TOW: Chandler Crosses the Line

Chandler and Joey: Pretty early one morning, Chandler storms over to Monica and Rachel's. Everyone, but Joey, is over and he informs them all that he just walked in on Kathy naked. He hoped she'd have something funny about her body, but she looks pretty perfect. He's agonizing because he thinks Kathy knows about his feelings, and that she may like him too. Chandler sees Joey getting a girl's number in Central Perk. Chandler thinks it means Joey and Kathy broke up, but Joey's dating Kathy and the new girl, Casey. Chandler's upset because Joey's cheating on Kathy. As an alternative, Chandler suggests that Joey go with only Casey, because she seemed to really get Joey. Joey makes dinner plans with Casey and Kathy; he's having an early dinner with Casey, and a late dinner with Kathy. Chandler's home alone, watching Baywatch, when Kathy arrives for her date with Joey. Joey's not back yet, but Chandler invites Kathy in to watch some TV with him. Joey calls to tell Chandler that he and Casey had car trouble, so he's going to be late. Joey's on a pay phone and runs out of time. Kathy and Chandler start talking, but it's a little uncomfortable. Chandler mentions he was supposed to get his hair cut, but missed his appointment. Kathy offers to cut his hair. Chandler agrees, but has a difficult time dealing with Kathy touching him so much. Kathy crouches down in front of him, running her fingers through his hair to see if it's even. They end up almost kissing, but the phone rings before their lips meet. It's Joey again, calling to say that the car completely lost it's transmission, so he has to cancel his date with Kathy. Joey apologizes to her, and Kathy leaves. She knocks at the door almost immediately after she closes it, she forgot her purse, but she and Chandler kiss. They break apart. Chandler doesn't want it to continue because it'll hurt Joey. He tells Kathy they have to ignore their feelings, but Kathy's not really okay with that. She has some pretty significant feelings for Chandler. Chandler says he can't hurt Joey. Kathy leaves again, but they both end up leaning against the door. Chandler opens it when he realizes Kathy's still out there. They kiss more. Joey comes home the next day to find that Chandler bough all new furniture and an awesome new TV. Joey loves it, and also tells Chandler that he's taking Chandler's advice. He's decided to stick exclusively with Kathy. Chandler tries to convince Joey to date Casey, but Joey's made up his mind. Chandler walks into Central Perk and the gang makes fun of him about the furniture. He tells them what happened with Kathy. They're all appalled. Ross tells Chandler that Joey probably would've bowed out if he'd have known how much Chandler liked Kathy. Chandler wants to know why no one mentioned that before; they all meant to, but kept forgetting. Chandler knows he has to tell Joey the truth. At their apartment, Chandler tells Joey he likes Kathy. Joey takes it pretty well, mostly because Kathy broke up with him. Joey's okay with Chandler dating Kathy, though, since Chandler came to Joey about his feelings. Joey also warns Chandler that he thinks Kathy's got another man. Chandler confesses that he's that other man, and that he and Kathy kissed. Joey's pretty furious, but it only gets worse when Joey realizes Chandler bought the furniture and TV out of guilt. Joey storms into his room.

Ross and Phoebe: Phoebe's at Moinca's writing a new song. Ross and Monica are listening, and Ross chimes in with help when Phoebe's having trouble with her song. Phoebe asks Ross how he knew the solution to her problem. Ross confesses that he used to play the keyboard a lot in college. Monica cracks up, because she'd forgotten about what Ross named his "sound." Phoebe and Monica beg Ross to play for them, but Ross is self-conscious about his sound. They finally convince him, though, and he goes off to his apartment to get his keyboard. When Ross comes back with his keyboard, everyone but Joey's there to hear him play. He sets up his equipment, but hesitates to start playing. He feels the need to explain the motivation behind his music, but Chandler orders him to play. Ross does, and it's some horrible mess of a pre-programmed rhythm track and random noises. It's pretty awful. Phoebe thinks it's great and thinks Ross should play his music for other people. Rachel tells him to play at Central Perk. Ross thinks they all really like it, and runs home to get another disk with helicopter noises on it. When he's gone everyone makes fun of his sound, but Phoebe seriously thinks he's good. Ross plays in Central Perk; it's really bad. Phoebe's supposed to go on after Ross, but she doesn't fell comfortable following something as good as what Ross does. Monica and Rachel try to convince her that Ross' music is awful, but all Phoebe gets from them is that Ross isn't appreciated in his own time. They try to encourage Phoebe by telling her she's not any good either, but Phoebe thinks they're just being nice. When Ross is finished playing, he and Phoebe have a talk. Monica told Ross that Phoebe was giving up her music, because she was intimidated by Ross' talent. Ross offers to quit playing if it'll make Phoebe feel better, but Phoebe declines the offer. Ross plays in Central Perk again, only this time, Phoebe thinks he's lost his gift. When Ross finishes his song, he comes over to Phoebe, Monica, and Rachel and tells them he's lost it. He asks Phoebe to finish out his set. Phoebe agrees, since Ross played so badly. Ross tells Monica and Rachel he only played bad on purpose, so Phoebe wouldn't give up on her music.

