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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

AIBU to think Ross from Friends was a terrible human? (lighthearted)

84 replies

whyhastherumgone · 04/02/2018 19:40

Rewatching now it's on Netflix and i had never previously realised how awful Ross is!

He's so possessive and manipulative while making out he's a nice guy victim all the time.
He's so superior all the time.
And don't even get me started on when he mocks Rachel and Phoebe for taking self defence classes and actually hides and Jumps out at them to prove he's right (hes obviously not right)

I know it's just a tv show but I absoutely loved friends when i was at college and loved Ross and Rachel and it's funny how differently I see some of it now...

OP posts:

Curtainshopping · 04/02/2018 20:40

I don’t really get the Ross-hating. He was a jealous dick for a couple of episodes over Rachel’s job, but he’d been cheated on by his previous wife and thought he was losing the love of his life.

He was fine in the two hundred or so other episodes.

bobstersmum · 04/02/2018 20:42

I loved Ross! To me he's geeky, insecure and a big soft idiot. But joey was and still is my fave and matt le blanc looks bloody gorgeous nowadays!

BexConnor · 04/02/2018 20:42

I've never liked Ross much - actually think him and Rachel were my least favourite characters.

stickytoffeevodka · 04/02/2018 20:47

I don't think Ross was only jealous for a couple of episodes.

He showed massive jealousy towards anyone Rachel spoke to - the Mark thing lasted more than two episodes and carried on after he'd left the job for something new.

He didn't treat Emily or Julie well either, dating both of them knowing full-well he wasn't over Rachel, and wedding planning with Emily knowing he never really loved her.

I think he was fucked over by Carol and never really recovered from it.

MissDuke · 04/02/2018 20:53

He can be very sweet too though. Like as a pp said, when he bought Phoebe a bike. Or when he tried to buy all the newspapers so Monica wouldn't see her bad review. But yes he is very jealous and controlling, like all the jealousy when Rachel gets the new job and not wanting her to date anyone when pregnant. Loads more examples too of course.

It is so funny though when things go wrong for him, like the teeth whitening, fake tan and leather trousers.

So all in all I think he needs to be there

mustbemad17 · 04/02/2018 20:57

OOOONAGI!! DANGEEEEER! 😂

Bloody love Friends. My favourite is Phoebe cos she's just the idealistic free spirit I admire and totally jealous of

Ross is a total PiTA. I rewatched the one where he moves in with Joey & Chandler, his stupid 'keep it down' face & hand movements make me want to break his fingers & ram them down his throat 😬

Curtainshopping · 04/02/2018 21:00

wedding planning with Emily knowing he never really loved her.

See, I always thought he was in love with her and the wrong name thing was a genuine fuck up. He certainly tried hard to make it work afterwards.

Guess we all view things through our own prism - only the writers know the truth!

DreamyMcDreamy · 04/02/2018 21:03

He showed massive jealousy towards anyone Rachel spoke to - the Mark thing lasted more than two episodes and carried on after he'd left the job for something new.

To be fair, Rachel messed with him,too.

She told Phoebe that Andie Mcdowall wasn't who she thought she was, it was RODDY Mcdowall that Julie wanted her hair cut like as she was jealous of her and Ross's relationship.....
she got Bonnie to shave her head.
she pretended that she wanted to get back together with him as a joke, when he was going for a pee and she was just messing with him....

I may have watched too much Friends in the past lol

DreamyMcDreamy · 04/02/2018 21:08

Although when he insinuates Rachel is a prostitute to put off a guy chatting her up is pretty awful

Which episode is that? Don't remember that bit.

Thumbcat · 04/02/2018 21:10

I was just watching the final episode the other day and wondered why it never occurred to him to go to Paris with Rachel so she didn't have to give up her dream job.

Whisky2014 · 04/02/2018 21:10

I agree Rachel hasn't treated him very well either.

