Phoebe begins dating Sergei, an East European UN diplomat, and invites Monica to accompany them to a restaurant to keep Sergei’s translator company, as Sergei does not speak English. Meanwhile, Ross surprises Rachel with a picnic at her office. However, Rachel, frustrated by Ross’s neediness, suggests they take a break. Distressed, Ross seeks solace at a bar where Joey and Chandler are attempting to impress Chloe, a copy girl they both admire. While Ross and Rachel are trying to reconcile over the phone, Ross overhears Mark, who had insisted on visiting Rachel. Mark, aware that Rachel is on the phone with Ross, ensures his voice is audible, leading Ross to assume the worst. Feeling distraught, Ross hangs up and, after consuming several beers, ends up spending the night with Chloe.
Did you know?!!
• As the song, “With or Without You” by U2 plays at the bar, Ross tells Chloe he likes the song. It is the same song he dedicated to Rachel on the radio in The One with the List (1995).
• When Ross takes the picnic to Rachel’s office and sets fire to her desk, she says to the person she is on the phone with, “I have Shemp in my office.” This is a reference to Shemp Howard, one of the Three Stooges.
• While it was long debated whether Ross and Rachel were actually on a break from their relationship when Ross had sex with another woman in Season 3, the show’s producers and Jennifer Aniston have made it clear that when Ross screamed “WE WERE ON A BREAK!”, he was…completely telling the truth.
• The diplomat Sergei (Jim Pirri) who Phoebe goes on a date with is best known for his role as Tori Vega’s father on the Nickelodeon sitcom Victorious.
• Angela Featherstone, who plays Chloe, is in The Wedding Singer (1998) along with Christina Pickles, who plays Ross and Monica’s mom, Judy Geller.
• This episode is exactly a season after Rachel and Ross’ trip to the planetarium (their second date), signifying that their relationship literally lasted an “exact year”.
• This is first of two appearances by Chloe, “The Xerox copy girl”. Mentioned a few times before, in the season.
