Welcome to a new Wildcard Wednesday! I have decided to bump the start of my Scrubs coverage to next week, so that we may pay tribute here to the late Matthew Perry, who passed away suddenly this weekend at the age of 54. Perry will forever be remembered as, well, “six of one” — a valuable ensemble member from the esteemed cast of Friends (1994-2004, NBC), one of the most popular sitcoms of the 1990s. His work as Chandler Bing was hilarious and heartfelt; even as he battled his own demons off-camera, Perry remained a reliable contributor to the show’s comedy, channeled through his special character-clarifying cadence. A unique material-elevator, he left behind a legacy that won’t allow him to ever be forgotten.

In celebration of his work, I thought I’d share a guest appearance Perry made on Dream On (1990-1996, HBO), which we discussed back in 2017. From its third season, this is “To The Moon, Alex!” First broadcast by HBO on October 31, 1992, this entry was written by Craig Hoffman and casts the future friend as a work rival for Martin, this show’s lead (played by Brian Benben). It was an important moment in Perry’s career, bringing him to the attention of Dream On creators Marta Kauffman & David Crane (along with director Kevin S. Bright), who would remember him when writing and casting his big break, Friends. (Coincidentally, Courteney Cox had actually guest starred on the series earlier that same season.) It’s not my favorite episode of this underrated show, but it’s fascinating, for without it, who knows what would have become of Chandler Bing? Here it is — in honor of our pal (the password is chandler). See a clip below.

Farewell, Matthew Perry! 

Come back next week for a new Wildcard and the start of Scrubs coverage!