The One that Could Have Been, Part 1

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Friends season six September 1999 - May 2000 List of Friends episodes
Episodes: The One After Vegas The One Where Ross Hugs Rachel The One with Ross's Denial The One Where Joey Loses His Insurance The One with Joey's Porsche The One on the Last Night The One Where Phoebe Runs The One with Ross's Teeth The One Where Ross Got High The One with the Routine (a.k.a. The One With The Rockin' New Year) The One with the Apothecary Table The One with the Joke The One with Rachel's Sister The One Where Chandler Can't Cry The One that Could Have Been, Part 1 The One that Could Have Been, Part 2 The One with Unagi (a.k.a. The One With the Mix Tape) The One Where Ross Dates a Student The One with Joey's Fridge The One with Mac and C.H.E.E.S.E. The One Where Ross Meets Elizabeth's Dad The One Where Paul's the Man The One with the Ring The One with the Proposal, Part 1 The One with the Proposal, Part 2

"The One That Could Have Been, Part 1" is the fifteenth episode of season six of the television situation comedy Friends.

First aired: February 17, 2000

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

[edit] Plot

Rachel comes into Central Perk with some news: Her ex-fiancé, Barry, and his wife Mindy (who was slated to be Rachel's maid of honor) are getting a divorce. Joey hears the word "divorce" and goes immediately to Ross.

This gets the gang to wondering how their lives would be different if certain things had (or hadn't) happened. Rachel wonders what her life would be like if she had gone through with her marriage to Barry. Ross wonders how things would be if Carol hadn't realized she was a lesbian. Monica wonders what things would be like if she were still overweight. Joey wonders what things would be like if he'd never been fired from Days of Our Lives. Chandler ponders what would've happened if he'd quit his data processing job to become a freelance writer. And Phoebe wonders how things would be different if she had taken a massage client's advice and taken a job at Merrill Lynch. She explains that she turned the job down because she was going through a period where she thought everything that rhymed was true - i.e., if you sold stocks you had to live in a box, eat lox, and have a pet fox.

The show then cuts to the alternate reality: Ross is buying a magazine at the news stand when he runs into someone he hadn't seen in years - Rachel Green-Farber. Ross mentions that his sister Monica is just down the road, and that Rachel should say hi. She agrees to go to the coffeehouse with him.

A portly Monica is hanging out at Central Perk with her boyfriend, the boring Dr. Roger, and her actor friend Joey Tribbiani. After Dr. Roger "entertains" them with useless trivia about hazelnuts, a depressed Chandler comes in. He got yet another rejection letter - Archie Comics didn't like his story. Knowing he's short on cash, Monica suggests that Chandler try to make a few extra bucks by working as Joey's assistant. Joey and Chandler both jump at the idea.

Greedy stockbroker Phoebe enters, trying to make a deal; she's followed by Ross and Rachel. Rachel is stunned to see that Monica hasn't lost any of the weight from school. She's stunned even further when she sees Joey coming back from the bathroom - she's a huge Days fan.

Later, Chandler starts his first day of work as Joey's assistant. Items on his to-do list include "Drop off my dry cleaning," "pick up my vitamins," and "teach me how to spell vitamins." Phoebe comes out of Monica's bedroom, panicking - there's been a dip in the market, and she managed to lose $13 million. After stressing about who to call, she has a heart attack.

While visiting Phoebe in the hospital, Ross reveals that he's been doing a lot of karate - he and Carol are going through a sexual "dry spell."

Phoebe: "When did this dry spell start?"
Ross: "Last weekend..."
Phoebe: "Oh, that's not so bad..."
Ross: "...will be two months since I stopped trying."

Phoebe suggests he needs to "spice things up a little" - role playing, toys, ménage à trois, etc.

Meanwhile, Chandler's becoming wary of new boss Joey - Joey's been beeping him with codes. One means "bring me food." Two, "I'm with a girl; bring us food." And three: "I'm lost and I can't find food."

Joey takes Rachel on a tour of the set - and invites her back to his place. Married Rachel isn't sure if she should go or not. Chandler brings Joey back a glass of orange juice - and incurs Joey's wrath when he finds that not all the pulp is gone.

Ross talks to Carol about the state of their sexual relationship. He suggests all sorts of things to do to spice things up. Carol doesn't like any of his suggestions - but when he mentions a threesome, she becomes more interested.

Later, an excited Chandler announces that he's sold his first story to Archie Comics. He's based the story on his personal experiences with Joey - but fortunately Joey is too dense to notice, thinking he's read the story already.

Rachel reveals to Monica that Joey's invited her to his place - and somehow finds out that Monica is still a virgin. Monica later catches Phoebe smoking in the hospital, while Ross intercepts a phone call from Phoebe's boss telling her she's been fired. Ross, however, doesn't tell Phoebe right away.

The episode ends with Rachel deciding to go to Joey's place after all. Naturally, he asks her to bring food.

[edit] Trivia

In keeping with the theme of this episode, the opening credits depict the various Friends as they 'could have been' - Rachel is shown in bed with Barry, fat Monica is shown eating, stock broker Phoebe is arguing with someone on her cell phone, Ross is trying to get intimate with Carol, who keeps shaking him off, Joey checks out a girl as she walks away and Chandler is shown falling asleep at his computer.