Oct. 29, 2023
Go On starring Matthew Perry
As a long-time fan of Matthew Perry, I've watched him in countless roles, but his portrayal of a grieving sports talk radio host in 'Go On' has always stood out to me.
We dive into Perry's masterful performance, exploring how he navigated the...
As a long-time fan of Matthew Perry, I've watched him in countless roles, but his portrayal of a grieving sports talk radio host in 'Go On' has always stood out to me.
We dive into Perry's masterful performance, exploring how he navigated the delicate balance of comedy and drama while portraying the raw pain of loss and the journey of healing. We'll be dissecting the emotional beats in each episode, from the first therapy session, to the final farewell to his wife. We'll discuss the show's bold portrayal of group therapy and how it gave viewers a fresh perspective on handling trauma.
While 'Go On' didn't achieve commercial success, it truly left an impact on its viewers.
Also check the feed to catch up on our previous episodes covering Perry's roles in 'Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip' and the legendary 'Friends'.
This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5967110/advertisement
WEBVTT
1
00:00:03.120 --> 00:00:13.080
Calarogus Shark Media. As I was
going through the various Matthew Perry articles this
2
00:00:13.160 --> 00:00:17.079
morning, I saw a great write
up of go On, Hi, I'm
3
00:00:17.160 --> 00:00:22.480
Journey Joe Mitchell in The Hollywood Reporter. Daniel Feinberg wrote the show that best
4
00:00:22.559 --> 00:00:27.440
understood Perry's sensibility, and more than
that, the essence of what he projected
5
00:00:27.519 --> 00:00:31.879
best on screen. May not have
been one of his signature successes, and
6
00:00:32.000 --> 00:00:35.920
may not be one of the first
half dozen shows that heartbroken fans look back
7
00:00:35.920 --> 00:00:39.560
on. As we reflect on Perry. Empirically, it wasn't a success at
8
00:00:39.560 --> 00:00:44.439
all. Go On ran for twenty
two episodes on NBC between twenty twelve and
9
00:00:44.479 --> 00:00:48.960
twenty thirteen, and was canceled after
that lone season. It has fans.
10
00:00:49.520 --> 00:00:53.240
Any show with an ensemble that included
Tyler, James Williams, Laura Bonanti,
11
00:00:53.359 --> 00:00:56.600
Brett Gelman, Sarah Baker, John
Chow and Moore is going to find fans
12
00:00:56.880 --> 00:01:00.240
but only a small audience. Go
On was, especially for broadcast television,
13
00:01:00.439 --> 00:01:04.480
a brave show, and it was
definitely a brave performance for an actor who,
14
00:01:04.599 --> 00:01:08.920
after the phenomenon that was Friends,
clearly enjoyed testing how far he could
15
00:01:08.920 --> 00:01:14.200
take the built in audience whose affection
he brought to each new role. In
16
00:01:14.319 --> 00:01:18.000
go On, Perry played a sports
talk radio host grieving the death of his
17
00:01:18.040 --> 00:01:22.560
wife. Eager to avoid his feelings, the character returns to work too soon,
18
00:01:22.680 --> 00:01:25.439
and after a meltdown, begins to
find his way to a new normal
19
00:01:25.599 --> 00:01:29.120
with the help of a support group, each member damaged in their own way.
20
00:01:29.959 --> 00:01:34.560
With go On, Perry brought all
the sublimated pain and sadness and insecurity
21
00:01:34.560 --> 00:01:38.799
that functioned as undercurrents in previous roles, and inverted the archetype. In many
22
00:01:38.799 --> 00:01:44.400
of his earlier performances, Perry gravitated
toward characters who used humor as a defense
23
00:01:44.480 --> 00:01:49.319
mechanism, and for the most part, those characters succeeded. Sometimes they succeeded
24
00:01:49.400 --> 00:01:53.480
so rousingly that most viewers didn't even
recognize that the sarcasm and snark were masking
25
00:01:53.560 --> 00:01:59.480
anything at all. In his Post
Friends roles, though, Perry gravitated toward
26
00:01:59.519 --> 00:02:04.200
parts that were we aren't sarcastic,
but we're cynical and even nihilistic characters trying
27
00:02:04.200 --> 00:02:08.120
to find their way back to something
as light as sarcasm. Viewers could happily
28
00:02:08.159 --> 00:02:13.360
pretend Chandler bing on Friends was a
happy guy except for the moments he wasn't.
