Friends might not be that contemporary of a television series, but it’s definitely still one of the most talked-about of all times. This is likely because streaming services brought this series back into popularity and introduced a younger generation to the show.
But, when watching the show with a more modern eye, it’s easy to see that there are some things about the show that haven’t aged that well. Ross Geller is one character that many viewers have noticed isn’t really that great. However, while he can be a real jerk, he also has his redeemable moments. We’ve put together a list of 5 times Ross was a good guy and five times he thought he was but really wasn’t.
GOOD: WHEN HE TRIED TO SALVAGE SOME OF MONICA’S CHILDHOOD ITEMS
Monica and Ross’ parents were extremely biased and obviously liked Ross more than her. One of the most obvious examples of this is when their dad used Monica’s childhood keepsakes boxes to keep water away from his car. This resulted in most of her things being destroyed.
In an effort to try and cheer her up, Ross tries to give her some of his childhood items and recreate memories so that she can have keepsakes too. This was a sweet moment that showed he cared.
“GOOD”: THE “I HATE RACHEL GREEN CLUB”
Ross was a character who often suffered from “good” or “nice guy” syndrome. He thought that he was a super sweet and sincere guy and that this meant the women he liked should like him back. He definitely thought he deserved Rachel’s love, even if he did things that were often kind of gross.
One example is how he was the co-founder of the “I Hate Rachel Green Club.” This is just a petty thing to do, and the fact that he did it just because Rachel wasn’t into him is just sad.
GOOD: HE DID SEEM TO GENUINELY CARE ABOUT HIS KIDS
Now, it’s clear that Ross wasn’t a perfect parent by any means, but then again no parent really is. He definitely had his shortcomings when it came to parenting, but he also seemed to genuinely love and care about his kids.
He co-parented both Ben and Emma, and he seemed to be involved in their lives. Of course, Friends was never really about anyone’s kids that much, but what we did see of Ross with his kids was fairly good overall.
“GOOD”: HOW HE ACTED ABOUT CAROL AND SUSAN
Many people have mixed feelings about how Friends handled the relationship between Carol and Susan. While in many ways it was a groundbreaking representation with showing a lesbian wedding, there were also a lot of jokes made at their expense.
Ross was often bitter and insecure about their relationship and his comments could border on homophobic. While it’s understandable he wasn’t happy he was cheated on, it wasn’t an excuse to belittle them just because of their sexual orientation.
GOOD: TEACHING PHOEBE HOW TO RIDE A BIKE
When it comes to how Ross treated his friends, sometimes he was a great friend and sometimes he was rather disappointing. While he was often a guy who thought he treated people well, it wasn’t always the case.
But, the time he bought Phoebe a bike when she admitted she never learned to ride one was rather sweet. This was an episode that showed that Ross did care about his friends.
“GOOD”: HIS INSECURITY ABOUT BEN PLAYING WITH DOLLS
This is another great example of how Ross’ “nice guy” persona was actually rather problematic. There are many instances of him being rather insecure about gender roles and even fairly sexist.
When Carol and Susan gave Ben a Barbie to play with, Ross wasn’t very happy about this. Instead of just letting his son play with the toys he wanted, he insisted on getting him a G.I. Joe because he couldn’t handle it. There was also the time he couldn’t handle the idea of a male nanny.
GOOD: TRYING TO DRESS UP AS SANTA FOR BEN
While there isn’t a ton of episodes that focus just on Ross and his relationship with his kids, this holiday episode was a rather endearing one. While Ross himself is Jewish, he wants to give Ben the holiday he’s expecting.
So, at the last minute, he tries to find a Santa suit to dress up as. While this doesn’t turn out as expected, it is sweet that he is willing to do whatever he can to make the holiday season a good one for Ben.
“GOOD”: SAYING RACHEL’S NAME AT THE ALTAR
This is definitely one of the most yikes moments Ross has in the series. While he thinks that he treats women well, there are many times where this is not the case. He has a lot of relationships, and he is kind of a jerk in most of them.
However, his marriage to Emily takes the cake. Instead of saying her name at the altar, he says Rachel’s name instead. It’s definitely not fair to either women and the way he can never get over Rachel is rather sad.
GOOD: MISSING HIS DISCOVERY CHANNEL SHOOT TO TAKE CARE OF RACHEL
There are many, many moments when Ross’ behavior towards Rachel is disappointing. He seems to feel entitled to her in many ways. He’s also rather possessive and jealous at times.
However, there are some moments where he does show that he cares about her. One example is when he misses an important Discovery Channel shoot so that he can take care of her after she breaks her rib.
“GOOD”: THE WHOLE WE WERE ON A BREAK THING
Now, this point is one that’s rather contentious for many fans of Friends. While they were technically on a break, that doesn’t make this was n acceptable thing to do. He insists that he cares so much about Rachel, but he then hooks up with someone else within mere hours of their break up.
This isn’t really something you do when you really care about someone. And, it’s a good example of the way Ross thinks about women.
