Chandler Bing is one of the most iconic characters in television history. Played by Matthew Perry, Chandler is an integral part of the young gang of bachelors who live in NYC in the all-time hit American sitcom, Friends.
Chandler had one of the most significant arcs on the show, as he went from being awkward and gawky to a stable, mature family man with twin babies and a strong, independent wife. Here's how Chandler changed over the course of the 10 years that the series ran.
Season 1: The Socially Awkward King Of Sarcasm
In season 1, Chandler was very much a scraggy, awkward young man, deeply sarcastic, and generally the fun guy in the group. He was known for using dry sarcasm in socially uncomfortable situations or to lighten the mood when he couldn't handle a conversation that he felt was taking a turn for the serious.
Chandler had one of the steadiest jobs at this time, even if no one knew what exactly he did, but it was his dating life that was completely messed up, usually because he was too picky about women.
Season 2: Conflicted & Lost
Speaking of women, Chandler could never keep a good thing going when it came to the opposite sex. He realized this though after the death of Mr. Heckles, the lonely elderly neighbor in the building where Monica, Rachel, Chandler, and Joey lived.
Chandler then starts to reach out and build a more serious, long term relationship, conflicted over his fear of commitment and that of dying alone.
Season 3: A Relationship & A Heartbreak
For the most part of season 3, Chandler is in a steady relationship with Janice, his only other significant-other on the show, apart from Monica, who gets some substantial screentime.
Chandler makes an active effort to get out of the rut of ending relationships too soon and is even ready to commit to Janice. Of course, his efforts go wrong and he ends up stalking her in supermarkets. However, heartbreak or not, the funny guy finds himself ready to be serious, maybe for the first time in his life.
Season 4: Friendship Comes First
In season 4, one of the most important storylines involving Chandler is his affair with Kathy, who was initially dating Joey. Chandler has always been shown as a wonderful friend, but he isn't perfect. He ends up betraying Joey when he kisses Kathy and feels terrible at the prospect of having ruined his relationship with his best friend.
However, even though he is now ready to take a leap of faith in his love life, insecurities set in, leading to his relationship with Kathy ending abruptly.
Season 5: Committing, At Last
At the beginning of season 5, Chandler surprises himself by hooking up with Monica. This is probably the season where his personality undergoes a slow but steady change, from being the ever-insecure loner to a man genuinely in love. The two also move in together, which is a huge step for someone like Chandler Bing, who spent much of his life being negative about true happiness in a relationship, the vestiges of a traumatic childhood.
Chandler and Monica's relationship is kept from the rest of the friends for a while, leading to various hysterically funny situations, but in the end, it is Chandler who takes the step and informs everybody that he loves Monica Geller. This is also the season that Chandler, being the good friend he is, is hell-bent on giving Joey some money before he moves out, so the latter can pay his bills despite not having a steady job. He also takes care not to hurt Joey's pride, which goes to show that he is a gentle, caring man, for all his peculiar jokes.
Season 6: A Big Step Ahead
In season 7, Chandler is a bit chaotic when his natural insecurities start re-surfacing and he finds himself getting needlessly jealous of Monica and Richard.
However, he does pull through in the end and realizes that Monica is the best thing that happened to him. Of course, it's Monica who proposes first, during a very weepy proposal scene, but then Chandler takes over and it's obvious that for him, there is no going back.
Season 7: Gearing Up For A New Life
In season 7, Monica and Chandler are gearing up for a new life and the latter has to make a big decision regarding inviting his estranged parents for his big day.
Chandler, with Monica's help, manages to come to terms with seeing his father after years. Fans know that Chandler's dad is a transgender burlesque performer and divorced his mom when Chandler was but a child. Much of Chandler's sarcastic perspective of life stemmed from his difficult childhood and the friction between his parents.
Season 8: Married & Stable
Chandler is married and settling into a new life with Monica, who isn't an easy person to live with. However, he is shown to be astonishingly good-natured and indulgent towards his wife, as his insecurities seem to have subsided, allowing him to take a backseat as Monica clearly takes charge.
The married Chandler is a steady man who is proud of and appreciates his wife enough to let her take the lead.
Season 9: Taking Risks
Remember the Christmas in Tulsa? In season 9, Chandler takes a huge risk in his career for the sake of love. He quits the job he had had for years without batting an eyelid, just to be near Monica.
For someone whose very existence was, at one time, defined by his insecurities, to give up on a job where he had established himself for years showed that he had indeed grown as a person.
Season 10: A Mature Family Man, Ready For New Things
By the final season, Chandler was a steady, mature married man, planning his ideal life with his wife and even trying to start a family.
From the floppy-haired awkward dude with the funny name and funnier surname, Chandler evolved into a reliable friend, a loving and indulgent husband, and an adorable, genuine guy who was looking forward to starting a new life in a new house, away from his friends. He must have been a tad nervous, but his love for his wife surpassed any twinge of fear he might have felt.