Special Review | Rachel，The Ultimate Career Empowerment Story of Friends' Female Lead（Part 2）

When Rachel realized that her boyfriend was repeatedly creating obstacles for her work, she proposed the now-famous line, "let's take a break". As a career woman who had just graduated, Rachel faced the clichéd "work-life balance" choice a bit early. However, despite being relatively inexperienced in the workplace, Rachel firmly chose work.

Afterward, Rachel joined Ralph Lauren and stayed with the company until the 10th season. She kept advancing and had her own office, as well as a personal secretary. Interestingly, she even had an office romance with her secretary, who was much younger than her and had a model figure, expanding her boundaries in love. Before that, she was only interested in "elites." At this point, Rachel was already at an executive level. However, the plot took a turn when Gucci tried to poach Rachel and invited her to a restaurant for an interview, only to be caught by her boss and subsequently fired.

At this point, the man who originally introduced Rachel to her job reappeared and introduced her to a position at Louis Vuitton in Paris. Ross, in order to keep Rachel in New York, shamelessly went to her boss and convinced him to re-hire Rachel with a higher salary. When Louis Vuitton heard about this, they raised the salary even more. The whole situation was so improbable that it was a plot almost only seen in comedies.

Rachel was once again faced with a choice: stay in New York with Ross or go to Paris for work.

Once I realized that the writers intended to give Rachel a typical workplace storyline, I noticed that out of the six friends, Rachel was the only one who faced problems that are common for working people.

For example, what to do if you can't fit in with your new team? Rachel went so far as to pretend to be a smoker to fit in with her coworkers.

What would you do do if your boss shows interest in your friend? Rachel's female boss dated Chandler for once, but after that date, he never called her back. To please her boss, Rachel compromised her friend's physical appeal.

What if your boss misunderstands you? When Rachel first joined Ralph Lauren, her female boss heard rumors that she was having an affair with Ralph and was plotting to take her job. To make her boss feel better, Rachel admitted that she had indeed been involved with her boss and had been dumped by him, surprisingly gaining her boss's sympathy.

Even though it was a comedy, Rachel's workplace problems were realistic. It was clear that Rachel worked hard at her job, although she wasn't a naturally competitive person. But when it came to work, Rachel was a role model for other women in the workplace. She often read fashion magazines, and as the series progressed, her outfits became more and more like those of a fashion professional. She became more competent and was no longer the princess who couldn't even take out the trash.

In the workplace, people can transform from a spoiled heiress to a competent executive in the fashion industry. Rachel's career trajectory, designed by the writers, played a significant role in shaping her character arc. Among the six friends, the writers placed the most emphasis on Rachel's career, making her the top achiever. (Chandler probably comes in second, as he undergoes a significant career change in his middle age.)

Ultimately, Rachel was forced to choose between staying in New York or moving to Paris. If she hadn't lost her job unexpectedly, she might not have been faced with this decision. However, as life unfolds, new opportunities and experiences arise. Rachel ultimately chooses Ross, which meets audience's expectatation, and disembarks from the plane to Paris.

This all is indeed moving, however, if you were in Rachel's shoes and had to choose between New York and Paris, between Ralph Lauren and Louis Vuitton, would you be willing to let go of the new job and fresh life experience in Paris?