Money tensions rise between the "rich" (Monica, Chandler and Ross) and "poor" (Phoebe, Joey and Rachel) members of the group.
Tropes
- Brick Joke: Steve, who Monica used to babysit, asks Monica if she was one of the babysitters who had sex with his father, prompting a confused look from Monica. The next scene has Rachel mention she used to babysit him too—and then ask how Steve's father is.
- …But He Sounds Handsome: While pretending to be Bob to Jade on the phone, Chandler tries to fish for compliments but ends up being surprised when she learned she thought he (Chandler) was lousy in bed instead.Chandler: So, uh, you met someone, huh?
Jade: Yes, yes, I did. In fact, I had sex with him 2 hours ago.
Chandler: So, uh, how was he?
Jade: Eh.
Chandler: Eh?
Jade: Oh, Bob, he was nothing compared to you. I had to bite my lip to keep from screaming your name.
Chandler: [annoyed] Well, that makes me feel so good.
Jade: It was just so awkward and bumpy.
Ross: [silently mouthing] Bumpy?
Chandler: Well, maybe he had some kind of uh, new, cool style, that you're not familiar with. And uh maybe you have to get used to it.
Jade: Well there really wasn't much time to get used to it, you know what I mean? - Conflict Killer: The person that fires Monica ends up being this for the Slobs vs. Snobs conflict, as both sides give up their arguing and immediately move to comfort and support her.
- Don't You Dare Pity Me!: The Poor Trio feel that the Rich Trio are treating them like charity cases.
- Flexibility Equals Sex Ability: Jade catches Chandler's interest when she tells him she practices aerobics.
- Here We Go Again!: Subverted. Over the credits, Jade calls the apartment again, this time while Joey is home. He falls over before he can pick up the phone.note
- House Amnesia: The gang is fighting over an expensive concert, so Ross, Chandler, and Monica decide to go without the rest of the group, and promptly leave the apartment... only for Monica to come back, noting that the concert isn't for another six hours.
- Hourglass Plot: Monica is part of the Rich Trio at the start, but ends the episode being fired. She spends several other episodes being unemployed.
- Hypocritical Humor: The Poor Trio refuses to go to a Hootie & the Blowfish concert with the Rich Trio for a matter of pride. Then when they find out the "riches" had a lot of fun they immediately react badly with envy since they spend a boring night at home. Lampshaded by Ross who reminds them that they could have been there too with if they wanted to.
- I'm a Man; I Can't Help It: When Ross calls out Chandler on the Questionable Consent aspect of his plan of getting with Jade, this is more or less Chandler's justification.Ross: Even though you do a good Bob impression, I'm thinkin' when she sees you tomorrow, she's probably gonna realize, "hey, you're not Bob."
Chandler: I'm hoping that when Bob doesn't show up, she will seek comfort in the open arms of the wry stranger at the next table.
Ross: Oh my god. You are pure evil.
Chandler: Ok, pure evil, horny and alone. I've done this. - I Am Not Shazam: Throughout the episode, the members of the band Hootie & the Blowfish are referred to by no other name. This culminates in Monica describing a hickey she received at the backstage after-party following the concert as "the work of a Blowfish".
- Innocently Insensitive:
- Ross merely thinks that everyone paying an equal share of the bill is being fair, as well as thinking Monica shouldn't have to pay because it's a night to treat her.
- The whole plot jumpstarts because the rich friends want to do something special for perfectly appropriate occasions (Monica getting a promotion and Ross' birthday) without realizing the poor friends can't afford it.
- Insists on Paying: Subverted when Monica accepts some free steaks from a new vendor that just started supplying the restaurant she works at. This comes back to bite her when her bosses find out, as they view it as her taking a bribe in exchange for the contract. She's promptly fired as this is against company policy.
- Internal Deconstruction: The supposedly Improbable Food Budget among the friends with lower paying jobs is shown in this episode. Joey, Phoebe, and Rachel are finding themselves already strapped for cash when two special occasions putting them in an even bigger financial hole.
- Laser-Guided Karma: Chandler goes through extremely unethical and manipulative methods to get a woman to sleep with him. He later finds out Jade was unimpressed by his performance and still prefers Bob over him.
- Leg Focus: Jade brags that her legs look so good that they were featured in the latest James Bond poster.
- Lousy Lovers Are Losers: A woman named Jade leaves a message on his machine looking for her old lover Bob, Chandler pretends to be Bob and makes a date with her. He then "consoles" her when "Bob" doesn't show up, and they sleep together. But the next morning Jade calls "Bob" again, to confess that she slept with another man but deeply regrets it, saying Chandler was disastrously bad in bed and that she had to stop herself from calling "Bob's" name.
- Mistaken for Gay: When told the tickets are already paid for, Phoebe snarks they'll have seats for their "tiaras and stuff" instead. Chandler wants to know why she was looking at him when she said that.
- On the Rebound: Chandler, pretending he's Bob, sets up a date with Jade, planning that when Bob doesn't show up, she will "seek comfort in the open arms of the wry stranger at the next table". His plan does actually work, although it backfires when she calls "Bob" again only to tell him how awful Chandler was in bed.
- Relationship Sabotage: Chandler sabotages Jade's relationship with Bob just so he can look like the "good guy" and "comfort her" while she's On the Rebound.
- Riches to Rags: At the end of the episode, Monica has been fired from her job as a restaurant chef for unknowingly accepting a kickback.
- Slobs vs. Snobs: The main conflict of the episode is that the three poorer members of the group (Joey, Phoebe and Rachel) feel they are being taken advantage of by the wealthier three members (Monica, Ross and Chandler). Downplayed in that the Rich Trio don't see it that way. Also in a deviation from the trope, the rich trio are portrayed sympathetically.
- Sudden Downer Ending: The argument between the Rich and Poor Trios takes a back seat when Monica receives a call that says she's fired.
- Verbal Backspace: In the last scene at Central Perk.Chandler: I'm just saying that sometimes we like to do stuff that costs a little more.
Joey: Oh, and you feel like we hold you back.
Chandler: Yes! [the others gasp] No!
