The episode begins precisely where the previous one concluded, with Ross entering Rachel’s room and sharing a kiss with her. Subsequently, Ross ends his relationship with Bonnie. Meanwhile, Phoebe discovers that her biological mother, her supposed mother, and her father were once involved together. She learns that her biological mother, also named Phoebe, did not attempt to find her earlier, which makes Phoebe upset.
During a visit to the beach, Monica is stung by a jellyfish, prompting Chandler to urinate on her leg to alleviate the pain. Ross unintentionally takes full responsibility for the issues between him and Rachel. Later, Phoebe’s biological mother visits to apologize and express her regret for giving Phoebe up as a baby. The episode concludes with Ross and Rachel having another argument, as Ross insists that he does not believe he was at fault.
Did you know?!
• Although this episode follows the previous episode within the same weekend Matthew Perry has a different hair cut due to the summer hiatus between both episodes.
• Courtney Cox was in between filming season 4 of Friends and Scream 2. This explains why Monica has red highlights and shorter hair.
• Guest star Teri Garr’s hairstyle is significantly different from the previous episode, even though it’s the same weekend the episodes take place.
• Previously, Matt LeBlanc has just done the voiceover work during the “Previously…” two part episode recaps. As he is now in vision in character as Joey for this episode recap, it could now be considered plausible that every “The one with…” is a dramatisation of Joey recounting a situation episode.
• Lisa Kudrow and guest stars of this episode, Christine Taylor and Teri Garr, appear together on the movie Kabluey.
• After Ross and Rachel have their fight and Ross storms out, Rachel says, “It’s not that common, it doesn’t happen to every guy, and it is a big deal!” In 2020, the writers revealed this is a reference to premature ejaculation joke in The One Where Ross and Rachel… You Know (1996).
• Phoebe mentions to Phoebe Abbott that she likes The Beatles. When Phoebe gets married to Mike Hannigan The One with Phoebe’s Wedding (2004), she walks down the aisle to the band’s song “Here, There and Everywhere”, played on steel drums.
• In the re-mastered Widescreen version of this episode, broadcast by Comedy Central UK in 2015, there is a very obvious drop in picture quality during the beach jellyfish scene, and the split screen shots between Phoebe and her sister Ursula. This is most likely due to it being either shot on 24 frame video, and/or master elements are missing.
• There are two different versions of the scene where Ross yells “WE WERE ON A BREAK!”: One version has Ross and Rachel in bed, Ross yells it and Rachel covers her ears. The other version has Ross yelling it off camera while Monica is sitting at the table by the kitchen.
