Buddies turns 30 at this time, with its premiere episode airing on September 22, 1994.
The present was an prompt hit and has develop into one of the beloved sitcoms in historical past. Over its 10 seasons and 236 episodes, Buddies has been watched greater than 100 billion instances throughout varied platforms. Nonetheless, the creators—Marta Kauffman, David Crane, and govt producer Kevin S. Vivid—acknowledge that Matthew Perry’s loss of life has forged a shadow over what ought to be a celebratory time. The present confronted a tragic flip in 2023 when Perry died at age 54 from what a medical expert described because the acute results of ketamine. In August, federal and native regulation enforcement officers introduced the arrest of 5 defendants, together with two docs, who have been charged with a number of counts for allegedly exploiting Perry’s well-known struggles with drug habit.
Kauffman famous that the connection among the many six stars—Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, David Schwimmer, and Perry—was evident from the beginning. Whereas there has by no means been a Buddies reboot, a forged reunion was held on HBO Max in 2021.
Right here’s what those that labored on the sitcom needed to say concerning the lack of their beloved Chandler Bing.
Buddies Creators and Government Producer
“He’d been preventing the great battle for thus lengthy, and it actually did really feel like, from the reunion, that he had lastly discovered some peace,” co-creator Vivid stated in a TODAY interview that aired on Sept. 20.
“It’s an enormous loss, and it does make the thirtieth somewhat fraught,” Kauffman added.
“He made us snigger each day—David all the time stated he was the funniest man within the room,” Vivid mirrored.
“When the six of them received on stage collectively,” Kauffman recalled of the present’s earliest rehearsals, “I received a chill up my backbone and thought, ‘That is one thing particular.’”
Kauffman additionally beforehand spoke about methods to honor Perry’s reminiscence after his loss of life. “Donate to drug therapy facilities—let’s battle the illness,” she instructed The Instances final month. “The second manner is to observe Buddies and bear in mind him not as a person who died like that, however as a person who was hilariously humorous and introduced pleasure to all people.”
In 2023, shortly after Perry’s loss of life, the three issued a joint assertion: “We’re shocked and deeply, deeply saddened by our beloved buddy Matthew’s passing. It nonetheless appears inconceivable. All we will say is that we really feel blessed to have had him as a part of our lives. He was an excellent expertise.”
“We are going to all the time cherish the enjoyment, the sunshine, the blinding intelligence he introduced to each second—not simply to his work, however in life as effectively. He was all the time the funniest individual within the room. Greater than that, he was the sweetest, with a giving and selfless coronary heart.”
“We ship all of our like to his household and mates. This actually is The One The place Our Hearts Are Damaged.”