I have properly laughed out loud at most of Chandler sarcastic style jokes.
I remember liking most of what Rachel and Monica wore and i still like it now!
I think they are a good group of characters really. It's so easy to watch. Although I did watch the episode where no one is ready and Ross has his important speech to make. Just fucking put some clothes on!

DreamyMcDreamy · 04/02/2018 21:11

I was just watching the final episode the other day and wondered why it never occurred to him to go to Paris with Rachel so she didn't have to give up her dream job.

Think it was because he couldn't move away from New York because that would mean leaving Ben behind (Carol wouldn't move.)

stickytoffeevodka · 04/02/2018 21:11

Yeah Rachel definitely isn't great either - I liked her the first time round, but re-watching it I much prefer Monica and I really sympathise with her re. the Richard thing.

I think Rachel and Ross bring out the worst in each other. Ross idolises her in a really unhealthy way, and I don't Rachel treats him particularly well either.

Whisky2014 · 04/02/2018 21:16

When Joey was working selling Xmas trees he mentions it's better to sell the young trees rather than the old ones pheobe has selected to fulfil their Xmas dream. She tells him he is ageist! I immediately thought of Mumsnet!

Fruitcocktail6 · 04/02/2018 21:21

Which episode is that? Don't remember that bit.

It's in season 2, just after the list incident and she won't forgive him but he's got it into his head that she's 'his'.

MissDuke · 04/02/2018 21:22

was just watching the final episode the other day and wondered why it never occurred to him to go to Paris with Rachel so she didn't have to give up her dream job.

I also think it was for Ben, though either way he would be losing one of his children. Lose-lose situation

midnightmisssuki · 04/02/2018 21:24

i love Ross!!! So so funny!

LaurieMarlow · 04/02/2018 21:26

I found both Gellers bloody annoying tbh.

Jack Geller was a piece of genius though.

The rest of the gang were great. Joey in particular grew on me as the series went on. Rachel/Chandler were always my favourites.

Amanduh · 04/02/2018 21:27

Maybe you’d prefer Russ? He’s a Periodontist.

Pengggwn · 04/02/2018 21:29

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

LadyLooLaa · 04/02/2018 21:34

I don’t really get why people hate Ross so much but not Rachel. She was a horrible character.

Tringley · 04/02/2018 21:35

I think he was fucked over by Carol and never really recovered from it.

That's certainly how it appears from the perspective we see. But maybe it's a chicken and egg thing and he was a possessive, manipulative, emotional abuser all through their marriage and Carol was desperate to escape him. Finding out she was pregnant by him right after she thought she'd finally broken free would have been devastating and explains why she tried her damndest to push him away. It also explains Susan's extreme hostility towards him. They knew he'd hurt Carol and made a reasonable assumption that he wouldn't be the best father.

And he wasn't exactly a great dad either. He was happy to get married without him, didn't talk to him at Monica and Chandler's wedding, had a hissy fit because as a toddler he enjoyed Barbie, randomly decides that the one time he has him for Christmas eve (when he's 6) that he won't bother doing Santa because he should appreciate his 1/4 Jewish heritage. (I mean don't do Santa if you don't want but start as you mean to go on, you don't just take it off a 6 year old on Christmas eve.) Then at some point before Emma is born he just completely stops seeing him. He was a pretty crappy dad and I suspect Carol knew him well enough to see all that coming.

TSSDNCOP · 04/02/2018 21:38

The one with the tanning booth and the kids be with the leather pants are hysterical. The character might have been made infuriating, but the actor’s comedic timing is the best in the show.

DreamyMcDreamy · 04/02/2018 21:42

The one with the tanning booth and the kids be with the leather pants are hysterical.

"Mississipilessly?!"

sodababy2 · 04/02/2018 21:44

@TSSDNCOP THIS!! Was just going to post saying tanning booth and leather pants are the best episodes ever! Along with the sofa - pivot!

I'd say Ross was probably one of my least favourite characters at the time. But watching it again he's unintentionally hilarious. Just love him.

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