Joey's go-to pickup line is one of the series' most famous bits of dialogue: "How you doin'?" Joey's flirtatiousness is definitely one of his most famous qualities, along with his being, well, slow on the uptake. With this in mind, you'd think Joey would jump at the chance to hit on an attractive, newly single woman. But, surprisingly, when Monica introduces Rachel to the rest of the gang, Joey gets through it without making a pass at Rachel.
This is especially surprising to discover upon rewatch, because the season three episode "The One with the Flashback" makes it clear that this is not how it went when Joey met Monica. In that case, they'd barely spoken a word to each other before he was at his usual ways. Although, to be fair, Monica flirted right back.
Joey eventually does hit on Rachel, because he's Joey. After Rachel gets off the phone with her father, who has cut her off financially, she is distraught. While Monica is trying to console her, Joey jumps in, saying, "And hey, if you need anything, you can always come to Joey. Me and Chandler live across the hall. And he's away a lot." He says this with a firm hand on Rachel's shoulder, while Monica looks on with disgust. "Joey, stop hitting on her," Monica says. "It's her wedding day!"
