TOW: Rachel Finds Out

Rachel: still has no clue that Ross has feelings for her, even though it's really obvious. Before her birthday party, she goes out for drinks with a guy named Carl, unaware that Ross is leaving for China. Once home, she wants to open her presents. She gets an antique cameo pin from the absent Ross. She's surprised by Ross's gift because she'd mentioned the pin to him months ago. Phoebe mentions how expensive it must've been and it comes out that Ross is in love with her.She tries to catch him at the airport, but he's wearing headphones and Rachel can't get any closer to him. She gives the airport lady a message to give to Ross, but the lady gives the message to the wrong man. She doesn't know what to do or how she feels about Ross, but she says her gut instinct is that they'd be really good together.The night Ross is due back, Rachel has another date with Carl. She tells Monica that her dating Ross would be weird for the group; Monica attempts to convince Rachel that it won't matter. On the balcony with Carl (Tommy Blaze), Rachel imagines Ross there, telling her what a good idea it'd be for them to get together. After imaginary Ross kisses her, Rachel abandons Carl to pick Ross up at the airport. She arrives with flowers as people begin walking off the plane.

Chandler: tells Ross to give up on Rachel because nothing's happened between them. He agrees to give Rachel Ross's present. After Rachel opens Ross's expensive gift, Chandler mentions that Ross did the same sort of thing when he fell in love with Carol. Chandler tries to take it back, but the cat's out of the bag. He doesn't want Rachel to go to the airport the first time because he doesn't want Ross to know he told. He's glad when Rachel doesn't catch Ross. He doesn't want Rachel to go pick Ross up at the airport either, but is okay with it when Rachel tells him it's a good going to the airport.

Monica: likes the idea of Ross and Rachel together, but apparently had no clue her brother was in love with Rachel. After Rachel misses Ross at the airport they engage in a hypothetical discussion about the ramifications of dating Ross. Monica thinks it's a great idea they were friends first, but Phoebe disagrees. Monica kind of freaks when they talk about what'll happen if Ross and Rachel break up. It's Monica's behavior that makes Rachel think dating Ross isn't a great idea, but Monica tells her that it's not a big deal. She freaks out a little again when Carl comes over the night Ross is supposed to get back. Rachel tells Monica she can have the rest of her date with Carl when she decides to meet Ross at the airport.

Phoebe: is mostly supportive of the Rachel and Ross thing, but, like Monica, had no clue Ross had feelings for Rachel. Phoebe is a little concerned that Rachel and Ross were friends first. She believes that they've bypassed dating and are already at a relationship stage because of their friendship.

Ross: gazes longingly at Rachel when she leans on him to look at pictures of Ben. He comes to Rachel's party with a garment bag; he can't stay because he has to go to China for a bone for the museum. Monica and Phoebe tell him about Carl. He goes out to the balcony to talk to Chandler and Joey. He asks about Carl and they tell him to forget about Rachel. He gives Chandler his present for Rachel. He has no idea that Rachel is at the airport when he leaves. He comes back from China. As he walks off the plane, he helps a woman (Lauren Tom) who drops her bag. Then, he kisses the woman and talks about how excited he is to introduce her to his friends.

Joey: has very little to do with the Ross-Rachel thing. He's mostly concerned with the fertility study he's participating in for NYU. He gets paid $700 after two weeks, but he won't get paid if he has sex. He's been dating a woman, Melanie (Corinne Bohrer), and she wants to do it and Joey doesn't want to tell her what he's doing for NYU. At Rachel's party, Monica tells him that he should do other things with Melanie besides just sex. Melanie is really happy with how that works out for her and tells Joey he's as giving as a woman. Joey is surprised by how well he can please Melanie without having sex. As soon as he gets paid, Joey says he can't wait to have sex again.

• There's, like, no one at Rachel's party and they barbecue. Somehow that doesn't really seem like a party Rachel'd like.
  

• How would the people at NYU know if Joey'd had sex during the study? I mean, I guess if he couldn't,uh, make a deposit they'd know, but other than that...it's not like he couldn't just lie if asked about it.

• Meet Melanie

Frumpy, fruit basket making Melanie doesn't strike me as someone Joey'd be attracted to. Pretty much ever.

• Monica wears the date sweater from TOW: the Ick Factor again. What's with her and that sweater? I could start to hate it.
  

• I'm confused. Monica and Phoebe had no clue that Ross was in love with Rachel. How could they miss it?

Cause that's not at all obvious.
I can kind of see how Rachel would miss it, especially since it's something she never really considered, but Monica and Phoebe? C'mon! They'd totally notice.

• I hate this skirt.

The side panel, wrap, thing-y is absolutely mind boggling.

• Carl is like every bad stand-up comedian stereotype ever in the world.

Loser.

• Rachel waiting at the airport with her little bundle of flowers is so adorable. Poor Rachel.

• I heart the moment when Rachel learns Ross loves her. It's amazing.
  

I think I need to start randomly exclaiming "crystal duck!" in awkward situations.

Oh. My. God.

"Just a little extra air in my mouth." -Chandler, making a noise of disgust at Ross mooning over Rachel.

"Men are here!"
"We make fire. Cook meat."
"Then put out fire by peeing, no get invited back." -Chandler and Joey, ready to barbecue.

"Well, the tough thing is, she really wants to have sex with me."
"Crazy bitch." -Joey and Chandler, discussing Melanie and the fertility study.

"Go to China. Eat Chinese food."
"Course there they just call it food." -Joey and Chandler, about Ross's trip.

"No it's not. It's small. It's tiny. It's petite. It's wee." -Chandler, on Ross loving Rachel.

"What about the time difference?"
"From here to the airport?"
"Yes!" -Chandler and Monica, on Rachel going to talk to Ross at the airport.