The One Where Monica and Richard are Just Friends

Thursday, 30 January 1997

Monica meets Richard again and they try being friends who sleep together, until she asks for more and he still does not want children; Rachel and Joey swap favourite books, and Phoebe's new boyfriend keeps falling out of his shorts.

What happens

• Monica runs into Richard at the video store, where he covers her late fee and she notices that he has shaved off his moustache.
• Richard asks Monica out for a burger as friends, and she says it is too soon before going anyway.
• Phoebe arrives with roller blades and explains that a man she met in the park, Robert, is teaching her sports.
• Monica tells the others she is seeing Richard again and insists they can only be friends, because he still does not want children and she does.
• Rachel dares Joey to read Little Women while she reads his beloved copy of The Shining, and Joey takes the trade.
• Chandler spots that Robert is hanging out of his shorts, and Ross confirms it by peering under the coffee table.
• Richard turns up at Monica's door mid-phone-call, they sleep together, and they decide they can be friends who also sleep together.
• Joey and Rachel ruin the endings of each other's books, and Rachel lies that Beth dies purely to wound him.
• Phoebe tries to break things off with Robert, who sits down and exposes himself again, until Gunther tells him to cover up.
• Monica hides in Richard's bedroom while he shows his blind date around, then asks him to be exclusive, and when he repeats that nothing has changed she walks out for good.