Matthew Perry Starred In One Of The Most Heartbreaking Episodes Of A Hit '80s Sitcom
Years before Friends, Matthew Perry played a character on a hit '80s sitcom whose storyline ended in tragedy. Here's what happened and what Perry said about it.
Matthew Perry made a brief appearance on the classic 1980s sitcom Growing Pains before starring in one of its most heartbreaking episodes. Perry played Carol Seaver's college boyfriend, Sandy, whose tragic death came about in a drunk driving accident during the show's fourth season. This was not the first time the popular series had tackled a sensitive subject matter; earlier episodes had dealt with drug use and suicide.
Executive producer Steve Marshall drew inspiration for the episode from learning that his 14-year-old daughter had experimented with drinking. He wanted the episode to have a profound impact on younger viewers, and ultimately chose to have Sandy die instead of simply learning a lesson. Perry's character was initially introduced as a likable and handsome young man who Carol started dating in Season 4's 11th episode, appearing again in Episode 15.
The episode, titled 'Second Chance' and aired on April 12, 1989, centered around Sandy getting into a car accident after visiting a bar. At first, it appeared he would survive the accident, but ultimately succumbed to internal bleeding in the hospital. The episode concluded with a message highlighting that 31 people had been injured or killed in alcohol-related accidents since the episode began.
Marshall emphasized that the writers intended Sandy to be someone the audience grew to care about, not just a utilitarian character.
Sandy had been marked for death from the moment he first appeared on the show, with early appearances showcasing his occasional drinking habits as grim foreshadowing. Perry was reportedly surprised when he learned he was set to die in one of the most shocking TV deaths of the 1980s. Although he had initially intended to buy a house, he ultimately appreciated the anti-drunk driving message the writers had crafted.
Perry, who had grown fond of his role on the show, felt the death was a brave and effective decision by the writers, conveying the message that drinking and driving have no place in society.
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