The Big Picture
- Matthew Perry’s portrayal of Joe Quincy in The West Wing showcased his authenticity and ability to play both comedic and dramatic roles.
- Quincy’s character arc in the series reflected a relatable struggle between personal integrity and loyalty to one’s political party.
- Perry’s performance emphasized Quincy’s humanity and added a sense of humor to the otherwise serious political drama of The West Wing.
The late great Matthew Perry brought a hilarious sense of awkward energy to Friends that made Chandler Bing the most relatable character of the cast. Although it’s easy to think of Chandler’s most memorable moments and reflect on how hilarious Perry was, it’s easy to forget how authentic his best moments were. Chandler was ultimately a good guy who was beaten down by life; he struggled with making decisions that could affect both himself and his best friends. Although Perry’s performance in Friends was reliant on his abilities as a comedic actor, he was often not given enough credit for how skilled of a dramatic actor he was. Perry defined integrity, honesty, and character with his guest role in the fourth season of The West Wing. It’s the perfect small-scale character arc that The West Wing did best and embodies the good nature that Perry was so renowned for in his life and career.
The West Wing
Inside the lives of staffers in the West Wing of the White House.
Matthew Perry Played a Different Kind of Republican on ‘The West Wing’
Joe Quincy is a Republican lawyer that is first brought on as the Associate White House Counsel for President Jed Bartlet (Martin Sheen) shortly after his re-election. Although Barlet is as steadfast of a liberal as any of Aaron Sorkin’s characters, he makes continued efforts to reach outside of party lines to challenge his perspective. This is why adding someone like Quincy to his staff is essential; he’s fiercely intelligent and doesn’t waste words when discussing the truth. Quincy and Bartlet share many qualities; they value party over country, and they value personal integrity over anything written in the word. Matthew Perry’s mature performance reflected this sense of selflessness.
What’s interesting about Quincy’s debut within the series is that initially, he’s presented as a character that’s not dissimilar from Chandler Bing. Quincy has learned everything he knows about the law and government from his studies and has a somewhat awkward time expressing himself in social settings. Quincy is uncomfortable when so much attention is dedicated to him, especially when Donna Moss (Janel Moloney) keeps flirting with him. Perry brought a humanity to Quincy that made the politics feel personal. He didn’t simply become an ideological mouthpiece for the show to impress political rhetoric upon the viewer. Quincy is aware of his surroundings but isn’t exactly sure what role he could be asked to play in the administration of a political rival. Thanks to Perry, Quincy’s dilemma felt relatable for viewers on both sides of the political spectrum.
Although it’s largely a serious performance, Matthew Perry added a sense of humor to the role that made the situation feel even more realistic. Compared to the rest of The West Wing’s characters, who all walked and talked with Sorkin’s signature quippy dialogue, Quincy is a rather straightforward politician. He’s kind and courteous but doesn’t seem to take the same pleasure in winning political arguments as Josh Lyman (Bradley Whitford) or Toby Ziegler (Richard Schiff) do. It was as if Sorkin was acknowledging that The West Wing was a somewhat heightened version of reality; Quincy reflected a more honest portrayal of what the day-to-day activities in The White House may have looked like in real life. That being said, Quincy does get a few funny moments, particularly during his first interview with Donna; he’s intimidated by her, even if he’s overqualified for the position.
Joe Quincy Discovers a Major ‘The West Wing’ Plot Twist
Joe Quincy was involved with an important storyline that changed The West Wing forever. During his initial research, Quincy discovers that Vice President John Hoynes (Tim Matheson) has been secretly having an affair with a high-ranking Washington D.C. socialite. While having an extramarital relationship isn’t necessarily a betrayal of his vows, Hoynes’ affair led him to reveal classified information about the White House’s extraterrestrial research. While this may seem like a somewhat minor infraction, it provokes serious questions about Hoynes as a candidate and future national leader. If Hoynes revealed these details to “show off” to a woman that he was interested in, what other secrets had he released? What if Hoynes’ loose lips led to the reveal of military secrets that could potentially endanger American lives?
Matthew Perry does a great job of showing how Joe Quincy wrestles with the decision of whether to reveal the knowledge that he now possesses. On one hand, it’s an obvious betrayal of Honyes’ duties, as not even Bartlet knows about this scandal. Bartlet has had health struggles, and could potentially have to leave office and yield the Presidency to Hoynes. Quincy clearly would want to ensure that any man who held the highest ranking in the country wasn’t willing to reveal critical secrets to just anyone. He has a duty as a citizen to report this scandal, but also a personal one. These moral quandaries felt more authentic in the seasons before Aaron Sorkin left the series, and Perry treated the issue with the righteous consideration that it needed.
Matthew Perry Showed the Gravity of Joe Quincy’s Dilemma
Joe Quincy has achieved his rank because of the standards that he holds himself to; why should the Vice President of the United States be any different? However, Quincy knows that the revelation of this information will be hounded on by the media not for what it reveals about Hoynes’ politics, but for its scandalous details. This revelation won’t just throw Bartlet’s administration into chaos; it will disrupt a couple’s marriage, and embarrass Hoynes in front of the nation. Quincy has a professionalism to him and avoids discussing personal matters while at work. He knows that should the information be released, it will thrust the country into an extended debate about marital ethics, and detract from any measured discussions about the issues at hand.
Matthew Perry does a great job at showing how difficult holding the nation’s fate in his hands is. It’s a different type of dilemma than the ones that Chandler dealt with on Friends, but Perry showed the same crisis of confidence. The grace and integrity that Quincy embodied the optimism with which The West Wing depicted the democratic process. In both The West Wing and Friends, Perry showed how uncomfortable, yet rewarding it can be to simply be honest.
The West Wing is streaming on Max in the U.S.
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Khushi Patel is a science fiction author who lives in Austin, Texas. She has published three novels, and her work has been praised for its originality and imagination. Khushi is a graduate of Rice University, and she has worked as a software engineer. She is a member of the Science Fiction Writers of America, and her books have been nominated for several awards.
