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Friends might be one of the most beloved shows of all time, but let’s be honest, not every character that walked into Central Perk was exactly lovable. While the core six had their ups and downs, there were plenty of side characters (and even one or two main ones) who were just... the worst.
Some were selfish, some were toxic, and some were just plain annoying. Whether they caused drama, hurt the people we cared about, or just made every scene they were in unbearable, these characters definitely made their mark - and not in a good way. Here’s a breakdown of the ten worst characters on Friends, and exactly why we would’ve been perfectly fine never seeing them again.
Disclaimer: This article is based on the writer's opinion. Reader's discretion is advised.
Emily Waltham
Emily is easily one of the most disliked characters on Friends, and honestly, she kind of deserved it. Even though her relationship with Ross appears cute at first, she turns controlling and possessive almost overnight. After their disastrous wedding (where Ross says Rachel’s name at the altar, yes, bad move), Emily demands that Ross never see Rachel again. Not just see less of her, but never see her again. Given how close the group is, that’s basically asking him to cut out his best friends. Emily’s insecurity might have been understandable for a second, but she becomes toxic and irrational, trying to isolate Ross. Later in the series, she becomes cold, petty, and manipulative, losing any charm she had initially.
Ursula Buffay
Ursula Buffay is basically the anti-Phoebe. Where Phoebe is quirky but kind, Ursula is straight-up selfish and cruel. She doesn't care about Phoebe at all and does a bunch of unkind things to her, like selling her birth certificate or using her name to perform in adult films. Every time Phoebe tries to build some kind of connection, Ursula either ignores her or actively hurts her feelings. She’s not just a 'funny mean girl' — she’s selfish to the point of being genuinely awful.
Janice Litman-Goralnik
Janice is funny — for like, five minutes. Then she becomes the most annoying human being on Earth. She shows up constantly in Chandler’s life when he’s trying to move on, without any sense of boundaries. Additionally, she doesn't notice when she’s making people uncomfortable or outright miserable. Even when she’s being funny, it’s almost always at someone else’s expense. Deep down, Janice is a selfish character who doesn’t really grow or change, and if Chandler hadn’t finally matured, he probably would've been stuck in a miserable, high-pitched nightmare forever.
Kathy
Although Kathy was a nice character on the show, she went on to become someone who is deeply disliked by fans. She cheats on Joey by getting closer to Chandler behind Joey's back. She accuses Chandler of not trusting her enough, but then proves him right by going on to cheat on him with the exact guy Chandler was insecure of. Among all of Chandler and Joey's love interests, Kathy definitely has a place at the bottom of the list.
Judy Geller
Judy Geller is easily one of the most toxic parents on the show. From the moment we meet her, it’s obvious that she is extremely critical of Monica. No matter what Monica does, Judy finds a way to tear her down, whether it’s about her weight, her career, or just her life choices. She is extremely partial to her children and is highly biased towards her son. Judy makes a lot of mean comments towards her daughter and is often very negligent of her (Like when she told Rachel she was the daughter Judy never had). Although Jack Geller had his own flaws, too, he treated Monica with more respect than Judy ever did.
Susan Bunch
Susan is a complicated one, but she definitely had her awful moments. She’s incredibly rude to Ross from the start. While Ross obviously has his own flaws, Susan makes no effort to be civil, even for the sake of their son, Ben. She constantly mocks and belittles Ross, treating him like he’s irrelevant. She goes out of her way to make Ross feel unwelcome and unwanted. Throughout the show, she acts like she’s morally superior just because Ross was hurt by Carol’s affair. Even when there are moments where Susan is supportive toward Carol, her lack of empathy toward Ross (and willingness to alienate him from his son) is just awful.
Amy Green
Rachel’s sister might be funny in small doses, but spend five minutes with her and you realise she’s one of the most shallow, selfish characters on the show. She has zero sense of responsibility, empathy, or even basic kindness. She has no affection towards her niece (calling her Ella all the time) and yet demands that she get Emma's custody if Ross and Rachel die. She's insulting towards everyone and is constantly judgmental of all the characters. She’s hilarious for a couple of one-liners, but as a person? Completely awful.
Paolo
When Rachel meets Paolo, he seems like the stereotypical “hot foreign guy,” and that’s pretty much all he brings to the table - good looks and nothing else. He barely speaks English, which might be charming for like five minutes, but it quickly becomes clear that he’s just sleazy. He openly flirts with other women while dating Rachel and doesn’t even try to hide it. His groping of Phoebe while dating Rachel was both disturbing and invasive. Plus, he was just boring. Good riddance, Paolo.
Barry Finkle
The more we get to see Barry on the show, the more we realise why Rachel left him at the altar. Barry constantly gets involved with other women, cheating on Rachel with her best friend Mindy and then cheating on Mindy with Rachel. He also tries to pose himself as the victim in his relationship's failure with Rachel, even though the breakup happened because of him. Out of all the terrible exes in Friends, Barry is probably one of the most punchable.
Ross Geller
Although the main characters all had their flaws, Ross Geller is one who pretty much stands out. Where do we start? He’s jealous, controlling, insecure, and arrogant, and is the unacceptable person in his relationship with Rachel. His jealousy over Mark, her coworker, is so extreme that he shows up at her work, sends her gifts to "mark his territory," and refuses to trust her — all of which lead to their infamous breakup. He also hooks up with a woman moments after he and Rachel break up, and he tries to sabotage Rachel’s new relationships, being incredibly immature and petty. Ross’s need to be the "smartest" person in the room also gets old fast; he constantly corrects people and acts superior, which is extremely annoying.
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In the end, Friends gave us memorable characters, both loved and hated. While the core six stole the show, the annoying exes and over-the-top guest stars added essential drama. These characters, with all their flaws, kept us watching and proved that imperfections make a sitcom truly unforgettable.
Friends is available to watch on HBO Max.
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