The Ugly Truth About Rachel Green In Friends

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While Ross Geller (David Schwimmer) is often considered the most problematic of the main characters on Friends, it’s important to acknowledge Rachel Green (Jennifer Aniston)’s flaws as well. Friends is a truly beloved and highly-rated TV show, but it’s not without its imperfections.

For ten seasons, Friends showed us the ups and downs of Monica, Chandler, Joey, Phoebe, Rachel, and Ross as they navigated life and love. While each character had their issues, Ross often came across as the most problematic due to his actions and words.

While Ross certainly had his flaws, Rachel was just as problematic throughout the series. However, there was a significant distinction between her behavior and his.

Friends’ Rachel Is A Terrible Person

Rachel immediately became a central figure on Friends when she dramatically arrived at the start of the first episode, fleeing her wedding. The show also quickly established that Ross had a long-standing crush on her, which kept the focus on Rachel throughout the series.

Rachel began the series as someone accustomed to getting everything she wanted, but she was forced to become self-reliant when her parents weren’t there to help. While the group played a big role in helping her grow, Rachel frequently revealed a selfish and unkind side, ultimately proving to be a difficult friend and person.

Rachel often seemed self-absorbed and didn’t always think about how her actions affected her friends, especially Monica. She wasn’t a helpful roommate, which caused friction with Monica, who valued cleanliness and hospitality. There were several instances where Rachel was particularly unkind to Monica.

Rachel repeatedly overshadowed Monica, starting when she went on a date with Monica’s celebrity crush, Jean-Claude Van Damme. She continued to steal Monica’s spotlight with her engagement to Chandler, then again at her wedding by announcing her pregnancy and revealing the name she’d chosen for her baby – a name Monica had always loved and planned to use for her own future daughter.

Rachel frequently interfered with Ross’s relationships, sometimes intentionally, like with Julie and Bonnie, and even accidentally—she famously disrupted his wedding to Emily. She later repeated this pattern with Joey and Charlie.

Ross & Rachel’s Relationship Is Worse When You Realize How Awful Both Are

Throughout most of Friends, Ross and Rachel’s complicated relationship is a central focus. Their constant breakups and makeups, along with feelings of jealousy and eventually becoming parents to Emma, always kept viewers engaged. However, looking back, it’s clear why their relationship was so unhealthy.

Ross and Rachel’s relationship was filled with problems like jealousy—especially from Ross—as well as insecurity, poor communication, and both of them feeling entitled and possessive. They also manipulated each other. While Rachel often seemed like the one being hurt, she contributed to the issues just as much as Ross did, which ultimately led to their breakup.

Rachel Had The Development That Ross Never Had

Rachel definitely makes some questionable choices and isn’t always a great friend, but she’s not the worst character on Friends. Unlike Ross, she actually grows and changes throughout the series. Even though she still has flaws at the end, she’s a very different person than the runaway bride who first walked into Central Perk.

Rachel grew up considerably, gained financial stability, pursued her passion for fashion, and became a devoted and nurturing mother. Meanwhile, Ross seemed to regress throughout the series, with his negative qualities – like his temper – often exaggerated for laughs.

It was disappointing to see Rachel regress at the end of Friends when she abandoned her career opportunity in Paris to reconcile with Ross. While the characters in Friends were realistically flawed, which made them endearing, some of them often acted poorly as friends.

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2025-11-05 00:08