8 Red Flags in 'Friends' that Should Have Sent Rachel Running from Ross
1. Impulsive behavior and commitment issues Despite being recently divorced and a new father, Ross jumps into new relationships without giving himself time to heal. He returns from China with a girlfriend in the season two premiere and quickly becomes engaged to Emily after just one date.
2. Lying and sabotage Ross lies about his relationship with Rachel to sabotage her potential love interest, Paolo.
3. Disregard for boundaries Ross shows a lack of respect for personal and professional boundaries. He keeps a sex tape secret, puts his career at risk by dating a student, and ignores Monica's request not to bring his pet monkey to their apartment.
4. Jealousy and insecurity When Rachel pursues her dream fashion career and forms a close bond with her coworker Mark, Ross becomes jealous and insecure.
5. Secretly staying married After getting married during a drunken weekend in Las Vegas, Ross keeps their marriage a secret by not filing the annulment papers. This keeps Rachel in the dark and leads to justified anger when she finds out.
6. Condescending and arrogant behavior Ross consistently belittles Rachel's intelligence and imposes his own opinions on her.
7. Anger management issues Ross frequently displays anger issues, resorting to physical violence and yelling. He gets into fights over small issues, yells at his friends for making him late, and even loses his job due to his aggression.
8. Vindictiveness After their breakup, Ross engages in a petty feud with Rachel, arguing over custody of their mutual friends and making a scene about getting his belongings back.
He even starts dating Rachel's younger sister, which is a clear act of revenge. Overall, Ross showcases numerous red flags that should have sent Rachel running. His impulsive behavior, lies, disregard for boundaries, jealousy, secretiveness, condescension, anger issues, and vindictiveness paint a troubling picture of a partner. Rachel deserved better.