The One After Joey and Rachel Kiss

Thursday, 25 September 2003

Back from Barbados, Joey and Rachel begin seeing each other but keep failing to tell Ross, who has just started something with Charlie, while Phoebe discovers Mike still has a girlfriend.

What happens

• Monica, Chandler and Phoebe listen through the hotel walls, hear Ross in bed with Charlie, then realise the other room holds Joey and Rachel kissing.
• Joey explains that he changed his mind about Rachel only after seeing Ross with Charlie.
• Ross stops things with Charlie because he wants Joey's blessing first, and leaves to find him.
• Rachel hides Joey in her room and barely listens while Ross confesses to her that he kissed Charlie.
• Caught by the eavesdroppers, Joey and Rachel agree to hold off until Ross has been told.
• Monica comes back from the salon with beaded cornrows that Chandler and Ross both find alarming.
• On the flight home Mike admits to Phoebe that he has had a girlfriend for three months, and promises to end it that night.
• Ross tells Joey about Charlie, and Joey gives his blessing and soaks up the praise instead of admitting anything about Rachel.
• Rachel goes to Ross's apartment to tell him, but a burst shampoo bottle derails the conversation entirely.
• Phoebe tells Mike's girlfriend Precious the truth about the engagement, and Precious ends things with Mike herself.