The One with the Blackout

Phoebe's song performance is abruptly cut off; Chandler's 'What--?' reaction and the scene transition to blackout news suggests the song was terrible or awkwardly received

Rachel's anxious monologue about who she'll meet in a blackout: 'Power-company guys? Eligible looters?'

Monica says 'What's my number? I never call me' when asked to check on her grandma

Chandler's internal monologue: 'It's her. It's that Victoria Secret model. Something Goodacre... Jill Goodacre.' Followed by 'I am trapped in an ATM vestibule with Jill Goodacre.'

Chandler's silent response to his own tangent about 'vestibule vs. atrium'—his self-directed: 'Yeah, that is the part to focus on, you idiot.'

Chandler nervous to Jill: 'Oh, some guy. I am some guy.' And Jill's dismissive agreement: 'I don't know. Some guy.' Sets up the running joke of Chandler being nobody to her.

Joey introduces himself: 'Officiating at tonight's blackout is Rabbi Tribbiani.' The beat that follows showing 'Ugly Naked Guy lit a bunch of candles' with the group's reaction 'Ooh, look...Oh!...Ooh. That had to hurt.'

Chandler's nervous attempt to break silence with Jill: tries to smile, realizes he's scaring her, then makes an awkward gesture. Internal monologue: 'Do something. Just make contact. Smile. There you go. You're definitely scaring her.'

Chandler offers Jill the phone: 'Would you like to call somebody?' Jill responds: 'Yeah, about 300 guys I went to high school with.'

The running sequence of Chandler trying to tell his friends he's trapped with Jill Goodacre but mumbling so badly that no one understands. He tells Monica and Joey in mumbles, they finally understand via Joey's reaction 'He's trapped in an ATM vestibule with Jill Goodacre.'

The 'weirdest place' game begins. Monica goes first: 'Senior year of college, on a pool table.' Joey responds: 'Pool table? That's my sister.' Implying he's slept with Monica.

Joey's turn: 'The women's room on the second floor of the New York City Public Library.' Rachel asks: 'What were you doing in a library?' Phoebe's turn: 'Oh, um, Milwaukee.' Implying Phoebe's weirdest sexual experience is simply a location name.

Ross's turn: 'Disneyland, 1989. It's a small world after all.' He clarifies: 'The ride broke down, so Carol and I went behind a couple of those mechanical Dutch children. They fixed the ride, and we were asked never to return to the Magic Kingdom.'

Rachel's turn: She initially refuses, then admits: 'The weirdest place would have to be...the foot of the bed.' Monica says: 'Step back. We have a winner.' Chandler adds: 'I've never had a relationship with that kind of passion.'

Chandler's extended monologue about Rachel's lack of passion compared to Ross's Disneyland story. Rachel responds: 'Well, Barry wouldn't even kiss me on a miniature-golf course.' Chandler: 'And you didn't marry him because...?'

Chandler delivers a cynical monologue about passion burning out over time, but 'what you're left with is trust and security and, uh...In my ex-wife's case, lesbianism.'

Chandler reassures Rachel about her romantic future: 'I see...big passion in your future.' Rachel is touched: 'Ross, you're so great.' Ross's internal response: 'Ah. It's never gonna happen.'

The extended 'Friend Zone' conversation: Chandler tells Ross he's in the friend zone. Ross denies it. Chandler escalates: 'No, Ross. You're mayor of the Zone.' Ross claims he's 'laying the groundwork' and will ask Rachel out 'soon.' Chandler: 'Every day I get a little bit closer to, uh...Priesthood.'

Chandler pressures Ross to confess his feelings to Rachel immediately. Ross resists: 'I'm waiting for the right moment.' Chandler pushes: 'What's the right moment? What's messing you up? The wine? The candles? The moonlight?' Ross finally admits the conditions are perfect. Chandler: 'You gotta go up to her and say, Look, Rachel, I think--'

Ross is about to confess to Rachel. Monica, Phoebe, and Joey all loudly shush him from the background. Ross: 'What are we shushing?' Monica: 'We're shushing because we're trying to hear something.' Awkward beat. 'Don't you hear that? Ah.' They all listen to something inaudible (likely a siren or distant noise).

Chandler is nervous with Jill Goodacre. She offers him gum: 'Would you like some gum?' Chandler asks: 'Is it sugarless?' She: 'Uh, sorry, it's not.' Chandler: 'Then, no, thanks.' Internal monologue: 'What the hell was that? Mental note: If Jill Goodacre offers you gum, you take it. If she offers you mangled animal carcass, you take it.'

Chandler's continued self-criticism: 'Mental note: If Jill Goodacre offers you gum, you take it. If she offers you mangled animal carcass, you take it.'

Phoebe's impromptu song about the blackout: 'New York City has no power / And the milk is getting sour / But to me it is not scary / 'Cause I stay away from dairy'

Monica almost leaves the apartment to execute Ross's surprise birthday party plan. Joey stops her: 'You can't go out there. Because of, uh, the reason.' Monica asks what reason. Joey finally confesses: 'He's planning your birthday party.' Rachel hears and says 'Oh, my God. I love him.' Monica realizes Joey already told her, and Joey realizes nobody told him. Monica complains: 'I'm always the last to know everything.' She then lists examples: 'I was the last one to know when Chandler got bit by the peacock at the zoo. I was the last to know you had a crush on Joey when he was moving in.' Rachel responds: 'What? Oh. Looks like I was second to last.'

