Summary

• By blocking the cheating storyline, Matthew Perry protected Chandler's character and the values he stood for in Friends. Chandler's stance against cheating would have been undermined if he had cheated on Monica.
• Chandler's past actions and decisions demonstrated his commitment to friendship and loyalty, making it clear that he would never cheat on Monica. His actions with Kathy and his remorse for kissing her showed his dedication to their friendship.
• Matthew Perry's actions not only saved Chandler's character but also preserved the strong and stable relationship between Chandler and Monica, which was one of the best and most beloved in Friends. Their relationship was built on friendship and endured challenges, proving their love and commitment to each other.

By blocking a controversial Chandler almost cheated on Monica in Friends season 5 during the two-part episode titled "The One In Vegas." This storyline would've occurred when Monica and Chandler traveled to Las Vegas to see Joey and celebrated their anniversary. In the show, Chandler learned on the plane that Monica had lunch with Richard, making him extremely upset and jealous.

The scrapped Friends storyline would've involved Chandler ordering room service. Cash's character would've come up to deliver the food and hit it off with Chandler, leading to him cheating on Monica. The day before filming, though, Perry went to the writers in protest. He pointed out that the audience would never be able to forgive Chandler for cheating on Monica. The writers replaced this storyline with Chandler and Monica deciding to get married after their fight – a decision they back out of at the last minute.

Friends is available to stream on HBO Max.

Chandler Cheating Would Have Betrayed His Friends Character

When Matthew Perry blocked the controversial cheating storyline in Friends, he protected the core values that define Chandler's character. The jokester may have been jealous and emotionally immature at times, but he never would've cheated on Monica. Chandler repeatedly makes his feelings about cheating known in Friends, and the blocked storyline would have undermined the character, turning him into a hypocrite. Ultimately, Matthew Perry saved Friends by taking a stand against the controversial storyline, which would've undoubtedly angered fans of the series.

When Ross and Rachel were on a break in Friends season 3, Ross confessed to Chandler and Joey that he slept with Chloe. In response, Chandler said, "Oh my god. Oh my god," with a horrified expression on his face. Though Ross didn't technically cheat on Rachel, Chandler understood Ross breached Rachel's trust. Moreover, he pointed out to Ross how much his actions would hurt Rachel. Out of emotional immaturity, Chandler pushed Ross not to tell Rachel. Still, his nuanced take showed that Chandler realized the impact of infidelity. If he cheated on Monica, his actions would have negated his entire stance on the Ross-Rachel break situation.

Friends' Kathy Storyline Proved Chandler Would Never Cheat On Monica

Early into Friends season 4, Chandler fell in love with Kathy, Joey's girlfriend. Rather than pursuing her, he did everything he could to avoid her, recognizing that any infidelity would destroy his friendship with Joey. This decision proved that Chandler was a person who put friendship ahead of his sexual desires – an important fact since Monica and Chandler's entire relationship was built off of their friendship. If Chandler ever cheated on Monica, he wouldn't just be hurting their relationship but their friendship as well.

Ultimately, the final proof that Chandler would never cheat on Monica came from the sequence of events that happened when Chandler and Kathy ultimately kissed in Friends season 4, episode 7, "The One Where Chandler Crosses the Line." Immediately afterward, he felt horrible for his actions and decided to tell Joey about what happened. He acknowledged the fact that Joey felt betrayed and agreed to put himself in a box for hours to prove how sorry he was. After putting himself through physical pain to mend his relationship with Joey, it would be highly unlikely he'd ever make the mistake of cheating again.

Matthew Perry Saved Friends' Best Romantic Relationship

In addition to preserving his character, Matthew Perry's actions saved the best relationship in Friends – Chandler and Monica. The beloved couple built their friendship across four seasons before ever pursuing a romance. Before Chandler and Monica ever got together, they ed one another's aspirations. The two also turned to each other whenever something bad happened. After they got together, Monica and Chandler became the best and most stable couple in Friends.

Multiple Friends episodes highlighted Chandler and Monica's beautiful relationship, showing how well they work together. While they go through many challenges like infertility and job changes, they always come out on the other side stronger in their relationship. The one time Chandler nearly cheated in Friends, he rebuffed his coworker Wendy and immediately returned home to the woman he loved. Ultimately, this was the only way the writers could've approached Chandler cheating without destroying the most beloved Friends couple.