Ross Geller vs Ted Mosby: Battle of the "Nice Guys"
Which nice guy will finish last? Welcome to MsMojo, and in this installment of Versus, we’re comparing two ultimate sitcom “Nice Guys” — Ross Geller and Ted Mosby.
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00:00and I'm going to sit them all down and explain to them that I am not a bad guy.
00:04I am not a cheap guy."
00:05Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and in this installment of Versus,
00:09we're comparing two ultimate sitcom nice guys, Ross Geller and Ted Mosby.
00:14The trope includes some positive attributes,
00:17but the niceness is also fake in several places.
00:20Because of this, we're considering who measures up best to the archetype,
00:24for better or worse, for each round.
00:26Give a guy a chance. Self-respect is overrated.
00:32Round one, better friend.
00:34The Friends fan base tends to give Ross a lot of flack for being selfish,
00:39and while that's true to an extent, he does exhibit caring qualities towards his friends.
00:44We're still going awe for the time when he gave Phoebe the pink bike.
00:48Oh my god, my first bike.
00:52Thank you for the best present I've ever gotten.
00:55You're welcome.
00:56Ross isn't as close to Joey as Chandler,
00:58but he's the one who helps Joey after he loses his job at Days of Our Lives.
01:03He kisses Joey to help him with an audition.
01:05Damn it, I am a good friend, so just shut up and close your eyes.
01:13Wow, you are a good friend.
01:16And despite being left behind for a ski trip,
01:19Ross drives all the way to the middle of nowhere to help his friends.
01:22He may butt heads with the group on occasion,
01:24but Ross does stick up for them whenever he can.
01:27You guys should, you guys should go.
01:30No, um, you know, you planned this all out and
01:35I don't want to ruin it, so you guys should just go.
01:37Although he's sometimes estranged from them,
01:40Ted lives up to his reputation as everyone's best friend within his group.
01:44You don't want to tell me what's wrong?
01:46Fine, I don't need to know.
01:49But you can never stop me from trying to cheer you up.
01:52It's a fact of life.
01:53When his friends need someone to talk to, Ted drops everything for them.
01:57He supports Robin and Lily during their crises with careers and relationships,
02:02even if they lash out at him.
02:03It's just really, really hard, Ted.
02:09Have you talked to Marshall about how you feel?
02:11Ted sticks with Marshall through thick and thin,
02:13staying by his side when Lily leaves him and after his father's death.
02:17Despite his reluctance, Ted goes with Barney's antics,
02:20completing every requirement from the bro code along the way.
02:24And if they've lost sight of what's important, Ted gives them a reality check.
02:28All you ever talk about is having kids,
02:31and now you have one little freak out you want to get a dog instead?
02:34No, unacceptable.
02:36With both Ross and Ted displaying positive attributes here, this round ends in a tie.
02:42Round Two.
02:43Worst Character Development
02:45We feel bad for Ross when we first meet him.
02:47He's been dumped by his wife, has to fight to be in his child's life,
02:51and has unrequited feelings for Rachel.
02:53God, is he just the sweetest thing?
02:56You must just want to kiss him all over.
03:03That would be nice.
03:04However, Ross sheds his more sympathetic traits as the show progresses.
03:08Remember when he shamed Phoebe for believing her mother's reincarnation?
03:12Enough is enough.
03:14Look, I am sorry that you feel guilty or whatever about spending time with your new mom,
03:18but this is not your old mom.
03:20This is a cat.
03:21In earlier seasons, we have to believe Ross wouldn't have behaved in such a cavalier manner,
03:26particularly since he said he found Phoebe's quirks endearing.
03:30Don't listen to him, Phoebs, all right?
03:32I think it's endearing.
03:33Ross also goes from a quieter person with occasional outbursts
03:37to someone prone to ranting about himself.
03:39This is a man who held his own memorial and complained when nobody showed.
03:44It's been an hour and not one of my classmates has shown up.
03:47I tell you, when I actually die, some people are gonna get seriously haunted.
