Chandler and Joey take care of Ben and end up leaving him on a bus. Phoebe is jealous of a professional singer who gets paid to sing at Central Perk.
Tropes
- Afraid of Needles: Ross has to get a needle for his allergy. He asks if he can take the shot orally, maybe squirt the medicine into his mouth.
- Brain Bleach: Terry the manager of Central Perk talks about Phoebe's singing wanting to give himself a lobotomy.Terry: Rachel, it's not that your friend is bad. It's - It's that she's so bad she makes me want to push my finger through my eye, into my brain and swirl it around.
- Brick Joke: When Rachel asks how she made out as a street performer, Phoebe says she got six dollars and a condom. Later, a man runs up and asks if he accidentally dropped a condom in her guitar case, saying he really needs it now.
- Brought Home the Wrong Kid: Double Subverted. At the bus depot, Joey and Chandler can't figure out which of the two babies there is Ben, and worry that they brought back the wrong baby. Fortunately, they did choose Ben, but Ross is curious about the diaper reading "Property of Human Services" on it.
- Chekhov's Gag: Ben constantly cries when held by Monica. Chandler and Joey make light of it early on, but it's later what convinces them that they brought back the right baby.
- Childhood Brain Damage: One of the ways Ross messed with Monica when they were kids was putting a broom in her bike's spokes, causing her to flip over and hit the curb headfirst. Monica doesn't remember it happening, but she remembers people telling her that it happened.
- Crossover: This episode was part of a crossover event between NBC's Thursday night comedy lineup. So Caroline (Lea Thompson) from Caroline in the City has a scene with Joey and Chandler, while Chandler makes a guest appearance on Caroline and Ross on The Single Guy.
- Didn't Think This Through: The first attempt at Heads or Tails?. Joey calls it in the air and gets that result, but a frustrated Chandler says he forgot to specify which result means which baby.
- Does Not Know His Own Strength: Ahead of Ross getting the needle, Monica holds his hand as a show of support and tells him not to squeeze very hard. As the shot is administered, he squeezes her hand so hard that she's screaming for him to let go. The doctor later says she got quite a bone bruise from it, as well as a puncture wound from her ring.
- Extremely Short Timespan: The episode takes place during a single afternoon, two, three hours at most.
- From Bad to Worse: Chandler and Joey are frantically running after the bus, as it rounds a corner. When they round the corner, they see three buses right alongside each other and have no idea which is the right one.
- Guest Star: The Pretenders' Chrissy Hynde as Stephanie, the singer hired by Central Perk.
- Have I Mentioned I Am Heterosexual Today?:Joey: We're just two heterosexual guys hanging with the son of our other heterosexual friend, doing the usual straight guy stuff.
Chandler: You done? - Heads or Tails?: How Chandler and Joey decide which of the babies at the depot to bring home. Chandler is incredulous at the suggestion but doesn't have a better idea. Joey assigns the baby wearing a duck-print t-shirt to heads.Joey: ...because ducks have heads!
Chandler: What kind of scary-ass clowns came to your birthday? - Immediate Self-Contradiction: Phoebe is singing outside of Central Perk after being replaced by a professional singer.Phoebe: [singing angrily] When I play, I play for me! I don't need your charity!
[A passerby drops money on her guitar case]
Phoebe: [cheerful] Thank you! - Intelligible Unintelligible: Joey is able to understand Ross when his tongue swells up.Chandler: You got all that?
Joey: I have an uncle with a very large tongue.
Chandler: Is he the one with the beautiful wife? - It's for a Book: While on the phone to the bus depot Chandler acts as if he's doing research for a book rather than admit he actually left Ben on the bus.Chandler: Yes, that would be a very stupid character.
- Mirthless Laughter: Chandler and Joey when first confronted by Ross about today's little adventure on the bus.
- Oh, Crap!: Chandler and Joey when Ben initially doesn't cry while being held by Monica. They're relieved when the crying does start.
- Open Mouth, Insert Foot: Monica is horrified that Ben consistently cries around her and wonders if her own babies will react similarly. In trying to reassure her, Chandler stresses it will be a long time before she even has to worry about that and points out she doesn't even have a boyfriend. Upon realizing how all of that will be taken, Chandler accuses Joey of calling Monica fat.
- Pick Up Babes With Babes: Joey and Chandler intend to use Ross's baby son Ben to pick up women, but the first woman Ben snares thinks Joey and Chandler are a gay couple. Later they get chatting to a couple of women... and, distracted, manage to leave the baby on the bus when they get off.
- Plot Allergy: Ross has to go to the hospital due to an allergic reaction to the kiwi in Monica's pie. While Monica takes him to get a shot, Ben is left in the care of Chandler and Joey, leading to them leaving him on the bus.
- Screw This, I'm Outta Here: After Ross wants to know why "Property of State Department" is on Ben's diaper, Chandler and Joey opt for this.
- Sibling Rivalry: After getting back from the hospital, Ross and Monica happily think back on the various times they messed with each while other growing up. Ross hopes that Ben will have a little sister of his own and experience the same dynamic.
- Taught by Experience: Joey insists he knows a lot about babies, due to having a lot of nieces and nephews.
- You Shall Not Pass!: Played for laughs. With Ross wanting to have a word with them about what happened today, Chandler grabs what's left of the pie.Chandler: Stay back! I've got kiwi! Run, Joey! Run!
