52.83% Have Stopped Watching “Friends” Post-Matthew Perry’s Passing

The popular TV show Friends has left an irreplaceable mark on many generations. Each of the characters, namely Monica, Rachel, Phoebe, Chandler, Ross, and Joey, has so realistically brought to life the portrayal of the complexities of a young adult’s “joke of a job, being broke, and a DOA love life,” creating a cultural impression that will last for decades to come.

The Tragic Passing of Friends Actor Matthew Perry

Tragically, on October 28, 2023, Matthew Perry, the actor who portrayed Chandler Bing in the series, was found unresponsive in a hot tub at his home in Los Angeles and was pronounced dead the same day. His death was a shock to family, friends, and fans around the globe.

Real Research, an online survey platform, launched a survey on the matter to gauge the impact of Matthew Perry’s passing and whether or not viewers would continue watching the show.

Highlights:

• 45.4% believed that Matthew Perry’s passing would ‘definitely’ change the way they enjoyed the show.
• 52.83% said that they would not continue to watch the show.
• 38.73% were aware of Perry’s battle with addiction.

The survey began with a poll on respondents’ awareness of Matthew Perry’s passing; 43.9% were well aware, whereas 35.67% were somewhat aware, and 20.43% were unaware.

Matthew Perry’s Passing Has Saddened Nearly 40% of Respondents

The legacy that Perry left behind extends past his portrayal of Chandler Bing. Reportedly, 38.2% were somewhat saddened by his passing, whereas 25.9% were deeply saddened. However, 35.9% were not impacted by his passing. This could be attributed to respondents who have not watched the show—some 39.47%.

It Will Never Be the Same

Fans have stated that watching the show will ‘never be the same,’ after Matthew Perry’s passing. Some even anticipated a drop in the show’s popularity. Respondents were thus asked if the actor’s death would change the way they enjoyed the show. 

Read Also: 88.97% Demand To Have a FRIENDS Sequel

45.4% were definite that the actor’s passing would, and 38.45% were probable that it would. However, 11.33% and 4.82% were probable that the show would not change and definitely not change the way they enjoyed it, respectively.

Over Half the Audience Hit Pause on Watching Friends

Given the above, the survey proceeded to ask if respondents continued to watch the show after the actor’s passing; 52.83% did not, while 47.17% did so.

Perry’s Battle With Addiction

Perry’s challenging battle with addiction and sobriety is known to all. Perry was even open about his struggles in his memoir, ‘Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing.’ In fact, upon the announcement of the actor’s death, before an official post-mortem was conducted, many suspected that his addiction had a role in this.

When asked about the familiarity of this and the actor’s battle with addiction and sobriety, 38.73% were familiar, while 38.1% heard something about it, and 23.17% had not heard of it at all.

Perry’s transparency about his battles and the potential impact of a celebrity going public about such challenges can be seen from many perspectives; he could leave a positive impact as a way to discourage substance and drug abuse or view this negatively as a judgemental impact on this public image.

When asked regarding the above, 45.9% felt his transparency would have a positive impact, whereas 27.15% felt it would have a negative impact. 26.95% felt that it would not have any impact.