The One Where Rachel's Sister Babysits

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Friends season ten (the final season) September 2003 - May 2004 List of Friends episodes
Episodes: The One After Joey and Rachel Kiss The One Where Ross is Fine The One with Ross's Tan The One with the Cake The One Where Rachel's Sister Babysits The One with Ross's Grant The One with the Home Study The One with the Late Thanksgiving The One with the Birth Mother The One Where Chandler Gets Caught The One Where the Stripper Cries The One with Phoebe's Wedding The One Where Joey Speaks French The One with Princess Consuela The One Where Estelle Dies The One with Rachel's Going Away Party (a.k.a. The One Where Rachel Goes To Paris) The Last One, Part One The Last One, Part Two

"The One Where Rachel's Sister Babysits" is the fifth episode of season ten of the television situation comedy Friends.

First aired: October 30, 2003.

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

[edit] Plot

Monica and Chandler need letters of recommendation to adopt a child and Joey offers to do it, despite the fact that he's not very "with the words." Phoebe, meanwhile, is preparing for her and Mike's anniversary of their first date, first kiss, and the first time they had sex, which they have decided to have at a Knicks game. Ross and Charlie are about to take a shower together when Amy, Rachel's sister, comes knocking at the door, demanding to speak to Rachel (the last time Amy visited, Rachel was living in Ross' apartment). After introducing Charlie, Ross takes her to Joey's apartment, where Joey (who takes an immediate dislike to Amy) is working on his report for the adoption agency, but he doesn't think it sounds smart enough. Ross shows him how to use a thesaurus and Joey gets back to work.

While Rachel tends to Emma, Amy announces to her that she's getting married, but after some questioning from Rachel it becomes clear that her hubby is her old boyfriend's dad, and that she's only marrying him for his apartment. Rachel tries to talk her out of it by telling her about Barry, but Amy just can't be convinced. Meanwhile, Phoebe and Mike are enjoying the game when someone proposes to his girlfriend on the big screen. Phoebe goes on about how it's the worst way to propose but when she finishes, Mike, after an uncomfortable pause, spits out a quick, "Excuse me," and leaves.

Joey, by this time, has finished his recommendation and gives it to the Bings. However, they can't make any sense of it, reason being that Joey used a thesaurus on every word. For example:

Monica: What was this sentence originally?
Joey: Oh, "They are warm, nice people with big hearts."
Chandler: And that became, "They are humid, prepossessing homo sapiens...with full-sized aortic pumps."

Monica refuses to use the recommendation, and asks Joey to write it again and not worry about sounding smart and just be himself, especially because he signed the letter as 'Baby Kangeroo Tribianni'. Across the hall, Amy announces to her sister that she's taken her advice and left Myron, her over-aged boyfriend. However, much to Joey's horror, Amy asks if she can stay with Rachel and himself. Rachel reluctantly agrees. Rachel talks to Joey the next morning about how she wants to turn Amy from what she (Rachel) used to be, a spoilt brat still using her father's credit card, into a better person. Joey still demands that Amy leave but eventually gives in to giving her a chance.

Phoebe tells everyone about her failed anniversary, and how she suspects that Mike was planning to propose to her using the big screen at the basketball game. She really wants to marry him but she's afraid he won't propose again after what happened at the game. Monica suggests that Phoebe propose to Mike. Phoebe agrees to do so, despite the fact she thinks it's a bit desperate, and also decides to propose using the big screen at a Knicks game; that way, Mike would never suspect it.

Amy enters with Rachel's phone, saying that Nana wants to talk to her. It actually turns out to be Rachel and Ross' nanny, who announces that she can't watch Emma due to her having menstrual cramps. Nobody else is available to watch Emma....except Amy. Rachel wants to let her babysit because her plan is apparently working; Amy just offered to do something for another person. Ross tries to persuade Rachel (like Joey, he dislikes her, due to the fact that Amy keeps calling their child Ella), but to no avail. Amy, who overhears the conversation, asks them to let her do it to repay Rachel for letting her stay in her apartment. Ross eventually agrees.

Monica and Chandler arrive at Central Perk to find Joey, who announces he's finished the second draft of his letter and has already dropped it off at the agency, much to the couple's horror. It certainly doesn't make them feel any better when he tells them he's hand-written it and that he didn't try to sound smart at all. After he leaves, Chandler phones the agency to ask them to throw out the letter, but after he hangs up, he reveals to his wife that the agency loved the letter; they thought it was very smart of them to have a child write it, which amuses Monica greatly. Amy arrives with Emma, and states that after her experience with her today, babies are dull. Rachel then enters and Amy tells her she has a present for Rachel for letting her (Amy) stay with her. She whisks Emma's hat off, and Rachel sees a horrible sight: Emma's ears are pierced!

Rachel, angry at Amy for not telling her about this, tries to hide Emma's ears from Ross when he arrives, but he soon discovers the truth, and blames Rachel for letting Amy babysit Emma. Rachel agrees, and vows never to let Amy babysit again. Amy tries to defend herself by saying that Emma needs a cool, fun aunt. Rachel, however, keeps shouting about how she wanted to make Amy a better person and to help her find a career path. Amy announces that this whole situation has inspired her to become a baby stylist, but Ross declares there's no such thing.

Phoebe and Mike, meanwhile are at another Knicks game. Soon, a tannoy announcement asks everyone to direct their attention to the big screen; someone has a special question to ask. Sure enough, Phoebe gets down on one knee and proposes. Predictably, the crowd boos at them (Mike himself is beside himself) and the announcer says, "Guess we know who wears the pants in that family!"

Back at Joey's apartment, the man himself receives a phone call from the adoption agency praising him for his letter. Rachel storms in, with Amy close behind, ordering Joey to collect Amy's bags. Joey cheers and runs off to oblige. Amy and Rachel then get into a big argument again; Amy says that since she arrived at Rachel's, the latter has been nothing but negative. When she moved in, Amy thought that she and Rachel living together again would be great, just like when they were kids, except without Jill, who, Amy reveals, has become obese. This snaps Rachel out of her temper and the two sisters start talking excitedly about the matter. Amy says this was what she wanted, two sisters talking about real stuff. She apologizes for piercing Emma's ears, but says that she looks cute with them anyway.

Phoebe and Mike are having dinner at a restaurant, where the former apologizes for proposing to him and says that when and if Mike decides to propose again, she will definitely say yes. At this, Mike pulls out an engagement ring from the chocolate cake he was eating and asks Phoebe to marry him. Sure enough, Phoebe says yes, and the two share a passionate kiss.