Here's everything we know about LAX 2194, an unaired comedy pilot starring Matthew Perry. The 2021 Friends reunion special briefly references the ABC show, and why it nearly changed the casting process for Chandler Bing. Perry has also discussed LAX 2194 in the past and revealed telling information about the plot specifics.
Perry became a household name in 1994 when Friends premiered on NBC. As Chandler Bing, he captured the elitist aspects of the privileged character while still making him relatable through light-hearted, snarky humor. Over the next 10 years, Perry's comedic timing and off-beat dialogue delivery made Friends' Chandler one of television's most iconic characters; a screwball type who passive-aggressively trolls his loved ones and inner circle of friends.
LAX 2194 attempted to capitalize upon Perry's deadpan style, but the series never got off the ground. At the time, Perry had been a working industry actor for over a decade yet never landed a huge mainstream hit. LAX 2194 provided the actor with an opportunity to headline a new ABC sitcom, one that could potentially lead to steady residual checks. Fortunately, LAX 2194's quick cancellation allowed Perry to pursue a more ideal acting gig as Friends' Chandler Bing.
LAX 2194 Almost Stopped Matthew Perry Playing Chandler
Perry appeared on Late Night with Seth Meyers in February 2015 and states that he almost turned down Friends because of LAX 2194. He was technically "off the market," and thus remained contractually committed to the ABC show. According to Perry, a TV executive immediately recognized that the LAX 2194 pilot had little potential, and so the subsequent cancellation essentially made him a free agent. As seen in the Friends reunion special, Jennifer Aniston experienced a similar dilemma upon committing to the CBS series Muddling Through.
LAX 2194 Story Details
The unaired LAX 2194 pilot features Perry as an LAX baggage handler named Blaine. In the year 2194, he helps aliens sort through their luggage at the titular Los Angeles airport. During the aforementioned Late Night with Seth Meyers interview, Perry says "that was basically the show," and notes that "little people played the aliens."
LAX 2194 Cast & Characters
Alongside Matthew Perry, the LAX 2194 cast included Kelly Hu as a human customs agent. By 1994, she was best known for movie roles in Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan and the music biopic The Doors, along with TV appearances in Growing Pains and 21 Jump Street. Hu would later star as The Sorceress in The Scorpion King and Yuriko Oyama/Lady Deathstrike in X2: X-Men United.
Ryan Stiles co-starred in LAX 2194 as a robot custom agent who clashes with co-workers. He struggles to complete normal tasks and speaks insensitively to colleagues. After LAX 2194's cancellation, Stiles began a 231-episode run as Lewis Kiniski on The Drew Carey Show and frequently appeared on Whose Line Is It Anyway?
Why LAX 2194 Failed
Based on Perry's description of LAX 2194, the series failed because of its unimaginative science fiction premise. Clips show Stiles using a bizarre accent for his robot character, and the situational comedy apparently didn't impress executives. Perry uses the same manner of speech that he'd later utilize on Friends, but even his obvious talent wasn't enough to overcome the inherent storytelling flaws. In Friends: The Reunion, it's revealed that a Warner Bros. executive attended a taping of LAX 2194 and decided that Perry would be better off elsewhere.