234.The One Where Estelle Dies

Season:10 Episode:15 First Aired:4/22/2004 Prod Code:176264234

Guide
Ross tries to get Rachel rehired at Ralph Lauren. He succeeds, but after Rachel tells him how scared she is about moving to Paris, he's convinced she should go. Phoebe discovers that Joey's agent Estelle died and, since his life has been changing so much recently, doesn't want to tell him. Chandler and Monica visit the house next door to theirs and discover that Janice is bidding on it. To get Janice to withdraw her offer, Chandler comes on to her.

Summary
In the previous episode, "The One With Princess Consuela", Rachel had lost her job at Ralph Lauren. To add insult to injury, she lost it after her boss overheard her interviewing for a job at Gucci, which she also didn't get. However, while she was evacuating her former building of employment, she ran into Mark, from earlier in the show's history. He was the original person who helped her into serious fashion. He now works for a company in Paris, and offers Rachel a job at Louis Vuitton.
After she has told the rest of her friends, they act supportive while she is in the room, but begin complaining after she has left. Ross is especially upset about this, because he and Rachel have had a baby together. It is also apparent, by this time, that he still has feelings for her. He vows to get Rachel to stay in America by persuading her boss, Mr. Zelner, to offer Rachel her old job back. After an unsuccessful meeting, throughout which Ross is referred to as 'Ron', Ross discovers Mr. Zelner has a son, named Ross who is also interested in dinosaurs. Ross offers to give Mr. Zelner and little Ross a personal tour of a history museum, if Rachel is offered her job back. Mr. Zelner is good as his word and does offer Rachel her job; however, an excited Rachel informs Ross that Louis Vuitton has offered her more money when they found out Ralph Lauren wanted her back. In order to counteract this, Ross pays another visit to Mr. Zelner, armed with a replica Pterodactyl egg, for little Ross... if Rachel is offered more money. The egg is exchanged and Mr. Zelner apparently does offer Rachel more money. Rachel reveals to Ross she is considering taking her old job back, for convenience, but speaks longingly on the thoughts of working in Paris. Ross realizes that the other job would have made her happier and tells Rachel that she should take the job in Paris. Rachel agrees, but doesn't know how Mr. Zelner will take it. Slipping a dinosaur artifact into a bag, Ross says, "I'm sure he'll understand."
Meanwhile, Monica and Chandler revisit the neighborhood in Westchester where they are planning to buy into. They heard the neighboring house to the one they have an accepted offer on has come onto the market and want to make sure they are going to get the better one. However, while looking around, Chandler's annoying ex-girlfriend Janice, who has an irritating habit of turning up in Chandler's life at inappropriate times, appears. She is also looking at the house, for she and her husband are considering buying it. When she finds out that Monica and Chandler will be living in the neighborhood too, she firmly decides to buy it. After Janice leaves, Chandler suggests that he and his wife withdraw their offer on their new house, but Monica tells him that, "At least if she's here, it eliminates the element of surprise." To drive Janice off, he tries seducing her, while they are alone. Janice, thinking he is actually serious, informs him that they are both in loving marriages and should resist temptation. After one last kiss, Janice disappears from Chandler's life.
Joey's agent, Estelle, has died. Phoebe discovers this while reading an obituary. Concerned that Joey is already upset about the way in which their lives are changing (Phoebe is married, Monica and Chandler are in the process of adoption and are moving, while Ross has just discovered that Rachel, the only woman he's ever really loved, might move to Paris), Phoebe tries to keep this information from Joey. She begs him not to phone Estelle when he announces she hasn't heard from her lately, then Phoebe phones Joey herself, pretending to be Estelle. Joey, angered at her for not getting him into auditions recently, fires her. Later on, he finally discovers that Estelle has died from her other, and only other, client, Al Zeebooker, the Guy Who Eats Paper, but Phoebe then phones him, once again, pretending to be Estelle, saying that Joey did the right thing in firing her. Joey, scared, apologizes for firing her, and asks, "What's it like there?" Phoebe replies, "It's all right." At Estelle's funeral, Joey and her other client are reading a eulogy, but the guy that eats paper has eaten their notes, for which Joey congratulates him, saying, "Now that is entertaining!"