‘The One About Matthew Perry’ Debuts With a Perfect Rotten Tomatoes Score, but Critics Aren’t United

Few sitcom characters have lasted as long in pop culture as Chandler Bing. Matthew Perry played him across 236 episodes of ‘Friends‘ from 1994 to 2004, turning everyday anxieties into some of television’s most quoted lines. Nearly 3 years after his death, a new documentary is trying to show audiences the man behind the sarcasm.

‘The One About Matthew Perry’ is a 3-part Netflix docuseries directed by Mary Robertson, the filmmaker behind ‘Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV’. Each episode runs around 50 minutes, and all 3 were released together on October 27, one day before the third anniversary of Perry’s death at age 54. It is billed as the first in-depth documentary about the actor.

Now the first reviews are in, and the early numbers look striking. The series debuted with a 100% Tomatometer score on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 7 reviews, while its Popcornmeter audience score had not yet appeared. With such a small sample, the figure is likely to move as more critics weigh in.

The series is built around testimony from Perry’s loved ones rather than a parade of celebrity cameos. His sister, Mia Perry Bowick, a psychotherapist who is speaking publicly for the first time, is its central voice. Friends Roger Castillo and David Pressman, who had not previously talked about their friendships on camera, also appear, along with former romantic partners and professional collaborators.

Others include director Jonathan Lynn, who worked with Perry on ‘The Whole Nine Yards’, and former NBC Entertainment president Warren Littlefield, who explains how Perry became the final cast member hired for ‘Friends’. The series also draws on archival interviews with Perry himself and unreleased family photos and videos. Producers include Robertson, Lisa Kalikow, Eli Holzman and Aaron Saidman.

The biggest talking point is who is missing. Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc and David Schwimmer do not participate in new interviews, though they appear throughout in archival footage. Netflix has not explained why.

Robertson addressed the absence in an interview with Gold Derby, noting that the cast was very close to Perry in real life and that “they are grieving.” Her comments frame the choice as one of respect rather than conflict. The series still manages to feel connected to the show through stories told by Bowick, who has known the cast for years.

Early reaction has been generally warm, though not unanimous. Several reviews describe it as sincere and sobering, with one calling it a touching look at a man who was more than a sitcom star. Another says it honors his memory by resisting the simple story of fame and addiction, and it is not a salacious account of his death.

Others are more reserved. The Hollywood Reporter called it intimate and sincere but overly padded, describing a fine feature-length documentary stretched into 3 hours. Deadline’s take was harsher, arguing the series is mainly for devoted ‘Friends’ fans and leaves little that is memorable.

That split matters because the perfect score currently rests on only 7 reviews. The documentary is not trying to be definitive, and several critics note that it focuses on emotional access rather than new revelations. For viewers, the draw is likely to be the honesty of the family and friends who knew him.

First trailer for the Matthew Perry documentary ‘THE ONE ABOUT MATTHEW PERRY’. Releasing October 27 on Netflix. https://t.co/p8NJ9AvrSu

— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) September 29, 2026

The series explores themes of fame, addiction, family dynamics and generosity. It looks at what Perry hoped fame would solve, and what it could not. It also highlights his work as an advocate and his ambition to be seen as more than the funny one.

By centering those who loved him, the documentary offers a gentler lens than many celebrity profiles. Whether it earns its early praise or settles into a more mixed verdict will become clearer as additional critics and viewers weigh in. For now, it has given fans a new reason to revisit the legacy of an actor many still call their favorite Friend.

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