Go On starring Matthew Perry

0:03 Calarogus Shark Media. As I was going through the various Matthew Perry articles this morning, I saw a great write up of go On, Hi, I'm Journey Joe Mitchell in The Hollywood Reporter. Daniel Feinberg wrote the show that best understood Perry's sensibility, and more than that, the essence of what he projected best on screen. May not have been one of his signature successes, and may not be one of the first half dozen shows that heartbroken fans look back on. As we reflect on Perry. Empirically, it wasn't a success at all. Go On ran for twenty two episodes on NBC between twenty twelve and twenty thirteen, and was canceled after that lone season. It has fans.

0:49 Any show with an ensemble that included Tyler, James Williams, Laura Bonanti, Brett Gelman, Sarah Baker, John Chow and Moore is going to find fans but only a small audience. Go On was, especially for broadcast television, a brave show, and it was definitely a brave performance for an actor who, after the phenomenon that was Friends, clearly enjoyed testing how far he could take the built in audience whose affection he brought to each new role. In go On, Perry played a sports talk radio host grieving the death of his wife. Eager to avoid his feelings, the character returns to work too soon, and after a meltdown, begins to find his way to a new normal with the help of a support group, each member damaged in their own way.

1:29 With go On, Perry brought all the sublimated pain and sadness and insecurity that functioned as undercurrents in previous roles, and inverted the archetype. In many of his earlier performances, Perry gravitated toward characters who used humor as a defense mechanism, and for the most part, those characters succeeded. Sometimes they succeeded so rousingly that most viewers didn't even recognize that the sarcasm and snark were masking anything at all. In his Post Friends roles, though, Perry gravitated toward parts that were we aren't sarcastic, but we're cynical and even nihilistic characters trying to find their way back to something as light as sarcasm. Viewers could happily pretend Chandler bing on Friends was a happy guy except for the moments he wasn't.

2:14 In the first episode of go On, Ryan King, a sports radio host, is mandated to attend group therapy after the loss of his wife. He initially mocks the idea, but ends up accidentally helping the group by turning the therapy session into a sort of competition. By the end, Ryan starts to realize that he might need the group as much as they need him. Episode five is titled do You Believe in Ghosts? Yes? Ryan begins to clear out his deceased wife's belongings, but struggles with the emotions that resurface. In an attempt to keep the memories alive, he believes he's seen her ghost. With help from the group, he eventually comes to understand that letting go of her things doesn't mean forgetting her. Episode ten is back Back Back, It's Gone. The group helps Ryan celebrate his fortieth birthday. However, Ryan gets thrown a curveball when his hot, younger girlfriend, Carrie tries to take him to a nightclub. Conflicted emotions about getting older and moving on from his wife create tension that only his support group can help resolve. Episode fifteen's pass interference has Ryan start dating again, but it's complicated by the fact that his love interest, Simone, is a member of his therapy group. This creates tension within the group as they all have varying opinions about the ethics and emotional implications of Ryan's new relationship. In episode eighteen, Double Down, Ryan struggles with his first wedding anniversary since his wife passed away. His emotional turmoil is heightened when a member of the group announces they're getting married. Eventually, he

3:46 leans on his friends for support and they help him find a way to honor his wife's memory, and in the series finale, Ryan finally feels ready to scatter his wife's ashes and seeks the group's help in saying a proper goodbye. As the group gathers for the emotional moment, they each find closure in their own personal struggles, marking a pivotal point in their healing journey. The episode ends on a hopeful note, signifying new beginnings for everyone. Despite its short run, go On did contribute to a broader conversation about how television can approach heavy topics like grief while still retaining comedic elements. Perry's performance was widely praised, and many saw the series as a testament to his versatility as an actor, capable of handling both comedic and dramatic material. The series also offered a nuanced look into the world of group therapy, giving viewers an inside look into how different people cope with trauma. Even though it was a scripted comedy, the emotional beats of the show were often praised for their authenticity. While go On wasn't a commercial success, it did have an emotional impact on its viewers, many of whom felt that the show provided a space for a different type of conversation about grief and loss. It made an attempt to destigmatize mental health and group therapy, and for that alone, its influence is worth noting.

5:05 I'm Journey Joe Mitchell, and I'm watching TV in the basement. Check out this feed for recent episodes covering Matthew Perry's Studio sixty on the Sunset Strip, and of course The Great Friends.