Netflix Perry docuseries skips Friends cast
The three-part series directed by Mary Robertson focuses on Perry’s sister and close friends rather than his co-stars, totaling 270 minutes.
By Jisoo Vega ·
Netflix released The One About Matthew Perry on Monday, a three-part docuseries that omits every surviving member of the Friends cast. The film runs for a total of 270 minutes and relies on interviews from people who knew Perry privately rather than professionally.
Mary Robertson, who directed the series, previously helmed Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV. Her project avoids the salacious tone of other posthumous documentaries. It does not focus on the criminal investigations surrounding Perry’s death, a subject covered by a Peacock documentary. Instead, the series examines addiction and celebrity from the perspective of those on the periphery of Perry’s fame.
Mia Perry Bowick, Perry’s younger sister, serves as a primary voice in the film. She was born when Perry was 14 and grew up with a famous sibling. Perry Bowick became a psychotherapist, a decision inspired by watching her brother’s decades of struggles. She recounts learning about his first rehab stint from a tabloid headline and describes the day of his death.
Other interviewees include Roger Castillo and David Pressman, friends who knew Perry during his early days as an actor in Hollywood. The series also features Tim Harrington, who met Perry in recovery and lived at his house for a year, and West Huddleston, who worked with Perry on drug court advocacy. The ex-girlfriends featured in the documentary are women who knew Perry intimately, including the René Ashtons and the Romes, rather than his most famous partners.
Notable absences include the entire Friends cast, with the exception of no co-stars appearing on camera. The only writer from the first season included is Jeff Strauss. Warren Littlefield, NBC’s entertainment president at the time, appears in the series. Other industry figures who contribute include producer Doug Draizin from Fools Rush In, Nate Torrence from Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, and director Jonathan Lynn from The Whole Nine Yards.
Robertson stated that the documentary aims to be sincere and generally non-exploitative. It treats the biographical details and memorable clips from Perry’s life in a manner that some reviewers found perfunctory. The series includes talk-show footage of Perry telling stories he had told repeatedly. A single cultural critic offers general platitudes about Perry’s talent and the success of Friends.
The series explores the difficulty of doing everything possible for a person while still feeling unable to do enough. It highlights the pain of those who loved Perry and tried to help. The film includes new stories from people who have not been heard in other entertainment news stories. These accounts provide a different angle on Perry’s life than the standard nostalgic tributes.
The docuseries is available for streaming on Netflix. It presents a portrait of Perry that prioritizes the perspectives of his inner circle. The film avoids the distraction of big names from his celebrity sphere. It focuses on the individuals who witnessed his struggles and his daily life.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