Rachel: wants everyone to go to a new Italian restaurant for dinner. No one can, but Monica suggests she just go by herself. Rachel's not comfortable eating alone, because she thinks people will judge her. Monica tells her there's nothing wrong with eating by yourself, but Chandler confirms Rachel's fears by saying he judges women who eat alone. Despite all this, Rachel goes to by herself. She comes home, having had a great time. She plans to eat by herself more often. In Central Perk, Rachel gets hit on by an attractive doctor. He asks her to go out Sunday, but Rachel can't because she has plans. The doctor leaves and Monica asks Rachel why she wouldn't go with him. Rachel says it's because she's having lunch alone on Sunday, and doesn't want to break her plans. Monica can't believe she's doing that instead of going on a date with a doctor. Rachel goes out by herself one night, and ends up breaking up with herself. Eating alone isn't really as great as she thought. She runs into the doctor and tells him she's free Sunday, but now the doctor has to work. As the doctor walks away, he thinks there must be something wrong with Rachel because she's eating by herself.

Monica: spends a lot of time laughing at Ross' ridiculous sound. She eavesdrops on Rachel's conversation with the doctor, and encourages Rachel to go on a date with him.

• I love that the response to Chandler telling everyone he saw Kathy naked is "Could you totally see up his robe?"
  

I was thinking the same thing, though, when he climbed up on the counter.

• Oh, dear me, Ross' sound! I forgot this was the episode! I shrieked "Ross' sound!!!" frightening everyone in my vicinity.

Electrifying.

• I have a horrible confession to make. I don't eat by myself in public places because of this episode.
  

• Chandler and Kathy finally kiss.

The haircut thing is great setup. And I really like Kathy's outfit.


Chandler sorta looks like he's trying to eat her.

• The guilt furniture.

It's sweet. Sorta. But Chandler's remorse is genuine.

• The Magna-Doodle says "I love you, man." Aw. Of course, it'd be better if Chandler hadn't kissed Joey's girlfriend, but y'know.

• Phoebe says something about the chimps that followed the Beatles ,which isn't particularly important, except that a few times in the episode transcript, it's been spelled Beetles, like the bug. No.
  

• Click for 'the sound.' Seriously, you should. I think this gets to be a best moment ever. It makes me soo happy. I love that Monica and Rachel are legit cracking up the first time Ross plays.
  

• I heart, heart, heart this episode. Plus, it sets up the plot for the next episode, which is my most very favorite EVER.
  

Oh. My. God.

"I just walked in the bathroom and saw Kathy naked! It was like torture!"

"Y'know if we ever go to war and you're captured, you're in for a big surprise." -Chandler and Ross.

"Wow... Could everyone totally see up his robe?" - Phoebe, after Chandler tells them all about his Kathy encounter.

"Well,I'm upset--for you. I mean, having sex with an endless line of beautiful women must be very unfulfilling for you." -Chandler, upon catching Joey getting another woman's number.

"Make a choice, pick a lane."

"Who's Elaine?" -Chandler and Joey, when Chandler encourages Joey to pick one woman.

"Y'know, umm, you should--you should think of umm, my work as wordless sound poems." -Ross, about his 'sound.'

"Really bitchin'!" -Chandler, about the sound.

"Oh, I can't believe I ever let him touch me with those fingers." -Rachel, after hearing the sound.

"Yes, yes your breasts are just as firm and juicy." -Chandler, to the chick and the duck, as they watch Baywatch.

"Uh yes, but, uh, I just watch it for the articles." -Chandler, explaining why he watches Baywatch to Kathy.

"I like it in the stern... of the boat." -Chandler, to Kathy, after asking where in the boat she'd like to sit.

"Dog grooming, huh? Okay, just don't make my tail too poofy." -Chandler, to Kathy, after she confesses she learned to cut hair at a dog grooming shop.

"Well, thanks, I grow it myself." -Chandler, to Kathy, after she compliments his hair.

"Don't! Don't! See--see, you're getting me confused, I'm starting to yearn." -Chandler, to Kathy, during their talk about their feelings.

"Oh my God, he's not even appreciated in his own time. I would give anything to not be appreciated in my own time!"

"Okay, umm, Phoebe, you suck too." -Phoebe, and Monica, when Phoebe feels bad about her music.

"A TV that appears as if from nowhere! That's the dream!" -Joey, after seeing stuff Chandler buys.

"Joey has the best boyfriend ever!" -Monica, to Chandler, after he buys the furniture.

"What?!? That's even worse!!"

"How is that worse?!"

"I don't know, but it's the same!" -Joey and Chandler, talking about what happened with Chandler and Kathy.

"Over the line?! You--you're so far past the line, that you--you can't even see the line! The line is a dot to you!" -Joey, yelling at Chandler.

"Phoebe, his music could not get any worse. There are rats in the basement that are hanging themselves." -Rachel, when Phoebe realizes Ross isn't very good.