Friends - [6x15-16] - The One That Could Have Been

Friends - [6x15-16] - The One That Could Have Been 

"The One That Could Have Been" is a two part episode of the sixth season of Friends. Both parts aired on February 17, 2000.

Rachel comes into Central Perk to announce to her friends that Barry (her ex-fiancé) and Mindy (her ex-maid of honor) are getting divorced, because apparently, Mindy caught him cheating on her. She begins to wonder what life might be if she didn't run out on her wedding and actually married Barry. Rossbegins to imagine what life would be if he was still married to Carol. Monica asks what would happen if she was still overweight (She notes that she and Chandler wouldn't be dating in that scenario; Chandler is offended that everyone thinks he's that shallow, but Ross clarifies that they actually think that Monica was that fat). Joey wonders what if he never got fired fromDays of our Lives, Chandler imagines what if he had quit his job & wrote stories for The New Yorker, andPhoebe wonders what if she had taken a job offer at 'Merrill Lynch' (A massage client said that she had a knack for stocks, but at the time she thought that everything that rhymed was true and so thought she would need to live in a box, eat lox, and have a pet fox). The six friends imagine if these alternate realities were at the same time, and wonder if they would still hang out together occasionally.

The alternate reality begins with Ross reading a home decor magazine from a newspaper stand and taking a porn magazine (that he claims a boy paid Ross to buy for him). As he waits in line, he notices Rachel standing in front of him. Rachel barely recognizes Ross until she remembers that he is Monica's brother. Ross and Rachel go off to see Monica at Central Perk (before this, Ross returns the porn magazine).

At Central Perk, Monica has coffee with her new boyfriend, Roger (a doctor who Joey and Chandler think is boring). Chandler comes in with a rejection letter (because the company thought he wasn't "Archie Comics" funny). After Roger leaves for work, Joey appoints Chandler as his assistant since Chandler needs extra money, but does not want to just take it from his friend (whereas in normal episodes, it is Chandler who often lends Joey money). After Joey leaves to go to the bathroom, Phoebe (who smokes whenever work calls, referencing Chandler's smoking addiction in normal episodes) comes in and fires someone she started to like via phone for selling at 49 instead of 50. Ross and Rachel enter and Monica and Rachel are happy to see each other for the first time in 13 years after Sean McMahan's party (in which Ross played a song). When Joey comes back, Rachel, a big fan of him and his show is excited to meet him for the very first time.

Later, at Monica's apartment, an applicant calls and Phoebe hires her and changes the applicant's name from "Brindy" to "Joan." Joey comes over and gives Chandler a list of things to do before heading off to work (some of which include dropping of his dry cleaning, picking up his vitamins, teaching him how to spell "vitamins" and wearing his new jeans). Phoebe learns that there was a drop of sales in the market and loses $13 million, resulting in a heart attack.

Ross, Monica and Chandler come to visit Phoebe (who is given two weeks off work due to her heart attack) in hospital. She, a workaholic, is feeling crazy for not working for three hours straight. After Monica and Chandler leave the room, it is quickly learned that Ross' sex life with Carol isn't what it used to be 2 months ago before he stopped trying. Phoebe encourages him to spice things up a little and gives him weird examples on how to do this.

Chandler tells Monica that most of the tasks Joey gives him are food-related. Joey comes by and, before he goes in her room to visit her, asks Chandler to take his jeans off (as they were ready).

Later, after Joey shows Rachel around the set that he works in, he invites her to his apartment and says two lines of dialogue from the show to get her to say yes. Rachel doesn't think it is a good idea, although she wants to go. Chandler brings a glass of orange juice with pulp to Joey. As Joey doesn't like pulp, he becomes angry. Joey asks Rachel  if she wants anything, and she says she would like ice tea from Chandler, who is told by Joey to "listen" in order to keep his job.

The next morning, Ross asks Carol if he can spice things up a little to improve their sex life. He summarizes Phoebe's examples and eventually mentions having a threesome. Carol agrees to this right away and with much enthusiasm at the idea of bringing another woman into the bedroom.

Chandler comes to Monica's to announce that he finally sold a story (involving Archie needing money and being hired as Reggie's assistant and Reggie making him do chores such as bringing him lumpless milkshakes) to Archie comics. Joey visits and apologizes for being a jerk and for a make-up present, gives Chandler orange juice (with pulp). Monica tells Joey about Chandler selling his story and Chandler summarizes his story. Joey thinks that it sounds familiar, but shrugs it off as he thinks that he read an Archie comic similar to Chandler's story.

Rachel comes into Central Perk to tell Monica of her invitation to Joey's apartment despite being married and learns from her that he does this with a lot of women, her being one of them. Rachel wishes she was on a break with Barry for just some time and discovers that Monica is a 30-year old virgin. Monica is just waiting for the perfect guy to have sex with. Her boyfriend Roger is not perfect, but maybe, she should just "get it over with." Rachel tells her she should do it, as sex shouldn't be a big deal.

While visiting Phoebe in hospital, Ross and Monica discover smoke coming from her in the bathroom, which Phoebe claims is just a side-effect. Ross answers a phone call that is for Phoebe. After he finishes, he says that Jack called to make sure Phoebe was getting better, but he tells Monica that she has actually been fired.

Meanwhile, Rachel, at home, is watching Days Of Our Lives and decides to see Joey the next night and calls to tell him that she will be coming to his apartment, along with a few sandwiches she will bring from home.