He’s much maligned, but for me, he’s the best character on Friends
Prior to writing this article, I did a quick survey in the office to find out who everyone’s favourite character in Friends was, and the results surprised me.
There was a lot of love for Chandler and Joey, and to a lesser extent Rachel and Monica, but there were only a handful of people who claimed that their most loved character was Ross.
Phoebe did not poll well in the JOE offices.
I know it’s difficult to pick a character over the entire ten seasons of Friends because each character has their moments. But despite a rocky opening to Ross’s time in the show where he was portrayed as a bit of a downer and a moaner, he came back strongly in the middle and later seasons.
He continues on to be the most underrated character in the series. His humour is completely different to Chandler, who is self-aware, whereas Ross humour comes from the fact that 90% of the time he doesn’t know what’s going on and is caught completely by surprise.
Therefore his humour is not forced but rather genuine, which makes it that little bit funnier.
The One With The Stripper (Season 8, Episode 8)
The bit where Ross is confronted by Dr Green (Rachel’s dad) about getting her pregnant, in front of his then girlfriend, Mona.
Favourite Line:
Dr. Green: “So? Come on! Explain yourself Geller! First you get my Rachel pregnant!”
Mona: “You got Rachel pregnant?!”
Ross: “Who did?!”
Dr. Green: “You did!”
The One with All the Resolutions (Season 5, Episode 11)
Ross’s New Year’s Resolution is to do something he hadn’t done before, every single day. So he decides to buy a pair of leather pants. But this probably wouldn’t have happened if Chandler had been allowed to tell jokes at the time.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WmwAjt-dz1g
Favourite line:
Ross: *While tugging on pants after putting powder on his legs* “They’re not coming on, man.”
The One Where Ross is Fine (Season 10, Episode 2)
Ross has Joey, Rachel and Charlie around for food and drinks. And he’s actually fine…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHV70zK_a-k
Favourite line:
Ross: “L.O.V.E. Love. L is for ‘Life’, for what is life without love.”
“‘O’ is for: ‘Oh Wow’.”
“The V is for this… very surprising turn of events. Which I am still fine with by the way.”
“E is for how… extremely normal I find it… that you two are together.”
The One with the Cop (Season 5, episode 16)
Ross tries to move in his new couch.
Favourite line:
Ross: “PIVOT!”
The One With Ross’s Tan (Season 10, Episode 3)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvVT3N5dZq4
Favourite line:
Ross: “You sprayed my front twice!”
Tanning Salon Guy: “You never turned?”
Ross: “No, I barely even got to three Mississippi.”
TSG: “Mississippi? I said count to five.”
Ross: “Mississippilously?”
The One with Ross and Monica’s Cousin (Season 7, Episode 19)
That music though…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZ-tkJHTGrk
Favourite line:
Ross: “She’s your cousin. She’s your cousin. If she knew what was going through your head, she’d think you were sick.”
The One With The Birthing Video (Season 8, Episode 15)
Mona finally breaks up with Ross, and the scene with Joey is pure gold.
Favourite Line:
Ross: “I didn’t tell her I got Rachel pregnant.”
“I gave her a key to my apartment and then had the locks changed.”
“Then I lied to her about Rachel moving in with me.”
“In a way, I judge her for not breaking up with me sooner.”
The One With Phoebe’s Birthday Dinner (Season 9, Episode 5)
Peak Ross.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUpgmGiW8pE
Favourite line:
Ross: “A pigeon, a pigeon. No, no wait, no, no, an eagle flew in. Landed on the stove and caught fire. The baby, seeing this, jumps across the apartment to the mighty bird’s aid. The eagle, however, misconstrues it as an act of aggression and grabs the baby in its talons. Meanwhile, the faucet fills the apartment with water. Baby and bird still ablaze are locked in a death grip, swirling around in the whirlpool that fills the apartment.”
Rachel: “Boy, are you gonna be sorry if that’s true.”
The One with Ross’s Sandwich (Season 5, Episode 9)
Somebody steals Ross’s sandwich in work. You know the one with the extra slice of gravy-soaked bread in the middle, called the Moist Maker?
Favourite line:
Ross:” You’re sleeping with my sister?”
Joey: *Covering for Chandler* “It was only for one night. It was when we were in London.”
Ross: “This is not good for my rage.”
