Matthew Perry’s ‘Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip’ Performance Is Peak Perry

As a child of the ’90s, I grew up on NBC’s famed “Must-See TV” lineup, which obviously included David Crane and Marta Kauffman’s cultural juggernaut Friends. The show’s simple premise — six twenty-somethings dealing with various personal and professional travails in New York City — belied the relatable complexity of young adulthood. Friends was broad yet familiar, tackling universal headaches like unrequited love and vocational distress with a light-hearted, hilarious gusto. The sitcom was replete with talent, but Matthew Perry’s Chandler Bing, the textbook definition of a “quick with a joke or to light up your smoke” type, was a scene-stealer amidst scene stealers.

Perry, who tragically passed away at the age of 54 on Saturday night, imbued Chandler with a deft mix of silly, sarcastic humor and cozy warmth. Perry’s legacy will forever be linked to the iconic NBC comedy, and Chandler Bing is unquestionably one of the most beloved characters in TV history. But my favorite Matthew Perry character will always be Matt Albie from NBC’s short-lived 2006 dramedy Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip.

Created by Aaron Sorkin, Studio 60 was a high-profile series that centered on the behind-the-scenes turmoil of a fictitious sketch-comedy show (basically Saturday Night Live). Both Studio 60 and 30 Rock (which was also an analog for SNL) famously debuted within a month of each other on NBC — with 30 Rock lasting 138 episodes and Studio 60 getting the ax after its lone 22-episode season.

The legacy of Studio 60 is… a mixed bag. The show is aggressively Sorkin, offering the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. The first episode is an all-time classic pilot, the cast is an embarrassment of riches, and the show delivered pockets of arresting television. But the myriad criticisms lobbied against Studio 60 are valid: The sketches weren’t funny, the series was inconsistent and sometimes preachy, and the second half of the season lost the thread. But somewhat surprisingly, the show currently boasts a 74% Tomatometer score and 93% Audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

How is that possible? It has a lot to do with the performance of Matthew Perry.

I’m not exaggerating when I say that Studio 60 had one of the most talented ensembles in TV history. The palpable chemistry between Perry and Sorkin favorite Bradley Whitford was the highlight of a series that included Amanda Peet, Sarah Paulson, Steven Weber, D.L. Hughley, Nate Corddry, Timothy Busfield, and countless high-profile stars in various supporting/guest roles.

Sorkin and Perry were a perfect match, to the point that Albie was loosely based on Sorkin himself. The former Friends standout was the platonic ideal of a Sorkin leading man. Anyone who’s seen The West Wing, A Few Good Men, Moneyball, or The Social Network is well aware of the writer’s ability to craft lyrical dialogue, and Perry elevated the singsong material to new heights. The actor excelled in the sitcom format, but Studio 60 provided Perry with the opportunity to be conversationally funny. There were still the requisite one-liners, but the humor was grounded in reality. The character of Matt Albie, a prolific writer whose ego and talent often led him to believe he was the smartest person in the room, allowed Perry to play a charismatic yet deeply flawed individual with much more depth than a traditional sitcom allows.

Perry took what he learned from Friends and was allowed to stretch, adding nuance and his own personal brand of affable snark to stand out on a show littered with theatrical talent. Matt Albie was a character that only Perry could play, at least in the eyes of Sorkin. Per IMDb, Matthew originally turned down the role, but Sorkin, who previously worked with Perry during his three-episode arc on The West Wing, was convinced that nobody else could play the part and wouldn’t take no for an answer.

Studio 60 was far from perfect, but I remember it fondly. I could watch Danny Tripp (Whitford) and Matt Albie banter about comedy on a loop. Unfortunately, the show isn’t streaming for free on any of the major platforms, but episodes are available to rent or purchase on Amazon.