"Friends" The One Where Rachel Goes Back to Work (TV Episode 2003) Poster

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7/10
Rachel meets a new workmate
Lady_Targaryen9 March 2009
Warning: Spoilers
Chandler is unemployed and doesn't have a clue what to do. Monica tells him to find his passion in life, a job he would love to do and to imagine himself working with it for a long time. She gives him a hand, organizing a lot of jobs to help him make his choice in a more accurate way. Chandler gets interested to work with Advertising and Monica schedules a meeting for Chandler meet a vice president from an Advertising company she met. The guy offers Chandler the chance of doing a non payed internship, and even staying excited with the chance, he sees that he will need to talk to Monica about the idea of not having children for sometime.

Phoebe is broke and Joey tells her to be an extra on his show to receive some money. In the beginning Phoebe stays nervous, but soon she ends up taking things in a very serious way, almost thinking that she is the character she is playing.

Ross and Rachel introduce Emma to Rachel's workmates in Ralph Lauren. Once they are there, Rachel meets Gavin, a man who was hired to to do her job in her absence. Rachel doesn't like Gavin since the beginning and even before her maternity license expires, she starts to work again. She doesn't want to lose her job to Gavin, who is a very competent worker.
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7/10
The One Where Rachel Goes Back to Work
ComedyFan20109 September 2011
Warning: Spoilers
The funniest part of this episode is Phoebe being an extra on Days of Our Lives and having her "acting process". Lisa Kudrow was awesome in this story. Another great thing was the guest performance of Evan Handler

I liked the story of Chandler and Monica. It presents a realistic problem of someone changing careers and wanting to postpone the baby. And I even liked Monica in it, she was very nice and supportive, so out of her character. If only she could always be like that. And Chandler's advertisement logos were also pretty fun

What I liked the most in Rchale story was the moment where Ross goes to kiss Emma and ends up with her ribbon on his head. So cute!
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6/10
Super Gavin enters here
studioAT8 August 2017
Warning: Spoilers
Sometimes a single scene can steal a whole episode, and that is exactly what happens here. Lisa Kudrow's Phoebe working as a 'Days Of Our Lives' extra trying to carry a tray to a patient in an operating theatre was hysterical. It's also fun to see Evan Handler, who would later pop in in 'Studio 60' in this episode too.

Dermot Mulroney appears for the first time as Gavin, Rachel's new co-worker/potential love interest, and his dry delivery works a treat.

It's nice to see Matthew Perry playing a slightly more dramatic story line too, as Chandler adapts to being unemployed.

Three good story lines here.
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3/10
This might be my least favorite episode of an otherwise great series
setokaiba23818 May 2021
Gavin is introduced as the insufferable character no one wants to see: the single guy with no kids who thinks having kids is easy. He shows up and immediately starts violating workplace discrimination laws which Rachel's boss backs him for doing and is then presented as a hero for eventually showing basic decency. To make matters worse he might be a possible love interest. Overall it's just cringy watching someone bully a vulnerable new parent and then that parent has to grovel and thank the person who tried to take advantage of them for not following through on their threats.
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5/10
I have to give this episode a 5....
jpapanone12 July 2021
Warning: Spoilers
And...I'm not happy about it. As I'm writing this, I just legit laughed out loud when Phoebe slaps Joey on the back of the head in the restaurant scene.

That is the most I've laughed at something in Firends in a LONG time. It was funny...timing was perfect....it was unexpected...it made sense in the situation. Excellent execution of a phenomenal joke! My jaw is on the floor.

Especially as this is the exact opposite of what happened a few scenes earlier which is what led to my rating of 5.

Rachel bickering with Mulrooney and sits in the chair and it goes down way lower than it ever would in real life. That is an excellent example of what is wrong and what went wrong with the show. Not realistic. You abandoned the realm of reality for a base joke. The masses will eat it up...but anyone wanting any sort of integrity will just hate it.

(And I'm not sure how to square the circle, as I love the Seinfeld and Curb absurdness. It fits in those shows. With Friends, it just leaves a bad taste in my mouth. It's like...you can't be or do both. Ia it slapstick just to get a laugh...is it absurdness to get a laugh...is it legitimate attempt? Maybe that's my problem with later Friends. It's all over the place. In Curn especially, I am abandoning reality and entering Larry's Curb world. In Friends, that was never the attempt. It didn't start out as THAT kind of comedy. I wonder when/where the first thing that was too much happened. It definitely was with Monica and the Turkey on her hwas... or Joey with turkey on head, if that was the same episode. Not sure when the first one was. Anyway...)

So. My problem with the episode started with the cold open. Monica saying something about losing her erection or something twice. I didn't laugh, eye rolled as the theme song started and was like.. Oh jeezus. What is this gonna be. How bad is this gonna be?

The Phoebe/Joey thing overall was fine.

Rachel/Ross/Mulrooney. Fine. Not funny. More Annoying than funny. And led to/included the chair scene...which I said before....perfect example of the awful depths of this show. That scene is the one scene I'd show to someone to highlight why I disliked the show so much. Whatever/whoever came up with that or allowed it to be included....had their hands on all other things that got through. The bar was lowered so much, that was able to get through all checks and balances. Hell...someone had to be instructed to make a chair do that. It wasn't a line in a script. Work and effort had to be put in to make that happen. (I really really hated it)

Monica......d*mn they made her so frigging annoying. And Chandler being with her.....even if he does nothing, just being in her orbit negatively impacts him.

Ha. Like Ivan Drago. Anything Monica touches....she destroys.

Chandler faking an orgasm? Thumbs down.

That scene is what led me to go write my review here on imdb after deciding on a 5 rating (and as I write it...the Phoebe scene happens....making me at least pause)...but just keep watching, and they swing it back to a 5.

Ughhhhhhhhh....another scene and the chair is still low...and Rachel goes.... Owwww. Except that! And the audience laughs. Yuck yuck yuck yuck yuck. How much am I getting for this episode? Yeah. Have Rachel do whatever. I'll say it. I'll act it. Keep those checks coming in and I'm puddy in your hands.

And Rachel flips from yucking it up about the chair...to super serial presentation mom mode.

And now she's crying. Oh I dislike this show.

And next scene...Monica. Unbelievable. Faking it. The one thing that's ours! (Turrible)

What is this trash dialogue about a ribbon drawer?! WHY ARE YOU LAUGHING!?
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New Career
vivianla30 December 2020
Warning: Spoilers
Chandler is unemployed and has nothing to go to this morning. He is hesitating to make a baby with Monica because he is now starting a whole new career. Monica says he is free now so he can do whatever he wants.

Phoebe is short on money and takes Joey's breakfast. Ross and Rachel come by the cafe looking very well dressed to bring Emma to Rachel's workplace. He offers to help her get a job as an extra at his set. She is nervous - she first plays a nurse and then she is a waitress but she cannot understand how the two roles are to be because her fans will get confused. Joey makes up how the two roles fit together - she is a nurse who works as a waitress too. Phoebe imagines she is a single mom with two kids.

Rachel is shocked to find her replacement while she is on maternity leave in her office. He is on the ruder side and Rachel is concerned they might replace her. She argues over who does the presentation with him because she wants to make sure she solidifies her position and will be remembered for doing the task.
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