5 Underrated TV Best Friends

If you didn’t already notice, here at WS we are avid fans of TV, and personally I love stories, of any kind. Although storytelling is more complexly portrayed through the reading experience, television sparks a similar joy in me that reading and writing do. I love the different ways in which the writers develop their plot lines and the progression of characters and their respective storylines. With that being said I’ve noticed the media and, quite frankly, fans of television have done some characters a great disservice. While we all know of these popular friendships: Meredith and Cristina, Blair and Serena, the women of Sex and the City, Brooke and Peyton, and so on, there are a few that aren’t as talked about. Here are some of my personal favorites.

Riley Matthews and Maya Hart (Girl Meets World)
If you were a Boy Meets World fan, it may warm your heart to see a new generation of best friends. Meet Riley Matthews, daughter of Cory and Topanga, and her partner in crime, Maya Hart, who happens to strikingly mirror Shawn Hunter. The best thing about these two is that they continually remind the other how important their friendship is. Boys come and go, but they will always have each other. At the end of the day, it will always be the Riley and Maya show, because they make sure nothing gets between them. Strong female friendships for the win!

Turk and JD (Scrubs)
Turk and JD of Scrubs have a friendship like no other. They act like a married couple, unashamed of how close they truly are. They have an incredibly strong bond, having met freshman year of college, and experiencing a lot together. One moment in particular between the two that stands out significantly was when JD had a moment of doubt when it came to Turks ability as a surgeon. JD doesn’t understand why it matters to Turk and Turk explains he doesn’t care what other people think, but he cares what JD thinks. They’re best friends, and JD’s opinion is important to him. My favorite part of their friendship is that despite how much they goof off, they truly do understand and care for each other. Their friendship always comes first.

Callie Torres and Mark Sloan (Grey’s Anatomy)
There’s a saying that guys and girls can’t be friends and the thing is, this friendship proves that wrong. Although their bond is a tad unusual considering they were often found in bed together, Callie and Sloan are the epitome of friendship goals. We don’t see a lot of male/female friendships on television, and when we do the guy or girl is usually pining for the other. Despite starting off as friends with benefits, their relationship develops into more. Yes, they did sleep together but their friendship was genuine. They even ended up having a baby together, becoming a family, and finding a way to raise their daughter together before Mark passed.

Cece Parekh and Jessica Day (New Girl)
It’s refreshing to see best friends who are complete opposites portrayed on television. Despite this, Cece and Jess consistently look out for each other and never fail to make sure the other is okay. For example, when they were considering Nick’s girlfriend to be their new roommate, Cece voted no to protect Jess and her feelings for Nick. They know each other better than they know themselves and they always show up for each other. Cece and Jess fully encapsulate the saying, “opposites attract” because they couldn’t be more different, Cece the model and Jess the quirky school teacher, but that’s what makes their friendship so appealing. Their ability to love and appreciate how different they are from each other is what bonds them.

Seth Cohen and Ryan Atwood (The O.C.)
Yet another duo that bond over their obvious differences. Seth and Ryan are from vastly different worlds, but they click almost immediately. Seth grew up in a life of privilege and money and Ryan came from a troubled environment and a broken home, but the two have little trouble getting to know each other despite what sets them apart. Ryan is taken into the Cohen family and, with the help of Seth and his parents, learns what family is all about. Not only does Ryan gain a friend, but a brother.