The One About Matthew Perry is a tribute that lets friends, family, and Perry’s archival footage tell the story

Netflix released The One About Matthew Perry on Tuesday, timed to the third anniversary of the actor’s death. Perry played Chandler Bing in all 236 episodes of Friends, and the title adopts the sitcom’s signature “The One With…” titling format. Netflix bills the three-part series as the first in-depth documentary about him, and it leans on the people around him rather than the cast he spent a decade alongside.

What to expect: The series follows Perry from a rising comedic actor to a household name, offering a look at the real Matthew Perry and the battles he fought along the way, including the addiction he wrote about in his 2022 memoir, Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing. Archival interviews with Perry and previously unreleased family photos and videos fill in the story. The three episodes run for about three hours in total.

Who’s talking: The interviews come from Perry’s sister, Mia Perry Bowick, who is reportedly speaking publicly about him for the first time. Friends including David Pressman and Roger Castillo, actors Billy Gallo and Kevin Pollak, former NBC executive Warren Littlefield, and Friends writer Jeff Strauss also appear. Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, and David Schwimmer did not take part in new interviews and show up only in archival footage. So, how’s the internet been reacting? Critics have been warm. The series debuted at 100% on Rotten Tomatoes.

What we thought: The One About Matthew Perry is a moving tribute that avoids over-dramatization, a pitfall that trips up many documentaries, especially ones with a runtime this long. It feels honest. The interviews don’t try to spin a particular story, and friends and family are left to speak plainly. The production is polished, and the archival footage of Perry, narrated in his own voice, hits hardest.

The verdict: Well shot, respectfully told, and plainly honest, this is one of the better tribute documentaries we’ve seen. If you grew up watching Friends or find yourself rewatching the sitcom this fall, it’s worth your time to take a look at the man behind Chandler Bing. Keep the tissues handy.

WHERE TO WATCH- The docu-series is airing on Netflix. Watch the trailer on YouTube (watch, runtime: 2:26).