Matthew Perry death: Why the 'Friends' star was easy to love
LA TimesIf only Matthew Perry were here to help us cope with his own death. In an endless series of comedic situations, all the “Friends” worked through their wacky young adult growing pains, but Perry’s performance included an extra level of difficulty. When I first learned of Perry’s death, I thought first not of “Friends” but of the short-lived series “Go On.” In the 2012 NBC sitcom, Perry played Ryan King, a radio sports commentator and recent widower. As he did in “Friends,” Perry managed to build a convincing character out of opposing forces: his King is quite aware that deflecting pain is not a long-term solution, but it’s pain! In 2021, Perry made what would be his final television appearance in the much anticipated “Friends: The Reunion.” While all of the cast members were, obviously, older, Perry seemed subdued and somehow fragile.