Hey, y'all! Since we have our own Friends forum now, let's start some character threads. This one's for all things Rachel.

(If anyone has a better "Rachel" label, please submit. This was the best I could come up with at 8 in the morning!)

Rachel Green. She's got courage, integrity, courage again, and not litigious.

That probably wouldn't work for a forum title, but that's always the first thing I remember when I think of Rachel.

Rachel Green: "Noooooooo!"

or

Rachel Green: Not Just a Waitress

If Monica's changes to "I KNOW!!!", then Rachel's definitely has to read "Nooooooo!"

Rachel is the only friend I could rarely relate to. I'm not, and I have no friends who are spoiled, sheltered, selfish, and kinda dumb. That's not to say I didn't enjoy watching her mishaps, but more often than not, I was a little annoyed that the "baby" of the group got slightly more attention than everyone else.

And then Pheobe's would have to be "Oh No!" Except I have never been able to figure out how to spell it to reflect her funny way of pronouncing it.

I always loved Rachel. She was my favorite, and Janiston is one of my guilty celebrity girlcrushes. Even after she got so skinny (I do want to feed her though).

Rachel, my favorite. When the others started to become caricatures, Rachel was the one who to me at least still maintained some human qualities. It also helped that JA became as good as she did [contrast to Courteney Cox who just became unwatchable]. She really had the deadpan, somewhat snarky humor nailed [I don't think people associate that humor with Rachel. But I do].

Favorite season would be 8 which was pretty much her season alone. So many great eps for her and JA as an actress. I love, love TOW the Stripper and when she tells Ross she'll contact Mona 'in person or via e-mail'. Hee. Just because I know that would totally be my approach, too.

I agree, tribema, Jen can be hilarious, and she also brings the poignant like nobody's business.

Mona! I was having trouble remembering her name in another thread, thanks!

Rachel was my favorite character (with all the guys tied for a close second). I don't think I'm anything like her, but for some reason, I related to her more than any other friend. On paper, the character of Rachel Green is selfish, self-absorbed, superficial, and shallow. Not great qualities; in fact, I despise people in real life who exude these characterisitics. But Jennifer Aniston made this character work; she made the character likeable, relatable, and believable. Underneath that selfish and shallow exterior was a truly good person with a good heart, and Jennifer Aniston should be given all the credit for that. A lesser actress wouldn't have been able to accomplish that, and the character would have been unlikeable. And everyone knows that an unlikeable character on television makes watching his/her show torturous (ahem, Marissa Cooper on The O.C.).

As a guy, I can be totally not guilty about the crush. ;)

I was on-set for 'The One With Joey's Award' as a journalist... and in real life, she's so tiny it's unbelievable! Literally pocket-sized. I just wanted to sidle up to her, shove her in my jacket and make a run for the exit before the security guards gunned me down like a dog.

In terms of the mix of comedy and actual likeable personality, Rachel was always my number one choice, closely followed by Chandler. It would have been so easy for her to be a one-note sitcom caricature, but she had a mix of heart and vulnerability beneath the self-centredness and snark that always carried through whatever the scripts had her doing. (It didn't hurt that I thought she looked cute, as well. She's not 'conventionally' attractive... but damn, she is attractive!)

Late in her pregnancy Rachael was one of her best comedic arcs. Great lines and tension with Ross. My personal favorite was when she was jealous of Rena Soifer as the Baby Store sales clerk.

"Where did he meet her?"
Rachael- "Sluts R Us"

and when she saw her ask Ross out for coffee, calls her a horny bitch and then proceeds to pretend with the stuffed animals "No, you're a horny bitch!", "No you are!". So funny.

Rachel was always my favorite character.

It seemed like all the others became so one-note by the end, but she remained "normal" and human. She was just the most relatable.

Or maybe it's all because of my ginormous Jennifer Aniston girl-crush.

I copied this from the 'Relationships' thread, because it said exactly what bugged me about Rachel at the end of the series. I hated, hated, HATED pretty much every story involving her career after about Season 4, because they all involved her acting completely unprofessional, and I didn't buy it. It was a regression of the character to get laughs, but I don't think it really made sense.

That was my post. I want to clarify that I liked Rachel in the beginning of the show. I LOVED all the friends really, in the early seasons, because despite their flaws they were relatable and human. Many of the friendships were more playful and fun too, like with Chandler and Rachel or Chandler and Phoebe. There was real affection among them all.

Sure, season 1 Rachel was spoiled and kind of ditzy about stuff like laundry or being a waittress, but she was sweet and generally had a good heart. She did her best to learn how to live on her own, without her daddy's money, and also had to deal with her parents' divorce. I truly felt for her when she pined over Ross in season 2, and I liked her for most of season 3 and 4. The job at Bloomingdales fell into her lap a little too easily; how could she get that job, when her sole other experience was two weeks as a coffee-making assistant at Fortunata Fashions? But even Rachel seemed to sense that, and she really was serious, dedicated, and ambitious in that job, as if to prove that she earned it.

