Matthew Perry and Courteney Cox in Friends (Picture: NBC)
Ever since Matthew Perry’s tragic death in October this year at the age of 54, fans of Friends have continued to express their sorrow over the sudden and shocking loss.
Earlier this month, it was confirmed that the actor – who played Chandler Bing in the cast of Friends – died from ‘acute effects of ketamine’, with his death ruled an accident.
Now that the festive period has arrived, many people will find themselves rewatching the beloved sitcom’s Christmas episodes and quoting the characters’ iconic lines, such as Phoebe’s greeting wishing everyone a ‘Happy Christmas Eve Eve’.
Another piece of dialogue from one of the Christmas episodes which was particularly meaningful came from Chandler… and the poignant moment will undoubtedly mean so much more to fans now after Perry’s death.
In the season eight episode The One with the Creepy Holiday Card, also known as The One with Ross’s Step Forward, Chandler pretends to his boss Doug (Sam McMurray) that he and Monica (Courteney Cox) have broken up, so that Monica can get out of going for dinner with his sleazy colleague.
Having just signed divorce papers marking the end of his own marriage, Doug convinces Chandler to go with him to a strip club, where he couldn’t look more uncomfortable.
When Chandler returns home to his and Monica’s apartment, he looks worse for wear.
However, his state doesn’t prevent him from saying something very important to his wife, who sympathises with what he had to go through with his unbearable boss.
‘You know what the worst part was? I got to see what my life would be like without you. You know, it was like It’s A Wonderful Life, with lapdances,’ Chandler says, after imagining what it would be like at this point in his life to go to a strip club as a single man.
He continues, asking Monica to vow: ‘Please promise me, that you will never leave me, that we will grow old together and be with each other for the rest of our lives.’
Monica smiles back at him, and replies: ‘I promise.’
Monica and Chandler will always be couple goals for us (Picture: NBC)
Having loved Friends ever since I was a child, Monica and Chandler always were the epitome of couple goals, a pair of friends whose relationship evolved to the point of them falling madly in love with one another.
So, Chandler urging Monica to promise him that they’ll always be together never fails to make us feel warm inside.
However, following Perry’s death, the sentiment now has a bittersweet feeling attached to it as well.
Reacting to the clip of the scene on YouTube, several fans agreed, with one commenting: ‘Well this is a knife right through the heart.’
‘This is my favourite quote of all Friends,’ another said, while someone else shared that they felt ‘so very sorry’ that Perry ‘didn’t find someone to grow old with in real life’.
‘Matthew Perry might be gone. But Monica and Chandler will live on until they grow to be a hundred. That’s a promise. 💖💗,’ one fan wrote.
Monica and Chandler share a heartfelt hug after he endured a horrendous evening with his boss (Picture: NBC)
Following Perry’s death, Cox, 59, paid tribute to him on Instagram, writing: ‘I am so grateful for every moment I had with you Matty and I miss you every day.’
The main ensemble cast of Friends also released a joint statement, which read: ‘We are all so utterly devastated by the loss of Matthew. We were more than just cast mates. We are a family.’
The statement, which was sent to People, continued: ‘There is so much to say, but right now we’re going to take a moment to grieve and process this unfathomable loss.
‘In time we will say more, as and when we are able. For now, our thoughts and our love are with Matty’s family, his friends, and everyone who loved him around the world.’
The outlet said that the message was signed by Cox, Jennifer Aniston, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc and David Schwimmer.
Friends is available to stream on Netflix.
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Monica makes a promise in the unforgettable scene.