The Ultimate Ranking of Ross' Girlfriends: Who Was Ross' Perfect Match?

Summary

Ross went through a series of romantic encounters with twelve women during his time on Friends, and although many of these relationships were fleeting, there were a few that proved to be promising matches for him.

Ross's pursuit of love became a central storyline throughout the show, and his ups and downs in the realm of romance added an element of relatability and ensured that the series remains a favorite for many viewers.

Ross Geller, known for his iconic role as one half of Friends' ultimate couple with Rachel, had a undeniable love for her. However, throughout the show's ten seasons, Ross also had other relationships. In fact, he dated a total of twelve women and even married three of them. Despite considering himself unlucky in love, Ross made an effort to find compatibility in his relationships. Some of the women he dated, although brief, proved to be great matches for him.

As is the case with many sitcoms of the era, romance and intimate relationships are a significant aspect of Friends. Each main character experienced multiple romantic flings of various lengths, but perhaps the most intriguing dating life belonged to Ross. With his endearing goofball personality, Ross encountered numerous trials and tribulations in the realm of romance, making the show relatable and highly rewatchable. Ranging from manipulative women to finding his true love, this list presents all of Ross' girlfriends in Friends, categorized according to compatibility.

Jill (Season 6)

Jill, portrayed by Reese Witherspoon as a guest star in the Friends series, stands out as the most incompatible and possibly the most problematic of Ross' girlfriends. Her intentions for pursuing a romantic relationship with Ross are entirely focused on her own interests. It becomes evident that she never genuinely cared for Ross, a fact of which he remains oblivious throughout their encounters.

Elizabeth (Season 6)

In order to seek revenge on her elder sister Rachel, she feigns an interest in him and shares a few of his hobbies. However, Ross remains oblivious to Jill's manipulative schemes initially, putting him in an unfortunate position as he becomes entangled in the midst of a sisterly dispute. While Ross may make unwise choices in his romantic life, he never intentionally takes advantage of someone.

Elizabeth was a girl with a sweet disposition, but her relationship with Ross in Friends was fraught with problems. Initially, she was one of Ross's students in the sixth season of the show before eventually becoming one of his girlfriends. Once the semester concluded, they began dating. However, due to the significant age difference and the circumstances of their initial encounter, their pairing always felt somewhat off. Ultimately, these factors contributed to the relationship's downfall.

Ross was an adult with a career and a young son. Meanwhile, Elizabeth was still a college student who didn't yet share the same concerns or interests as Ross and his friends. If Elizabeth had been a few years older or not in his class, the outcome might have been different. However, at that time when they met, Elizabeth lacked the maturity required for Ross's stage in life. This created a challenging power dynamic, making her one of the most ill-fitting of Ross's girlfriends.

Chloe (Season 3)

Chloe and Ross do not have a formal dating status. Instead, their one-night encounter significantly impacts another relationship in Ross' life. Chloe is the notorious woman referred to by the guys at the copy place, known for her belly button ring. During Ross' "break" from Rachel, he spends the night with Chloe.

The audience is left with limited insight into her character, relying solely on the perspectives of Ross, Joey, and Chandler. Besides their mutual attraction, no genuine effort is made by Ross and Chloe to pursue a deeper connection or explore a potential relationship after their one-night stand. As a result, the audience remains uninformed about whether this decision was the right one or if Chloe could have been a suitable match for Ross.

Janice (Season 5)

Janice's turbulent relationship with Chandler in Friends was characterized by frequent breakups and reconciliations. However, in season 5, she unexpectedly entered Ross's romantic life, initially as a result of a casual encounter. At this time, Ross was grappling with the emotional impact of his ex-wife Emily's impending remarriage. Surprisingly, he found solace in Janice's empathetic nature and appreciated her willingness to lend him a sympathetic ear.

Although Ross would have continued to date her, it was Janice who ultimately ended their relationship. Janice may have had a reputation for being irritaing and bothersome among their group of friends, but Ross' constant complaining became so unbearable that she couldn't tolerate it anymore. In the long run, their constant nitpicking of each other's flaws would have caused too much annoyance and resentment.

Bonnie (Season 3)

Ross's relationship with Bonnie marked a significant turning point after his breakup with Rachel in the third season of Friends. It was Phoebe who played matchmaker, introducing Bonnie to Ross. To Ross's pleasant surprise, he found himself genuinely enamored by Bonnie's infectious personality and zest for life. She was outgoing, carefree, and refreshingly different from both Rachel and any other women Ross had dated previously.

However, it was evident from the outset that the relationship was not meant for the long haul. Ross still harbored unresolved feelings for Rachel, prompting him to abruptly end things with Bonnie when the opportunity arose, albeit for a fleeting period of time. Moreover, Ross displayed an immense shallowness when it came to Bonnie's appearance, unable to look past her decision to shave her head at Rachel's behest.

Cheryl (Season 4)

Cheryl possessed a multitude of desirable qualities. Not only did she possess exceptional attractiveness, but she also pursued a profession in paleontology, making her unexpectedly compatible with Ross. Unlike most of his past girlfriends, he could engage in meaningful conversations about their work. However, there was an enormous obstacle they faced: her untidiness—and it was not just the typical messiness one might expect. Her apartment was genuinely overwhelmed with trash.

