Ross starts dating one of his students, Elizabeth, putting his job at risk. A fire occurs in Phoebe and Rachel's apartment and they take turns staying with Monica and Joey. Chandler meets with a friend from college, who has become a movie director, to try and get Joey an audition.
Tropes:
- Age-Gap Algebra: Joey offers his own unique perspective on the age gap between Ross and Elizabeth.Joey: Oh, well think of it like this, when you're 90...
Ross: I know when I'm 90 she'll be like 80 and it won't seem like such a big difference.
Joey: No that's not what I was going to say at all. No, what I was going to say is when you're 90 you'll still have the memory of what it was like to be with a 20-year-old. - All Men Are Perverts:
- Joey immediately figures out how to learn the identity of Ross's secret admirer and offers his unique perspective on Age-Gap Algebra, the latter of which does intrigue Ross.
- Double subverted when Ross is talking to Joey and Monica about his new relationship with Elizabeth. Upon Ross mentioning the blowback that could result, Joey stresses the importance of following one's heart. He then quietly motions to Ross to ask if Elizabeth is well-endowed, to which Ross nods.
- When Ross hears that Chandler had coffee with Dana, he asks if she was the one in college with the large chest. Chandler says that was a different girl, prompting him and Ross to think of her. Joey joins in, despite never having met the woman.
- Big Eater: Joey, to the point of scooping up food deliberately dropped on the floor.
- Big "OMG!": Rachel upon learning of the fire.
- Brick Joke: The episode starts with Joey making sure that Chandler gets him an audition for Thursday, even using an odd mnemonic where he calls it the "Third Day". In The Tag, Joey quickly uses the mnemonic again when he realizes he missed the audition.
- Dumbass Has a Point: Elizabeth had written an anonymous teacher evaluation calling Ross the hottie of his department. When Ross admits he'd like to know who wrote it, Joey says he can use the final exams he hasn't handed back yet to look for a match in the evaluation's handwriting.Chandler: There's a girl at stake and suddenly he's Rainman.
- Firemen Are Hot: Phoebe takes a second to smile at one of the firemen in her apartment before going to check the damage. Joey then asks another fireman if he can borrow the guy's uniform for an upcoming date. Monica scolds him, and then whispers to Chandler that he'd look good in the uniform.
- Forbidden Fruit: Ross thinks he and Elizabeth should break up when they both realize their relationship is forbidden by regulations. However, Elizabeth is turned on by Ross repeating that it's forbidden. They both decide to keep the relationship going.
- Friendship Moment: With Rachel and Phoebe needing a place to stay, Monica and Joey are quick to offer their spare rooms.
- House Fire: Phoebe's apartment is wrecked by a fire, leading Rachel to stay with the eager-to-host Monica, and Phoebe with the messy Joey. When it turns out that the fire was caused by Rachel's electric hair straightener, they switch arrangements as Rachel's punishment, only for Phoebe to regret it due to Monica's uptight nature.
- Mistaken for Romance: It turns out Chandler's college friend assumed he was reaching out to her because he had feelings for her. He maintains the lie when she turns him down, as her asking if there's any way to help him deal with heartbreak is how he gets Joey's audition.
- Neat Freak: Monica's assorted rules quickly start to drive Phoebe up the wall. You'd think she would've remembered this was why she moved out all those years ago.
- Secret Relationship: Ross and Elizabeth have to hide their relationship from everybody at university.
- Sexy Figure Gesture: As Ross describes Elizabeth, Joey keeps cupping his hands over his chest to ask if she's stacked.
- "Shaggy Dog" Story: In The Tag, Joey ends up missing the audition Chandler spent the episode getting him after forgetting what day it was on.
- Smart Ball: Joey's solution to figuring out who the secret admirer is rather clever. Chandler expresses irritation over how a situation like this is what prompts him to be clever.Joey: Well, it's simple: you take the final exams and the evaluations, you see whose handwriting matches, and boom, you got your admirer!
Chandler: A hot chick is at stake, and suddenly he's Rain Man. - Teacher/Student Romance: Ross dates his student Elizabeth. At first he hides the relationship from his colleagues because he thinks it is simply frowned upon, but later is told it actually is against regulations.
- Verbal Backspace: Just as he convinces Monica that it's appropriate to schmooze before asking for a big favor, Chandler lets it slip that he did date Dana once in college. When Monica yells at him for that, Chandler tries to claim he never dated Dana once.
- You Owe Me: When pleading for help with the audition, Joey says he would owe Chandler big time. Chandler retorts that Joey already does owe him big time. He's about to list the full amount before Joey interrupts him.
