• The One with the Chicken Pox

Costarring:
Tom Selleck as Dr Richard Burke
Charlie Sheen as Ryan

Monica and Chandler fight over a muffin. Phoebe is excited because her old boyfriend Ryan, who's been in a submarine for two years, is coming to Manhattan. But then Ross comes in worrying about Ben, who has chicken pox, and Phoebe hasn't had it. Monica rearranges the bed after Richard has made it and thinks he won't love her so much when he finds out about all her curious obsessions and neuroses. Chandler gives Joey a job as a data processor. Phoebe has chicken pox, so when Ryan arrives she sees him with her head covered. But he doesn't care what she looks like, and kisses her anyway, even though he hasn't had chicken pox either. Joey has invented a character for his job, which he says is like acting. "Joseph the programming guy" has a wife and three kids. Ross and Rachel catch Phoebe and Ryan, who now both have the disease, scratching, and stop them. Joseph gets Chandler into trouble with his boss Mr Douglas at work. Monica straps oven gloves to Phoebe's and Ryan's hands to stop them scratching, and then tells Richard about some of her obsessions. She worries that Richard isn't as neurotic as she is. Chandler tries to fire Joseph, then threatens to sleep with his wife. Phoebe and Ryan try to have a meal with gloves on, but passion wins out and turns into scratching. Richard wakes Monica up in the night with an obsession of his own that he's thought of. Ryan goes back to his submarine, but won't say anything about his job or where he's going. Rachel is impressed by his naval uniform and wants Ross to wear one.
end credits: Ross, resplendent in uniform, tries to carry Rachel off in his arms à la Top Gun.