Friends starring Matthew Perry

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Callarogus Shark Media. Today we're going
down memory lane with one of the greatest

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TV shows ever. Friends. We're
spotlighting Matthew Perry, and later I'll give

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you the rundown of some of the
best episodes, complete with recaps you'll love.

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So grab your Coffee Central Perk style
and let's get into it. Friends

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first premiered in nineteen ninety four and
quickly became a cultural phenomenon. The show

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followed the lives of six friends,
Rachel Green played by Jennifer Aniston, Monica

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Geller played by Courtney Cox, Phoebe
Buffet played by Lisa Kudrou, Joey Tribiani

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played by matt LeBlanc, Chandler Bing
played by Matthew Perry, Ross Geller played

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by David Swimmer. The legendary Matthew
Perry was born in nineteen sixty nine in

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Williamstown, Massachusetts. Perry moved to
Los Angeles at a young age. Before

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Friends, he had several TV appearances, but nothing that'st long term. Then

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came Friends in Chandler Bing, a
sarcastic, witty, somewhat awkward, but

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endearing character that Matthew Perry breathed life
into and here's something you might not know.

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Perry was so in sync with Chandler
that he often suggested lines and scenarios

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for the character. He contributed to
shaping Chandler into the iconic figure we know

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in Love today. It's safe to
say Chandler Bing wouldn't have been the same

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without Matthew Perry's unique touch. It
is impossible to imagine the series without the

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performance of Matthew Perry. As the
years went by, American culture would not

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have been the same without him.
The actor known for providing the beloved show

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with a necessary dose of sarcasm,
had made a point to spread awareness of

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his sobriety in recent years, and
even opened a sober living house to help

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others with addiction. His death at
fifty four came as a surprise, since

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it seemed like Perry had so much
more to do in life. In his

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twenty twenty two autobiography, Friends,
Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing, recounted

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his struggles with substance abuse and addiction
to alcohol and opioids. These issues resulted

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in multiple trips to rehab and a
five month long stay in the hospital in

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twenty eighteen due to a colon rupture
that initially gave him a two percent chance

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of survival. During the Friends Reunion
special in twenty twenty one, Perry opened

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up about the pressure he experienced to
land the joke in front of a live

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audience every night, which he believes
contributed to his addictions. In April,

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Perry spoke with the Los Angeles Times
regarding Big Terrible Thing at the Festival of

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Books. He stated, I was
determined to become famous. I was twenty

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five, still in the beginning of
Friends, and I started to realize that

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the American dream was not enough to
make me content. I wanted more attention

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and fame, but it did not
give me what I expected. The on

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screen romance between Ross and Rachel was
the driving force of this classic show,

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but it was Chandler Bing, played
by Matthew Perry, who provided the comedic

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relief. He expertly maneuvered his scenes, especially when paired with Matt LeBlanc's character

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Joey. Perry's comedic chops were most
evident in the nineteen ninety nine episode The

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One where Everybody Finds Out, which
is cited to be one of the best

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sitcom episodes of that era. His
dedication to the complex scheme of trying to

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prove he wasn't in love with Monica
Courtney Cox made it a memorable one.

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Chandler, as he was expected to, becomes overwhelmed. He goes to great

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lengths to deliver the joke, and
the chemistry between Perry and Cox was a

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comedic blessing. However, he ultimately
fails to deceive. There was one thing

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Perry as Chandler was incapable of doing, and that is deceitfulness. His piercing

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wit, implemented by a talented actor, is simply an amusing observation of his

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companions. If it were too severe, it would have destroyed the show,

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and if it was too light,
it would have not been effective. No

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matter the quality of the script or
the personal challenges he faced, Perry continuously

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del livered as an actor. The
show's many fans moved by its blend of

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comedy and emotion, will now have
an even greater appreciation for the effort Perry

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put into playing a character who hides
a deep sadness behind his humorous banter Throughout

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his lengthy career, which included movies
such as Fools Rush In and The Whole

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Nine Yards as well as TV shows
such as Studio sixty on the Sunset Strip

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and the twenty fifteen reboot of The
Odd Couple. Nothing made quite the same

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impact as Friends. Friends was created
by David Crane and Marta Kaufman, who

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were looking to develop a show that
would encapsulate the essence of life in your

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twenties, a time characterized by friendships
and the search for identity and success.

