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AIBU?

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Original poster

to think that Ross Geller is the biggest prick in TV history?

108 replies

HeyNannyNanny · 02/05/2019 12:20

I've been watching Friends in the background every morning for the last few months, right from the first episode.
I last watched it as a teenager and I'm really shocked at how the characters come across now I'm an adult.

But the worst by far is Ross!
And he's meant to be the one we root for, a "good guy" and he is SUCH a wanker.

I'm on the episode in Season 9 with the male Nanny, and he accuses the guy of being gay. Repeatedly. At interview!
He has an extreme God complex, he treats women like shit, he is the very definition of a man-child. He dated a student, and messed around with her in his office.
He doesn't even love Rachel for who she is, but instead seems to think he simply possesses her because he's been obsessed with her since they were children.

I just cannot get over how badly he comes across, yet its never acknowledged in the programme how much of an utter shit he is.

I realise its just a TV show but I'm flabbergasted as to how anyone could be expected to like such a vile character.

OP posts:
TooLittleTooLate80 · 02/05/2019 13:07

I'm sure I read a "fan theory" on twitter that Ben (his son) doesn't actually appear in the last two series and darkly speculated it was due to his behaviour around the middle series and that Carol stopped contact between them.

(Have to say I never actually bothered to research if Ben was in those episodes or not!)

drudgewithagrudge · 02/05/2019 13:07

You would have to go a long way to find a bigger price than Ray Baroness. Deborah should have murdered him. No jury would have convicted her.

Getoffamycloud · 02/05/2019 13:10

But isn't that the point? The humour comes from the fact that he is a pratt. Think Alan Partridge or David Brent ( The office) Basil Fawlty. He would not be funny if he was a straight up nice guy ??
All the characters are flawed. Intentionally!!

ILoveMaxiBondi · 02/05/2019 13:10

AGree drudge!

budgiesmuggler · 02/05/2019 13:11

He was still one of the funniest characters. And Carol and Susan treated him absolutely horribly and he barely reacted. Just did whatever they wanted.

DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen · 02/05/2019 13:11

All the characters are flawed. Intentionally!! Of course!

ILoveMaxiBondi · 02/05/2019 13:12

I love doing how Susan handled Ross. Grin

budgiesmuggler · 02/05/2019 13:12

@drudgewithagrudge agree! He treated Deborah like his maid.

ILoveMaxiBondi · 02/05/2019 13:12

loved how

DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen · 02/05/2019 13:13

Susan was great !

goldenchicken · 02/05/2019 13:14

I don't think Ross was a bad person, and he always had a special place in his heart for Rachel, but yep, he was controlling and misogynistic and a bit selfish and immature tbh.

In the mid 90s I couldn't see it, but I sure can now. I think women (young/millennial AND older women) have come to expect better treatment (and DESERVE better,) and it's glaringly obvious now, how appallingly Ross treated Rachel. (And the other MANY women in his life.)

Yet, as in many other cases, he is favoured by his parents, especially his mother. The son was often favoured over the daughter some 3 or 4 decades ago. (and beyond.)

So I agree with you OP. YANBU!

Also agree though, that he was a good character, and was very funny at times.. (PIVOT!!!!!) and his behaviour was not untypical of the behaviour of some men! Maybe he was a product of his environment/upbringing.

Inarightpickleandchutney · 02/05/2019 13:15

The episode when he went to Rachel’s work with a picnic basket. I’d have absolutely lost it with him!

Original poster
HeyNannyNanny · 02/05/2019 13:18

Yes but no one ever painted Joffrey Baratheon as a good guy!
That's what makes it extra awful for me, Ross was constantly made out to be the sweet guy but he was actually a complete dick.

OP posts:
Judashascomeintosomemoney · 02/05/2019 13:18

He's no worse than any of them tbh
Yes, I agree. The only U thing about your post is that you managed to pick one of them out for the accolade. (Except Janice of course, Janice was nice).

Hellomumsne · 02/05/2019 13:19

I totally agree. Back when I was a teenager, I always thought Ross was the one I'd like in real life. But watching it back at 39, I wonder how I could have misjudged him so much! Likewise the characters in Fraisure! Niles is such a creep with Daphney. I still find them comforting to watch but a bit more aware of the awful way some of these characters treated women.

goingonabearhunt1 · 02/05/2019 13:19

I agree golden the way he was favoured it's so wonder he's such an arse (and no wonder that Monica's so neurotic since she could never do anything right according to her parents). I think Joey is probably as sexist as Ross though but that never seems to get mentioned as much but maybe that's because he wasn't pretending to be a 'nice guy' and was upfront about being a player.

Original poster
HeyNannyNanny · 02/05/2019 13:23

I actually quite like Joey.

He's a complete prick with women in the earlier seasons, and I think the whole dumb bit was overdone, but his integrity with his friends and his loyalty was very sweet. He didn't even contemplate making a move on Rachel until he had spoken to Ross.

Rachel definitely matured later in the series and I'd say is actually one of my favourites.

Chandler is just a bit wet (he used to be my favourite as a teen), Phoebe definitely changed for the worse.
Monica is second worse for being a controlling, entitled arse.
Genetics maybe.

OP posts:
WellErrr · 02/05/2019 13:24

Yes but no one ever painted Joffrey Baratheon as a good guy!
That's what makes it extra awful for me, Ross was constantly made out to be the sweet guy but he was actually a complete dick.

Yes! This in SPADES.

Ross wasn’t supposed to be a baddie, it’s like the writers actually thought he was a good guy, when he was actually just very sinister and possessive.

I also didn’t see it until adulthood!

Original poster
HeyNannyNanny · 02/05/2019 13:24

@Hellomumsne

Oh I fancied Niles soooo much as a teen. I bet I'd hate him now

OP posts:
Esker · 02/05/2019 13:26

Yeah I watched that nanny interview episode recently and the homophobic 'humour' is actually really shocking.

foreverhanging · 02/05/2019 13:28

Can anyone give me examples of mean Phoebe? I can't recall any..

PinkiOcelot · 02/05/2019 13:28

🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️
It was crap anyway!!

adaline · 02/05/2019 13:29

There's a thread about Ross's flaws every month or so on here! But none of them come across particularly well when you really look at it.

Which is the entire point.

snowbear66 · 02/05/2019 13:29

My son is watching 'How I met your Mother' - it's also a misogyny-fest and that ended 2014, not long ago!.

I imagine Rachael would have ran off with a woman a few years later, Ross had that effect on women.

RuffleCrow · 02/05/2019 13:31

I also watched as a teenager and never felt Ross was someone we were particularly supposed to root for, any more than the others.

It was clear, even in the mid-nineties that the guy had some serious issues. That was true of all the characters: Phoebe was a flake living in her own fantasy world; Joey was dim and had serious committment issues/ sex addiction. Chandler was, well, Chandler. Monica had some form of OCD and possible eating disorder. Rachel was a spoilt rich kid. All flawed. All funny at times.