It was around 12:30 a.m. last night, or this morning rather, when my mom, my sister, and I were watching a Friends rerun on Nick@Nite. As far as episodes go, this was a season six episode and therefore not typically on my favorites list. But it’s also the episode where season six takes a shift for the better, anyway, and is given a real drive to propel the season towards its finale. I’m talking about “The One Where Paul’s the Man.”
As I was watching “The One Where Paul’s the Man,” I had a strange revelation: Ross Geller is the funniest friend on Friends.
Friends is the first show that really made me realize that I love television. I found out about it in a year I was too young to be a fan of it while it reran at a time of day that I was too young to be up for. In reruns, the first episode of Friends that I watched is also the episode I think is the best of Friends ever, “The One Where Everybody Finds Out.” Years later, I learned how TV actually works and that there were first-runs on NBC every Thursday. The first episode I watched on NBC was “The One With the Videotape.” Like most people, Ross Geller was never my favorite; in fact, he could at times be a bit of an annoyance. But it wasn’t until years after that, after Friends left the airwaves with originals, that I realized there was a huge dislike by audiences for Ross.
It’s easy to guess why. Dr. Geller’s pedantic, whiny, and man-child but still the smartest of the group nature is hard to like, surely.
While watching “The One Where Paul’s the Man” last night, there was even a superimposed advert on the screen promoting more Friends reruns with pictures of all the cast members. In descending order of prominence: Chandler Bing, Rachel Green, Joey Tribbiani, Phoebe Buffay, Monica Geller, and then Ross Geller like a blip on the screen.
I’ve put all of my DVDs of the entire 10-season run away on my shelf for a long time now. For some reason, I just haven’t pulled a season out and popped it in the DVD player. But a couple of weeks ago, my sister basically commanded me. She asked me which season and which episode. Surprise, surprise: I chose “The One Where Everybody Finds Out.” For as hilarious and amazing that entire episode is, I don’t think there’s anything as gut-busting as Ross’s response when he finds out during the end of the episode.
“Who’s that guy again?” my sister asked about Ross’s boss who is visiting his new apartment during that final beat.
“He’s his boss. He’s there to check that Ross’s life is OK because he thinks he has anger management issues,” I responded. “Remember, ‘My sandwich? My sandwich!?‘”
We went into another fit of laughter.
Sure, Joey has “how you doin’?” and Phoebe’s got “smelly cat” and Chandler’s got “could this be…?” but do they all have as many quotables as Ross Geller? It is here where I concede that perhaps Ross the character is quite unlikable, but I don’t think there’s another Friends cast member who absolutely nailed every single one of his lines like David Schwimmer throughout that run.
Even whiny, annoying Ross can make me chuckle. As I’ve been watching more reruns of Friends as of late, I’ve caught myself genuinely surprised by just how much more I laugh because of Ross than most other friends.
I’m not saying the rest of the cast is devoid of talent. Actually, as I watch reruns lately, I’m also quite surprised by how much I underestimated Jennifer Aniston’s comedic timing. That said, in my first wave of rewatches (a sporadic one, as I’ve been catching reruns only whenever I happen upon them in the last couple of weeks), most of my earnest laughs come from a Ross quip or comedic beat. If anything, I grossly underestimated Ross the first time around.
Source: Tumblr
From season one (“Hi”) to season three (“We were on break”) all the way through season 10 (“I’m fine”), Ross and Schwimmer’s delivery had the ability to take such simple lines and make them comedic staples with his voice, his inflection, and the most dramatic of facial expressions. And we’re not even talking about the physical comedy. In “Paul’s the Man” alone, Schwimmer fluidly cruises through flailing towards the ground, hiding in a night table, and doing his best Bruce Willis macho impersonation.
My sister’s favorite Ross quotable: “Sweetie, this conversation is starting to make me feel a little uncomfortable,” when Ross realizes Charlie is still in love with her ex. Writing it out just now, I snickered.
I suppose nothing can help the fact that Ross had his odd idiosyncrasies that turned the audience off. Looking beyond the character but at the performance, however, Schwimmer proves to be a comedic powerhouse — and Ross is most definitely redeemed in my eyes, every rediscovered laugh helping along the way.
