"The One With The Videotape" is the fourth episode of the eighth season of Friends, which aired on October 18, 2001.
Plot
Ross and Rachel disagree over who came onto whom when they hooked up. Ross is determined to prove that it was Rachel, and accidentally reveals that he has the encounter on videotape. Everyone instantly thinks that he is a pervert until he explains that it was unintentional. Rachel is the only friend that does not hear the explanation because after Ross' outburst, she is disgusted and goes back to her and Joey's apartment and locks the door. Ross explains that on the day he and Rachel hooked up, he had a date but reveals to Joey that he hadn't had sex in six months. The scene then flips to a flashback from six weeks earlier. After hearing Ross' problem, Joey tells him the "Europe story", which apparently makes anyone who hears it want to have sex with them. Ross tries it on his date, but she keeps interrupting him as he cannot hold her attention. Joey suggests that Ross videotape himself to see how he can improve, and Rachel comes in. Seeing Rachel, Ross goes over to help her forgetting that the camera is still on and thus recorded everything. Back in the present, the rest of the gang agree with Ross that the filming was unintentional, but all agree that they should see the tape.
Monica and Chandler had met another couple on their honeymoon, saying that they hit it off right away (because Chandler was so funny with his jokes and Monica had some great, insightful questions), but discover the number they had been given was not their actual number. Slightly put out by Monica and Chandler bragging about Greg and Jenny, the couple that they had met, Joey and Phoebe smugly say that they've been "fake numbered" and that the names of the couple were probably fake, too. As an example, Joey turns to Phoebe and says, "I'm Ken Adams", and Phoebe replies with "Regina Phalange", showing Monica and Chandler how easy it is to give out fake names. Monica accuses Chandler of telling too many jokes and Chandler says that Monica was too loud and incessantly asked questions.
The entire gang watch Ross and Rachel's videotape to solve the issue of who came onto whom (minus the two of them having sex). In the video, they are shocked to see that Rachel used the "Europe story" on Ross, revealing that she came on to Ross. Rachel says indignantly she heard the story from her friend Irene, who heard it from "some guy". Joey says that he is the guy, and Rachel says, "No, she said his name was Ken Adams," and Joey says he is Ken Adams, much to the gang's amusement.
At the end of the episode, Monica and Chandler find Greg and Jenny's real number, and are told that Jenny accidentally gave them their old number. Monica asks to see them four times, and Greg declines her offer every time. Monica is furious and responds with, "We are good, interesting, funny people with good questions!" She and Chandler are then delighted when Greg asks to meet up on January 15th.
Cast and Crew
Main Cast
Jennifer Aniston - Rachel Green
Courteney Cox - Monica Geller
Lisa Kudrow - Phoebe Buffay
Matt LeBlanc - Joey Tribbiani
Matthew Perry - Chandler Bing
David Schwimmer - Ross Geller
Supporting Cast
Lisa Thornhill - Kristen
Crew
Directed By:
Kevin S. Bright
Written By:
Scott Silveri
Trivia
- This is, among others including The One Where No One's Ready, The One Where Ross Can't Flirt, one of the few bottle episodes of the show.
- It's interesting to note that Joey is curious to see Ross and Rachel's sex tape but in "The One Where Chandler Can't Cry," he adamantly refuses to see what he believed to have been Phoebe's porn tape out of respect for her.
Goofs
- Earlier in the show, Rachel was holding the boxes when she caught Ross with the camera. However, later on in the videotape, she was placing the boxes on the table.
- Rachel said, when watching the videotape with Ross, that she went to the beach the weekend before. Monica said her wedding was on May 15, so it would have been a little bit chilly at the beach for Rachel.
- In the videotape, Rachel's hair is a lot longer than it was prior to Monica's wedding.
- The framing of the actual video is different from the one seen on the videocamera. The screen on the videocamera shows that the lounger was in the frame and the shot was more zoomed out, with Ross being able to stand up without having any part of him be out of frame. The actual video that the friends watch has the frame more zoomed in on Ross and Rachel sitting on the couch with the lounger out of frame.
- Chandler and Monica's wedding is May 15th and they go on their honeymoon the week after. Greg and Jenny wants to meet January 15th which is 8 months later.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 |
| Preceded by "The One Where Rachel Tells..." |
Season Eight Episodes | Followed by "The One With Rachel's Date" |
| << Season 7 | Season 8 | Season 9 >> | |||||||
| #01 | "The One After 'I Do'" | #09 | "The One With The Rumor" | #17 | "The One With The Tea Leaves" | ||||
| #02 | "The One With The Red Sweater" | #10 | "The One With Monica's Boots" | #18 | "The One In Massapequa" | ||||
| #03 | "The One Where Rachel Tells..." | #11 | "The One With Ross's Step Forward" | #19 | "The One With Joey's Interview" | ||||
| #04 | "The One With The Videotape" | #12 | "The One Where Joey Dates Rachel" | #20 | "The One With The Baby Shower" | ||||
| #05 | "The One With Rachel's Date" | #13 | "The One Where Chandler Takes A Bath" | #21 | "The One With The Cooking Class" | ||||
| #06 | "The One With The Halloween Party" | #14 | "The One With The Secret Closet" | #22 | "The One Where Rachel Is Late" | ||||
| #07 | "The One With The Stain" | #15 | "The One With The Birthing Video" | #23 | "The One Where Rachel Has A Baby, Part 1" | ||||
| #08 | "The One With The Stripper" | #16 | "The One Where Joey Tells Rachel" | #24 | "The One Where Rachel Has A Baby, Part 2" | ||||