"The One With Russ" is the tenth episode of the second season of Friends, which aired on January 4, 1996.
Plot
Monica is back with Fun Bobby, whom the guys find really funny. However, after a night hanging out together, the empty wine bottles standing on the table are too much to go unnoticed; the thing is that not one of the guys drinks more than two glasses, which leaves only Fun Bobby as the remaining drinker. This brings to the fore the fact that Fun Bobby has a drinking problem. When Monica points this out to him, he quits drinking, but his new, not-so-funny stories bring out a more serious problem in him - he's only funny when he drinks. Monica doesn't want to be with creepy, sober, serious Bobby, but at the same time she can't let him fall off the wagon, so she starts drinking herself.
Rachel starts going out with Russ, a guy who is in every way the identical copy of Ross. Everyone sees this in him, except for her and Ross, who classifies him as a complete jerk. Ross is at a loss to see what Rachel can ever see in him, unaware of the uncanny number of similarities there are between him and Rachel's date. When the two start bickering, Rachel becomes aware of the common features Ross and Russ share.
Following a bad review of a play he was in, Joey contacts Estelle to try and get some better work. She gets him an audition for a part on Days Of Our Lives. However, he confesses to her that he's under the impression of definitely getting the part if he sleeps with the network casting lady. She calls the network and confirms this to him. Joey mulls it over, fearing that his whole acting career could take the big step forward only because of this fling.
Fun Bobby tells Monica that she has a drinking problem, and that it's hard for him to stay with her. Chandler and Ross give money to Rachel and Phoebe as they have lost the "Monica-and-Fun-Bobby-won't-break-up" bet. Just a little later, Joey comes to tell everyone how he refused his part on Days Of Our Lives as he didn't want to sleep with the network casting lady. However, impressed by the amount of integrity he showed, the casting lady gave Joey an even bigger role on the show as recurring character Dr. Drake Ramoray, which he has accepted. He goes to shower, and Ross and Chandler win their money back from the girls.
At the coffeehouse, a devastated Russ tells the guys that Rachel dumped him, when Julie enters with a bunch of Ross' stuff. Russ notices Julie; she notices Russ, and a spark of passion flows between the two.
Cast and Crew
Main Cast
Jennifer Aniston - Rachel Green
Courteney Cox - Monica Geller
Lisa Kudrow - Phoebe Buffay
Matt Le Blanc - Joey Tribbiani
Matthew Perry - Chandler Bing
David Schwimmer - Ross Geller/Russ
Supporting Cast
Vincent Ventresca - Fun Bobby
June Gable - Estelle Leonard
Scott Stewart - Waiter
Lauren Tom - Julie
Crew
Directed By:
Thomas Schlamme
Written By:
Ira Ungerleider
Trivia
General
- When reading the reviews about his last play, Joey says he's "been doing this for ten years". In season 1, however, during the episode of "The One With The Butt" (S1E7) he says he's been acting for six years, so he should be acting for seven or eight years now. Also, when Monica is reading one of his reviews she says "See page 153", however she actually mouths 155.
- This is the first time Phoebe has said that Ross (or Russ in this case) reminds her of Bob Saget: in Vegas she thought Ross had dressed up as him.
- This is the last appearance of Julie and Fun Bobby in the series.
- Despite being played by David Schwimmer, the character of Russ was credited at the end of the episode as being portrayed by "Snaro".
- David Schwimmer is the second person from main cast to play two characters, the first being Lisa Kudrow.
- When Estelle pulls out a cigarette, you can clearly see that there is no tobacco in the tubes.
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| Preceded by "The One With Phoebe's Dad" |
"The One With Russ" | Followed by ""The One With The Lesbian Wedding"" |
| << Season 1 | Season 2 | Season 3 >> | |||||||
| #01 | "The One With Ross' New Girlfriend" | #09 | "The One With Phoebe's Dad" | #17 | "The One Where Eddie Moves In" | ||||
| #02 | "The One With The Breast Milk" | #10 | "The One With Russ" | #18 | "The One Where Dr. Ramoray Dies" | ||||
| #03 | "The One Where Heckles Dies" | #11 | "The One With The Lesbian Wedding" | #19 | "The One Where Eddie Won't Go" | ||||
| #04 | "The One With Phoebe's Husband" | #12 | "The One After The Superbowl, Part 1" | #20 | "The One Where Old Yeller Dies" | ||||
| #05 | "The One With Five Steaks And An Eggplant" | #13 | "The One After The Superbowl, Part 2" | #21 | "The One With The Bullies" | ||||
| #06 | "The One With The Baby On The Bus" | #14 | "The One With The Prom Video" | #22 | "The One With The Two Parties" | ||||
| #07 | "The One Where Ross Finds Out" | #15 | "The One Where Ross And Rachel... You Know" | #23 | "The One With The Chicken Pox" | ||||
| #08 | "The One With The List" | #16 | "The One Where Joey Moves Out" | #24 | "The One With Barry And Mindy's Wedding" | ||||