The One with the Blackout

The episode begins with a blackout. Monica, Rachel, Ross, and Joey are watching Phoebe begin an acoustic set at Central Perk.

Chandler gets trapped in an ATM vestibule with Jill Goodacre, a Victoria's Secret model. He tries to impress her in various ways that fail. He smiles so much it creeps her out. When she offers him some chewing gum, he pronounces oddly that "gum would be perfection." He tries to blow a bubble with the gum only to spit it out accidentally. He then tries to chew the gum again, only to realize it is someone else's gum and then proceeds to choke on it from the shock. Jill gives him the Heimlich maneuver and saves his life.

Back at Monica's apartment, the rest of the friends have a discussion on the "weirdest place they've ever done it" and Rachel confesses that hers was "the foot of the bed". This leads to a conversation between her and Ross about how she wishes she had more excitement in her love life. Ross transposes his infatuation for her by predicting that her wish will come true in the future. Joey convinces Ross that he needs to tell Rachel how he feels about her before Ross enters the "friend zone".

Ross works up the courage to speak to Rachel but before he can confess his feelings, a stray cat attacks him. Rachel and Phoebe search for the owner in the building. The owner turns out to be new Italian neighbor Paolo, whose sudden appearance is disconcerting to Ross.

The last candle in the apartment goes out and everyone tries to make the scariest noise possible. During Ross's turn, the lights come back on and everyone sees Rachel and Paolo kissing.

Chandler and Jill finally end up bonding, playing a game Jill invented that involves whipping pens around their heads. When the lights come back on, she kisses him on the cheek. A desperate Chandler then turns to the security camera in the corner and asks for a copy of the tape.

Purple Clover called the episode one of the 20 funniest episodes of Friends.[2]

The A.V. Club called the episode "a little bit bland, a little too distressingly cliché".[3]

The British website Digital Spy put the episode on their list of "Friends: The 15 Best Episodes of All Time".[4]