he can charm Sue and prove him wrong. He slyly flirts with her as other patrons watch, turning the night into a comic contest of wits. The wager sparks rival flirtations that ripple through the club.

Evening The Zoo
3

Dave is drugged and renamed Babbakazoo

Jackie drugs Dave and renames him 'Babbakazoo' for the joke. He proceeds to make a fool of himself on the dance floor, drawing laughs and embarrassed glances from the crowd. The prank compounds Sue’s discomfort and the night's chaos.

Evening The Zoo
4

Carl and Ken's failed attempts to meet girls

Carl and Ken repeatedly fail to meet girls despite their efforts. Each attempt ends in misfortune or rejection, keeping them on the sidelines of the social whirl. Their misadventures add broad comic relief to the evening.

Evening The Zoo
5

Frannie and Jeannie sneak Marv into the disco

Frannie and Jeannie trick Marv into helping them sneak into the disco after several failed attempts at gaining entry. Marv reluctantly agrees and the trio slips inside to join the night's chaos. Their entrance marks a new thread in the intertwined stories.

Evening The Zoo entrance
6

Jennifer and Maddy disagree on men

Jennifer tries to meet a guy, but Maddy vetoes each candidate she approves. The back-and-forth highlights the social dynamics and the matchmaking tensions surrounding the dating scene. The tension adds fuel to the evolving relationships at The Zoo.

Evening The Zoo
7

Nicole aims to get Bobby to prize her single

Nicole repeatedly tries to slip into the DJ booth to press Bobby to play her single. Security blocks her attempts, but she keeps at it with inventive persistence. Her drive foreshadows a later, show-stopping moment on stage.

Evening The Zoo DJ booth
8

Gus meets a mismatched dating service pairing

Gus is horrified when the dating service matches him with a prim, college-educated woman taller than him. The mismatch becomes a running joke that colors his night with humor and cringe. He navigates the crowd with a mix of reluctance and stubborn charm.

Evening The Zoo
9

Floyd faces police suspicion over stolen instruments

Floyd is stopped repeatedly by the police on suspicion of stealing The Commodores' instruments. The stops slow his progress and inject tension into the club's late-evening rush. He struggles to reach the club in time for the performance.

Evening Outside The Zoo
10

Marv teaches Ken to dance

Marv takes the uptight Ken under his wing and teaches him how to dance. Ken loosens up as he follows Marv's unorthodox guidance, gradually joining the social flow of the night. The lesson adds warmth and humor to their budding friendship.

Evening The Zoo dance floor
11

Maddy abandons Jennifer for the hot tub party

Maddy ditches Jennifer to attend a hot tub party with sleazy guys who had previously pursued Jennifer. The shift reconfigures the night’s alliances and deepens the web of romantic entanglements. The hot tub scene becomes a new focal point of the evening.

Evening Hot tub party location
12

Carl meets a girl but is trapped in the stairway

Carl finally meets a girl but becomes trapped in a stairway before they can leave together. The confinement interrupts their budding romance and adds another layer of slapstick chaos. The moment contributes to the ongoing complexity of the night's events.

Evening The Zoo stairwell
13

Nicole steals the stage with Last Dance

Nicole slips onto the stage just before the Commodores go on and delivers a triumphant rendition of 'Last Dance'. The crowd erupts, turning the moment into a defining highlight of the night. Her on-stage success shifts momentum toward the late-night showdown.

Before Commodores' set The Zoo stage
14

Dance contest chaos and romantic pairings

Frannie uses the stairway trick to enter the dance contest with Marv after sabotaging his partner’s access. On the floor, Carl and Marv's partner share a kiss, while Jennifer and Ken also dance romantically, and Nicole and Bobby join in. Dave returns and Sue uses the moment to ditch Tony, intensifying the night’s emotional rollercoaster.

Evening The Zoo dance floor
15

Marv and Frannie win; afterparty moves to another disco

Marv and Frannie win the big dance contest, capping a night of chaotic romance and comic misfires. Deciding that the KISS concert is kid stuff, Frannie and Jeannie declare themselves disco queens and head with Marv to another disco for the 1:00 a.m. dance contest. The evening ends with new alliances forming as the party continues into the early morning.

1:00 a.m. Another disco

Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 11:26

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Thank God It’s Friday Summary

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Thank God It’s Friday Summary

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Characters, Settings & Themes in Thank God It’s Friday

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