PeacockA shocking new documentary about the death of Friends icon Matthew Perry has just arrived on streaming. If you want to give it a watch, there’s a simple way to view it for free. Warning: some may find this content distressing.
Perry was open about his struggles with addiction, having battled with drug use during his time on Friends before getting clean.
He wrote about his experiences in his 2022 memoir ‘Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing’, at which point he appeared to be doing well, with well over a year of sobriety under his belt.
But on October 28, 2023, Perry died at age 54. It was later revealed that the cause of death was the “acute effects of ketamine” and subsequent drowning, leading to an investigation and five arrests, all of which will be explored in Matthew Perry: A Hollywood Tragedy.
How to watch Matthew Perry: A Hollywood Tragedy for free
The new documentary is streaming on Peacock as of today (February 25, 2025). Although the streaming platform doesn’t offer a free trial directly, you can get it for free through the Instacart+ subscription service.
Instacart+ is a subscription service from Instacart that offers benefits like free delivery on orders over a certain amount, reduced service fees, and exclusive discounts.
As stated on its site, “Instacart+ members in the United States can receive a Peacock Premium subscription at no additional cost. The Peacock Premium subscription is Peacock’s ad-supported tier for $79.99 a year.”
So long as your Instacart+ membership remains active, you’ll have access to a complimentary Peacock Premium subscription.
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You qualify for this benefit if you’re a direct member rather than an additional user on a family Instacart+ account, and if you’re not yet subscribed to Peacock. The offer can be activated via the Instacart app or website.
If you’re not yet a member, you might be able to bag a 14-day free trial, during which time you can receive the free Peacock Premium subscription.
What is the documentary about?
Matthew Perry: A Hollywood Tragedy examines the case involving Perry’s death, which saw his live-in personal assistant, two medical doctors, and a drug dealer known as the “ketamine queen” charged with providing the Friends star with the drug.
PeacockInitially, Perry’s death was ruled an accident. His body was found in his LA home, with first responders believing it was a cardiac arrest and subsequent drowning in his hot tub. An autopsy later discovered a high concentration of ketamine had been in his system.
Those close to him said he’d been undergoing ketamine infusion therapy to help with his addiction and depression, and so “foul play” was initially not identified as being a potential cause.
However, in May 2024, it was announced that the LAPD and DEA were working on a joint criminal investigation into how Perry got the prescription medication. A few months later, five defendants were arrested in connection to the actor’s death.
They include his assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, doctors Mark Chavez and Salvador Plasencia, former Red Door rehab director Erik Fleming, and “ketamine queen” Jasveen Sangha.
At the time, US Attorney Martin Estrada said, “These defendants cared more about profiting off of Mr. Perry than caring for his well-being.
Peacock“Drug dealers selling dangerous substances are gambling with other people’s lives over greed. This case, along with our many other prosecutions of drug dealers who cause death, send a clear message that we will hold drug dealers accountable for the deaths they cause.”
Peacock’s true crime documentary special is set to lay out the facts of what happened amid the news that two of the defendants, who have pleaded not guilty, are awaiting trial.
Following Perry’s death in 2023, all of his Friends co-stars shared touching tributes. You can read what each of them said, including Matt LeBlanc, Lisa Kudrow, Jennifer Aniston, David Schwimmer, and Courteney Cox.