Matthew Perry's sister Mia speaks out in Netflix docuseries on his career and addiction

Netflix has released The One About Matthew Perry, a three-part docuseries on the Friends actor's career and addiction, directed by Emmy winner Mary Robertson. Perry died in 2023 at 54 after drowning in a jacuzzi at his Los Angeles home following a ketamine overdose. The series features his sister, Mia Perry Bowick, who speaks about her brother's struggles and grief. It also recalls that about five years before his death, Perry nearly died after his colon burst from opioid overuse, with doctors giving him a two per cent chance of survival. Mia, then his power of attorney, describes the pressure of making decisions for him.

Left-leaning coverage, from CBS News, centers on Mia speaking out about her brother's career and addiction, reported by Nischelle Turner, and its headline keeps her voice in front. Alternative outlets diverge: Deadline's headline calls the look at Perry's life flimsy and says the series offers little new and is mainly for hardcore Friends fans, while /Film calls it a straightforward, deeply emotional and respectful portrait built on friends, family and rehab contacts. Right-leaning outlets lead with Mia's emotion: the Daily Mail reports she broke down in tears over her grief and anger at his addiction in her first interview since his death, and it stresses the near-death colon crisis. The New York Post highlights Perry fighting for his life during the Friends reunion and the series' heartbreaking details. All sides agree on the core facts, but right-leaning outlets feature the emotional moments and medical crisis more, while CBS's excerpt does not mention them.