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Is Ross really the least popular? My personal favourite Friends episode is him in the bathroom of his latest date trying to put his leather trousers back on, I don't think I've ever laughed harder. Along with his tanning disaster and tooth whitening. As you say him finding out about Monica and Chandler is a master class.
I mean, I don't think there's ever been a scientific poll about it. But from what I've seen/read/heard, yes, Ross appears to be the least popular character on Friends. And YES! I was going to talk about that episode where he's trying to get his leather pants on! An entire episode based off one gag and he pulls it off so well.
Its funny because as im reading this article im thinking wow i could have written it myself, i too grew up in a time where i was too young to watch friends when it originally aired. I think i started watching new eps around srason 8, so no surprise originally my favorite character was joey and i was originally down for joey?/rachel.after growing up and rewatchingthe show where as ross used tobe at the end of my listhes now nearthe top and same with rachel jennifer aniston has great comedic timing and her and david schimmer played off each other so well! Buut id have to agree DS was the realstar of the show and its a shame hes so under appreciated! But im saying all this to say great article i couldnt agree more! And thanks for doing onefor the unsung hero!
*High five!* I think we may actually be the same person and it's freaking me out.
My roommates and I frequently watch reruns of Friends, and we quote it to each other all the time. One of our all time FAVORITE lines, happens to be "this conversation is making me a little uncomfortable" (complete with hand motions and voice inflections).
David Schwimmer deserves all the awards for the PIVOT scene alone!
David (Ross) Schwimmer has always been the glue that held that show together. There is no doubt in my mind that he was the best. Sure Rachel was sexy Joey played dumb better than anyone, Chandler had great timing and some funny lines
but no one could have said "pivot funnier than Ross in that scene with Ross, Rachel and Chandler trying to get that oversized couch up those stairs. To this day, one of the funniest scenes in TV history!
A classic scene, indeed. PIV-AHHT! PIV-AHHT!!!
TOTALLY AGREE!!! How about the time of the leader pants? or the Frankie says relax tshirt? Or when he get locked in the roof with Joey? One of the funniest is when Rachel´s dad storms into his house and he is with Mona, then Joey calls him asking him about Chandlers "hooker" and he says.. "I need to lay down" hahahahahaha!
He was the George Harrison of Friends...
Mike, just how old ARE you? Too young for reruns???
Well, they started airing reruns of Friends around the fifth season, which is before I began watching reruns. Maybe around 2000? I was definitely too young.
"The One Where Everybody Finds Out" is my #1 favorite episode too! Although I don't know how I could have appreciated it as much if it was the first episode I saw. You are right about Ross though. One of my favorites was "PIVOT! PIVOT! PIVOT!"
I've always been a Chandler fan myself. His sarcastic/witty style was definitely more my type of comedy, but Ross was up there for sure. I think his character really developed well from season 5 and on. Before that he seemed too whiny and drama filled, but once his 2nd divorce was done with Emily (lol) I think they really started giving him a less dramatic roll in the overall happenings of the show. Once he became the guy that "everything" happens to, he started going up-hill fast in my opinion.
I think one of my favorite moments of his was when he got the best of Rachel during the "One with the video tape" How that episode came together in the end was a masterpiece in itself!
Thankyou
Michael for bringing up what I always have discussed with my friends.I personally think David / Ross is the best character / actor of all 6.
Not only an actor he is also a director and has also directed 10 episodes for Friends.
Honestly Chandler gets a funny or sarcastic script which he definitely executes excellently,
Joey itself has got the funniest character...
So chandler and joey are definitely funnier and likeable due to the script and character so now imagine Ross is a paleontologist,thrice divorced geeky character,this character is obviously not funny and boring and David schwimmer himself knew about that but his expressions, acting skills and dialogue delivery style is not only unique but it's hilarious (which is not like reading it from the script, as a director he knows what the audience will like and what he needed to do to make Ross not only likeable but funniest of all which he successfully executed.
Best ross episodes or moments - season 10 ~ where Ross is fine,
Ross where he gets his teeth whitend,
Where finds out abt chandler and Monica,
Where Paul is the man,
Best in season 5 in the episode where Rachel inadvertently kisses during interview Ross tries to entertain by acting abt shark attach, surfing n dancing by his window.
Also where he plays keyboard
David is definitely the best and was the most deserving for the Emmy.
If anyone is looking or learning acting in comedy watching Ross act and his passion for acting is what you should watch,
He is an inspiration.