Matthew Perry’s Chandler Bing Was the Linchpin of ‘Friends’
The news of Matthew Perry’s passing is a gut punch in so many ways. It’s almost like losing a friend. And for all the generations that have watched the entire run of the wildly successful, game-changing show Friends, it’s a very tough pill to swallow as well. Perry as Chandler Bing is one of the most iconic characters of modern television, and his impact on Friends cannot be overstated. Chandler was the glue that held the group together in so many ways, from being the guy who introduced Joey (Matt LeBlanc) to Ross (David Schwimmer) and the rest of the gang, to his hilariously sarcastic but effortless chemistry with Monica (Courteney Cox), as well as his dynamics with Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) and Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow). His kind and super sarcastic methods were both charming and disarming in a way that made everything feel okay when things were awkward, and his organic and heartwarming friendship and eventually romance with Monica unforgettably carried the last few seasons of the sitcom phenomenon.
Without Chandler, Joey and Ross Would Never Have Met on ‘Friends’
Chandler and Ross grew up together, and some of the scenes that take place during their high school years are some of the best on Friends. Forced to pick one, we would be hard-pressed to come up with a better episode than when Chandler was sporting his Flock of Seagulls ’80s glam/synth rock star look and Ross did his best Don Johnson impersonation from Miami Vice. Their friendship is sort of grandfathered into the show, so when Chandler took on a young Joey Tribbiani as a roommate in the first season, he introduced the best friend from his past to the guy who would become his ride-or-die buddy throughout the show.
The three guys of Friends essentially came together because of Chandler; in other words, the three of them would never have been as close as they were without him. Together, Chandler and Joey shared more experiences than we could possibly list off over the show’s 10-season run — but it’s probably their foosball games, dual reclining chairs in front of that huge big-screen TV, and ability to be confidants as well as roommates that we remember most. Even when they were fighting, it was hilarious — like the episode where Joey put on a dozen layers from Chandler’s closet and waddled into Monica and Rachel’s apartment. “Could I be wearing any more clothes?!”
As Chandler, Matthew Perry’s Effortless Charm Won Us All Over on ‘Friends’
Matthew Perry’s Chandler had a sarcasm that was disarming before his charm ultimately won us over. Given that he didn’t initially present as potential boyfriend material (at least during the first half of Friends’ run), Monica, Rachel, and Phoebe were always at their most relaxed and laid-back when they were with him. There was no messy Ross/Rachel (“We were on a break!”) dynamic going on, or the over-the-top “How you doin’?” approach that Joey made his unforgettable catchphrase.
Instead, Chandler had a knack for noticing the small things about his friends, not to mention a hilarious and unique way of expressing himself. He was the type of guy who could be Ross’s best friend while also maintaining a cool relationship with Ross’s little sister — that is until he couldn’t anymore and Chandler and Monica hooked up, eventually becoming one of the best couples in television history. Who could forget one of the most memorable Friends moments in which Monica got an uncooked turkey stuck on her head — just in time for Chandler to admit he was truly in love with her?
Chandler and Monica Had the Best Character Arcs in ‘Friends’
While the Ross and Rachel of it all no doubt hooked viewers and reeled them in during the first few seasons of Friends, it was Chandler and Monica’s fully formed and organic relationship that carried the show through to the finish line. Things had gotten so messy and uncomfortable with the on-again off-again nature of Ross and Rachel’s dysfunctional dynamic that the innocence of Chandler and Monica gave Friends a second wind of sorts. It also offered the audience a partnership that truly evolved over the last few seasons, especially as the two took some serious life steps forward together and grew up — both as a couple and as individual characters.
From sneaking around like teenagers in order to keep their romance a secret to getting married, planning for a family, and eventually moving out of the sacred apartment that we all love so much, Chandler and Monica were the most well-written and fully formed players in the series. It was great to see Perry’s character evolve from a glib and snarky (albeit astute and hilarious) twenty-something to a responsible man ready to move on to the next chapter of his life as a husband and father.
We Will Miss Matthew Perry
For many of us, Matthew Perry was Chandler Bing, an actor who parlayed his success on Friends into some memorable roles on the big screen in The Whole Nine Yards with Bruce Willis and Fools Rush In opposite Salma Hayek. We will remember the rapier-like wit that he wielded with such ease on-screen, despite some very difficult things that he was dealing with in his personal life during the halcyon days of Friends and also following the show’s run. He was a master comedic actor whose timing was integral to Friends’ long-running success.
If you were to poll the entire world about their favorite Friends star, or about which of the six friends the show could not afford to lose, Chandler Bing would probably get the most love — and by a landslide. For those of us who spent countless hours watching the group congregate at Central Perk and bouncing back and forth through the hallways between apartments, this one hurts. A part of our youth has been ushered away with Perry’s passing, but we can only be grateful that we can still turn on our televisions and remember why he made us feel so good for thirty minutes at a time.