But then maybe after Joanna died, things went downhill fast, as I stated. It's hard for me to continue to like Rachel after that point, when I've lost respect for her, and the writing has de-evolved her previous character growth. (Of course, all the other Friends had been turned into one-note caricatures too. I don't think anyone was immune to it.)

The one episode where I really hated Rachel's behaviour (even though it was one of the funnier epsiodes) was "The One With The Videotape". She knew from the beginning that she was the one who came onto Ross, but lied about it - knowing noone would believe Ross. It's made her seem so petty, selfisn, and downright mean.

I loved Rachel up until Season 8-9. What the HECK happened to her? Jen Aniston started using this horrible squeaky voice and became this perfect-angel character that Joey was just soooooooooo in love with! Give me a break!

The baby thing really ruined the Joey/Rachel characters.. Joey became a sap too, and I hated their 'romance' which just felt so false and icky to me. Before all of that Rachel really was one of the greatest things on TV!

My feelings exactly!! However, I continue loving her for the whole run of the series except the time where he persuaded that girlfriend of Ross to shave her hair (I can't remember the name)

The bald girl was Bonnie.

I found Joey's crush on Rachel believable - basically because of the way Matt LeBlanc pulled it off. The Emmy nomination was justified.

Now the next season, where Rachel had a crush on Joey, wasn't believable to me. That just seemed like lazy storytelling.

I'd like to cast my vote for

Rachel Green: The Hermaphrodite Cheerleader from Long Island

BWAH!!! I like it and agree!

What I like about Rachel was her confidence. I always thought she had this "I have my flaws but I like myself" attitude, even at times she made stupid mistakes.

Are you talking about the boss that handcuffed Chandler to the chair?? I can't recall her dying! Someone refresh my memory!!

Yeah, she got hit by a car and died after promoting Rachel, but then no one knew about the promotion.

The funniest thing about that was that Rachel's co-worker whom Joanna always insulted was so cheerful afterward. "Did you hear about Joanna?" "I sure did!"

Then poor Rachel was upset and the lady comforted her because she thought she was sad for Joanna but she was thinkng about the promotion. "So close!"

Sophie and Joanna cracked me up. "Sophie can you please take your nose out of my butt?"

Sweet merciful crap. I'm watching TOW Estelle Dies, and this thread title just became particularly ironic. What is Rachel wearing? It's a nubbly red-ish scoop neck sweater, with an additional weird turtleneck collar that may or may not be attached, which has a black leather belt dangling from it. What the hell is that? WHAT IS THAT? I just don't understand it. Is it avant garde?

I just watched that one again to see what you were talking about and, I have no idea WHAT that is....maybe it's just too 2004 for us to comprehend?

I'm watching this one right now, and that weird belt-thing hurts me... especially since I would wear that top were it not just mysteriously growing out of her throat.

Well Rachel Green: Fashionista was occasionally hard to decipher, it still hurts my soul to see her in that outfit she wore in "The Last One"

Hideous, and they think anyone would wear something that looks that uncomfortable on a Trans-Atlantic flight...and why the hell was Rachel flying coach to her new job anyway?

That was coach? That was a very luxurious looking coach then. I saw that episode just a few weeks before I flew back to England from visiting Canada and trust me if what Rachel was flying was coach I must have been flying cargo!

It looked like Business Class -- not quite First Class, but certainly not Coach.

You're right RainIsBeautiful. That did look more like Business Class.

My mistake was when Rachel said to the Gate Agent "I know I'm sitting in seat 32C, because that's my bra size."

I just assumed coach, because there isn't any airline with a row 32 seat that isn't coach.

My mistake for listening closer than I was watching.

Ok, so last night I was watching the episode where Rachel gets the eye infection (TOW Joey's Big Break). And this morning, I woke up with my right eye completely swollen and red. After going to the doctor at 10:15 I learned that I have (wait for it) an eye infection! I got drops as well, but fortunately I don't have a weird thing about my eye. So I won't need to be tackled to get the drops in. ;)

Well, doorear, I guess you better not watch the episode where Joey has a hernia then. ;) Or do you think you might only be channeling Rachel's health problems?

Haha, Amikaro. I hope I'm not channeling anyone's health problems. ;) By the way, the eye is healed! (no fitting me for a glass eye).

deleted so I don't double-post with something new after the recent server-clearing

Last night they showed the episode where Rachel gets back with Barry even tho he's getting married.
I did not even recognize that the other gal was Jennifer Grey! But I was thinking during the show about how much Jennifer Anniston looked like JG and even played the JG role of Ferris Bueller's sister in the tv show. JA looked more like JG then JG looked like JG last night.

A friend of mine was telling me there is an episode of Friends where there is a "questionable leg uncross and cross," if you know what I mean, by Jennifer Aniston that he rewound about 15 times. He doesn't remember what episode it was though but thinks it was during the time she was pregnant. Anyone know what he's talking about?

