The ultimate TV & movie BFFs to keep you company when IRL meet-ups just aren't possible
The sign of a great on-screen friendship is one that you can totally relate to.
Take Patsy and Eddy, the lovable rogues of the iconic Absolutely Fabulous. Boozy work lunches, exceptional taste in fashion and unquestionable support for one another is a hard relate from us.
Then there's Pacey and Dawson, our ultimate boy BFFs from Nineties sitcom, Dawson's Creek. Sure, they had their fallings out over mutual love interests but we've all been there, am I right?
But as the cast of Friends proved, a group of pals can be just as important as one ride-or-die BFF. Because, just as much as they’ve been there for each other, they’ve been there for us too, keeping us company on solo binges when IRL meet-ups haven’t been possible in 2020.
The Girls gang, Hannah, Shoshanna, Jessa and Marnie, have certainly helped us to live vicariously during these tough times. After eight months cooped up indoors working from home and dating digitally, their real-life struggles remind us that things could definitely be worse.
Or if it’s the laughter you’re missing, New Girl’s Cece, Jess, Schmidt, Winstone and Nick have definitely delivered over eight seasons. So much so, we recommend going back to the beginning and watching it all over again.
Finally, who could forget SATC’s Carrie, Miranda, Charlotte and Samantha? Arguably the original – and ultimate – girl gang navigating work, relationships and city life, as well as their complex friendships. Naturally, it makes us want to go out and grab cocktails so, so bad but we’ll stay for the love lessons and Carrie’s enduring wisdom.
So, if you’re looking for great company, look no further than our run-down of the best friendships to ever exist on screen: here to share the highs, the lows and all of the LOLs in between.
NetflixSex Education Maeve, Otis and Eric.
An unlikely friendship group set up to sell sex advice - was there ever a firmer foundation? While loner Maeve was at first reluctant, we absolutely love to see her soften up under Otis and Eric's wing.
NetflixNever Have I Ever, Devi, Ramona & Fabiola.
Challenged by boys, mums and the usual high school drama, the complicated lives of Devi, Ramona and Fabiola do threaten to pull them apart but they're way too solid for that.
NetflixDead to Me, Jen & Judy
A fast friendship brought together by bad circumstances, Jen and Judy prove to be exactly what they need to each other. Can we third wheel?
Rex FeaturesAbsolutely Fabulous
Patsy & Eddie
Possibly ranking among the most legendary of all fictional BFFs, are these two; the inimitable Patsy and Eddie. Between their mid-day trips to Harvey Nics and Bolly-swilling, their ridiculous capers still have us in stitches.
Getty ImagesBoy Meets World
Cory, Topanga & Shawn
Whilst Topanga and Cory always shared the simmering love story from the off, it's Cory and Shawn's endearing friendship - that let's be honest, was often piqued with sadness at Shawn's troubles - that kept us hooked on this kids classic for so many years.
Rex FeaturesBridesmaids
Annie & Lillian
The best on-screen BFF-dom we've seen in ages, Bridesmaids' Annie and Lillian are chalk and cheese who have their fair share of spats in the run up to Lillian's wedding. Suffice to say, their friendship is a strong one and after pooping in the street and causing a security alert on a plane, these two still manage to patch it up.
Getty ImagesBuffy The Vampire Slayer
Buffy, Willow & Xander
Buffy wouldn't have been able to bring down half the baddies in Sunnydale if it hadn't have been for her two closest pals and unwitting heroes, Willow and Xander.
Rex FeaturesDawson's Creek
Pacey & Dawson
At some point during the six wonderful series of Dawson's Creek, Pacey and Dawson manage to fall out about something. However, despite spats over Joey Potter, money, Joey Potter and erm... Joey Potter, the two always manage to work it out and are always there in the other's time of need.
Getty ImagesE.T.
Elliot & E.T.
One of the greatest movie friendships, it's one that we revisit pretty much every Christmas and it never fails to make us bawl our eyes out, too.
Getty ImagesThe Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air
Will & Carlton
Despite Wil and Carlton's regular - and very funny - adversarial exchanges, the cousins always stood up for each other. Plus, we just love the fact that these two are still BFFs in real life, as well.
Getty ImagesGilmore Girls
Rory & Lorelai
Never in the history of film and TV have a mother-daughter duo been closer - or spoken faster, for that matter. Rory and Lorelai Gilmore often look to each other for guidance and despite a major spat midway through the series, the loveable pair come good again. Aah.
