Three years after Matthew Perry died, the show everyone in America is watching on Netflix is about him.
The One About Matthew Perry, a three-part documentary series, premiered on Oct. 27. A day later it was the No. 1 show on Netflix’s daily US top 10, and it was still there on Thursday, according to What’s on Netflix, which tracks the streamer’s daily charts.
It’s No. 1 in the U.K., Canada, Australia and New Zealand, too. Worldwide, only Lupin is ahead of it.
Critics are on board. As of Friday, the series has a 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 12 reviews.
What’s in It
The series runs about three hours and was directed by Mary Robertson. It follows Perry from his start as a young comedian to his years as Chandler Bing on Friends and his long fight with addiction.
His sister, Mia Perry Bowick, is at the center of it. Roger Castillo, his best friend for more than 40 years, is in it, and so are Kevin Pollak, The Whole Nine Yards director Jonathan Lynn and Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip co-star Nate Torrence. Friends writer and producer Jeff Strauss and former NBC Entertainment president Warren Littlefield talk about the show’s early days.
E. Martin Estrada, the former U.S. attorney who led the prosecution tied to Perry’s death, sits down for it as well. The series also uses family photos and home videos that had never been released, according to Netflix.
Who Isn’t in It
Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc and David Schwimmer were asked to take part and said no. They only appear in old footage.
“We know the Friends cast loves Matthew and is grieving Matthew,” Robertson told The New York Times, StyleCaster reported. “We did approach them about participation. They decided not to participate.”
They’re still part of the story. In the third episode, Perry’s sister remembers the cast walking into his funeral together. “All five of them walked up to the casket holding hands, and just stood around him, crying,” she said.
How Perry Died
Perry was 54 when he died on Oct. 28, 2023. He was found in the hot tub at his home in Pacific Palisades, California. The Los Angeles County medical examiner ruled that he died from the acute effects of ketamine, Parade reported.
Five people, including two doctors and his personal assistant, were charged in connection with his death. All five pleaded guilty.
All three episodes of The One About Matthew Perry are streaming on Netflix.
