The six characters at the heart of Friends remain some of television’s most recognizable and beloved personalities, but only one of them experienced zero development during the show’s run. Friends initially aired between 1994 and 2004, following the exploits of a group of twenty-somethings living in New York. Across the 10 seasons of Friends, the six main characters experienced many ups and downs in their personal and professional lives that changed them in some way. All except one of them.
It was a massive hit when first airing, but Friends has remained popular with new generations too, largely thanks to reruns and streaming. Though the series largely still holds up today, some aspects of Friends have not aged well, and even certain aspects of the Central Perk Six look dated in hindsight. One character in particular exemplifies this, as they are the only member of the main cast to not develop or grow as a person across the entire 10-season narrative.
The show spoils for choice, but from “The One Where Everybody Finds Out” to “The Last One: Part Two,” these Friends episodes are the best of all time.
Ross’ on-again, off-again relationship with Rachel was Friends’ most prominent ongoing storyline, providing much of the show’s emotional heft. Outside of his romance with Rachel, Ross’ numerous failed Friends relationships, including his three unsuccessful marriages, were sources of mockery among the other characters. Despite his various break-ups, however, Ross never seemed to learn from any of them and, as a result, never grew as a character. A storyline from an episode of the show’s tenth season proves this.
Ross Gellar was played by David Schwimmer, who was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for his work on the show.
During the early seasons of Friends, Ross was shown to be jealous and insecure in his relationship with Rachel. He felt uncomfortable about Rachel’s friendship with her co-worker Mark, and became increasingly paranoid that she might cheat. Ross’ jealousy likely stemmed from the fact that his first wife, Carol, left him for someone else, but that does not excuse the way he treated Rachel. Skip forward to season 10 episode “The One With Princess Consuela,” and Ross was still repeating the exact same behavior.
Friends started with Ross being jealous and insecure and ended with him being jealous and insecure.
The B-plot of “The One With Princess Consuela” involved Rachel bumping into Mark, who offered her a new job. Ross, who was not dating Rachel at that point, immediately worried that Mark was trying to sleep with Rachel – a direct mirror of the events from season 3. The repetition of this storyline was played for laughs, with Chandler even quipping, “It’s seven years ago. My time machine works!” However, the events of the episode only demonstrated how little Ross changed between season 1 and season 10. Friends started with Ross being jealous and insecure and ended with him being jealous and insecure.
Every Other Main Friends Character Developed During The Show
They All Changed In Their Own Ways
Every character in Friends aside from Ross underwent a transformation from the first episode to the last. Rachel started as a ditzy daddy’s girl, dependent on her father’s money, and grew into an independent single mother with a job in fashion. Chandler was, at first, a commitment-phobe who later became a loving husband and father. Monica, although always high-maintenance, learned to be less so, while Phoebe discovered that she could lead a traditional lifestyle while retaining her quirks. Even Joey matured, becoming more respectful of the women he dated during later seasons.
Ross is the odd one out. Ross’ lack of development doesn’t just make Friends rewatches more frustrating, especially when viewed through a modern lens, it also raises questions about the Friends finale’s happy ending. Ross and Rachel got back together, the implication being that they will live happily ever after. The fact that Ross never showed any willingness or ability to change, however, undermines this – especially given that he was his same old jealous self only a few episodes prior.