Season 2, Episode 14 – The One with the Prom Video, featured Rachel and Monica’s prom video.
Friends is an American sitcom that follows the lives of six friends - Rachel, Monica, Phoebe, Joey, Chandler & Ross; who share an apartment complex in Manhattan. The ensemble cast constitutes Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry, and David Schwimmer. It ran for 10 seasons from September 22, 1994, to May 6, 2004.
Disclaimer: Having said that, we’re gonna dive straight into the events leading up to the prom video. Spoilers ahead!
Events leading up to the Prom Video Tape
At first, the Geller parents - Jack (played by Elliot Gould) and Judy (played by Christina Pickles) show up at Monica’s (played by Courteney Cox) apartment. They bring boxes containing some of her stuff, as they are turning her former room into a gym.
Meanwhile, at Central Perk, Ross (played by David Schwimmer) wards away a potential date for Rachel (played by Jennifer Aniston). An infuriated Rachel emphasizes that nothing will ever happen between her and Ross.
Some background on Rachel's reaction
To understand this statement, we need to consider the history between Rachel and Ross, so far. In Season 1, Episode 24 – The One Where Rachel Finds Out, Rachel first comes to know of Ross’s feelings for her, indirectly through Chandler. It’s already too late then, and Ross goes away on a work trip in China for a week. After a week, he returns home with his new girlfriend - Julie (played by Lauren Tom).
Cut to Season 2, Episode 7 – The One Where Ross Finds Out. This time, Ross comes to know of Rachel’s feelings for him through her voicemail. He confronts Rachel about this, and after a little argument, they eventually end up kissing each other. This brings us to the next episode – The One with the List. Chandler suggests a confused Ross to make a list, comparing the pros and cons of Rachel & Julie. Although Ross breaks up with Julie, Rachel is devastated and infuriated after finding the list.
Related: Where was Friends filmed
The Prom Video Tape
Coming back to the present moment, Phoebe (played by Lisa Kudrow), despite Rachel’s demeanor towards Ross, keeps insisting that they are meant for each other. Later, while going through Monica's boxes in the apartment, Joey finds the video tape.
Monica plays the tape and finds out that it’s a video from their senior prom night. It reveals that Monica was once quite chubby, Rachel had a deviated septum and thus a prosthetic nose, and Ross sported an afro hairstyle.
In the video, Rachel's date to the prom, Chip, was late. Apprehending that she might have been stood up, Judy and Jack persuade Ross to rise to the occasion as Rachel's date. So, Ross wears Jack's tuxedo and arranges the flowers from a vase into a make-shift bouquet. But by the time he's ready, Chip has already arrived and so he stands there all decked up and sad.
This video probably makes Rachel reflect on her treatment towards Ross. She then walks up to him, kisses him, comforts him, and reconciles their differences.
FAQs about the Friends prom video
Roy Gublik was Monica's date to the prom.
According to Monica, Roy's name was in the paper since he saw Star Wars 317 times.
Chip Matthews was Rachel's date. Although if Chip didn't show up that day, Ross would've been her date to the prom.
Phoebe assures Ross that Rachel and him would end up together. She asks him to hang in there and tells him, "She's your lobster."
