The ‘Friends’ Storyline Matthew Perry Made the Writers Change

The Big Picture

• Monica and Chandler’s love story in Friends almost took a different direction early on: Chandler was originally going to cheat on Monica.
• Matthew Perry had the writers cut the storyline, explaining that fans would never forgive his character for cheating on Monica.
• The change in storyline allowed Chandler’s character to develop for the better, going from having a fear of commitment to being willing to get married in Vegas, ultimately making Monica and Chandler the most beloved couple in the series.

Friends was a staple sitcom in the 90s and early 00s – a twenty-minute escape from the mundane of everyday life. At its core, Friends is a comedy, but it also has a lot of heart and is a story about friendship and found family, which is why it remains such a beloved classic to this day. Spanning 10 Seasons, Friends gave fans the opportunity to really connect with its characters, every triumph, every hurdle, and every heartache. To this day, one of the most beloved storylines is that of Monica (Courteney Cox) and Chandler’s (Matthew Perry) unexpected romance. With Ross (David Schwimmer) and Rachel’s (Jennifer Aniston) constant ups and downs and will-they-or-won’t-they dynamic, fans loved the stability and sweetness that Monica and Chandler provided. On paper, it would seem like they’d never work, but Friends proved the saying “opposites attract” true as ever, and Monica and Chandler’s love story quickly captured the hearts of fans. Audiences grew attached to Monica and Chandler’s love story and wanted nothing more than to see the couple succeed. They had their ups and downs like any other couple but ultimately came out on top, never losing love or respect for one another. So it may be surprising to learn that their relationship almost took a drastically different course early on – one that would have changed not only their relationship, but also their characters, for the worse.

The Storyline That Would Have Changed the Course of ‘Friends’

Monica and Chandler’s love story began in the Season 4 finale – a finale that was rife with drama in every aspect. Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow) is awaiting the arrival of the triplets, Joey’s (Matt LeBlanc) big movie break ends up being a dud, and unforgettably, Rachel decides at the last minute to come to Ross’ wedding, which causes Ross to say her name at the altar instead of Emily’s (Helen Baxendale), yikes! As for Monica and Chandler, she is mistaken for Ross’ mother at the wedding by another guest, which puts her in a somber mood. She shows up at Chandler’s hotel room, looking for comfort and reassurance, and the pair end up sleeping together in what is one of the show’s biggest plot twists. They embark on a secret relationship throughout most of Season 5, until the gang finds out about them in “The One Where Everybody Finds Out.”

Their relationship is accepted with surprise and awe by their friends, and with no need to hide their love anymore, their relationship is able to flourish. Season 5 ends with the friends going to Vegas to support Joey, but not before some drama ensues. Early on in the two-parter, Monica has lunch with her ex-boyfriend Richard (Tom Selleck), but doesn’t reveal the meeting to Chandler. He inevitably finds out and the pair get into an argument that threatens to ruin their anniversary. They of course make up later in the finale, and in honor of their reconciliation, decide to marry at one of Vegas’ many chapels. But the original plan for the episode was much different, and had it not been for Matthew Perry intervening Monica and Chandler would never have been the same.

In an interview with TMZ, actress Lisa Cash (who appeared in Part 1 of the Season 5 finale) revealed that her part as an extra was originally much bigger – and a lot more controversial. Monica still had lunch with Richard and she and Chandler still got into an argument about it, but the events that transpired afterward were originally very different – and wedding bells were definitely not a part of it. Lisa Cash revealed that in the original script, Chandler went up to the hotel room and ordered room service, which was brought by Cash’s character. The pair then started talking and laughing, and hit it off, which eventually led to Chandler cheating on Monica with the character! The idea of him doing so was so preposterous and out of character that even Matthew Perry agreed. After rehearsing the original scene with Cash, Perry went to the writers and asked them to cut the storyline as fans would NEVER forgive his character for doing such a thing.

Chandler Cheating on Monica Would Have Ruined His Character

Cutting the storyline was definitely the right move. As much as drama fuels a TV show, Friends had already gone the cheating route with Ross and Rachel, and Chandler himself had already been cheated on by Kathy (Paget Brewster) just a couple of seasons prior. Having Chandler cheat on Monica would have felt repetitive, not to mention completely out of character for Chandler. He may be quite unlucky in love but he was never shown to be unfaithful – especially not when it came to Monica. She’s his soulmate, his lobster if you will, and the original plan for the episode would have ruined everything fans loved about the couple and Chandler as a character – and for how beloved he is by fans, that’s a pretty big deal. How the show eventually played out the episode worked so much better for the characters, allowing them to work through their issues and come out stronger. In fact, the change of storyline ended up developing Chandler’s character for the better. He went from someone afraid of commitment to someone who is so in love he’s willing to drop everything and get married in Vegas. That’s a pretty huge step for him, and had the writers gone with the original plan it would have been many steps backward for Chandler.

As for Lisa Cash, she still got to stick around for the episode, though her role was changed to a flight attendant in the plane scenes with Ross and Rachel on their way to Vegas. And though Cash said that the original storyline would have helped boost her acting career by guest-starring next to Matthew Perry, she agrees that the change was for the better, saying that it could have changed the course of the show. Instead of the drama that certainly would have followed the original idea, Season 6 saw Monica and Chandler grow even stronger as a couple, and had them get engaged for real this time, with Season 7 leading up to their wedding. They went on to become the pinnacle of the series, and though things weren’t always smooth sailing, they always came out on top and were all the better for it.

Friends is available to stream on MAX in the U.S.

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