The One About Matthew Perry is streaming now on Netflix. All three parts landed on October 27, 2026 — nearly three years to the day after the Friends star’s death — and you can watch with any Netflix plan, starting at $8.99 a month.
Netflix’s first major documentary portrait of Perry traces the full arc of his life: the rise to global fame as Chandler Bing, the decades-long battle with addiction he spoke about so openly, and the private man his family and closest friends knew. Here’s how to watch and what to expect.
How to watch The One About Matthew Perry
- Release date: Tuesday, October 27, 2026 (now streaming)
- Where: Netflix, worldwide
- Format: Three-part documentary series; all episodes available at once
- Price: U.S. Netflix plans start at $8.99/month (Standard with ads); the ad-free Standard plan is $19.99/month and Premium is $26.99/month
- Director: Mary Robertson
As with every Netflix original, the series dropped at 12:00 a.m. PT (3:00 a.m. ET) on its release date, so all three episodes have been available since the early hours of October 27. You don’t need the top-tier plan to watch — the documentary is included on every Netflix tier, including the ad-supported one.
What the documentary covers
Across three parts, The One About Matthew Perry sets out to show “the real Matthew Perry” behind the wisecracking character that made him a household name. For ten seasons, Perry played Chandler Bing on Friends — arguably the most popular and enduring sitcom ever made, and one that keeps finding new generations of fans. The series doesn’t shy away from the struggle he made public in his own memoir: a decades-long fight with alcohol and prescription-drug addiction, and his repeated efforts to get and stay sober. It’s a portrait assembled from home-video footage, archival interviews, and fresh conversations recorded for the series.
Perry had been candid about his addiction long before his death. His 2022 memoir, Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing, detailed years of rehab stays, relapses, and the physical toll the disease took, and he often said he hoped to be remembered for helping others get sober as much as for the laughs. The documentary picks up that thread, leaning on the people who stood beside him through it.
Perry died in October 2023 at the age of 54. The documentary arrives on the near-anniversary of his death, framed by Netflix as a tribute to the mark he left on popular culture rather than a tabloid post-mortem — though it also addresses the circumstances surrounding his death, including the federal case that followed.
Who appears
The series is built around people who knew Perry personally. His sister, Mia Perry Bowick, speaks on camera — reportedly for the first time — alongside lifelong best friends Roger Castillo and David Pressman. From the Friends world, former NBC Entertainment president Warren Littlefield and writer-producer Jeff Strauss offer an industry perspective, with additional voices including Kevin Pollak, Jonathan Lynn, and Tim Harrington.
One notable absence: Perry’s five Friends co-stars did not sit for new interviews, though they appear in archival footage. The documentary also draws on unreleased photos and videos from the Perry family’s private archive.
Who made it
Emmy winner Mary Robertson directs. Her credits include Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV and Framing Britney Spears, a track record in unflinching portraits of fame and its costs. The series is produced by Maxine Productions, part of Sony Pictures Television.
Why it’s worth watching
Three years on, Perry’s death still shadows one of the most-watched titles in streaming history — Friends remains a catalog juggernaut — and the questions around his final months have never fully quieted. The One About Matthew Perry is the first attempt to tell that story at length with the cooperation of the people closest to him, rather than through headlines. Whether you grew up on Chandler’s sarcasm or found Friends later, it offers a fuller picture of the man who delivered it.
Watch the trailer
Netflix released the official trailer ahead of the premiere:
Frequently asked
Is The One About Matthew Perry on Netflix in the U.S.?
Yes. All three parts have been streaming worldwide, including the United States, since October 27, 2026.
How many episodes are there?
Three, all released at the same time.
Do the Friends cast appear?
Not in new interviews. Matthew Perry’s five co-stars did not participate, but they appear in archival footage.
Which Netflix plan do I need?
Any of them. The documentary is available on Standard with ads ($8.99/month) as well as the ad-free Standard ($19.99) and Premium ($26.99) tiers.
Who directed it?
Mary Robertson, the Emmy-winning filmmaker behind Quiet on Set and Framing Britney Spears.
