were there any critics?
Yes, "Entertainment Weekly" rated the episode "C", in its review of the fifth season.
Reception
"Entertainment Weekly" rated the episode "C", in its review of the fifth season. It cited Chandler's line "You've got to push past this, okay? Because it's about to get sooo good" as the best of the episode. The review criticized the manner in which an employee can feel pressured into smoking, adding it is "not exactly the stuff that laughs are made of".
when does rachel get a job at ralph lauren The eighteenth episode of the fifth season of "Friends" and 115th overall. It first aired on NBC in the United States on April 8, 1999. In the episode, Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) starts her new job at Ralph Lauren. who are the other characters on this show? Monica Geller, Phoebe Buffay, Joey Tribbiani, Chandler Bing and Ross Geller  the other characters on this show. who produced the episode? It was written by Michael Curtis and directed by Todd Holland. does it have any cultural references? Yes, he songs "Never There" by Cake. what kind of reception did it receive? It was the third highest-rated show on NBC that week, after "ER" and "Frasier".
UNANSWERABLE Yes, the "Entertainment Weekly". Yes, "Entertainment Weekly" rated the episode "C"
The One Where Rachel Smokes The One Where Rachel Smokes
Reception Reception
"Entertainment Weekly" rated the episode "C", in its review of the fifth season. It cited Chandler's line "You've got to push past this, okay? Because it's about to get sooo good" as the best of the episode. The review criticized the manner in which an employee can feel pressured into smoking, adding it is "not exactly the stuff that laughs are made of". Moreover, it argued the same over the competitive vibe between Joey and Ross.  "Entertainment Weekly" rated the episode "C", in its review of the fifth season. It cited Chandler's line "You've got to push past this, okay? Because it's about to get sooo good" as the best of the episode. 
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The One Where Rachel Smokes [SEP] Reception
The review criticized the manner in which an employee can feel pressured into smoking, adding it is "not exactly the stuff that laughs are made of". Moreover, it argued the same over the competitive vibe between Joey and Ross. Colin Jacobson at DVD Movie Guide added in a review of the fifth season DVD: "Although I don't like the cutesy kid who plays Ben, the audition bits become funny due to Joey’s screw-ups. His inability to correctly read the line "mmm – soup!" becomes very amusing and offers the show's highlights." The episode was released as part of Friends: The Complete Fifth Season in Regions 1, 2 and 4.