03:51Compared to his origins, later seasons make Ross out to be an entitled know-it-all
03:55who's unwilling to compromise.
03:58Similar to Ross, Ted also goes from a general nice guy to just an obnoxious man.
04:03Can't believe you called her.
04:05Why don't you just ask her to lunch while you're at it?
04:08Because, Lily, I'm not gonna ask her out to lunch... again.
04:12Initially looking for the one, he begins using his quest as a cover to date mean-spirited
04:18and strange women like Karen and Jeanette.
04:20It's pretty telling that future Ted calls himself a jerk.
04:23What a jerk.
04:25However, Ted's development is stunted because he's obsessed with Robin.
04:29In the first episode, he meets and falls for her.
04:31In the finale, he's still in love with her and has pined for her for 25 years.
04:37You mean to sit down and listen to this story about how you met mom?
04:40Yet mom is hardly in the story.
04:43No, this is a story about how you're totally in love with Aunt Robin.
04:47While this isn't exactly an admirable quality, at least Ted doesn't devolve the way Ross does.
04:52So this round goes to the divorce force.
04:55Winner, Ross.
04:58Round Three.
04:59Neatiness, Pushiness.
05:01Phoebe's ex, Roger, has the right idea when he summed up the group.
05:05And you're all like, oh, define me.
05:08Define me.
05:09Love me.
05:10I need love.
05:11This describes Ross better than any of the others.
05:14Pretty much all he did during his relationship with Rachel was demand attention.
05:19After guilting her into spending time with him and bothering her at her job,
05:23Mark has the right idea about Ross.
05:25Wow, somebody wants people to know you have a boyfriend.
05:28But far from just his romances, this is ingrained in Ross's character.
05:33His insecurities manifest in the form of neediness, as he constantly seeks validation.
05:38On the off chance he's called out, Ross annoys people around him for support.
05:43Just tell me, please, please.
05:46For the 16th time, no, I do not think you're obsessive.
05:49Whether it's boosting his ego from being his parents' favorite,
05:52or finding someone to whine to, there's a good chance Ross is going to make it about himself.
05:57Ted isn't too behind Ross when it comes to being pushy.
06:00I love you, Robin.
06:03I'm serious.
06:06Do you remember why we broke up in the first place?
06:09We asked each other, where do you want to be in five years?
06:11You have to be really needy to pursue a love interest for a quarter of a century.
06:15He doesn't back down on being with Robin when basically everyone advises him otherwise.
06:19Not even after Robin rejects him several times.
06:22Do you love me?
06:30No.
06:31During their relationship, Ted continually tries to change Robin's views on marriage
06:35and children despite knowing she isn't comfortable with either.
06:39And it isn't just Robin, as Ted's relationships with Victoria,
06:43Natalie, Zoe, and Stella happened because he can't take no for an answer.
06:48His predictable behavior and subsequent meltdowns garner him the classic Schmosby tag.
06:57Classic Schmosby.
06:59But while Ted's neediness is restricted to romance,
07:02it's Ross's primary personality trait.
07:04So the round goes to the Rossatron.
07:07Winner, Ross.
07:09Round Four.
07:10Snobbiness.
07:12Part of Ross's nice guy act is coming across as more mature than his friends.
07:16Over time though, this devolves into being pretentious and snobby.
07:20Ever see a map or one of those round colorful things called a globe?
07:25His friends never ask him, but Ross is happy to dole out pointless trivia
07:28that occasionally serves as a backhanded attempt to appear smarter.
07:32His tendency to correct people's grammar is another aspect that his friends hate.
07:37Who gets who?
07:40Who gets whom?
07:43I don't know why I do that.
07:45Apart from wild claims like insisting he came up with Jurassic Park,
07:48he drags everyone along for things they don't want to be a part of.
07:52Remember when he made the gang stay up at night to watch the Burger King Comet?
07:55Hey, don't look at me.
07:56You're the one that wanted to come up here and look for some stupid Burger King Comet.
