While Ross is checking over a possible new apartment (previously the property of Ugly Naked Guy), Phoebe sees Chandler and Monica making out from across the way, meaning that now everybody but Ross knows. The girls decide to have some fun with it by having Phoebe hint at wanting to hook up with Chandler and see how uncomfortable he'll get. Monica and Chandler find out that this is the plan, and decide for Chandler to reciprocate to get Phoebe to become uncomfortable instead. The result is a very awkward game of chicken where neither of them wants to do anything romantic with the other but neither wants to back down.
Tropes
- The Art of Bra Removal: Invoked by Joey, who tells Phoebe to show her bra because Chandler is afraid of them. "Can't work 'em." Joey then demonstrates his own undressing prowess by flicking open her sweater in one move.Phoebe: Wow, you didn't rip off any buttons.
Joey: It's not my first time. - Awkward Kiss: Chandler and Phoebe's duel ends with them attempting to kiss and it's incredibly awkward. Chandler can barely stop himself from flinching and Phoebe keeps her eyes open the whole time. This proves to be the final straw for Chandler who breaks the kiss to admit he loves Monica.
- Brain Bleach: Phoebe's response to seeing Chandler and Monica about to have sex is to scream "MY EYES!"
- Call-Back: When Phoebe sees Chandler and Monica starting to have sex from the window across the way, she starts screaming "MY EYES! MY EYES!", just like Chandler did in The One With the Butt.
- Cliffhanger: The episode ends with Ross seeing Chandler and Monica together from across the street and getting angry.
- Competition Freak: Monica's competitive side rears its head with her pushing Chandler to seduce Phoebe into admitting she knows about them. Chandler briefly calls her out on how weird that is.Monica: You're on my team - and my team always wins!
Chandler: At this? - Duel of Seduction: Between Phoebe and Chandler, the goal being to see who will crack and admit the charade first.
- Early-Installment Weirdness: This episode introduces Joey's Hugsy the Penguin. The prop used here lacks the yellow vest and goggles that were added in subsequent appearances.
- Escalating War: Chandler and Phoebe each uncomfortably trying to push their romantic set-up farther along in order to make the other one even more uncomfortable so that they give up. It's hilariously awkward, especially when Chandler says with almost no excitement or intonation whatsoever: "I'm very happy we're going to have all the sex."
- Explain, Explain... Oh, Crap!: Monica is sure that Phoebe knows about Monica and Chandler's relationship, because of how Phoebe hit on Chandler (pinching his butt, complimenting his attire and physique, showing particular interest in his biceps). Chandler feels insulted and protests how quickly Monica dismisses the idea that Phoebe might be attracted to him. He starts listing off some possible reasons, and then talks about his biceps while running one hand across his opposite arm ... then quickly agrees with Monica after it hits him how unimpressive his muscles are.Chandler: But what about my pinchable butt or my bulging biceps — She knows!
- The Faceless: The second and last physical appearance of Ugly Naked Guy, who is only seen from the back and doesn't say a word.
- Flexibility Equals Sex Ability: When Phoebe and Chandler are about to head to bed as part of their Duel of Seduction she amps the ante by boasting about her sexual prowess, mentioning that she's very bendy.
- I Know You Know I Know: Phoebe and Rachel get to Level 1. Then Chandler and Monica get to Level 2, realizing they know that Phoebe and Rachel know. Phoebe and Rachel realize this and get to Level 3, and in Joey's presence mention how they know that Chandler and Monica know that Rachel and Phoebe know about it, but don't know that Rachel and Phoebe know this. When they tell Joey (who by this point is completely befuddled) not to tell Chandler and Monica this, he says "Couldn't if I wanted to!"Phoebe: They don't know that we know they know we know.
- Immediate Self-Contradiction: Ross claims to have his anger issues under control when his boss visits him. Then he sees Monica and Chandler having sex across the street and suffers from another raging fit.
- Internal Reveal: Phoebe and Ross finally learn about Chandler and Monica's relationship.
- Intimate Lotion Application: During Chandler and Phoebe's fake Duel of Seduction, one of Phoebe's bluffs is to ask Chandler to strip off her clothes and rub lotion all over her body before they sleep together, which leaves him stammering.
- Locked Out of the Loop: Ross doesn’t find out about Monica and Chandler until the end of the episode.
- My Sister Is Off-Limits: Invoked by Ross when he sees Monica & Chandler from out of his new apartment window.Ross: GET OFF MY SISTER!
- Naked People Are Funny: As a last resort bid for Ugly Naked Guy's apartment, Ross visits him and takes off his clothes with the goal of bonding with him as a "fellow nudist". The others watch from across the street and recognize him.
- No Sparks: Naturally, since neither Chandler nor Phoebe actually has romantic interest in the other. Both of them are trying to feign sparks, but neither does a very good job of it.
- Only Sane Man: Surprisingly, Joey is this during the episode. He is the only one who isn’t thrilled about the charade war between Monica and Chandler versus Rachel and Phoebe, instead wanting everyone to come clean and get back to normal.
- Please Put Some Clothes On: A downplayed example since nobody ever really gets undressed. Once Chandler caves and admits he can't kiss Phoebe because he's in love with Monica, about a minute of conversation goes by before Chandler points out that the front of Phoebe's dress is still open and most of her bra is still exposed.
- Put on a Bus: Ugly Naked Guy makes his final appearance, moving out of his apartment which allows Ross to sublet from him.
- A Rare Sentence: When Rachel has accompanied Ross and Phoebe in checking out Ugly Naked Guy's apartment as Ross considers moving in;Rachel: Well, I never thought I'd say this, but I'm gonna go use Ugly Naked Guy's bathroom.
- Running Gag: The "Ugly Naked Guy is [activity]]" gag comes to an end when the gang notice that he's packing up his apartment.
- Spoiler Title: While by the end of the episode, Joey, Rachel, and now Phoebe know about Monica and Chandler, they agree not to tell Ross. Sure enough, Ross learns about the relationship during the final seconds of The Tag.
- Tin-Can Telephone: Invoked when Joey discusses what they could do with Ross living across them.Joey: Then we could do that telephone thing. Y'know, you have a can, we have a can, and it's connected by a string.
Chandler: Or we can do the actual telephone thing. - Wham Shot: In-Universe. Phoebe looks through the window into Monica's Apartment and sees Monica and Chandler having sex. Astonished, she starts screaming and Rachel reappears and reveals that she already knows about Monica and Chandler's relationship. She convinces Phoebe to calm down before Ross finds out, knowing that he would be furious and not accept it well, especially with his recent anger issues.