29
00:02:14.199 --> 00:02:17.159
In the first episode of go On, Ryan King, a sports radio
30
00:02:17.199 --> 00:02:22.479
host, is mandated to attend group
therapy after the loss of his wife.
31
00:02:22.840 --> 00:02:27.280
He initially mocks the idea, but
ends up accidentally helping the group by turning
32
00:02:27.360 --> 00:02:31.479
the therapy session into a sort of
competition. By the end, Ryan starts
33
00:02:31.520 --> 00:02:35.560
to realize that he might need the
group as much as they need him.
34
00:02:35.879 --> 00:02:40.400
Episode five is titled do You Believe
in Ghosts? Yes? Ryan begins to
35
00:02:40.439 --> 00:02:45.840
clear out his deceased wife's belongings,
but struggles with the emotions that resurface.
36
00:02:46.360 --> 00:02:50.000
In an attempt to keep the memories
alive, he believes he's seen her ghost.
37
00:02:50.719 --> 00:02:53.879
With help from the group, he
eventually comes to understand that letting go
38
00:02:53.000 --> 00:02:58.919
of her things doesn't mean forgetting her. Episode ten is back Back Back,
39
00:02:59.000 --> 00:03:04.000
It's Gone. The group helps Ryan
celebrate his fortieth birthday. However, Ryan
40
00:03:04.000 --> 00:03:07.840
gets thrown a curveball when his hot, younger girlfriend, Carrie tries to take
41
00:03:07.879 --> 00:03:12.000
him to a nightclub. Conflicted emotions
about getting older and moving on from his
42
00:03:12.039 --> 00:03:16.560
wife create tension that only his support
group can help resolve. Episode fifteen's pass
43
00:03:16.599 --> 00:03:22.240
interference has Ryan start dating again,
but it's complicated by the fact that his
44
00:03:22.319 --> 00:03:25.919
love interest, Simone, is a
member of his therapy group. This creates
45
00:03:27.000 --> 00:03:30.319
tension within the group as they all
have varying opinions about the ethics and emotional
46
00:03:30.360 --> 00:03:37.439
implications of Ryan's new relationship. In
episode eighteen, Double Down, Ryan struggles
47
00:03:37.479 --> 00:03:42.280
with his first wedding anniversary since his
wife passed away. His emotional turmoil is
48
00:03:42.400 --> 00:03:46.759
heightened when a member of the group
announces they're getting married. Eventually, he
49
00:03:46.879 --> 00:03:50.120
leans on his friends for support and
they help him find a way to honor
50
00:03:50.199 --> 00:03:53.759
his wife's memory, and in the
series finale, Ryan finally feels ready to
51
00:03:53.840 --> 00:03:59.560
scatter his wife's ashes and seeks the
group's help in saying a proper goodbye.
52
00:04:00.240 --> 00:04:03.159
As the group gathers for the emotional
moment, they each find closure in their
53
00:04:03.159 --> 00:04:09.360
own personal struggles, marking a pivotal
point in their healing journey. The episode
54
00:04:09.439 --> 00:04:13.719
ends on a hopeful note, signifying
new beginnings for everyone. Despite its short
55
00:04:13.800 --> 00:04:17.800
run, go On did contribute to
a broader conversation about how television can approach
56
00:04:17.839 --> 00:04:24.560
heavy topics like grief while still retaining
comedic elements. Perry's performance was widely praised,
57
00:04:24.600 --> 00:04:28.000
and many saw the series as a
testament to his versatility as an actor,
58
00:04:28.480 --> 00:04:32.639
capable of handling both comedic and dramatic
material. The series also offered a
59
00:04:32.720 --> 00:04:38.399
nuanced look into the world of group
therapy, giving viewers an inside look into
60
00:04:38.439 --> 00:04:42.959
how different people cope with trauma.
Even though it was a scripted comedy,
61
00:04:43.040 --> 00:04:46.759
the emotional beats of the show were
often praised for their authenticity. While go
62
00:04:46.959 --> 00:04:51.519
On wasn't a commercial success, it
did have an emotional impact on its viewers,
63
00:04:51.560 --> 00:04:56.399
many of whom felt that the show
provided a space for a different type
64
00:04:56.399 --> 00:05:00.920
of conversation about grief and loss.
