This Is The Worst Lie Ross Told On Friends
Over the course of the show's 10 seasons, "Friends" fans have seen the six main characters do some pretty stupid things, many of which included over-the-top lies. Each friend in the group had their moments of dishonesty, but some fibbed more than others. Phoebe Buffay (Lisa Kudrow) was the most honest of all the friends, and Monica Geller (Courteney Cox) also stayed on the straight-and-narrow most of the time — except for the time she pretended she wasn't actually in a relationship with Chandler Bing (Matthew Perry).
Chandler, Joey Tribbiani (Matt LeBlanc), and Ross Geller (David Schwimmer) all lied a good bit during their tenure on the show, but the lattermost might have the worst track record of all. Ross was always getting caught in lies, whether they were small white lies or moments of incredible dishonesty. We saw Ross lie about being "fine" when Joey and Rachel Green (Jennifer Aniston) dated, and we also saw him cheat on Rachel during their "break." While his infidelity was one of his worst moments on the show, it definitely wasn't the worst lie Ross ever told.
The worst lie Ross told affected Rachel in a big way
Ross had his share of dishonest moments, and when tallying them up, it's quite surprising just how often he lied. But the worst lie he ever told on "Friends" came in Season 6, Episode 1 — and it's pretty abysmal.
In the Season 5 finale episode, we see Ross and Rachel drunkenly tie the knot in Las Vegas; the Season 6 premiere, aptly entitled "The One After Vegas," deals with the aftermath. Ross tries to get Rachel to stay married, as he's trying to avoid having another failed marriage to join the two previous ones that fell apart, but she rightfully refuses. He then says he will get their marriage annulled, and leads Rachel to believe that he does, but Ross doesn't do it.
While Ross has done some pretty scummy things, lying to Rachel about their annulment definitely rises to the top of his list. Not only is this ethically reprehensible, but there are also legal ramifications to it that could have been disastrous to an unknowing Rachel. Ross even lets her move into his apartment after Monica and Chandler move in together, making his lie all the worse. Thankfully, Rachel finds out about Ross' lie in Season 6, Episode 4 ("The One Where Joey Loses His Insurance"), and she absolutely loses it on Ross while he's giving a lecture.
The pair end up getting a divorce as a judge rules that they don't qualify for an annulment. At the end of the episode, Ross and Rachel sign their divorce papers, culminating in a very tense moment where Ross accidentally admits — without saying it — that he stayed married to Rachel because he still loves her.