Charlie (Season 9 -10)

Despite everything else being great about Cheryl, Ross made an attempt to move on from her. However, her unclean lifestyle turned out to be a deal-breaker. Considering Cheryl's reluctance to consider tidying up, it was probably for the best. Since Ross was accustomed to his sister's preference for cleanliness and organization, he wouldn't have been able to adapt to Cheryl's disorderly and untidy living conditions.

Although Charlie shared Ross's occupation as a paleontology professor and held the same level of intellect as Cheryl, she exhibited a certain ambiguity when it came to her personal aspirations. What set her apart was her amiable nature, which enabled her to effortlessly blend with Ross's circle of friends.

Ross had initially intended to ask her out when they first crossed paths in season 9. However, fate had different plans as she began dating Joey instead. Eventually, she ended things with Joey and entered into a relationship with Ross, only to later leave him to reunite with her ex. It became evident that Charlie was searching for specific qualities in a partner, qualities that she was unable to find in anyone she encountered. If only she had been more certain about her desired companion, perhaps things could have turned out differently—or, at the very least, Ross could have been spared from the heartache.

Emily (Season 4 - 5)

Emily, whom Ross met and married in season 4, was deeply despised by many Friends fans. The rapid transition from his breakup with Rachel to a serious relationship with Emily appeared as a betrayal of his past connection. However, it is important to acknowledge that none of this was Emily's fault. While some viewers may have preferred to eliminate this storyline entirely, others believe it would have been better to introduce it later on, allowing for some breathing space between Ross' romantic involvements.

Despite Emily's initial love and support for Ross, her decision to move to New York with him ultimately led to a shift in their dynamic. Following Ross' slip-up of mentioning Rachel's name at their wedding, Emily's behavior became controlling, understandable given the circumstances. However, as their relationship deteriorated, her incessant need to monitor Ross' whereabouts and actions became the defining characteristic of her character. In retrospect, Ross should have been forthcoming about his mixed emotions from the beginning.

Mona (Season 8)

Ross encountered Mona for the first time at Monica and Chandler’s wedding and quickly won her affection. Unfortunately, their relationship coincided with Ross discovering that Rachel was expecting his child. With the chaos engulfing his life, Ross frequently neglected to remember Mona or disclose the truth about his situation. He failed to prioritize his bond with Mona, which ultimately led to a catastrophic outcome.

Carol (Season 1)

After Ross deceived Rachel by concealing the fact that Rachel had moved into his apartment, Mona eventually decided to end their relationship. It was truly regrettable, though, as out of all the women Ross had dated, Mona appeared to be the most accepting of his idiosyncrasies. Moreover, she found pleasure in his occasional outpouring of trivial information. If the circumstances had been different, these two individuals might have formed a truly special bond.

Ross' first wife was Carol. At the beginning of Friends, they had recently ended their relationship because Carol had revealed that she was a lesbian. Despite this, Carol became involved with Susan, but since she was pregnant with Ross' child, she remained a significant part of his life. They both decided to co-parent Ben, even though they may have had conflicting ideas about how to approach parenting.

Julie (Season 1 - 2)

Despite their breakup, the two maintained a friendly relationship. As their interactions unfolded throughout the show, it became evident that, at one point, they could have been a great couple. In fact, she might even be considered Ross' best ex-partner in the entire Friends series. However, the issue with Carol is that they probably should have never been a romantic pair in the first place. They would have been better suited as friends right from the start. Carol genuinely comprehended Ross' idiosyncrasies and handled them much better than some of his other girlfriends. Additionally, she played a crucial role as a mediator between her wife and ex-husband once they all began co-parenting Ben.

During a business trip to China, Ross and Julie became involved romantically. Little did Ross know, back home, Rachel had recently learned about his long-standing affection for her and had begun to reciprocate his feelings. If Rachel had not been a factor in Ross' life, Julie would have been an almost ideal candidate among his girlfriends.

The pair exhibited remarkable compatibility; Julie, a paleontologist, possessed traits of being fun and sweet and even managed to get along well with Ross' acquaintances. However, the only downside for Ross and the fans was that she wasn't Rachel. Despite Ross evidently being content with Julie, he still couldn't let go of his affection for his little sister's best friend. If Ross had encountered Julie at a later point in the series, rather than when Rachel discovered his unrequited love for her, fans might have rallied behind Julie instead.

Rachel (Season 1 - 10)

Throughout the entire series of Friends, it was evident that Ross and Rachel were destined to be together. They experienced their fair share of obstacles, but in the end, they found their way back to each other, and it came as no surprise. Ross's compatibility with his other girlfriends in the show becomes almost irrelevant because his heart never strays from Rachel. Despite the fact that other women may have been more suitable for him, he would always compare them to Rachel. Although Rachel and Ross may not have shared as many common interests as some of his other love interests, they fit together perfectly and completed each other.

Ross may have been upset about trivial matters, but Rachel remained calm and rational, offering support and guidance. Similarly, Ross was able to listen and provide reasonable explanations when Rachel was upset. They could discuss almost anything, with the exception of their differing interpretations of a "break." Furthermore, their bond extended back to their childhood, and even when they were apart, it felt as though their relationship was simply paused. Ultimately, Ross's heart belonged to Rachel in Friends.