It made an attempt to destigmatize mental health
65
00:05:00.920 --> 00:05:05.199
and group therapy, and for that
alone, its influence is worth noting.
66
00:05:05.720 --> 00:05:10.759
I'm Journey Joe Mitchell, and I'm
watching TV in the basement. Check out
67
00:05:10.759 --> 00:05:15.439
this feed for recent episodes covering Matthew
Perry's Studio sixty on the Sunset Strip,
68
00:05:15.839 --> 00:05:20.360
and of course The Great Friends.
1
00:00:03.120 --> 00:00:13.080
Calarogus Shark Media. As I was
going through the various Matthew Perry articles this
2
00:00:13.160 --> 00:00:17.079
morning, I saw a great write
up of go On, Hi, I'm
3
00:00:17.160 --> 00:00:22.480
Journey Joe Mitchell in The Hollywood Reporter. Daniel Feinberg wrote the show that best
4
00:00:22.559 --> 00:00:27.440
understood Perry's sensibility, and more than
that, the essence of what he projected
5
00:00:27.519 --> 00:00:31.879
best on screen. May not have
been one of his signature successes, and
6
00:00:32.000 --> 00:00:35.920
may not be one of the first
half dozen shows that heartbroken fans look back
7
00:00:35.920 --> 00:00:39.560
on. As we reflect on Perry. Empirically, it wasn't a success at
8
00:00:39.560 --> 00:00:44.439
all. Go On ran for twenty
two episodes on NBC between twenty twelve and
9
00:00:44.479 --> 00:00:48.960
twenty thirteen, and was canceled after
that lone season. It has fans.
10
00:00:49.520 --> 00:00:53.240
Any show with an ensemble that included
Tyler, James Williams, Laura Bonanti,
11
00:00:53.359 --> 00:00:56.600
Brett Gelman, Sarah Baker, John
Chow and Moore is going to find fans
12
00:00:56.880 --> 00:01:00.240
but only a small audience. Go
On was, especially for broadcast television,
13
00:01:00.439 --> 00:01:04.480
a brave show, and it was
definitely a brave performance for an actor who,
14
00:01:04.599 --> 00:01:08.920
after the phenomenon that was Friends,
clearly enjoyed testing how far he could
15
00:01:08.920 --> 00:01:14.200
take the built in audience whose affection
he brought to each new role. In
16
00:01:14.319 --> 00:01:18.000
go On, Perry played a sports
talk radio host grieving the death of his
17
00:01:18.040 --> 00:01:22.560
wife. Eager to avoid his feelings, the character returns to work too soon,
18
00:01:22.680 --> 00:01:25.439
and after a meltdown, begins to
find his way to a new normal
19
00:01:25.599 --> 00:01:29.120
with the help of a support group, each member damaged in their own way.
20
00:01:29.959 --> 00:01:34.560
With go On, Perry brought all
the sublimated pain and sadness and insecurity
21
00:01:34.560 --> 00:01:38.799
that functioned as undercurrents in previous roles, and inverted the archetype. In many
22
00:01:38.799 --> 00:01:44.400
of his earlier performances, Perry gravitated
toward characters who used humor as a defense
23
00:01:44.480 --> 00:01:49.319
mechanism, and for the most part, those characters succeeded. Sometimes they succeeded
24
00:01:49.400 --> 00:01:53.480
so rousingly that most viewers didn't even
recognize that the sarcasm and snark were masking
25
00:01:53.560 --> 00:01:59.480
anything at all. In his Post
Friends roles, though, Perry gravitated toward
26
00:01:59.519 --> 00:02:04.200
parts that were we aren't sarcastic,
but we're cynical and even nihilistic characters trying
27
00:02:04.200 --> 00:02:08.120
to find their way back to something
as light as sarcasm. Viewers could happily
28
00:02:08.159 --> 00:02:13.360
pretend Chandler bing on Friends was a
happy guy except for the moments he wasn't.
29
00:02:14.199 --> 00:02:17.159
In the first episode of go On, Ryan King, a sports radio
30
00:02:17.199 --> 00:02:22.479
host, is mandated to attend group
therapy after the loss of his wife.
31
00:02:22.840 --> 00:02:27.280
He initially mocks the idea, but
ends up accidentally helping the group by turning
32
00:02:27.360 --> 00:02:31.479
the therapy session into a sort of
competition. By the end, Ryan starts
33
00:02:31.520 --> 00:02:35.560
to realize that he might need the
group as much as they need him.
