The best Chandler episodes of Friends where Matthew Perry truly shined

Sharks, a proposal and Miss Chanandler Bong

6 months ago

Like I’m sure many did yesterday after hearing the tragic news that Matthew Perry passed away aged 54, I spent much of my Sunday rewatching episodes of my ultimate comfort show, Friends. I don’t think I was really braced for how hard it was going to hit me losing the first Friend, but it’s rough. Friends perfectly balanced all six of its cast and miraculously made them all feel essential to the point of the show feeling absurd if any was to not be there. Matthew Perry made Chandler Bing his own from the start, and was a fan favourite for a reason. Here’s a rundown of just some of the greatest Chandler episodes in Friends, where Matthew Perry was at his very best.

The One Where Everybody Finds Out

This is the best episode of Friends, end of. It’s the episode in season five where Phoebe finds out about Monica and Chandler’s relationship, so to get revenge she enacts a plan to flirt with Chandler and see if he goes along with it or confesses after her and Rachel see them having sex from Ugly Naked Guy’s apartment. Monica works out Phoebe must already know so her and Chandler play along to see who cracks first. It’s just perfect.

The One With The Blackout

Much chaos happens in season one’s citywide blackout episode. Ross getting attacked by a cat on the balcony whilst Rachel tries to get it off him and Phoebe, Monica and Joey obliviously sing Top Of The World by The Carpenters inside being one of the highlights. The other major highlight is Chandler getting stuck in an ATM vestibule with model Jill Goodacre. Perfect sitcom scenario. Matthew Perry pressed against the glass as she leaves is one of the best Chandler visuals from any Friends episodes.

The One With The Embryos

This episode houses THEE trivia quiz of all quizzes, where gamemaster Ross hosts the showdown between Monica and Rachel and Joey and Chandler as the two teams compete to see who knows the other best. Winner gets Monica’s apartment. So many amazing moments here, but the Miss Chanandler Bong laugh is classic.

The One With The Sharks

Monica thinks Chandler has a shark kink because when she surprises him in his Tulsa hotel room he panicked and put on a shark doc instead of porn. Just such a classic episode. I’m cracking up at the picture above alone.

The One After The Super Bowl

Matthew Perry and Julia Roberts ended up having a two month relationship following this episode, and their chemistry crackles as the two go on a chaotic date in which she tricks Chandler into putting on her sexy underwear and then legs it out the toilet – leaving him in there.

The One Where Eddie Moves In

I was so obsessed with this episode as a kid. Matthew Perry is so funny here as he gets increasingly weirded out by Joey’s replacement, Eddie. When Chandler puts his hand on Eddie’s shoulder and practically quakes is honestly hilarious. All the sagas with Eddie are golden. When Joey comes in and demands Chandler picks whether he prefers Eddie’s or Joey’s eggs is too good – the way the writers and Perry and Le Blanc play their relationship is immaculate.

The One Where Heckles Dies

This one hits especially poignantly today in the wake of Matthew Perry’s passing, but this is one of the best Chandler episodes of Friends after the gang’s nemesis Mr Heckles passes away and Chandler finds loads of similarities between the two of them that has him feeling existential about the future. Perry is amazing.

The One With the Proposal

Monica and Chandler’s relationship was one of Friends’ best accidents, and Matthew Perry and Courtney Cox are at the top of their game in the finale of season six. So romantic, so beautifully played. It’s so heartbreaking to know he’s gone. What a character and what a lot of growth he went through, all down to Matthew Perry playing him so well.

RIP Matthew Perry – 1969-2023.

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