Friends’ cast is undeniably one of the most entertaining ensembles in sitcom history, but that doesn’t mean every character received equal treatment. At least in the show’s early seasons, there were some characters who carried Friends’ sense of humor on their backs (namely Chandler, Joey, and Phoebe), while the others were often associated with the more dramatic side of the narrative. David Schwimmer’s Ross was the biggest victim of this, as his character was often seen as boring because of his dull personality. Thankfully, the show managed to fix many of the things wrong with Ross in Friends’ early episodes.
Many of Friends main cast underwent similar changes throughout the show’s decade-long tenure, which is inevitable with any show that runs for such an extended period of time. The writers needed to ensure that things don’t become too stale and repetitive, and giving the characters slightly new personalities is a brilliant way of doing that – assuming they don’t drift too far from their original identity. There are many problems with Friends that haven’t aged well, but the show’s character work has always been a huge strength.
Ross Was A Completely Different Character Before His Divorce With Emily
Ross’ Breakup From Emily Changed Him For The Better
Ross Talking To Emily In Friends “The One With All The Rugby”
Before Ross divorced from Emily in Friends’ fifth season, the character was widely viewed as the most boring one in the group. He spent the majority of the show’s early episodes pining over Rachel, and when he finally got together with Julie, he was seen as the “villain” for seemingly leading Rachel on. His occupation as a paleontologist is often played for laughs, with his friends constantly teasing him for being the intellectual (but boring) one among them. This was his signature trait for the first half of the show, until his second divorce loosened him up somewhat.
The reason for Ross’ apparently boring personality in the show’s earliest seasons is because of his unrequited love for Rachel. Their romance was the crux of the show, and Ross had some terrible luck. The timeline of Ross and Rachel’s relationship was all over the place throughout this period, and it wasn’t until he divorced from Emily, moved on from Rachel, and started looking after himself that he became much happier and funnier.
Friends Season 5 Embraced The Wildest Aspects Of David Schwimmer’s Character
The Character Was Finally Allowed To Exist On His Own
Ross and Ben in Friends
After the divorce, Ross became a completely different character. He was much less downtrodden and melancholic, with David Schwimmer clearly shifting his performance to make the character more traditionally funny. Some of Friends’ best episodes are the ones where Schwimmer is given free rein to lean into the slapstick side of his character, with stories such as “The One With All The Resolutions” and “The One With Ross’ Sandwich” standing out as highlights of the show. It’s no coincidence they were both post-divorce episodes.
Throughout the show, Schwimmer consistently proved himself to be one of Friends’ most talented actors, playing both the comedic and dramatic sides of his character incredibly well.
Throughout the show, Schwimmer consistently proved himself to be one of Friends’ most talented actors, playing both the comedic and dramatic sides of his character incredibly well. It’s for this reason that Ross and Rachel’s romance worked so effectively, as it was easy to believe their love for each other – but that couldn’t be the case forever. Their on-and-off dynamic eventually became stale, and it was making both characters less interesting as a result. The show’s brilliance came from seeing these friends having fun together, and that wasn’t possible when two of them were constantly pining over each other.
Friends’ Reinvention Of Ross Gave The Sitcom A Second Life After Season 5
The Show Couldn’t Have Sustained 10 Seasons Without This Major Change
By completely reinventing Ross’ character after his second divorce, Friends gave itself the much-needed boost that allowed it to continue for another five seasons. The writers clearly had to rethink their priorities during this period, and it probably helped that Monica and Chandler had just stepped into the spotlight as the show’s latest couple. This meant that Ross and Rachel could take a back seat, giving them more lighthearted stories without too much pressure.
Monica and Chandler ended up being Friends’ best couple, and it soon became clear that Ross and Rachel were more entertaining characters when they were apart. It’s shocking that this discovery didn’t come until the show’s fifth season, but when that clicked, the characters finally reached their full potential. The romantic elements were still there, but Ross was no longer shrouded by guilt and embarrassment in the way that often made his scenes in Friends difficult to watch.