08:02It's called the Bapstein King Comet.
08:05Fortunately, his friends call him out on these issues just enough
08:08that Ross doesn't truly get out of hand.
08:10Ted tries to come across as well-learned and cultured so many times
08:15that his friends come up with a way to shut him up.
08:17You guys, you gotta try this Syrah.
08:20Hints of creme de cassis, red berries, toasty oats.
08:27Much like Ross, Ted has a habit of correcting people,
08:30although it goes beyond just grammar.
08:32It seems like his friends can barely stand him
08:35when they realize how snobbish he behaves on a daily basis.
08:38Well, technically awesome wouldn't be a catchphrase of anything.
08:40It's more of a catch word.
08:42I literally want to rip your head off.
08:44You mean figuratively!
08:46Whether it's droning on about the different flavors of wine,
08:49or shaming people for not pronouncing encyclopedia accurately,
08:53Ted has an endless list of snooty moments.
08:56Oh, you think it should be pronounced encyclopedia.
09:00It's a common mistake.
09:01But if you look up that squished together A-E symbol in this here encyclopedia,
09:05you'll learn that it's a ligature.
09:07This aspect goes so far that Ted begins to hate his own voice
09:10the one time he gets to show off in a room of admirers.
09:14Oh my god, I'm out of control.
09:17Listen to me, I'm completely unleashed.
09:19I'm the biggest douche on the planet.
09:21Since his pseudo-intellectualism is more irritating than funny,
09:25this round goes to Teddy West's side.
09:27Winner, Ted.
09:29Round 5.
09:30More fun.
09:31You know I hate practical jokes.
09:34They're mean and they're stupid and I don't want my son learning them.
09:38Ross doesn't partake in crazy antics as much as Chandler and Joey do.
09:42Still, he does have a wild side that makes him a fun person to be around.
09:46Whether it's partying with Gandalf or being down for a diehard marathon,
09:50he knows when to have a good time.
09:52We just saw it.
09:54And?
09:54And it would be cool to see it again.
09:56Yeah!
09:57Diehard!
10:00Dude, you didn't say diehard.
10:02However, the character does take a while to get in the mood,
10:05as his friends usually have to talk him into it.
10:07During the time he stays with Chandler and Joey,
10:10Ross's more tame lifestyle interferes with the duo so much
10:14that they consider getting rid of him.
10:15Uh, fellas?
10:23Okay, so he's out of here.
10:24He's also reluctant to engage in lighthearted behavior like pranks
10:28until someone brings that side out of him.
10:30Ted might think he's different from Barney,
10:32but he indulges in much of the same silliness.
10:35After all, it takes two people to lick the Liberty Bell.
10:38By God, he licked the Liberty Bell.
10:41And you know what it tastes like?
10:43What?
10:44Freedom.
10:46And it takes even more dedication to complete a successful
10:49teepee job at a laser tag place.
10:51Although he'd rather settle down, Ted enjoys his youth to the fullest.
10:55He's more than happy to engage in slap bets,
10:58food stuffing competitions, and Halloween-themed parties.
11:01Because of his love for grand gestures,
11:03Ted pulls off memorable events like arranging an entire light show for Robin
11:07and stealing an insanely expensive bottle of scotch for Barney.
11:11$600 bottle, Ted.
11:14That's grand larceny.
11:15You really could go to jail for this.
11:18That's the dream.
11:19His spontaneity is an underrated quality that many overlook,
11:22but it's good enough for this round to go to Schmoseby.
11:26Winner, Ted.
11:28Round Six, Funnier
11:30Ross might not have sarcastic remarks like Chandler
11:33or adorably goofy things to say like Joey,
11:36but he always finds himself in funny situations.
11:38I feel great.
11:41I feel great.
11:42I feel great.
11:45Wow, those pills really worked, huh?
11:48Yeah, not the first two, but the second two.
11:51In each season of Friends,
11:53there's at least one episode where something hilarious or humiliating,
11:57or both, happens to the character.
