Joey is not ready to forgive Chandler, nor Rachel, Ross, even with Thanksgiving approaching. Monica receives virtually no help and ends up with ice in her eye. She hesitates to visit her ophthalmologist and ex-boyfriend, Richard Burke, but is excited to receive a call from him, only to find out it’s his charming son, Timothy, who has recently broken up with his girlfriend. Joey tells Ross he has sentenced Chandler to five years of silent treatment but is persuaded to hear him out at Central Perk. Just as Joey arrives, Kathy kisses Chandler, prompting Chandler to look for another apartment. Chandler is willing to do anything to make amends, and Joey decides on a six-hour confinement, mirroring his own experience of being locked in a closet by robbers. Monica, now wearing an eye-patch, invites Timothy for Thanksgiving. Despite teasing from the others, they get along well until a kiss makes Monica feel almost incestuous.
Did you know ?!
• Joey uses the Tuscan insult: “Va fa Napoli!”, the Tuscan equivalent of “Go to Hell!” which literally translates as: “Go to Naples!”.
• While cooking, Phoebe says she needs to call her mother to answer a “left-handed cooking question”. Lisa Kudrow and Teri Garr are both left-handed.
• In the uncut DVD version of the episode, Ross also calls Joey in the opening scene. He tells Joey that he has Chandler on the line, and Joey immediately hangs up.
• When Joey goes to Central Perk to ask Gunther if he’s seen Chandler, there’s a potato in the pastry tray.
• The Magna-Doodle reads “I’m Sorry. I’m Sorry. I’m Sorry. I’m Sorry. I’m Sorry. I’m Sorry. I’m Sorry. I’m Sorry. I’m Sorry. I’m Sorry. I’m Sorry. I’m Sorry. I’m Sorry. I’m Sorry. I’m Sorry. I’m Sorry. I’m Sorry. I’m Sorry. I’m Sorry. I’m Sorry. I’m Sorry. I’m Sorry. I’m Sorry. I’m Sorry. I’m Sorry. I’m Sorry. I’m Sorry. I’m Sorry. I’m Sorry. I’m Sorry. I’m Sorry. I’m Sorry. I’m Sorry. I’m
• Monica’s line, “If it were Greek (tragedy), I’d be blind in both eyes.” refers to the tragedy Oedipus Rex; the title character blinds himself at the end.
• The following were the Secret Santa picks (before the switches): Phoebe picked Rachel, Rachel picked Ross, Chandler picked Joey, Joey picked Phoebe, Ross picked Monica, and Monica picked Chandler .
• This is the first episode where Monica and Ross “come out” as Jewish when Ross mentions he bought Monica a present for Hanukkah. Mazel tov!
• David Schwimmer (Ross Geller) and Michael Vartan (Dr. Tim Burke) appeared in the movie The Pallbearer (1996).
• This episode is included on the 2001 DVD release The Best of Friends Volume 4.
• This is the first time Michael Vartan plays a son that dates a girl that also dated his father. A similar situation happens three years later on Ally McBeal (1997).
• Michael Vartan, who plays Richard Burke’s son Timothy, also starred in Alias (2001), along with Melissa George, who plays his wife. George appears in season 9 of the series, as Molly, Emma’s (Ross and Rachel’s daughter) babysitter.
