I didn’t have a lot of friends growing up, but that was mainly due to my own nature as an introverted person. Instead, I found a lot of joy in watching fictional friendships play out on screen, because there was just something soothing about watching two or more actors with a lot of natural chemistry just feed off of each other’s energy on screen.
As sad as that might sound, worry not: I have more than enough close friends in my adult life to keep me plenty company. Yet that love for fictional friendships has never gone away, because it’s still entertaining, and I still think there are a lot of things to learn about being a good friend from watching fake characters pull it off on screen. Assuming you find the right ones, of course. Lots of these friendships have become part of my comfort viewing to binge when life gets overwhelming, and each for their own reasons.
Shawn and Gus from Psych
Watch Psych on Peacock and Amazon Prime Video
The uninitiated might not immediately think of Psych as something featuring deep bonds of friendship, but they would be incorrect and missing out big time. Shawn Spencer (James Roday Rodriguez) and Gus (Dulé Hill) are the perfect pairing of opposites. Shawn is care-free and could make a joke about just about anything (and often does), while Gus is neurotic and worried about everything all the time (relatable).
Together, they form a friendship that is as hilariously full of hijinks as it is deeply emotional moments, depending on what the moment calls for. You would think eight full seasons of Psych is enough for anyone, but I still find myself wishing I could bring Gus and Shawn to life just to hang out with them and watch as they go to work solving murders and other various crimes.
Romy and Michele from Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion
Watch Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion on Hulu
While Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion has become a fairly well-known cult classic, I’m still surprised at how many people haven’t experienced this marvelously ludicrous comedy. Starring Mira Sorvino and Lisa Kudrow as the eponymous Romy and Michele, respectively, the film focuses on the duo’s attempt to convince their former classmates that they’re more successful in life than they actually are.
There are also some romantic elements to Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion, but it’s Sorvino and Kudrow’s chemistry as best friends that really anchor the film. You’ll find yourself wishing you had your own slightly dysfunctional friendship like these two, or at least hoping that they come to life so you can watch their banter play out in real time. Supposedly, there’s a sequel coming in 2027 with Sorvino and Kudrow involved, so hopefully it lives up to the brilliance of the original.
Val and Earl from Tremors
Watch Tremors on Amazon Prime Video
The concept of underground monsters terrorizing a small settlement in Nevada may have spawned a long-running franchise that’s seen a lot of success. Yet I would argue that it’s the friendship between the main characters, Val (Kevin Bacon) and Earl (Fred Ward), that really makes the original Tremors such a memorable experience. Bacon and Ward have an endless well of chemistry to pull from as they work together to outsmart prehistoric creatures and try to survive.
Val and Earl also bicker like an old married couple, and it just comes naturally to Bacon and Ward. While the former may have been originally embarrassed by his involvement in Tremors, I believe it remains one of the A-lister’s most iconic roles. And a lot of that is due to just how well he and the late Ward vibe together on screen. I’ve enjoyed the follow-up films in the series, but nothing comes close to capturing their deep and often-hilarious bond.
Troy and Abed from Community
Watch Community on Hulu and Peacock
Troy and Abed in the friends list! I like to imagine that Abed (Danny Pudi) would be the first to notice them appearing in a list like this in a burst of meta commentary, and Troy (Donald Glover) would just be confused but supportive of his best friend. There are many good reasons to watch Community, from its writing to its all-star ensemble cast, but it was Troy and Abed’s natural chemistry and developing friendship that originally hooked me.
They shouldn’t work as well as they do, either. Troy is a former jock and all-star athlete, while Abed is a pop culture-obsessed autistic man with social issues. It’s not exactly a combination that screams “best friends ever,” but Pudi and Glover are undeniable when it comes to selling the whole thing to viewers. The best episodes of Community are easily the ones centering around the duo and their weekly hijinks, and the show was never quite the same after Glover’s departure.
Frodo and Samwise from The Lord of the Rings
Watch The Lord of the Rings trilogy on HBO Max
The ultimate definition of “goals” for me when it comes to a friendship. You may watch The Lord of the Rings movies for the epic fantasy adventure and spectacle, but you’ll stick around because of Samwise (Sean Astin) and Frodo’s (Elijah Wood) beautiful friendship. These two go through so much throughout the three films, and it’s only through leaning on each other that they make it through and finally destroy the One Ring once and for all.
Wood and Astin bring sweetness and sadness in equal measure to the duo’s developing bond, and I found myself desperate to someday find that kind of bond with anyone in my real life. Their friendship is the emotional center of the whole trilogy, and I personally think it works even better in director Peter Jackson’s movies than it does in the source material. Sam and Frodo are what friendships are all about.
Friendship is truly the best ship there is
While I do love a good romance movie that will leave me curled up in the fetal position, there is something truly special about watching a purely platonic friendship play out on screen. It can transcend any struggle, and these particular examples have always felt like the best of what fictional friendships have to offer, although there are definitely many, many more to choose from. There’s a reason the buddy film subgenre remains so popular with viewers after so many years.
