Friends. THE sitcom of the 90s. Rachel Green is still a fashion icon and most people still quote the iconic “PIVOT!” scene whenever moving furniture. The series is a classic in many ways and has a large international audience, which is unusual for American TV. Toledo, Spain even has a Friends themed café!
I’ve watched the entire series through multiple times (thanks Netflix) and quote lines from it often. However, after watching it this summer I realized something: Ross is kind of the worst. He’s easily my least favorite character on the show and I don’t usually find much of what he does amusing or entertaining, which I know is how some people feel about Phoebe too. As I realized this, I tried to pinpoint exactly why I don’t like Ross and came up with these five reasons.
*SPOILERS*
1. He’s whiny.
Ross is a very negative person. From the very first episode when Ross walks into the coffee shop with his typical “Hi,” and Joey responds, “This guy says hello, I wanna kill myself.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQJnb-kX364
Practically every episode after this also includes Ross heavily whining or complaining. While Monica is much more of a “pull yourself up by your bootstraps and get ‘er done” Geller, Ross wallows in whatever misfortune he feels has fallen on him.
Also, can we talk about the fact that Janice broke up with him because he was whining too much? I mean, c’mon. “So you’re saying, I’ve become so whiny that ~I~ annoy ~you~… Janice.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PvuG9DPFFBc
Newsflash buddy, you’ve always been that whiny.
2. He didn’t support Rachel’s career
This is the beginning of the end for Ross and Rachel. Rachel gets a real job in fashion and Ross becomes increasingly upset that she doesn’t have time for him. He doesn’t support her dreams or respect her space (he bombards her office with a picnic when she has to work late) because he’s so insecure about where she is and what she’s doing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ir8yY_0jG3k
Rachel responds, “It’s okay that you’re not a part of my work life. My work is for me.”
AMEN girl!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqouRDJ9mwA (2:23)
But Ross can’t accept that Rachel needs more in her life than just him and that working as a waitress in a cafe isn’t fulfilling her. He has a very successful job in a museum that he worked very hard for, but he doesn’t allow her the same luxury.
3. He gets jealous about Rachel’s coworker Mark instead of trusting Rachel to be loyal.
Jealousy is normal, but Ross is obsessive when it comes to Rachel’s coworker Mark. This directly relates to number 2 – as soon as she starts to get a life outside of the home, he becomes paranoid. Just because she starts directing her energy towards other things does not mean that she’s going to cheat on him. His insecurities cause him to become unhealthily controlling and over-the-top, like when he sends Rachel dozens of gift baskets AND a barbershop quartet to her office.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rei4MLLSQow&t=116s (0:00- 0:59)
4. He’s vindictive
He sleeps with the copy girl out of spite after he thinks Rachel is sleeping with Mark. He calls and hears Mark’s voice in the background and doesn’t give Rachel the chance to explain before hanging up the phone.
The whole “we were on a break” thing shouldn’t matter. What matters is that he slept with someone else HOURS after they broke up.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJq3_FVR894
Sidenote: Rachel decides not to date Mark because she knows she is only doing it to get back at Ross. Her emotional maturity is leaps and bounds ahead of his, even if he makes her feel otherwise.
5. He gets incredibly upset when Joey starts dating Rachel but has no consideration for Chandler when Ross starts dating Janice
When Ross finds out Joey and Rachel are seeing each other, he freaks out.
He gives Joey the okay to go after her, but then he gets drunk on margaritas and makes everyone uncomfortable. He ultimately realizes that he’s not okay with this, even though Ross hasn’t dated Rachel in years. Given his extreme reaction, it’s hypocritical that he starts dating Janice and doesn’t say anything to Chandler. In fact, he doesn’t think he needs to tell Chandler until the other Friends insist he does.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3Las5CZvQE
Ultimately, it’s clear that Ross is toxic, negative and more high maintenance than he ever needs to be.