Yeah Elemmennope I remember something like that. I think its the episode they go to the gynecologist. Its when they're in Central Perk. I remember seeing a flash but she was definitely wearing underwear....white I believe.

The other night I finally saw the one where Pheebs kisses Rachel. That storyline was pretty funny cuz Pheebs totally wasn't believing Rachel's original story.... that persona was one of the things I loved about Pheebs.
As for both those ladies getting to kiss JA? .... just. wow.

I just started watching Friends (a little late to the party.....) when a friend at work couldn't believe I never watched it and lent me a "Best of Friends" DVD set. So far I'm loving it! I'm mostly through the second disc. Except for one thing - I can't stand Rachel! She annoys me. In "The One Where No One was Ready," I would have reached through my tv and slapped her if I could. Practically ruining Ross' big night by not being ready, and then he dares yell at the selfish princess and so she pouts and isn't going until he's willing to drink fat? And when she was flying to England for the wedding, my favorite scene was when the guy next to her told her off. She needed that.

Huh? She was ready. Just because she wasn't ready exactly when Ross demanded she be ready doesn't mean she was going to make him late for his "big night".

Frankly if it had been me I wouldn't have gone, period, full stop. The day some guy thinks it's ok to yell at me in front of my friends and throw my shoes around is the day I start wondering just what else he's capable of doing. And given the huge anger management issues Ross ends up having over the course of the series I don't think that concern would have been misplaced! Except, of course, the writers made sure not to carry it too far.

Hi, deaja! If you go to the Worst of Friends thread (around page 95 on my computer), you will see a HUGE discussion about that particular episode. To put it in a nutshell, you and I are in the minority with that opinion!

I'll have to go check it out! And in answer to the charge that she was ready, it seemed (to me) like she would have kept wasting time if he hadn't reacted the way he did. It just reminded me of friends who are always late or always do inconsiderate things and don't read the not-so-subtle signs they are bothering people until someone really gets in their face, and then they do their "I'm so hurt; I'm so mopey" routine.

A good chunk of her "wasting time" was spent trying to find another outfit for Phoebe to wear. How else was she wasting time? Again, just because she wasn't ready exactly when Ross decreed that she should be ready is hardly evidence that she was going to make him late for his special night. At least she and Phoebe were trying to look good in honour of the event - the same could hardly be said for the others.

The only time Rachel actually wasted was right after Ross freaked out and she put on sweats and refused to go. Afterwards she was fully dressed on time and she would have had plenty of tiem to spare if Ross hadn't freaked out. Rachel and Phoebe were the only ones who were actually ready or trying to get ready, the others were all messing around.

Exactly. And who does Ross freak out at? His girlfriend - the one person you'd think he'd value above his "big event".

I find it funny the way people go on about Rachel as if she was always acting all entitled and Princessy. I don't see it. Sure she had some problems in the beginning when she had to reconcile herself to working as waitress and living a new lifestyle of genteel poverty after having lived a well off life where she didn't have to work or worry about money. But she did it. I don't think she ever acted like she shouldn't have to either - after all she could always have gone home if she didn't want to live that life anymore.

Actually if anything Ross was the high maintenance partner when they were going out and continued to be high maintenance even as a friend. Rachel was pretty easy going I think, this is touched on more than once on the show but the episode I remember best is the one where Phoebe decides if she was going to "date" one of the female friends that it would be Rachel precisely because she is easy going.

I agree, Rachel was always said to be spoiled and self centered but that describes Ross so much better. Rachel was actually one of the more thoughtful and nicer of the group.

Rachel may have been spoiled and self-centred at one time but that was the Rachel we only catch glimpses of in flashbacks. The Rachel on the show isn't like that. The only way I see this with her is the way she always returns gifts - which I admit would tick me off if I were having to give her gifts! - on the other hand as she points out to Ross, she does keep the things that are really important.

I think all the Friends were written as nice people but for me Rachel and Joey are the ones who seemed to me to have the least "baggage" - I mean Monica, Chandler and Ross have some wonderful qualities but they're also kinda screwed up each in their own way. And even with Joey and Rachel, she doesn't drift from man to man the way Joey drifts from woman to woman. We see Joey's kind side where his friends are concerned but there is a selfishness about the way he sleeps around and never calls women back that is pretty hard to reconcile with his sweetness around the others. So maybe not so nice after all!

Joey has been shown to get invested in the women that he does call back, so the sleeping around might be a mix of selfishness and self protection. It's a shame we didn't learn more about his younger self and early dating life because it is strange how he treats his dates, after sex anyway since he seems to be very nice to them before,considering how close he is with his mother, seven sisters and Phoebe, Monica and Rachel.


Speaking of which I always thought Rachel and Joey were great together, not in the romantic sense, but they just seem to have so much fun together.