I first watched Friends the summer before high school. My siblings and I would catch reruns every afternoon on TBS and every night on Nick at Nite, piecing together episodes out of order and rewatching our favorites long before finishing the full series. It was the first sitcom I ever truly loved — and even now, I still revisit it regularly. There’s a unique sense of nostalgia and comfort that comes with Monica and Rachel’s iconic apartment and the cozy glow of Central Perk. The One with the Embryos remains one of my all-time favorite sitcom episodes, and the chaotic final act of The One Where Ross Got High still makes me laugh no matter how many times I see it.
But as much as I adore Friends, there are episodes I always skip on rewatch. Some are weighed down by outdated humor — like the fat-shaming of Monica’s younger self or Ross’ ethically questionable fling with his student, Elizabeth. And at the very top of my “skip list” sits one episode that only manages a single memorable line in its entire 22 minutes: Season 7, Episode 4, “The One with Rachel’s Assistant.”
In This Problematic ‘Friends’ Episode, Rachel Hires Her Assistant for All the Wrong Reasons
In “The One with Rachel’s Assistant,” Rachel proudly announces that she’s been promoted — by none other than Ralph Lauren himself. The new position comes with perks, including the chance to hire her own assistant. She interviews two candidates: Hilda (Jean St. James), an experienced professional who’s clearly the right choice, and Tag (Eddie Cahill), a charming but completely unqualified applicant. Tag even shows up the next day with a plant, assuming he’s already been rejected.
Despite knowing better — and even getting sound advice from Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow) — Rachel gives in to her crush and hires Tag on the spot. What follows is one of Friends’ most uncomfortable storylines. Rachel, my second-favorite character after Chandler (Matthew Perry), starts a relationship with her assistant, echoing other ethically murky romances like Monica and Richard or Ross and his student Elizabeth. The group teases her about it, but ultimately, no one treats it as a serious problem.
The whole situation starts off on the wrong foot: Rachel hires someone based purely on attraction, lies about Tag’s sexuality to keep office rivals away, and later even has him fire Hilda — the woman who actually deserved the job. The show plays these moments for laughs, but they reveal just how casually Friends often brushed aside workplace boundaries and power dynamics.
‘The One with Rachel’s Assistant’ Relies on Outdated Storylines That Haven’t Aged Well
Rachel’s storyline might be the worst part of “The One with Rachel’s Assistant,” but the rest of the episode doesn’t fare much better. Joey’s subplot, while harmless, is forgettable. After proudly showing his friends an episode of Mac and C.H.E.E.S.E., they struggle to hide how terrible it is. His brief ego trip leads him to turn down a return to Days of Our Lives before ultimately accepting a role as Dr. Drake Ramoray’s twin brother, Striker — a comeback that feels more tired than triumphant.
Meanwhile, Chandler convinces Monica to share Phoebe’s secrets now that they’re engaged, sparking a round of gossip that quickly devolves into cheap jokes — including fat-shaming Monica and a homophobic jab at Chandler. These moments, like Rachel’s hiring of Tag based purely on attraction, lean on outdated humor without ever being challenged.
There are a few bright spots — Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow) delivers a great one-liner when Tag compliments her name: “You like that? You should hear my phone number.” But aside from that, the episode feels flat. Friends often shines when its characters are flawed yet relatable, but here, their questionable behavior just feels lazy. Rachel’s storyline, in particular, isn’t romantic or even comedic — it’s just another dated, unfunny arc that adds little to her character or the show’s legacy.