34
00:02:35.879 --> 00:02:40.400
Episode five is titled do You Believe
in Ghosts? Yes? Ryan begins to
35
00:02:40.439 --> 00:02:45.840
clear out his deceased wife's belongings,
but struggles with the emotions that resurface.
36
00:02:46.360 --> 00:02:50.000
In an attempt to keep the memories
alive, he believes he's seen her ghost.
37
00:02:50.719 --> 00:02:53.879
With help from the group, he
eventually comes to understand that letting go
38
00:02:53.000 --> 00:02:58.919
of her things doesn't mean forgetting her. Episode ten is back Back Back,
39
00:02:59.000 --> 00:03:04.000
It's Gone. The group helps Ryan
celebrate his fortieth birthday. However, Ryan
40
00:03:04.000 --> 00:03:07.840
gets thrown a curveball when his hot, younger girlfriend, Carrie tries to take
41
00:03:07.879 --> 00:03:12.000
him to a nightclub. Conflicted emotions
about getting older and moving on from his
42
00:03:12.039 --> 00:03:16.560
wife create tension that only his support
group can help resolve. Episode fifteen's pass
43
00:03:16.599 --> 00:03:22.240
interference has Ryan start dating again,
but it's complicated by the fact that his
44
00:03:22.319 --> 00:03:25.919
love interest, Simone, is a
member of his therapy group. This creates
45
00:03:27.000 --> 00:03:30.319
tension within the group as they all
have varying opinions about the ethics and emotional
46
00:03:30.360 --> 00:03:37.439
implications of Ryan's new relationship. In
episode eighteen, Double Down, Ryan struggles
47
00:03:37.479 --> 00:03:42.280
with his first wedding anniversary since his
wife passed away. His emotional turmoil is
48
00:03:42.400 --> 00:03:46.759
heightened when a member of the group
announces they're getting married. Eventually, he
49
00:03:46.879 --> 00:03:50.120
leans on his friends for support and
they help him find a way to honor
50
00:03:50.199 --> 00:03:53.759
his wife's memory, and in the
series finale, Ryan finally feels ready to
51
00:03:53.840 --> 00:03:59.560
scatter his wife's ashes and seeks the
group's help in saying a proper goodbye.
52
00:04:00.240 --> 00:04:03.159
As the group gathers for the emotional
moment, they each find closure in their
53
00:04:03.159 --> 00:04:09.360
own personal struggles, marking a pivotal
point in their healing journey. The episode
54
00:04:09.439 --> 00:04:13.719
ends on a hopeful note, signifying
new beginnings for everyone. Despite its short
55
00:04:13.800 --> 00:04:17.800
run, go On did contribute to
a broader conversation about how television can approach
56
00:04:17.839 --> 00:04:24.560
heavy topics like grief while still retaining
comedic elements. Perry's performance was widely praised,
57
00:04:24.600 --> 00:04:28.000
and many saw the series as a
testament to his versatility as an actor,
58
00:04:28.480 --> 00:04:32.639
capable of handling both comedic and dramatic
material. The series also offered a
59
00:04:32.720 --> 00:04:38.399
nuanced look into the world of group
therapy, giving viewers an inside look into
60
00:04:38.439 --> 00:04:42.959
how different people cope with trauma.
Even though it was a scripted comedy,
61
00:04:43.040 --> 00:04:46.759
the emotional beats of the show were
often praised for their authenticity. While go
62
00:04:46.959 --> 00:04:51.519
On wasn't a commercial success, it
did have an emotional impact on its viewers,
63
00:04:51.560 --> 00:04:56.399
many of whom felt that the show
provided a space for a different type
64
00:04:56.399 --> 00:05:00.920
of conversation about grief and loss.
It made an attempt to destigmatize mental health
65
00:05:00.920 --> 00:05:05.199
and group therapy, and for that
alone, its influence is worth noting.
66
00:05:05.720 --> 00:05:10.759
I'm Journey Joe Mitchell, and I'm
watching TV in the basement. Check out
67
00:05:10.759 --> 00:05:15.439
this feed for recent episodes covering Matthew
Perry's Studio sixty on the Sunset Strip,
68
00:05:15.839 --> 00:05:20.360
and of course The Great Friends.