The ultimate BFFs

Tyrion Lannister & Varys in ‘Game of Thrones’

Varys testified against Tyrion in the trial, using this as a golden opportunity to push him over the edge. An important political ally for Tyrion, their alliance grew into a mutual understanding during the course of their journey across the sea.

They’ve both faced persecution for the way they are, which is largely beyond their circumstances. This leads to an unlikely bond of sorts, with each of them standing up for each other in their darkest hour. The masters of wordplay enjoy sniping at each other, while providing counsel to the Dragon Queen.

‘The Stranger Things’ gang
Right from the opening scene, where the boys are engrossed in ‘Dungeons and Dragons’ to their secret handshakes to conversing on their walkie-talkies all night, the show is awash in the glory of the 1980s and the earnest bond between the middle-schoolers.

When Eleven, a laboratory rat, enters this tightly-knit group, Mike must explain what the word ‘friend’ entails. “A friend is someone that you’d do anything for…and they never break a promise…that’s super-important because friends tell each other things, things that parents don’t know.” he spells out. Who can explain friendship better than a pack of pre-teen boys, to whom it means the most?

The Big Three in ‘This is Us’
The main theme of ‘The Big Three’ is shattering personal boundaries and reinventing your life. Kevin, Randall and Kate go beyond the traditional sibling bond to form a meaningful friendship that stands the test of time. Their dynamic as children sets the groundwork for their adult relationship. The Big Three ask the vital questions that drive the propensity for discomfort, but also tackle the real issues.

Sheldon Cooper & Penny Hofstadter in ‘The Big Bang Theory’
A world-renown physicist and a struggling actress/waitress? The word ‘unlikely’ immediately springs to mind. But with the duo singing the iconic lullaby ‘Soft Kitty’ while caring for each other, exchanging awkward hugs and the volley of friendly insults they throw at each other; ‘Shenny’ is going strong. She is the only one who can stand up to Sheldon and doesn’t give into his whimsies like Leonard and the other guys do. Sheldon also supports Penny when she decides to quit her job as a waitress to focus solely on acting.

Quinn & Rachel in ‘UnReal’
An unusual friendship between two complex and powerful women. It’s refreshing to see a female friendship take centrestage rather than being relegated as an aside to a romance. Their professional competence at the ruthless business of producing reality television completely overawes their love life constantly blowing up in their faces. A deeply intellectual, slightly twisted yet loving relationship exists between the two fiery souls.