Harry Potter
Harry, Ron & Hermione
I mean, what you can say about these three that haven't already been said before? Chums from the very beginning, Harry, Ron and Hermione are so loyal to each other that they regularly throw their lives down in the face of danger to help out the others.
Getty ImagesNow & Then
Roberta, Teeny, Samantha & Chrissy
We used to love this classic flick when we were growing up, which explored the complicated lives of four young teenage girls. There are laughs, tears and first kisses aplenty in this movie, but the over-arching storyline is how friendships grow, fall apart and can be mended again. Great stuff.
Rex FeaturesOne Tree Hill
Brooke & Peyton
Despite these two being in a love triangle with Lucas Scott for the majority of the first four seasons of the show, in their hour they are always there for each other, with Peyton letting Brooke move in and Brooke returning the favour by investing in Peyton's record label some years later.
Getty ImagesRomy & Michelle's High School Reunion
Romy & Michelle
The BFFs that design clothes together, invent fake careers to impress former classmates and choreograph dance routines together, clearly stay together - if this pair are anything to go by.
Rex FeaturesThe O.C.
Ryan & Seth
These two are just great. Why? Because, like all good friends, they bring the best out of each other. Thanks to Seth's neurotic nature, Ryan gets in touch with his softer side, and Seth dials down the geek just enough to get the girl, thanks to Ryan's tough guy machismo.
Rex FeaturesTop Gun
Goose & Maverick
The BFFs that play topless volleyball together and jam on the piano to Great Balls Of Fire, Maverick and Goose are one of the all-time greatest bromances on celluloid. We just can't bring ourselves to think about how it all panned out, though.
Toy Story
Woody & Buzz Lightyear
As if this needs any explanation?
Rex FeaturesThe X Files
Mulder & Scully
Simmering sexual tension coupled with extra-terrestrial goings-ons proved to be a heady mix and a great on-screen partnership, if ever we saw one.
GettyFriends
Monica, Chandler, Rachel, Ross, Phoebe & Joey
Why was it awesome? Well, it pretty much changed the way people talked (Chandler-inflection, anyone?), we felt like we actually knew Rachel Green, Joey Tribiani & co and also because it gave us one of the most singularly brilliant characters to have ever graced a TV show; Ross Geller.
Rex FeaturesSabrina The Teenage Witch
Sabrina & Salem
We love a good witch and Sabrina is right up there with the best of them. But, teamed with her wise-cracking cat Salem - see what they did there? - this show was all kinds of amazing.
GIRLS
Hannah, Shoshanna, Jessa & Marnie
This bunch of mid-twenties women living in Brooklyn are our favourite anti-heroes at the moment who clearly depict the modern day demands put upon friendships.
Clueless
Dionne & Cher
These two have a shared interest in fashion - matching plaid skirt suits, anyone? - and as Cher reveals at the beginning of the movie, first bonded over the fact that, "Dionne and I were both named after famous singers of the past, who now do infomercials". Now if that doesn't lay the groundwork for a lasting friendship, we don't know what does?
Rex FeaturesNew Girl
Cece, Jess, Schmidt, Winstone & Nick
Dysfunctional, neurotic and with a couple of romantic plotlines thrown in for good measure, these housemates (save for Cece who doesn't actually live with them) are the funniest bunch of friends we've watched on TV since well, Friends.
Rex FeaturesGossip Girl
Serena & Blair
Having overcome a love triangle, family meltdowns and more than a couple of brushes with the law, Manhattan's most stylish BFFs were a force to be reckoned with in the show's hey day.
Rex FeaturesSaved By The Bell
Jessie, Lisa, Kelley, Slater, Screech & Zack
Unlike some shows with big ensemble casts, this Nickelodeon stalwart fostered friendships between all the main characters and for that earns a spot here.
Rex FeaturesMean Girls
Janice & Damian
Janice and Damian's snippy one-liners make these two another of the brilliant things about this classic teen flick.
Rex FeaturesWhen Harry Met Sally
Harry & Sally
Despite Harry's early protestations that men and women can never be friends, Harry and Sally do eventually carve out a very brilliant friendship when their two long-term relationships fall apart. After a fake orgasm in a Lower East Side deli and an actual night of passion, the two eventually realise that they're BFF-ness is actually something more.
Rex FeaturesThelma & Louise
Thelma & Louise
In this ultimate story of female bonding, a holiday gone wrong leads to two women on the run from the law and their pasts, culminating in that legendary convertible-driving-off-a-cliff scene.
Rex FeaturesSex & The City
Carrie, Miranda, Charlotte & Samantha
It's Carrie, Miranda, Charlotte & Samantha. What else do you need to say?
