Goodbye, Mr Bing
What sets Chandler Bing apart as a character is not one or two particular character traits. It is how he grew over the ten seasons of FRIENDS.
"Hi, I'm Chandler. I make jokes when I'm uncomfortable."
These were the words that introduced me to a character who never failed to make me laugh, no matter how upset I had been.
Each six characters of FRIENDS was made in a way so that the viewers can easily relate to each of them. You have a Ross, a Joey, a Chandler, a Rachel, a Monica and a Phoebe in all of your friend circles that have at least six people.
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If you are a grown-up but still act like a teenager and love food, you must be a Joey. If you got your heart broken and trying to find your "true love", you might be a Ross. And the list goes on.
But what sets Chandler Bing apart as a character is not one or two particular character traits. It is how he grew over the ten seasons of FRIENDS.
During the first three seasons, Chandler was just a comic relief. The character was witty, sarcastic and somehow immature. He ended up kissing his best friend Joey's girlfriend in the final episode of season 3.
He did confess everything to Joey, though, AFTER Joey broke up with her.
During the mid-seasons (4-6), Chandler got more emotionally invested in his relationship with Monica. He struggled with these feelings and eventually ended up confessing his love to Monica in season 5.
The real proposal, however, comes a season later.
In the later seasons, from season 7 to 10, Chandler got married to Monica, and they adopted twins.
From the first episode to the last episode of FRIENDS, Chandler turns into a devoted husband and father from someone scared to make commitments.
Luckily for the viewers, his humour remained unaffected by all these changes throughout the whole series.
"Could I BE any funnier?" is one of Chandler's popular catchphrases that ended up blowing outside the show in real life. It was not only the dialogue, though. It was the way the whole thing was delivered.
In another episode, Chandler was getting late for the office, and he said, "All right, kids. I gotta get to work. If I don't input those numbers ... it doesn't make much of a difference."
Chandler Bing made me laugh when I needed it the most, and he offered a lifeline to those of us who faced challenging times.
Whenever I felt down or overwhelmed, I knew I could turn on a random episode from FRIENDS on Netflix and find solace in Chandler's antics.
His laughter became my laughter, his struggles mirrored mine, and his strength during personal battles inspired me.
Chandler Bing was my friend, my therapist, and my laughter-inducing remedy.
Matthew Perry, the beloved actor who played Chandler Bing in FRIENDS, passed away today at the age of 54.
Goodbye, Mr Bing.
