With his iconic one-liners and perfect comedic timing, Matthew Perry gave Friends some of its best moments over the years.
And ever since news broke of his tragic death at the age of 54, fans around the world have been reminiscing about his best moments.
Season One – The One with the Blackout
Victoria Secret model Jill Goodacre starred opposite Perry in a hilarious episode from the show’s first season
From his first appearance on the hit sitcom, Perry developed the mannerisms and line delivery that would become Chandler Bing’s trademark.
And never was his awkward charm more evident than when confronted by a beautiful woman.
In this episode, Perry manages to pack the laughs into little more than a stick of gum and a voiceover, narrating his state of mind while trapped in an ATM with Victoria’s Secret model Jill Goodacre after a power outage.
When the beautiful actress offers him some gum, Perry makes a meal of the situation, accidentally spitting it across the room.
While covertly trying to hide the fact, he picks up someone else’s old chewing gum and starts chewing before realizing his mistake and starting to choke.
At this point all semblance of composure is lost and Goodacre performs a Heimlich maneuver, causing the chewing gum to fly.
But it breaks the ice and the two spend the rest of the time playing games until the lights come back on and Goodacre plants a kiss on Chandler’s cheek.
As Perry jokes in his voiceover, “Mental note – if Jill Goodacre offers you gum, you take it. If she offers you a mutilated carcass, you take it!’
The episode was also reportedly Perry’s favorite to film.
Season Two: The One with the Super Bowl: Part Two
Julia Roberts’ cameo as Susy ‘Underpants’ Moss in season two was a highlight of the season
As the show grew in popularity, it attracted more and more high-profile cameos.
But once again Perry proved his acting chops when he took on Rom Com heavyweight Julia Roberts.
In the episode, Roberts, in her role as Chandler’s scorned classmate Susy “Underpants” Moss, exacted revenge for the unflattering nickname given by Chandler to hilarious effect.
After exposing her underwear as a schoolboy, Chandler finally got his comeuppance decades later when Roberts’ character went on a date with him but left him in a bathroom stall wearing only her panties.
It’s another masterclass in Perry’s ability to convey humor even when most of his body is hidden.
Season three: The one with the hypnosis tape
Hilarity ensued when Chandler began listening to a hypnosis tape in an attempt to quit smoking without realizing it was aimed at women.
Both Perry and his on-screen character had their vices, but in this episode Chandler desperately tries to kick his smoking habit.
He enlists the help of a hypnosis audio tape, without realizing that it is intended for women.
Over the course of the episode, he begins to absorb more and more messages of female empowerment, becoming a “strong, confident woman.”
This then seeps into his waking life, with laughable consequences.
Season four – The One with all the rugby
Before there was Chandler and Monica, there was Chandler and Janice, the character’s nasal ex-girlfriend, played by Maggie Wheeler
Some of Perry’s most memorable moments take place opposite Maggie Wheeler, the actress behind annoying ex-girlfriend Janice.
In this episode, she is at her most nasal, prompting Chandler to come up with an elaborate lie to explain why they can’t be together: he’s moving to Yemen.
An unknowing Janice then helps him pack for the upcoming trip and Perry fuels Chandler’s panic until he buys a ticket at the airport and pretends to board a flight.
The episode features one of the show’s most laughable lines, in which dim-witted Janice fails to see the absurdity and promises to write to him at “15 Yemen Road, Yemen.”
Season five: The one with the cop
A simple sequence involving trying to transport a couch up a flight of stairs became one of the show’s most iconic in the hands of Perry and co-stars David Schwimmer and Jennifer Aniston.
A bank. Stairs. Five minutes of comedy gold.
The iconic scene in which Perry, along with co-stars David Schwimmer and Jennifer Aniston in their roles as Ross and Rachel, try to push a couch up a stairwell has become one of the show’s most iconic moments.
While most remember Ross’s silly cries of “Pivot, pivot, pivot,” many forget the hilarious moment when Chandler gets stuck under the sheer weight of the furniture.
His frustration also gives Perry the opportunity to really let loose and respond, “Shut up! Quiet! Quiet!’
Season six: The one with the last night
Many of Chandler’s best parts involve his on-screen best friend, Matt LeBlanc
While Monica and Chandler’s emotional proposal is a fan favorite, the night before the couple moves in provides some of the biggest laughs of the season.
Concerned about his best friend Joey’s finances, Chandler invents the fictional game ‘Cups’ as a way to give him money.
He ends up “losing” $1,500 to Joey – who in turn loses the money to Ross when he plays against him in the made-up game.
The episode not only showcases Perry’s comedic skills, but also the sweet dynamic between him and his on-screen best friend Joey Tribbiani.
Season 7 – The one with Phoebe’s cookies
Much of Chandler’s humor stemmed from the tricky scenarios he seemed to find himself in and Perry’s masterful use of physical comedy.
Much of Chandler’s humor comes from the awkwardness with which Perry imbues his character.
And it doesn’t get more awkward than accidentally sitting naked on your in-laws’ lap.
After a game of racquetball with Monica’s father Jack, played by Elliott Gould, the two decide to visit a steam room after the match.
However, the heat causes Chandler’s glasses to fog up, forcing him to take them off. He then stumbles onto Jack’s lap in the confusion and suffers terrible consequences.
Season 8 – The one where Chandler takes a bath
Perry was determined to pack in the laughs and admitted he felt like he would ‘die’ if the audience didn’t laugh
Although Chandler Bing often gets in touch with his feminine side, he can’t always admit it.
So it’s no surprise that when he becomes addicted to taking bubble baths, he feels the need to hide it.
But it doesn’t last long and he’s soon apprehended by the entire Friends cast who catch him in the middle of the bath, complete with candles and bubble bath.
The episode also features the touching moment when Ross and Rachel reveal they are expecting a girl.
Season 9 – The One with the Heist
Matthew Perry died Saturday at the age of 54 at his home in Los Angeles
Desperate for a career change, Chandler takes an internship at an advertising agency, but soon realizes that he is one of the oldest of his new colleagues.
However, he manages to use his signature humor to transcend the generations and comes up with the one good idea for one of his company’s flashy shoes: adding roller skates.
The episode is also a nod to a long-standing joke in the series about no one really knowing what Chandler’s job is.
When simple Joey offers $500 for the shoes, he realizes who his target audience should be: children.
Perry once revealed the enormous pressure he felt to laugh.
“I felt like I was going to die if the live audience didn’t laugh,” he admitted during the 2021 reunion show.
“And I started sweating and having convulsions. That’s how I felt every night.’
Season 10: The one with Ross’ Grant
In season 10, Perry wore sparkling blue lipstick in another classic example of the visual comedy for which he became so known
The friendship between Matt LeBlanc’s Chandler and Joey is one of the most charming on the show.
But when Chandler lies about seeing his actor friend’s commercial for a Japanese men’s lipstick, he is hilariously punished.
Joey forces him to wear the product, called Ichiban, and call himself a “pretty little girl.”
The episode is a firm fan favorite and regularly appears in top ten lists.