25 of the most memorable TV teachers

Ross Geller – Friends

It’s easy to forget that the goofy, hot-tempered Ross Geller is a professor. Wait … no it’s not, because he constantly reminds everyone all the time. He’s really kind of obnoxious about it, and he can get a little pretentious for a dude with a doctorate in dinosaurs.

What’s funny about Ross as a teacher, however, is all that confidence he shows when he’s in front of his friends completely disappears when he gets in front of his students. He even commits to a British accent because he is too afraid to walk the mistake back.  Monica and Rachel discover this bit of hilarity and, of course, tease him endlessly about it.

He’s also had his fair share of screw-ups — some of his own making, and some out of just dumb luck. At one point in the series, his classes are so far from each other that he misses the first half of one because he couldn’t get there in time. I’ll admit here, I moonlight as a college professor, and this really is a real and present problem. Just like Ross, I’ve often shown up to a class sweaty and panting, having sprinted from the previous one.

On the other hand, there are many times that Ross creates situations for himself that are in complete opposition to his own best interest. Screaming at a colleague because they ate your sandwich is usually frowned upon. But dating a student goes far and beyond the boundaries of appropriate behavior. It’s actually kind of gross, and it’s actionable at some universities. Just saying.

Every season is available on Netflix.