Greetings, reader!
The comedy world lost a giant yesterday. By many accounts, F.R.I.E.N.D.S. (1994-2004) star Matthew Perry (1969-2023) lead a sad life, yet still he managed to make millions of people across the world (and across multiple generations) laugh countless times. And what a legacy that is - in today's world, we really need our share of laughter. Perry's character on F.R.I.E.N.D.S., Chandler Bing, was always my favorite from the series, both because of his impeccable sarcasm and his character growth and generally lovable nature - and in all of these, Perry's acclaimed performance played a huge part.
If you want to check out his other work, his Emmy-nominated 3-episode guest role as lawyer Joe Quincy on The West Wing (1999-2006) is very much worth checking out. But, if you want to pay homage to the actor by watching his work in his best-known role, here are the 10 F.R.I.E.N.D.S. episodes where he shines the most.
Here are my honorable mentions: my honorable mentions are only limited to the episodes where Chandler had multiple laugh-out-loud lines, and he could be argued to be the episode's MVP. So, every and any F.R.I.E.N.D.S. episode.
10. The Last One (Season 10 Episodes 17-18)
"You know it's twins, right?"
"Oh, yeah! These are the faces of two people who know!"
We all may have seen the series finale a million times, but that doesn't change the fact that Chandler rules at the end as much as he does in the beginning. The entire series ends with his arguably best joke: the brilliantly delivered "Sure, where?".
9. The One with the Birth Mother (Season 10 Episode 9)
"I really want a kid. And when that day finally comes, I'll learn how to be a good dad. But my wife...she's already there. She's a mother without a baby"
The storyline of Monica (Courtney Cox) and Chandler trying to adopt a baby has its emotional moments, and one of them comes here, when potential birth mother Erica (Anna Faris) starts to have reservations. Chandler's heartfelt monologue to her, centering on his love for his wife, is a real tear-jerker, acted with aplomb by the late Mr. Perry.
8. The One with the Metaphorical Tunnel (Season 3 Episode 4)
"I'm hopeless and awkward and desparate for love!"
This classic Janice (Maggie Wheeler) episode is an important one for Chandler's character growth, as he tries to get over his fear of commitment. Perry portrays his character's inner conflict with heart and with humor, and the episode also contains one of the character's most iconic individual lines.
7. The One with the Proposal (Season 6 Episodes 24-25)
"Hi, I'm Chandler, and I make jokes when I'm uncomfortable"
Many of Chandler's best episodes have to do, naturally, with his love story with Monica (hands-down the show's best romance). The road to their engagement is all but straight-forward, but the two-part finale of the sixth season is a powerhouse of heartfelt comedic acting for both Perry and Cox.
6. The One Where Everybody Finds Out (Season 5 Episode 14)
"Okay, alright, alright, okay, you win! I can't have sex with you!"
"And why not?"
"Because I'm in love with Monica!"
Widely considered the best F.R.I.E.N.D.S. episode, we've all seen this one a thousand times as well, but hey, it's beloved for a good reason. As funny as Chandler's mind games with Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow) are, nothing beats the emotional payoff of all the layers of psychological messing-with-each-other suddenly turning into one of the show's sweetest moments - Chandler proclaiming his love for Monica for the first time.
5. The One with Monica and Chandler's Wedding (Season 7 Episodes 23-24)
"Monica, I thought this was going to be the most difficult thing I ever had to do. But when I saw you walking down that aisle, I realized how simple it was. I love you"
Yet another classic Monica&Chandler milestone, this wedding episode sees all six main characters bringing their A-game into various storylines, yet the couple getting married are the stars of the show. You will laugh, and you will cry.
4. The One with the Blackout (Season 1 Episode 7)
"On second thought - gum would be perfection"
Chandler's trademark awkwardness always made him very relatable, and the trait (as well as the unconventional yet striking charm of a very young Matthew Perry) is on full display in this season 1 episode. Trapped at an ATM vestibule with a model, Chandler deals with the situation in an unforgettable manner, and hilarity ensues.
3. The One with the Fertility Test (Season 9 Episode 21)
"We're gonna...we're gonna figure this out"
One of the most emotional moments for Chandler (and the whole series) come here, as Chandler and Monica finally get some answers on their struggles to conceive a child. The episode's ending, where Chandler holds and comforts his wife, forcing himself to be the strong one who believes that they'll get through this, is a massive testament to how much the character had grown.
2. The One with the Princess Leia Fantasy (Season 3 Episode 1)
"Oh, and by the way, there is no Count Rushmore!"
"Yeah? Then who's the guy that painted the faces on the mountain?"
"..."
Back to the lighter stuff - the season 3 premiere is no showcase in emotional acting or deep character studies. What it is, however, is filled to the brim with hysterically funny individual Chandler moments. The impeccably delivered "Huh" in the cold open, the "You know, you know...YOU DON'T KNOW?!" moment, the look of sheer bewilderment at Joey's (Matt LeBlanc) "Count Rushmore" comment - it's all perfection.
1. The One on the Last Night (Season 6 Episode 6)
"You are gonna be in charge of paying the rent"
"Right! And when's that due?"
"First of the month"
"And that's every month?"
"No, just the months you actually want to live here"
Chandler's finest hour (well, half an hour (technically, 22 minutes)) is, in my opinion, The One on the Last Night. It's the last night before Chandler moves in with Monica - and not only is the end-of-an-era feel of Chandler and Joey's roommate years very touching, but it also leads to one of the funniest gags the series ever created: Cups.
Cups is a card game, improvisationally created by Chandler, as a means of indirectly helping Joey with his financial troubles. It leads to some top tier comedic hijinks, and Matthew Perry's comedic acting is once again off the charts.
Thank you for reading. Rest in peace, Boss Man Bing.
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