Matthew Perry in latest bid for comeback after Friends

Perry believes his characters are getting better with every show.

LOS ANGELES:

Former “Friends” star Matthew Perry, making another bid for a television comeback, says his characters have gotten more likeable with every attempt to find success.

The 42-year-old actor, who has largely failed to follow up his fame as the hapless Chandler Bing in the comedy that ended in 2004, returns to television in September with his new comedy-drama “Go On”. He stars as a radio sportscaster named Ryan King, who is compelled by his boss to join a grief counseling group after the death of his wife.

The new comedy, “Go On”, follows the dark and short-lived series “Mr. Sunshine” (2011), which was co-created and starred in by Perry, and drama “Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip” (2006) which was cancelled after one season.

“In my efforts to have a TV show and make a comeback, my characters have gotten nicer, Mr. Sunshine was down and out, and now this guy (Ryan King) is nicer and a well-intended guy. You certainly want to play a guy that people want to root for and this guy has that,” Perry told Television Critics Association (TCA).

The wise-cracking actor said that “Go On” executive producer Scott Silveri, “has created a TV show for me better than the one I created for myself.”  He further added, “One of the scenes in this show gave me one of the biggest acting challenges I’ve had dramatically.”

Perry has struggled to make his mark even as his former “Friends” co-stars have largely found success in different avenues. In movies, Jennifer Aniston and Lisa Kudrow, on stage David Schwimmer, and on other TV shows, Courteney Cox and Matt LeBlanc.

When asked what made the 10-year-long comedy series such a huge hit worldwide, Perry replied, “‘Friends’ was just great chemistry. It had great writing and great directing and really great acting so a little bit of magic happened there and you never know when that is going to happen again.”

Published in The Express Tribune, July 30^th, 2012.