“Friends” made him a famous series favorite: Matthew Perry (1969-2023) will forever be remembered as Chandler Bing, even after his unexpected death at the age of just 54. He played this lovable role, known for his sarcastic remarks, in a total of ten seasons from 1994 to 2004. In 2002, Perry’s acting and comedic talent earned him an Emmy nomination. These famous “Friends” moments with Chandler will never be forgotten.
One of the most famous scenes from season one: While a power outage paralyzes New York, Chandler is in the anteroom of a bank. To his delight – or rather his chagrin – he finds himself stuck with model Jill Goodacre. A circumstance that leads to funny interactions between Chandler and the “Victoria’s Secret” angel.
Chandler does his best to hide his tension and impress Jill Goodacre. However, this leads to him almost choking on a piece of chewing gum and she has to save him. The most famous Chandler quote from this episode: “Gum would be perfection!”
In the second season, Chandler Bing meets his former classmate Susie Moss (played by Julia Roberts). The two go on a date, which ultimately takes an unexpected turn for Chandler as Susie takes revenge on him for the past. In elementary school, she lost the nickname Susie “Underpants” Moss because Chandler would lift up her skirt in front of the entire student body, revealing her underwear.
Decades later, Susie finally convinces him to put on a pair of panties at a restaurant. But then she leaves him in the toilet without his clothes, where Joey and Ross later find him. In his memoir, Matthew Perry revealed that he and Julia Roberts briefly dated in real life after meeting on Friends.
In the fourth season, Chandler and Joey play against Monica and Rachel. The aim of the exciting quiz game – led by Ross – is to find out which pair of roommates knows the other better. The stakes: If the boys win, they get to move into Monica and Rachel’s fancy apartment, while the girls have to move into the less nice apartment across the street. In the end, Monica and Rachel fail because of a very specific question: What is Chandler’s job?
Also from season four is this beloved “Friends” moment that tests Chandler and Joey’s male friendship. Because Chandler falls in love with Joey’s girlfriend Kathy, the relationship between the two roommates is in danger of falling apart. In the traditional Thanksgiving episode, Joey catches Chandler and Kathy kissing and then threatens to move out. To prevent this, Chandler agrees to be locked in a box for six hours.
At the end of season four, Monica and Chandler find each other at Ross’s wedding in London. During the fifth season, the relationship between the two newlyweds is a big secret, while all of the “Friends” gradually find out. In two episodes of the fifth season, the secrecy finally comes to an end when everyone realizes that they know about the relationship. Meanwhile, Chandler keeps getting into trouble because Phoebe pretends to be interested in him and tries to get him to confess about Monica with funny flirting attempts.
Chandler and Monica’s relationship continues to provide heartfelt highlights in subsequent seasons. In the two-part finale of season six, Chandler wants to propose to Monica. But then things turn out completely differently than planned and Monica falls on her knees in front of him. However, when she becomes too emotional to ask the question of all questions, Chandler also kneels down and makes a touching declaration of love to her: “I thought it was important what I said or where I said it. Then I realized “That the only thing that matters is you. You make me happier than I ever thought possible. And if you let me, I’ll spend the rest of my life making you feel the same way.”
Listing Chandler’s best “Friends” moments in their entirety seems impossible. There are simply too many. With his iconic role, Matthew Perry has managed to leave the world of sitcoms and series a lovable character who brilliantly manages to combine cheerfulness with melancholy. A character who uses his humor to hide his insecurities, his sadness and his pain. And that’s exactly why it became a series favorite.
So it’s not surprising that the very last scene of the very last episode ends with a classic “Chandler joke”. Shortly before Monica and Chandler leave their beloved New York apartment to move to the suburbs with their twins, Rachel suggests that they all go out for coffee together again before they leave the city for good. As they walk out the door together, Chandler asks in his dry way, “Where?”
After the surprising news of Matthew Perry’s death, numerous fans are mourning the actor in front of the famous Central Perk Café in New York these days. The coffee house is the setting for numerous “Friends” dialogues and scenes in which Rachel, Ross, Phoebe, Joey, Monica and Chandler raise each other, support each other, imagine new love interests and celebrate their lives as friends together.
