Joey and Chandler have a fight, and Joey moves out. Phoebe and Rachel decide to get a tattoo. Monica and Ross go to their father's birthday party with Richard.
Tropes
- Afraid of Needles: Phoebe chickens out of getting her tattoo because she's too scared of the needles. Rachel, who got hers, is not amused.Phoebe: Did you know they do this with needles?
Rachel: Really? You don't say, because mine was licked on by kittens! - Bait-and-Switch Comment: Chandler makes a crack about Joey's sister regularly sleeping around. Joey is openly offended by this suggestion before asking which sister Chandler was talking about.
- Batter Up!: Defied. When Ross sees his dad holding a vintage baseball bat right when Monica and Richard are about to reveal their relationship, Ross immediately takes it and flees the room.
- Bittersweet Ending: Chandler and Joey mend their friendship, but the former is still depressed about the latter moving out.
- Boyfriend-Blocking Dad: Ross wisely snatches a baseball bat out of Jack's hands before Monica and Richard tell him that they're dating. Apparently it didn't help much, in the next scene Richard implies Jack chased him out of the house and down the street.
- Brick Joke: Before having sex having Judy, Jack asks her where he left a vintage bat of his. Right before Jack finds out about Monica and Richard dating, he apparently found it, prompting Ross to snatch it away to protect Richard.
- Call-Back: Monica mentions finding a tape of her parents having sex which happened back in "TOW The Prom Video".
- Conveniently Timed Distraction: Subverted. Ross brings in the party guests to sing "Happy Birthday" right as Jack finds out about Richard, it only works that long and he chases him after that.
- Friendship Moment:
- Despite winning the bet, Joey leaves the foosball table with Chandler.
- An off screen one for Jack and Richard, as apparently when Jack went to let him have it over dating Monica the two just ended up hanging out and Jack was convinced to accept the relationship.
- A Glass in the Hand: Averted thanks to Ross taking the wine glass away from Judy just before Monica and Richard tell her they're dating.
- Hates Being Alone: During the fight, Chandler hints at this by noting he can afford to live in the apartment without a roommate. The next episode sees him really uncomfortable having the apartment to himself.
- Kindness Ball: Judy is far nicer to Monica in this episode. She gladly accepts Monica's help with preparing the cake without criticizing or judging her. Instead, she makes cracks at the 20-something girl Richard is dating, not knowing it's Monica. She generously tries to help Monica get a boyfriend and seems genuinely happy at first when Monica reveals she has one. While she is distressed that Monica and Richard are dating, it's more misguided and well-intended concern than anything else.
- Man Hug: Joey gives Chandler one before leaving.
- Not What It Looks Like: Rachel notices one of her bras among Joey's belongings and asks what he was doing with it. He says he and Chandler borrowed it to better fling water balloons off the roof.
- Primal Scene: Poor Monica gets trapped in the bathroom where her parents are having sex.
- Pyrrhic Victory: Joey wins the game of foosball and thus the table itself, being quite pleased with himself. Chandler's bitter "Congratulations" puts this in perspective for Joey.
- Roommate Drama: Joey and Chandler express irritation with the other's annoying habits. It promptly escalates into an outright fight when Joey admits he's considering moving into his co-worker's old apartment and Chandler learns the hard way that's not just idle small talk.
- Shout-Out: When saying they never agreed to be roommates forever, Joey says he and Chandler aren't Bert and Ernie.
- Side Bet: Because they both paid for it, Chandler and Joey play a game to decide who gets the foosball table. Joey wins, but before leaving, he opts to let Chandler keep it.
