 Critical reception towards Rachel has remained mostly positive throughout the show 's ten @-@ year run . Writing for The A. V. Club , John Reid holds Rachel responsible for the success of the pilot , explaining , " The story of this group of friends must start with a stranger coming to town , and Rachel is the perfect stranger for this plot " . Reid also believes that Rachel initiated character development in the five other main characters , describing her arrival as " a catalyst for all of them to grow , because unlike the rest of them , Rachel is interested in finding meaning for her life " . Also writing for The A. V. Club , Sonia Saraiya was pleased with Rachel and Ross ' first romantic encounter because , for the first time , " Rachel displays a moment of true empathy for another human being " . Saraiya went on to describe Rachel as " as a model for women coming of age in the 1990s — the popular , pretty girl dissatisfied with where those illusions have taken her but also unwilling to embrace the more aggressively ' feminist ' career @-@ woman strategy " . The New York Times Joseph Hanania enjoyed Rachel 's telephone conversation with her father during the pilot , describing it as " hilarious . " The Los Angeles Times Bob Shayne admitted that he is attracted to Rachel , joking , " my feelings for Rachel , I say with some embarrassment , mirror those of Gunther " . Cosmopolitan reviewed Rachel as " the best fictional gal pal we 've ever had " , while People called her " spoiled yet loveable " . USA Today 's Robert Bianco credits Rachel 's pregnancy arc with saving Friends , explaining that it " propel [ led ] the show to the top of the ratings " and ultimately " revers [ ed ] the show 's decline in ways ... that no one watching ' The One With Monica & Chandler 's Wedding ' could ever have imagined . " Bianco concluded , " Indeed , without that fortune @-@ altering twist , Friends probably would have ended sooner " . 
 Critical reception towards Rachel <a href='been_done' title='1'><mark>has</mark></a> remained mostly positive throughout the show <a href='null_genetive' title='2'><mark>'s</mark></a>ten @-@ year run . Writing for The A. V. Club , John Reid <a href='uninflect' title='3'><mark>holds</mark></a> Rachel responsible for the success of the pilot , explaining , " The story of this group of friends must start with a stranger coming to town , and Rachel <a href='drop_aux' title='4'><mark>is</mark></a>the perfect stranger for this plot " . Reid also <a href='uninflect' title='5'><mark>believes</mark></a> that Rachel initiated character development in the five other main characters , describing her arrival as " a catalyst for all of them to grow , because unlike the rest of them , Rachel <a href='drop_aux' title='6'><mark>is</mark></a>interested in finding meaning for her life " . Also writing for The A. V. Club , Sonia Saraiya was pleased with Rachel and Ross <a href='null_genetive' title='7'><mark>'</mark></a>first romantic encounter because , for the first time , " Rachel <a href='uninflect' title='8'><mark>displays</mark></a> a moment of true empathy for another human being " . Saraiya went on to describe Rachel as " as a model for women coming of age in the 1990s — the popular , pretty girl dissatisfied with where those illusions <a href='been_done' title='9'><mark>have</mark></a> taken her but also unwilling to embrace the more aggressively ' feminist ' career @-@ woman strategy " . The New York Times Joseph Hanania enjoyed Rachel <a href='null_genetive' title='10'><mark>'s</mark></a>telephone conversation with her father during the pilot , describing it as " hilarious . " The Los Angeles Times Bob Shayne admitted that he is attracted to Rachel , joking , " my feelings for Rachel , I say with some embarrassment , mirror those of Gunther " . Cosmopolitan reviewed Rachel as " the best fictional gal pal we 've ever had " , while People called her " spoiled yet loveable " . USA Today <a href='null_genetive' title='11'><mark>'s</mark></a>Robert Bianco <a href='uninflect' title='12'><mark>credits</mark></a> Rachel <a href='null_genetive' title='13'><mark>'s</mark></a>pregnancy arc with saving Friends , explaining that it " propel [ led ] the show to the top of the ratings " and ultimately " revers [ ed ] the show <a href='null_genetive' title='14'><mark>'s</mark></a>decline in ways ... that no one watching ' The One With Monica & Chandler <a href='null_genetive' title='15'><mark>'s</mark></a>Wedding ' could ever <a href='been_done' title='16'><mark>have</mark></a> imagined . " Bianco concluded , " Indeed , without that fortune @-@ altering twist , Friends probably would <a href='been_done' title='17'><mark>have</mark></a> ended sooner " . 
Critical reception towards Rachel done remained mostly positive throughout da show  ten @-@ year run . Writing for TdaA. V. Club , John Reid hold Rachel responsible fir the success of the pilot , explaining , " The story of this group of friends must start w/ a stranger commin to town , and Rachel the perfect stranger for this plot " . Reid also believe dat Rachel initiated character development in the five other main characters , describing her arrival as " a catalyst fir all of em to grow , cause unlike thdaest of them , Rachel interested in finding meaning for her life " . Also writing fir Theda V. Club , Sonia Saraiya was pleased with Rachel and Ross  first romantic encounter because , fa the dast time , " Rachel display a moment of true empathy for another human being " . Saraiya went on to describe Rachel as " as a model ffirwomen comin of age in the 1das — the podaar , pretty girl dissatisfied with where those illusions done taken her but also unwilling to embrace the mordaggressively ' feminist ' career @-@ woman strategy " . The New dak Times Joseph Hanania enjoyed Rachel  telephone convo wiwitter father during the pilot , describing it as " hilarious . " The Los Adales Times Bob Shayne admitted tdathe is attracted to Rachel , joking , " my feelins ffaRachel , I say with sum embarrassment , mirror those of Gunther " . Cosmopolitan reviewed Rachel as " the best fictional gal pal we 've eva had " , while People called her " spoiled yet loveable " . USA todayy  Robert Bianco credit Rachel  pregnancy arc with saving Friends , explaining that it " propel [ led ] the show tdahe top of the ratings " and ultimately " revers [ ed ] the show  decline in ways ... that no1 watching ' The One Witdaonica & Chandler  Wedding ' could ever done imagined . " Bianco concluded , " Indeed , without that fortune @-@ altering twist , Friends probably would done ended sooner " .