For a decade, Friends became every fan’s favorite sitcom. The relatability of the show about 6 friends navigating life in New York also saw stars like Jennifer Aniston gaining superstar status through her role as Rachel Green. Over the years, viewers have continued to watch multiple reruns of the hit series while also discussing different aspects of the various episodes.
A still from Friends (image credit: NBC)
One particular episode from season 4 of the show, which aired in 1997, brought up a lot of talking points regarding Aniston’s character. While many fans empathized with her situation involving the stern caretaker of the building, Mr. Treeger, a deeper dive into the episode brought up a debate about Rachel’s questionable behavior that no one thought about then.
This Episode From Friends Made Fans See Rachel Green In a Different Light
The 90s gave fans a lot of joy through the hit sitcom Friends, which regaled audiences for 10 seasons. Through the characters who are a bunch of close pals living life in the Big Apple, viewers were able to relate to many of the chaotic and humorous situations surrounding their friendship. Jennifer Aniston’s Rachel Green was a character who provided a lot of laughs through the various predicaments she found herself in.
Jennifer Aniston and Mike Haggerty in the episode titled The One With The Ballroom Dancing (image credit: NBC)
Introduced as a spoilt woman who was born with a silver spoon in her mouth, Rachel’s journey to becoming self-sufficient and facing real-world challenges forms the core of her character arc. Her attempt to leave a life of luxury also results in her struggling to control her emotions when she’s put in the firing line.
In an episode from season 4 titled The One With The Ballroom Dancing, Rachel is confronted by the caretaker of their building Mr. Treeger, and admonished for her carelessness in stuffing a bunch of pizza boxes down the chute and clogging it. Hearing his harsh words towards her, she starts crying. Her breakdown in this scene made fans feel sorry for her while Mr. Treeger was seen as the bad guy for his behavior.
But a deeper analysis of the scene by a Redditor threw up a few interesting debates about Rachel’s actions and the fact that she may have got what she deserved for shunning her responsibilities. When netizens were asked if they felt that Mr. Treeger was wrong in admonishing her, many believed he was completely justified in doing so.
Judging from the reactions of certain fans, Rachel’s demeanor in the show did leave a lot to be desired. As for Mr. Treeger, the late Mike Haggerty, who played the part, will be feeling a sense of relief up in heaven that people finally understood why his character deserved more love than had got till now!
Jennifer Aniston Felt Typecast After Playing Rachel Green
Sometimes, when actors play a character for a long time, especially in series that run for multiple seasons, they become one with the role. They develop such a close relationship with the part that fans begin to associate them with their character. In this manner, Jennifer Aniston became synonymous with her famous Friends character Rachel Green.
Jennifer Aniston as Rachel Green (image credit: NBC)
Over 10 seasons, fans lapped up everything that Aniston embodied in the role. But playing a protagonist for a lengthy period of time like the celebrity did, also had its drawbacks. Once the series ended and she was ready to take on other projects, she discovered that she could not shed the skin of Rachel Green.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter for the Drama Actress Roundtable, the Bruce Almighty actor elaborated on the challenges she faced while trying to audition for other parts without being judged by or compared with her Friends character.
You just exhaust yourself. I mean, I could not get Rachel Green off of my back for the life of me. I could not escape ‘Rachel from Friends’, and it’s on all the time and you’re like, ‘Stop playing that f*****g show!’
Fortunately for Aniston, she was able to overcome this period by bagging a meaty role in The Good Girl, which saw her channel a completely different side that had no resemblance to her character in Friends. The film saw her receiving a lot of critical acclaim as an actor.