Ross tries again to confess his feelings to Rachel, beginning with: 'For a while now, I've been wanting to, um...' He's interrupted by Monica suddenly yelling about finding a kitten. Ross's confession attempt collapses.

The group spontaneously starts singing 'I'm on top of the world' while caring for the kitten. The song is cheerful and earnest.

Monica applies what she thinks is Bactine to the kitten: 'All right, this is just Bactine. It won't hurt.' The kitten yells. Monica: 'Ow. Ow. Sorry, that was wax.'

Monica worries: 'Poor little Tootie's scared. We should find his owner.' Chandler: 'Why not put poor little Tootie in the hall? During a blackout? She'll get trampled.' Monica: 'Yeah?'

Chandler's internal monologue about the gum: 'Gum would be perfection? Gum would be perfection. I could have said, Gum would be nice. I'll have a stick. But, no. For me, gum is perfection. I loathe myself.'

The group finds a kitten and asks the neighbor (the Mellons) if it's theirs. The neighbor claims yes. Monica asks: 'He seems to hate you. Are you sure?' The neighbor: 'Yeah. It's my cat. Give me my cat.' Monica presses: 'Wait a minute. What's his name?' Neighbor: 'Um, Bob-- Buttons.' Rachel: 'Bob Buttons? Here, Bob Buttons.' The kitten reacts positively to Rachel but not the neighbor. Rachel: 'You are a very bad man. You owe me a cat.'

Paolo arrives (a mysterious handsome man speaking Italian). Monica introduces him: 'This is Paolo.' The group reacts with interest. Monica explains: 'He doesn't speak much English.' Joey asks: 'So, uh, where did, uh, Paolo come from? Italy, I think. Heh. No, I mean tonight, in the building? Suddenly into our lives?'

Monica explains Paolo's arrival: 'The cat turned out to be Paolo's cat. Isn't that funny?' Chandler responds sarcastically: 'That is funny. And Rachel keeps touching him.' Monica repeats the explanation, adding: 'And I'm guessing, since nobody told me, this is Paolo?' implying she's been left out of the loop again.

Chandler mentally coaches himself while sitting with Jill: 'All right. Okay. What next? Blow a bubble. A bubble's good. It's got a, uh, boyish charm. It's impish. Here we go.' He blows a bubble. It pops. His panic: 'Nice going, imp-. Okay. It's okay. All I need to do is reach over and put it back in my mouth. Good save. We're back on track and I'm...chewing someone else's gum. This is not my gum. Oh, my God. Oh, my God. And now you're choking.'

After Chandler chokes and recovers with Jill's help (without him asking), there's an awkward beat. He says: 'Thank you. That was... That was...' Jill: 'Perfection?' Chandler: '[beat] Yes.' The callback is reinforced—Chandler used the word 'perfection' about the gum earlier, and now Jill uses it to describe the choking incident ironically.

Paolo and Rachel interact while others observe. Monica asks: 'What'd he say that was so funny?' Rachel: 'I have absolutely no idea. That's classic.' Chandler: 'My God, you guys. What am I doing? This is so un-me. If you want, I'll do it. I know. I just wanna bite his bottom lip. But I won't.' Phoebe: 'God. The first time he smiled at me...those three seconds were more exciting than three weeks in Bermuda with Barry.'

Ross confronts Paolo: 'Listen, um, heh, something you should, uh, know. Rachel and I are...We're kind of a thing.' Paolo: 'Thing? Thing. Yes, thing. You have the sex?' Ross: 'No, no. Um, technically, the sex is not being had.' Ross continues, stammering through an explanation of why Paolo should stay away. Finally: 'If you get in the way of us becoming a thing...then, uh, I would be, well, very sad.'

Paolo responds to Ross in Italian. Ross: 'Do you know the word crap-weasel? No? That's funny, you are a huge crap-weasel.' This is Ross's insult after his intimidation attempt failed.

Chandler and Monica try to learn how to spin a disk (presumably a romantic skill to impress Jill/others). The sequence shows failed attempts. Then: 'Look, look. The last candle's about to burn out. Ten, nine, eight, seven...minus 46, minus 47, minus 48...' implying the power might come back on, so their romance countdown is absurdly negative.

The group is in darkness. Joey laughs maniacally. All laugh maniacally. Ross announces: 'Okay, guys, I have the definitive one.' The group expects another joke but there's just Ross's maniacal laugh followed by a groan. Monica then says: 'Uh, Ross...This probably isn't the best time to bring it up...but you have to throw a party for Monica.'

Jill says goodbye to Chandler: 'Well, goodbye, Chandler. I had a great blackout. See you.' The implication is that she'll probably never see him again; she's leaving without exchanging contact info or making plans.

Chandler's final line to the security camera: 'Hi. Um, I'm account number 7143457. And I don't know if you got any of that...but I would really like a copy of the tape.' He's asking for a recording of his interaction with Jill Goodacre.