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The series was produced by Kevin S. Bright, Marta Kaufman, and David

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Crane under their production company Bright Slash, Kaufman Slash Crane Productions in association with

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Warner Brothers Television. After Crane and
Kaufman pitched the concept, the show was

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picked up up and first premiered on
NBC on September twenty second, nineteen ninety

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four. Initially, the show was
supposed to focus more on the four characters

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of Ross, Rachel, Monica,
and Joey, but as the writers spent

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more time fleshing out the characters,
they realized the ensemble nature of the cast

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was where the magic really happened.
Thus, Chandler and Phoebe were given more

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significant roles, making it a true
ensemble cast. Casting for the show was

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a meticulous process, aiming for actors
who could not only perform, but also

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had great chemistry with each other.
Jennifer Aniston almost didn't make it due to

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prior commitments to another TV show,
which thankfully got canceled. Courtney Cox was

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originally approached to play Rachel, but
felt a deeper connection with the character of

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Monica. Matthew Perry was almost unable
to participate due to another pilot he was

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part of, but fate intervened and
the role of Chandler became his defining career

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moment. David Schwimmer was the first
person cast, and his role was actually

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written with him in mind. The
show initially received mixed reviews, but quickly

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gained traction through word of mouth and
the undeniable chemistry between its cast. By

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its second season, it had climbed
into the top five of the Nielsen ratings.

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Over its ten year run, Friends
garnered numerous awards, including Emmys,

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Golden Globes, and Screen Actors Guild
Awards. The series finale, which aired

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on May sixth, two thousand and
four, was watched by around fifty two

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point five million American viewers, making
it the fifth most watched series finale in

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television history, Friends has since become
a cultural phenomenon, living on through reruns,

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streaming platforms, and a plethora of
merchandise. The central perk set has

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been recreated for fans to visit,
and quotes from the show have permeated everyday

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language. We were on a break. The show not only set the bar

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for future sitcoms, but also influenced
popular culture in significant ways. The characters

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became household names and the actors achieved
international stardom. Hairstyles like the Rachel became

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an nineties sensation, and catch phrases
from the show are still quoted today.

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Beyond that, the show broke ground
by discussing previously taboo topics on primetime TV,

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although it has also received criticism for
a lack of diversity and some dated

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humor. Even almost two decades after
the series finale, the show's influence hasn't

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waned. In twenty twenty, HBO
Max acquired the rights for streaming Friends,

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reportedly paying around four hundred twenty five
million dollars for a five year deal.

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The streaming service also released a reunion
special in twenty twenty one, which was

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met with widespread acclaim. In nostalgia, proving that the love for Friends endoers.

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Here are some episodes of Friends that
are not just iconic, but define

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what made the series so great.
The one where everybody finds out. Oh

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boy, this one's a roller coaster. It starts with Phoebe discovering Monica and

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Chandler's relationship through a window. The
tension and the comedic timing are top notch.

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It's the episode where secrecy takes center
stage and the laughs are on unstoppable.

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The last one, the tear jerker
that brought a decade long show to

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a close. Saying goodbye is never
easy, and this episode reminds us of

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that. From Ross chasing after Rachel
to the group leaving their keys on the

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counter. It's a heartfelt farewell.
The one where no one's ready talk about

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stress. Ross needs everyone to get
ready for an event, but it turns

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into a hilarious series of distractions.
Chandler and Joey's fight over a chair classic.

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The one with all the poker.
The gang teaching Rachel poker, and

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the underlying competitiveness between Ross and Rachel
make this episode unforgettable. It's also where

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the gang dynamics really start to shine. Through Friends isn't just a show,

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It's an emotion, a part of
our collective history. And let's give another

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round of applause for Matthew Perry Chandler. Bing will forever be one of the

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most iconic characters in television history,
and that's in large part thanks to him.

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Until next time, I'm Journey Joe
Mitchell