Friends: 25 Greatest Episodes

19. The One With The Videotape (S8E4)

Friends The One With The Videotape
NBC

The Episode

In the midst of who came on to *whom*, Ross reveals that there's a videotape of him and Rachel having sex, which will show the truth. Monica and Chandler return from their honeymoon.

Why It's Great

Not only did the episode give the world a seemingly foolproof pick-up line - backpacking through Western Europe... - but it featured a few different strands that it then expertly weaved together.

The interplay between Ross and Rachel is predictably excellent, and even better when we actually get to see the video and the realisation of them having a baby together fully sets in.

But it's the way the episode is layered together that's its real strength: Chandler and Monica are indignant over the couple they met on holiday fake-naming them, which leads to Joey revealing his fake name, which leads to Rachel revealing she got the Europe story from someone she works with, who got it off a date...Ken Adams!

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Contributor
Contributor

NCTJ-qualified journalist. Most definitely not a racing driver. Drink too much tea; eat too much peanut butter; watch too much TV. Sadly only the latter paying off so far. A mix of wise-old man in a young man's body with a child-like wonder about him and a great otherworldly sensibility.