If you've ever used the phrase "we were on the break" (hopefully as a joke), or shouted "Pivot!" while trying to move a bulky piece of furniture up a flight of stairs, never forget — that's Ross Geller you're quoting.
Everyone in "Friends" is funny, and it's easy to recall laughing at a Chandler quip or a Phoebe song, but Ross is side-splittingly funny. When you focus solely on his worst qualities, you ignore the fact that without Ross, many of the show's most iconic moments simply would not exist. If you chuckle whenever you get a spray-tan, laugh when you see a pair of leather pants, or grin when you see a turkey sandwich, then it's Ross you're thinking of. And that's fine, as Ross might say — just fiiiine.
For all of his numerous character flaws and insecurities, Ross makes people laugh, and that's what every comedy character should do. The fact that he's snobby, selfish, and makes all of his own problems worse, over and over, is the point. So is the fact that he's the most educated friend with the most stable job, but still got caught trying to heist tons of hotel toiletries after he and Chandler took an ill-fated trip to a Vermont hotel together. Whether it's being told off for his pretentious vocabulary or taking simple pleasure in hanging around dinosaur bones, Ross gets people laughing harder than anything else on the show. And between the jokes, the relatability, and the flaws, an honest examination makes it clear that Ross Geller is not just the best character on "Friends," but the very reason the show works as a whole.
