Friends has been off the air for over fifteen years, and yet it is a mainstay on cable and streaming services alike. While the lasting power of the show is impressive, it has also allowed viewers to examine and pick apart every episode and season over and over again.
While this may work in favor of some characters it doesn't exactly make Rachel Green look as loveable as she seemed when the show first aired. Rachel did not really become more likable or more well rounded as time went along. Her faults became more clear and her inability to grow was also highlighted.
Continues High School Behavior To An Extent
In the pilot of Friends, Rachel runs to her high school best friend Monica after she leaves her husband at the altar. Monica embraces and accepts Rachel and helps her get back on her feet again.
However, this event, and Monica and Rachel's relationship, is thrown into quite a different context when fans later learn that Rachel was a bully in high school, including to her friend and savior Monica. It doesn't make Rachel look like a better person, but as if she's continuing to use Monica for her own gains.
Ignores Ross
The will they/won't they of Ross and Rachel was a major plot point for the entirety of the show's run. However, it got a lot less amusing and a lot less cute after Rachel all but ignores Ross only to fly to London to surprise him and ruin his wedding. That was a deliberate and cruel act.
Weekly it was fun to watch Ross and Rachel, but putting their relationship under the microscope isn't a good look for Rachel. Ross was always sure it was Rachel. Rachel, however, kept leading Ross on only to break his heart.
Office Behavior
Rachel knows she looks good, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. The problem comes when Rachel uses her perceived attractiveness at her place of business.
Fans watched as Rachel kissed her interviewer goodbye after a job interview, and then watched as she hired an unqualified assistant just because she thought he was cute too. Poor Tag. Her office behavior was not a good look for Rachel.
Can't Make a Decision
Rachel eventually gives birth to Emma, her and Ross' daughter. However, even having decided to keep the baby and raise it with Ross, she still doesn't know her feelings for him.
Right after Emma is born Rachel actually (accidentally) accepts Joey's proposal of marriage. Despite all her time in the big city, supposedly learning to be a real person after her failed wedding to Barry, Rachel is still just as confused and unobservant as she was at the very beginning of the pilot.
Judgy
Rachel, having appeared on the scene after escaping her own wedding, tends to be particularly judgy of other people. She makes fun of Phoebe's weird running, she is always judging and commenting on every single one of Ross's love interests (as if she's one who should be able to talk).
She doesn't really learn to be more accepting as the seasons go on, just more vocal. She's lucky those closest to her are willing to put up with it for so long.
Relationship Lies
Rachel ran out on her first wedding. This is allowed. However, she doesn't seem to learn anything from that experience. She lies to her dad about marrying Ross when she reveals that she is pregnant with their baby.
If Rachel should have learned anything from the Barry experience in season one it's that she should be honest about her feelings and relationships both to herself and to the people around her. That's not something that, in ten seasons, ever happens.
Taking Advantage of Monica
Monica helps Rachel in the pilot, immediately taking her in and offering to assist her in getting her life back together. But, instead of respecting Monica, helping her, allowing her to have her own moments, she steals her thunder.
When Monica finds her match and gets engaged to Chandler, Rachel thinks this is a good time to kiss Ross because, per usual, her will they/won't they relationship is the most important. Except it's not. And Rachel hasn't learned to be a better friend.
Stole "Emma"
When Rachel has Emma she is not prepared with a name when the baby is born. Despite Monica having picked the name for her eventual baby years and years ago, Rachel takes Emma as the name for her own baby.
The question of what Monica gets out of this relationship remains. Monica just continues to prop up Rachel while Rachel continues to just take from Monica. It hurts to watch over and over again.
Undermining Ross
Will they/won't they is fun to watch the first time through, but watching it over and over again highlights the problems of this type of storyline. Rachel only goes hard after Ross when he is happy with someone else.
Think about the time he spent with his girlfriend Julie. Think about his almost marriage to Emily and Rachel showing up at the last minute to see Ross say the wrong name on the altar. She keeps undermining his life with no promise of making it better for him.
She Can't Be Independent
In the finale of Friends, Rachel gets off her plane to to go back to Ross. She got off the plane. It's romantic at the moment but it ruins all the growth Rachel went through over ten seasons. She went from a waitress to making it big in her chosen industry.
She was succeeding as a single mother and had made the decision to go after her dream job. Then, she gives it all up, all her growth and opportunity, for Ross. It's not the real growth that would have been healthy to see.