Matthew Perry, known for his role as Chandler Bing on “Friends,” died at his Los Angeles home on Saturday at 54, as reported by the Deseret News.
Perry’s performance as the awkward-but-lovable wisecrack Chandler Bing catapulted him into the spotlight. He starred in several movies and TV shows during and after “Friends” concluded such as “17 Again” and “Fools Rush In,” but his role as Chandler is decidedly his most memorable performance and perhaps the character he related to most.
“It was as if someone had followed me around for a year, stealing my jokes, copying my mannerisms, photocopying my world-weary yet witty view of life …” Perry wrote in his 2022 memoir, per the BBC. “It wasn’t that I thought I could play Chandler; I was Chandler.”
“I didn’t know it yet, but my way of speaking would filter into the culture across the next few decades. For now, though, I was just trying to find interesting ways into lines that were already funny, but that I thought I could truly make dance.”
Here are five of Matthew Perry’s best episodes as Chandler Bing.
1. ‘The One with the Blackout’
Amid a New York City-wide power blackout, Chandler finds himself “trapped … in an ATM vestibule … with Jill Goodacre!” — a Victoria’s Secret model — who leaves him tongue tied. Chandler informs his friends back home of his situation and eventually plucks up enough courage to interact with the cool and collected model.
Chandler’s internal monologue throughout the scene provides viewers with a hilarious introduction to his anxious, yet relatable, disposition.
Episode: Season 1, Episode 7.
2. ‘The One when Chandler Can’t Remember Which Sister’
After a tough breakup with Janice, Chandler drinks a little too much at Joey’s birthday party and kisses one of the seven Tribbiani sisters — who happen to all look, dress and talk the same. The following day, Chandler can’t remember which sister he wound up with.
In a lousy attempt to identify Mary Angela over dinner with the Tribbiani family, Chandler make a series of unfortunate mistakes which land him in hot water and leave Joey contemplating whether he deserves to get punched.
Episode: Season 3, Episode 11.
3. ‘The One With All the Rugby’
In a desperate attempt to escape his (obnoxious) ex-girlfriend, Janice, Chandler pretends he is moving to Yemen for work. One $2,100 plane ticket and a series of lies later, Chandler announces, “Well then I guess I’m going to Yemen!”
Chandler’s fake move to Yemen is not the main plotline in the episode, but it still makes for one of his funniest moments.
Episode: Season 4, Episode 15.
4. ‘The One with the Proposal’
It’s only fitting that Monica would initiate a marriage proposal to Chandler. When Monica becomes overwhelmed with emotion, Chandler takes the lead.
“I thought that it mattered what I said or where I said it. Then, I realized, the only thing that matters is you. You make me happier than I ever thought I could be. And if you let me, I will spend the rest of my life trying to make you feel the same way,” Chandler tells Monica in one of his most vulnerable scenes of the series.
Episode: Season 6, Episode 24
5. ‘The One with Rachel’s Date’
No one knows what Chandler does for a living. Its one of the longest running bits of the series. Not only is his career a mystery, he bombs every interview, falls asleep during meetings and lets his colleague call him “Toby.”
Too awkward to make a correction, Chandler lets his co-worker, Bob, call him by the wrong name for five years. When Bob asks for help getting revenge on a guy named Chandler Bing who kept him from getting a promotion because he “isn’t 11th floor material,” Chandler winds up destroying his own office.
Episode: Season 8, Episode 5.