11:59Falling into an open grave?
12:01Check.
12:01Oversleeping on a train and landing in Canada?
12:04Check.
12:05Getting stuck in his own leather pants?
12:07You know how it ends.
12:09There's still a lot coming on, man,
12:11and the lotion and the powder have made a paste.
12:13Even Ross haters have to admit that he provides a ton of laughs.
12:17His dorkiness is charming in its own way.
12:19When paired with contrasting personalities like Joey or Phoebe,
12:23Ross is also responsible for some of the most memorable Friends episodes.
12:27We have to stop.
12:28No, I'm not stopping.
12:30I'm Red Ross.
12:31Dude, you go back out there, you're gonna be dead, Ross.
12:34Like Ross, Ted's comedic qualities usually play second fiddle to his friends.
12:39Ted, this is funny.
12:41Still funny.
12:43Still fu-
12:44And now it's sad.
12:46However, the character can get anyone laughing when he behaves out of character.
12:50Just like his friends, we love drunk Ted and his uninhibited mannerisms.
12:55Please can I see you every day?
13:00I love everyone in this bar!
13:02And we love you, drunk Ted.
13:04He also tends to land in awkward circumstances that will always be funny to watch.
13:08Whether it's getting stuck with a butterfly tattoo
13:11or teaching the wrong class without realizing it,
13:13Ted sure knows how to make a fool out of himself.
13:16At least he owns it.
13:17You can't convince him he didn't make it rain with his dance.
13:20Ted, you're the most romantic guy I know.
13:22You stole a blue French horn from me.
13:24You tried to make it rain.
13:25I did make it rain.
13:26It was a coincidence.
13:27But since his list of fails isn't quite as long,
13:30it's Red Ross who wins this round.
13:32Winner, Ross.
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13:50Round 7.
13:51Whininess
13:52From the very first time we ever see Ross, he delivers his trademark,
13:57Hi.
13:58In retrospect, this was a warning for a whole lot of whining to come.
14:02In his defense, he does have a lot going against him.
14:05However, Ross's refusal to take responsibility for his actions
14:08seeps away most of the sympathy we might feel for him.
14:11Even the people who take his side in the breakup with Rachel reach the end of their patience,
14:15mainly because he never lets anyone forget that they were on a break.
14:18We were on a break!
14:21Oh my god, if you say that one more time, I'm gonna break up with you.
14:25His whininess increases each time he gets divorced,
14:28as Ross keeps making excuses for his misfortunes.
14:31Honestly, you know what's bad when Janice thinks you're annoying.
14:34Unfortunately, I just don't think I can take another second of your whining.
14:40Ted's list of complaints expands with every season as well.
14:43Initially restricting himself to his bad luck with meeting The One,
14:47Ted progresses to whining about his job, his failed business,
14:50his friendships within the group, and of course, his failure to be with Robin.
14:55You know the answer.
14:57You want to talk about my top five?
14:59There's no top five, Robin.
15:01There's just a top one, and it's you.
15:03Ted's relentless second-guessing only makes things worse,
15:06consistently going back on his promises to move on and sulking about being alone.
15:11Keep waiting for it to happen, and waiting for it to happen, and...
15:14I guess I'm just, um, I'm tired of waiting.
15:21Near the end of the series, he drops any pretense and simply ruins happy occasions
15:26like other people's weddings to cry about his own problems.
15:30He's not called Schmoseby for nothing.
15:32After I lost my job last week, um, I was asked not to give this toast.
15:36No, no, no! The happy couple needs to hear this! Things end!
15:40However, while Ted is a grade-A whiner,
15:43he still doesn't complain nearly as much as Ross on average.
15:47So for better or for worse, Professor Geller ends up as our winner.
15:51Winner, Ross.
15:53Do you think we got it right?
15:54Who do you think embodies the nice guy trope more?
15:57Let us know in the comments.
15:59I don't know why it's coming out all loud and squeaky, because really, I'm fine.
16:04Do you agree with our picks?
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