Let's talk about the one and only, Ross Geller.

                             

 Unless you’ve lived under a rock you’ve seen or at the least heard of the 90's sitcom called Friends. It’s iconic, it stands the test of time by still having such a massive fan base and even is one of the most popular shows on Netflix. While everybody has a favorite character, I’ve noticed what feels like the majority opinion being Ross Geller is the worst. Most claim that he is whiny, and self-absorbed. These points are valid, Ross even had an episode where he complained so much about his life that Janice, the most annoying reoccurring character, had had enough of him. And I’ll admit I wish he had handled certain situations with his off-again on-again girlfriend Rachel Green, a bit better.  I still firmly believe he is one of, or is, the best character in Friends. Ross's hilarious scenes are memorable, the actors skilled interpretation of the character was able to take his lines to new heights, and he is always willing to sacrifice for his loved ones.

 I am always surprised when I hear someone say Ross isn’t funny, when in reality he has most of the humorous one liners, scenes, and outburst in the show. I'm gonna say it loud and proud: This show would not be what it is without Ross Geller. When thinking of the funniest character, the obvious choice is Chandler because he makes the most jokes, or Phoebe because she’s the quirkiest. Ross isn’t just funny because he makes jokes, he’s funny because his life IS the joke. He’s put into these crazy situations that could only ever happen to him. Who could forget when he was with his new girlfriend and Rachel’s father comes in yelling at him for refusing to marry Rachel after getting her pregnant, something that was unbeknownst to his girlfriend, and was going back and forth trying to explain himself to both of them at the same time. Of course, in the midst of all the drama Joey calls him to thank him for sending over a hooker, a completely different situation and misunderstanding that Ross had nothing to do with, and with all this to take in he had to sit down and take a breather.

                                        

 Or the time he decided to get a spray tan and got sprayed in the front side of his body four times, and none on his backside. This quote sums up that fiasco, 

                                                  

Situations like these are at Ross’s expense, but for the viewers entertainment, whenever he was put in an embarrassing or ridiculous scenario, the funnier these scenes are.

                         

 It’s not just about what happens to Ross though, it's how he reacts to them. This is where I give so much credit to the actor, because the way he brings his lines to life is genius in my opinion. David Schwimmer knowing the right moments to add emphasis on a certain syllable, word, or sentence and his use of dramatic body language take these scenes to new heights the way not many actors could. Some claim Ross is melodramatic and they hate it, but this is another reason I love Ross. The first break-up he had with Rachel was heartbreaking and left no one with dry eyes, but the second time is probably one of my favorite scenes in the show. He wasn’t just yelling back at her the whole time, instead he would speak very low and calmly for a part of the sentence, and then raise his voice at the end. While arguing with her about not reading a letter she wrote to him, “It was 5:30 in the morning and you had rambled on for 18 pages, FRONT AND BACK”.

                                               

 Body language also comes to play in the scene where Rachel tells him she’s pregnant and he’s left frozen, eyes wide, and lips pursed, in a state of shock.

                                             

 The way the actor delivers these lines, even when he’s not speaking, adds a dramatic flair into everything he does which takes these humor-filled scenes to another level.

Another thing people like to call Ross is self-absorbed, and while they are so quick to see this, they seem to ignore that Ross has shown admirable traits of kindness, and how much he cares for his friends and family. Ross had two major opportunities to move out of New York City, both times to pursuit serious relationships. The first time to move to London to be with his then-wife Emily, and the second time to move to Paris to be with Rachel. Both times even though he loved these women intensely, he wouldn’t move out of his city because he didn’t want  to be far away from his son. This demonstrated him putting his feelings aside to make sure he was a big part of his son’s life. Another time, he was going to be featured on the Discovery Channel, and Rachel had broken her rib. She kept asking him to help her and at the end he even took her to the hospital, skipping his moment on TV entirely, and he never complained. Lastly, and the best example in my opinion, is when his ex-wife’s parents refused to be at her wedding because she was marrying a woman. She was flustered and threatened to cancel the wedding so Ross put aside any feelings of bitterness and stepped up to walk her down the aisle, thus saving her wedding. Moments like these just prove what a big heart Ross has for others, and how he’ll do anything for those he loves.

                                                          

 Can Ross be whiny, and self-absorbed? Of course, but we all have our flaws. At the end of the day, this brilliant show would not be what it is without him. His embarrassments, his infamous outburst, and iconic one-liners are as amazing and memorable as they are because of the actor’s ability to take these scenes to the next level. Imagine Friends without “pivot”, without “my sandwich” or “we were on a break”. Yeah, I wouldn’t want to either.

                       

Sarah Lynn.