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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:
Izzabellasasperella · 04/02/2018 21:44

Why wasn't Ben at his sisters first birthday party when it was so important to Ross and Rachel that everyone else was there?

Trashboat · 04/02/2018 21:45

The leather pants episode was bloody hilarious 😂

DreamyMcDreamy · 04/02/2018 21:48

Along with the sofa - pivot!

Ross - "PIVOT, PIVOT, PIVOT!!"
Chandler - Shut up,shut up, shut UPPPPPPP!"

Grin

love that episode

sailorcherries · 04/02/2018 21:50

If Rachel were on MN complaining about Ross she'd be told to LTB and that he is a terrible father (given how all mention, and sightings, of Ben just stop).

LaurieMarlow · 04/02/2018 21:54

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

See, I HATED both of those. Not my type of comedy at all. And don't get me started on the fajitas episode, that was excruciating.

I could just about bear the 'pivot' one, but much of the Ross comedy genius left me cold.

MinesABabyGuiness · 04/02/2018 21:56

What i don't like about Ross is how horrible he is to Rachel after they break up. He slept with someone else he should have just left Rachel alone after that.

DreamyMcDreamy · 04/02/2018 22:04

Why wasn't Ben at his sisters first birthday party when it was so important to Ross and Rachel that everyone else was there?

Never said why, maybe Carol and Susan were off on holiday/didn't want to attend for any reason.....

MissJaySays · 04/02/2018 22:05

How weird is it!!!
I love friends! I watched it almost constantly on a loop since it was airing till about 2 years ago. I then lost my box set so lost access to it. I'm re watching it again now on Netflix and I'm seeing it in a different light.

I don't know if it's because I'm the last 2/3 years everything has changed so much in regards to feminist views. I'll speak for myself, my views have certainly changed!

I still love it! I'm not one of the people complaining about it, but I didn't ever see joey as creepy before! But now I do!!!

DreamyMcDreamy · 04/02/2018 22:14

What i don't like about Ross is how horrible he is to Rachel after they break up

Rachel said she couldn't do with his jealousy anymore, and she wanted to "take a break."
Ross- "fine, let's take a break. Let's go get some frozen yoghurt or something."
Rachel - "no,a break from us.
He thought they weren't together any more,she said she wanted to break.
He rang to say sorry that evening whilst he was out at a party, and Mark was home alone in the apartment with Rachel eating Chinese food.
From his point of view, he was out at a party, Rachel had someone else with her, the guy she said she wasn't interested in but was in her apartment that evening.
He thought she didn't want him, and he had the hot copy place girl who really liked him after him.
He got together with Bonnie after she'd made it clear that she didn't want to be with him anymore,and she proceeded to try and sabotage it.

Tringley · 04/02/2018 22:14

Why wasn't Ben at his sisters first birthday party when it was so important to Ross and Rachel that everyone else was there?

Either because Ross was an awful dad and wasn't bothered with Ben by this point. Or because Ross was an awful dad and Carol had finally been able to prove it in court and stopped his access. Either is equally likely.

DreamyMcDreamy · 04/02/2018 22:17

Either because Ross was an awful dad and wasn't bothered with Ben by this point. Or because Ross was an awful dad and Carol had finally been able to prove it in court and stopped his access. Either is equally likely.

Could also be because he wanted them there, but Carol didn't want to or couldn't go.
Any scenario is possible, as it's all speculation depending on your viewpoint.
It was never said why Smile

LaurieMarlow · 04/02/2018 22:18

I think the Ben thing was more about the writers/producers forgetting about Ben by that stage or not being arsed to bring in the child actor, rather than any reflection on Ross's parenting abilities.

FrayedHem · 04/02/2018 22:28

The Rachel obsession from High School stuff did go on too much. If he was truly controlling surely he'd have just stopped Rachel taking Emma to Paris (I assume a court would find in his favour despite her company saying they'd fly them back and forth for contact).

He also coached Joey on the museum stuff to impress Charlie, despite harbouring a crush on her.
Was pretty nice to Carol when she was considering calling off the wedding to Susan when her parents wouldn't go. And walked her down the aisle.
Missed going on tv to take Rachel to the hospital instead.
Got Phoebe the Sting Tickets. ROSS-CAN!

He didn't deserve Mona though! Poor Mona.

FrayedHem · 04/02/2018 22:35

I think the writers tried to keep a balance of equal plots for the main characters. Which is why Carol/Ben etc are only seen for comedy moments and why they could all spend so much time at CentralPerk.

BoneyBackJefferson · 04/02/2018 22:42

After several series I found them all tedious and as bad as each other.

Slanetylor · 04/02/2018 22:52

I loved friends but I always did find it annoying the way Ben and Emma were just invisible. For the vast majority of the time , once she was over a month old, Emma didn't appear to exist either or else she was represented by a baby monitor. It was so irritating.

whitecremeegg · 04/02/2018 23:04

oh FFS I hate all this anti Friends sh*te of late. It's a 90s show. Television and people's attitudes move on. Look at the James Bond movies - acceptable at the time, not acceptable now but they are still on telly too.

frieda909 · 04/02/2018 23:10

For the vast majority of the time , once she was over a month old, Emma didn't appear to exist either or else she was represented by a baby monitor. It was so irritating.

Yep. The show loved pregnancy storylines but couldn’t be arsed with actual babies.

It made me laugh how much Rachel’s mum apparently looked after Emma. I know there are some very hands-on grandparents out there but I seem to recall that for most of the last couple of seasons Emma was just continually brushed aside with ‘oh she’s with my mum’.

The idea in the last episode that Rachel would fly to Paris for her new job without Emma really made me laugh.

Original poster
whyhastherumgone · 04/02/2018 23:13

@whitecremeegg the thread was designed to be lighthearted - see the title. I love Friends but I think we are allowed to say whether our opinion on a character has changed over time!

I do love the PIVOT episode - thats one that's always stuck with me. It is a shame re Emma and Ben not being as visible - the "monica bang" episode with Ben is also brilliant...

OP posts:
Original poster
whyhastherumgone · 04/02/2018 23:14

I've completely forgotten the last episode was she really going to go without Emma??

OP posts:
Slanetylor · 04/02/2018 23:16

Her mum was following later with Emma Grin

FrayedHem · 04/02/2018 23:24

But it was a sitcom not a soap, so you have to suspend your disbelief for a lot of it. It wouldn't have worked having Emma in the last episode with all the Rachel and Ross hooking up and "did she get off the plane". I think it was her mum bringing her over once she'd got the apartment straight, which is kind of sensible really?
Besides, it was recorded in front of a live studio audience, so having a young baby/child on set a lot would have been difficult with the distractions and whatnot.

Slanetylor · 04/02/2018 23:40

I know, but they knew all that when they were writing the script. It's just jarring. I do still watch it and love it though.

DreamyMcDreamy · 04/02/2018 23:51

oh FFS I hate all this anti Friends shte of late. It's a 90s show. Television and people's attitudes move on. Look at the James Bond movies - acceptable at the time, not acceptable now but they are still on telly too.*

Agreed,stop with the over analyzing and just ENJOY! Grin
I was watching On The Buses earlier today. Now *that'd probably raise a few eyebrows but it's still funny lol.

DonkeySkin · 05/02/2018 02:48

Yeah, totally not excusing his behaviour to Rachel, Emily and Julie.

Let's not forget Charlie. He finally found a woman he could regard as his intellectual equal (snort!), and then promptly destroyed the relationship because he was jealous of the fact that she'd dater smarter men than him before.

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