Friends is one of the most beloved sitcoms of all time. The series continues to find new heights of popularity amidst newer generations, even today. The lasting legacy that the series left has made television history over the years.
The characters of Chandler Bing and Ross Geller were each other's oldest and closest friends, and absolutely pivotal to the group of friends going through the ups and downs of life in 1990s NYC. Actors Matthew Perry and David Schwimmer immortalized their roles with impeccable comic timing, however, each had sides to them that made them outshine the other.
Chandler: The One With All The Humor
Chandler Bing was the king of dry humor and sarcasm. So many of the hilarious situations in Friends are generated around Chandler's particular brand of humor.
Chandler did use humor as a defense mechanism at times, especially when he feels unable to cope with a serious situation. It helped him deal with his social awkwardness. However, his sarcasm was accepted in good faith by the others and was one of the defining traits of his character.
Ross: The One With More Sense
Ross was probably one of the most sensible of the gang, although he did behave pretty peculiarly at times. However, unlike Joey or Phoebe, Ross was rational and usually more logical in his thoughts.
Each character in Friends had something unique that defined them, and as far as Ross was concerned, he was usually the voice of reason and responsibility.
Chandler: The One With The Strength Of Character
Chandler had had a privileged upbringing, but he also faced some very difficult situations growing up. His parents divorced when he was quite small and his father came out of the closet and then went on to do burlesque. For a young child, this drastic change in his life would have been quite traumatic.
Chandler grew into a steady young man despite the troubles of his childhood, which obviously required his strength of character. He went on to marry a beautiful woman and have a family, in spite of his insecurities regarding relationships.
Ross: The One Woman Man
Ross Geller might have thought that he and Rachel were on a break and slept with the xerox girl in one very dubious move, but in general, he was a one-woman man.
Ross loved Rachel for the better part of his life and although the two went through endless drama in their own individual love lives, and even when they were together, Ross' feelings for Rachel never wavered. He was genuinely in love with her and would have willingly sacrificed his happiness for hers.
Chandler: The Amazing Friend
Chandler was a very genuine friend. Although he did mess up once by falling for Joey's then-girlfriend Kathy, he was also kind and generous and helped Joey stand on his feet as the latter struggled in his acting career.
It was Chandler who paid most of the rent that his roommate and best friend Joey were supposed to share. He also paid for Joey's headshots, accompanied him to auditions when he was nervous, and helped him out financially for years. As a friend, Chandler was undoubtedly one of the best.
Ross: A Great Family Man
Ross Geller might have had three divorces to his credit, but he was also a great family man when it really mattered. He was always present for Ben, his son from his first marriage to Carol, and he was very hands-on as a father to little Emma.
Ross was there for Rachel when she was pregnant, even though he freaked out at the news of her pregnancy, at first. He also dreamt of having that perfect family with Rachel and was an all-round family man.
Chandler: The Less Chauvinistic One
Ross came with certain toxic baggage, like chauvinism and homophobia. But Chandler was not a male chauvinist and although he had some questionable ideas about the fluidity of sexual identities, he generally meant well.
Chandler was also married to Monica, who was certainly more aggressive and domineering than he was himself. If anything, Chandler followed his wife's lead or at least went along with it to keep her happy, without having any major insecurities about his own masculinity.
Ross: Commitment Wasn't An Issue
A stereotype that popular television still uses about men, in general, is their inability to commit to a serious relationship. Both Chandler and Joey had serious commitment issues and ran whenever anything took a turn for the serious.
However, Ross was not one of these men. In fact, a running gag about him was his ability to commit at the drop of a hat, which resulted in some rather ridiculous situations, and three divorces.
Chandler: The One Who Evolved More
Chandler started out as the gawky, somewhat immature best friend of Ross Geller, who would make jokes that might or might not land and often get uncomfortable in social situations, making others feel awkward in the process.
However, by the end of the series, Chandler had become a married man who had risen above his insecurities and was even happy to adopt a baby -- or two -- to put a smile on his wife's face. Chandler's evolution was one of the most obvious character arcs on the show, unlike Ross, whose character didn't really grow too much, even after 10 years.
Ross: The Romantic One
Chandler and Ross both knew how to romance their women in their own ways, but Ross was the one who was more of a romantic, at heart. From taking Rachel on a unique date under the star-spangled sky in the planetarium to planning a proposal with the words "Will you marry me?" written across the planetarium's dome, Ross knew how to up the romance stakes.
Ross did commit too easily at times, but he was also sensitive and romantic and knew how to do things with a flourish. When Emily ran away after Ross messed up their wedding, the latter sent her 72 long-stemmed roses for every day he had known her. True, she sent them back hacked into pieces, but any other time, his efforts would have been hailed as desperately romantic.