Ryan, a naval officer and Phoebe’s former romantic interest, is visiting the city for two weeks. Ben has contracted chicken pox, and everyone except Phoebe has already had them. As a result, Phoebe now has chicken pox, and unfortunately, Ryan has never had them either. Despite this, Ryan is determined not to let the illness come between them. Meanwhile, Chandler arranges a job for Joey as a processor. Joey takes the role too seriously, excessively acting the part of a processor. Both Ryan and Phoebe are plagued by the intense itching caused by the chicken pox. At work, Joey becomes a nuisance, frequently reporting Chandler’s activities. Eventually, they agree that Joey should quit his job. Monica is troubled by the fact that Richard doesn’t have any obsessive tendencies. In the end, Ryan departs.
Did you know ?!
• The rank insignia on Ryan’s shoulder indicates that he is a Navy Lieutenant Commander.
• The only reason Charlie Sheen agreed to do this episode was because he lost a bet to Matt Leblanc. Charlie and Matt were up for the same role in the baseball movie “Ed”. Charlie bet Matt he would get the role. The role had already been offered to Matt, unbeknownst to Charlie, so he told Charlie that he would take the bet only if Charlie agreed to do an episode of Friends if he lost. Matt got the role and Charlie did this episode.
• The Chicken Pox vaccine became available in the US in 1995 and became mandatory for all military personal who did not have a medical history of prior infection. This episode aired in 1996, meaning Ryan would’ve had to have receive the vaccine if he wanted to A) stay enlisted and B) still be allowed to work in a submarine (confined area with high rate of person-person contact).
• Guest appearance of Charlie Sheen as Phoebe’s love interest, Ryan.
• Ryan visits Phoebe in Monica and Rachel’s apartment instead of in her own apartment, which she had moved into by the show’s pilot, The One Where Monica Gets a Roommate (1994). Phoebe lives with her grandmother and states she doesn’t want to pass her chickenpox onto her.
• Monica tells Richard she has to sleep on the right side of the bed. But in later seasons she is seen in bed on the left side with Chandler, such as in The One Where They’re Up All Night (2001).
• ‘Up where we belong’ is normally being heard in the scene during the credits, as it’s a parody of the scene from An Officer and a Gentleman (1982). However, on Netflix in international countries, the song is omitted for licensing reasons, and substituted by a close resemblance to the original song.
• In this episode, Phoebe says she met Ryan when she was playing guitar at the park and he threw in salt water taffy because he didn’t have any change. However, in season 8 episode 15, The One with the Birthing Video (2002) Phoebe tells Ross she’s never had salt water taffy before because her mother, “Was too busy planning her suicide to provide saltwater treats”.
