Janice asks the friends if any of them have ever slept with each other. When they answer no, she asks if any of them have almost ever slept with each other, leading to a flashback to the friends' lives as they were one year prior to the first episode.
Tropes
- Bait-and-Switch: During their lengthy hug, Chandler and Monica talk about how nice this feels. It turns out they're talking about the towel she's wearing.
- Big "WHAT?!": Monica, upon learning Phoebe she got a lot of spaghetti on one of the sofa cushions.
- Cannot Spit It Out: Phoebe can't bring herself to tell Monica that she can't stand living with her and has moved out (she keeps up the roommate illusion by sneaking in and out of the apartment while Monica's asleep). She finally tells her at the end.
- Commonality Connection: Chandler didn't get why Joey was watching Baywatch, but then he saw the lifeguards in action and quickly took a seat. They then have some beers, and Chandler is impressed by how Joey kept some in a nearby cooler so that they wouldn't have to leave the couch.
- Continuity Nod: One of the girls with Rachel is Kiki, who briefly appeared in Season 1.
- Desk Sweep of Passion: Played for Laughs. Ross tries to sweep the table... the pool table. Pool tables have a lip around the edge specifically to stop anything from falling off. The balls are originally in a neat triangle, and when he sweeps them they scatter, now occupying more table space than they did before. Ross has to awkwardly shove all the balls into the holes to clear a space to lay.
- Didn't Think This Through: Phoebe tries to reassure Monica about her moving out by saying everyone else in their circle already knew. She promptly forgets why she thought that would be reassuring.
- Dramatic Irony: Serves as a Running Gag in the episode as the audience knows how things will turn out in the present day.
- Ross thinks Carol's new friend Susan will help cheer her up and be good for their marriage.
- Chandler wonders where the group will hang out after their favorite bar gets turned into the Central Perk coffeehouse.
- Chandler never finds out Heckles drove away his new roommate, believing the guy was a "jerk who never showed up".
- After bumping into Rachel at the bar, Monica notes to Chandler that odds are they'll never see each other again.
- Phoebe expresses disappointment that the "cute naked guy" who lives in the apartment across from their window has put on weight.
- Enormous Engagement Ring: When Rachel shows Monica her engagement ring Monica quips that "You can't even see where the Titanic hit it".
- Friendship Moment:
- Chandler comforts Monica over Phoebe moving out.
- Phoebe says she has to move out now because she thinks Monica's Neat Freak tendencies will wreck their friendship. They hug it out, after she says this.
- Girl on Girl Is Hot: Ross saying Carol is a lesbian prompts his friends to be sympathetic about his marriage ending, but Joey (who Ross is meeting for the first time) focuses on this instead.
- Heroic BSoD: Learning that Phoebe just couldn't take living with her tendencies makes Monica wondering if this is why she's continually failed to get a boyfriend.
- Innocent Innuendo: "Stupid balls are in the way."
- Jiggle Show: "Wow, look at 'em run."
- Late to the Realization: Ross kicks himself for missing some signs that pointed to Carol being a lesbian. Happens again immediately after he says this when Phoebe asks if Carol's new gym friend, Susan, is more than that. Ross immediately puts it together.
- Mistaken for Gay: When Chandler is interviewing Joey for the apartment, Joey tells him that he's "okay with the gay thing" because he mistakenly thought Chandler was gay.
- Neat Freak: Monica's obsession with this is why Phoebe moved out. The constant stress of freaking her out was just too much. Even after hearing all this, Monica can't help but wonder which sofa cushion has the spaghetti stain on it.
- Out of Focus: Rachel's appearances are limited to the cold open, a brief scene at the bar, and the closing tag.
- Ready for Lovemaking: When Monica invites him in for lemonade Joey, assuming it was a euphemism, immediately strips naked thinking they're going to have sex. Monica is horrified and starts yelling at him to cover up.
- Roommate Drama: The reason Phoebe moves out is that she can't deal with Monica's Neat Freak tendencies, saying she needs to live in "a land where people can spill". Monica is distraught by this, but Phoebe is steadfast since she wants them to remain friends and fears they won't stay that way if they keep living together.
- Ship Tease: Ross and Phoebe almost have sex to comfort Ross when he's distraught over his wife coming out as a lesbian. Chandler and Monica hug for a very long time. Rachel and Chandler show interest in each other. As do Monica and Joey.
- Spanner in the Works: It turns out Mr. Heckles was the one responsible for Joey moving in with Chandler due to driving off Chandler's new roommate.
- Whole Episode Flashback: Janice's question serves as a framing device to show a snapshot of the friends' lives one year before Rachel runs away from her wedding.
- Yank the Dog's Chain: Eric is a fashion photographer, and he told Chandler that his work would sometimes require models to be in the apartment. He also says his porn star sister has a beach house and that Chandler would be welcome there. Chandler is all in on Eric becoming his roommate (barely humoring Joey in the process), only for Mr. Heckles to secretly derail the whole thing. Chandler is left thinking Eric simply backed out at the last minute.
