And the list goes on! For this decade’s list, we’re focusing on unforgettable friendships. No, we didn’t get them all, but these friends sure stand out among the rest!
Please remember that with have almost two dozen favorites lists that we couldn’t showcase every show on every list, so we parsed them out a bit to make it more fun.
And these lists are not in any particular order. They’re in the order the entries were received by TV Fanatic staff, so don’t read into them!
To qualify, a show that began in another decade had to be airing during the decade, run a larger number of seasons from 2010 through 2019 if it started before 2010 or run the entire decade. Here we go!
Scott & Stiles: Teen Wolf – MTV (2011-2017)
The friendship between Scott and Stiles was always at the front and center of Teen Wolf.
They were beloved by many and fans even nicknamed the pair, “Sciles.”
No matter what supernatural forces threatened to drive them apart, Scott and Stiles’ bond was unbreakable.
The series started and ended with the two of them, and their strong connection was a highlight of the television decade.
Ted & Marshall: How I Met Your Mother – CBS (2005-2014)
Among the five friends on the show, the longest friendship lies between Ted and Marshall.
The beginning scene opens with the two celebrating a life-changing event in Marshall’s life. Their friendship, although changes with the times and matures over the following seasons, it never wavers.
They’re always supportive of each other even if it’s the 50th time Ted is going after the wrong girl.
Marshall always believed in Ted and Robin even when it seemed impossible, his support for Ted loving a woman who at times was not right for him was the ultimate sign of loyalty.
Steve and Dustin: Stranger Things – Netflix (2016-present)
The hit show has produced many friendships between its multitude of characters, but the one that resonated most with the fans was Steve and Dustin.
One of the best things to come out of Stranger Things Season 2 was the unpredictable friendship between the boys was born out of feelings of exclusion.
Steve and Dustin bring out the best in one another and help each other with girls, solving Russian codes, and life in general.
Here’s to a Stranger Things Season 4 filled with more unforgettable Steve and Dustin moments.
Emily and Nolan: Revenge – ABC (2011-2015)
In a show centered around betrayal, anger, and loss, the protagonist Emily Thorne was reluctant to trust anybody.
She built sky-high walls to protect herself from getting hurt again, but Nolan Ross scaled those walls with the determination of somebody who knows what it is like to have absolutely nobody to count on.
Nolan was loyal to a fault, willing to take constant abuse from those who he valued, and while it was originally Emily’s father David that caused Nolan to look out for Emily, in time he grew to love her as the sister he never had.
No friend was ever as devoted or forgiving, and Emily eventually saw Nolan’s value. He became family to her, and it was clear the two would go to hell and back for each other.
Riley and Maya: Girl Meets World – Disney Channel (2014-2017)
From the creators who created Cory and Shawn came a new generation of unbreakable friends to root for.
Maya and Riley were each other’s important relationship. They had friendship rings and could not only finish each other’s sentences but read each other’s minds.
While the girl’s relationships with Farkle and Lucas were interesting to watch, it was this sisterly friendship that brought viewers back time and time again. These girls refused to be torn apart by different backgrounds or the boy they both possibly liked.
Riley found a new father for Maya, and someday, Maya might be Riley’s aunt. In all seriousness, these girls had a strong love that would have endured through the seasons if the show hadn’t been sadly canceled after three far too short seasons.
Kat, Jane, and Sutton: The Bold Type – Freeform (2017-Present)
For a long time, women’s friendships on television were not the strongest. Kat, Jane, and Sutton are the answer to this dilemma.
Three girls who work together quickly developed a ride-or-die friendship that fans can really route for.
These girls support each other with their relationship issues, their work-stress, and everything in-between.
When those you work with acknowledge that the fashion closet is unofficially yours, you know your bond makes a difference.
Shawn and Gus: Psych – USA Network (2006-2014)
C’mon son! There is no greater pair than Shawn and Gus.
The love between these two guys is unbreakable.
They have been friends since childhood and have been through so much together.
They are a hilarious example of how opposites attract.
Ghost and Tommy: Power – Starz ( 2014-present)
Although this relationship has deteriorated over the past few seasons when you think of Power, you think of Ghost and Tommy.
They were the main stars of the show, and their friendship, whether it was in a good place or bad, was the heartbeat of the series. Ghost and Tommy transcended friendship in many ways, and their greed and mistrust ultimately drove them apart.
They’ve tried to sabotage one another and have even tried to kill the other on occasion, but through it all their bond and chemistry was undeniable.
You can’t craft a list of unforgettable friendships and leave these two off the list.
Jane Rizzoli and Maura Isles: Rizzoli & Isles – TNT (2010 – 2016)
Where homicide Detective Jane Rizzoli was brash, sarcastic, and a tough-as-nails cop, Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Maura Isles was the impeccably dressed forensics expert who sometimes had issues interacting with real live people.
Despite their differences, these two smart, successful, independent women were the best of friends and leaned on one another while working to stop the criminals of Boston.
Their on-screen chemistry was so dynamic that many fans speculated that there was something romantic between them, but per the books, the series was based on, Jane and Maura were best friends.
Javier Esposito and Kevin Ryan: Castle – ABC (2009 – 2016)
Detectives Kevin Ryan and Javier Esposito start off the series as fairly new partners, but it doesn’t take long for them to become the best of friends.
They’re there for one another as they catch killers, help fellow detective Kate Beckett hunt down her mother’s murderer, come to the horrible realization that their beloved Captain is involved in the conspiracy and then mourn his death.
No matter what occurred, even as the two almost died trapped under a burning building, the humor was always present as when Kevin Ryan planned to name his first child Javier if it was a boy, and Esposito, although touched, can’t help but bust his chops by saying, “You’re going to name a white, Irish kid Javier?”
This duo swore to be there for each other “until the wheels fall off” and fans still haven’t forgotten.
Louis Provenza and Andy Flynn: Major Crimes – TNT (2012-2018)
If cop partnerships are like marriages, Provenza and Flynn were the proverbial bickering couple who always pick on each other but secretly love one another.
Provenza had no patience for Flynn’s idiosyncrasies, but no one was more devastated than him when Flynn’s high blood pressure led him to have a stroke.
The back-and-forth between the two of them made for entertaining television, and the cop show universe has never felt the same since Major Crimes went off the air.
Quinn King and Rachel Goldberg: UnREAL – Lifetime/Hulu (2015-2018)
Rachel and Quinn have one of the most toxic friendships ever.
Their love was a twisted type that volleyed between sapphic and familial. It oozed sexual energy between the pair, while Quinn somewhat navigated this role as Rachel’s maternal figure and mentor.
They often proved that there is a thin line between love and hate. They were destructive together but catastrophic apart.
Their bond was as much protectiveness and love as it was manipulation and emotionally abusive. It was so unlike the traditional female friendship on series, which made it raw and refreshing.
Grace and Frankie: Grace and Frankie – Netflix (2015-present)
Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin headline as Grace and Frankie, two seniors who fall into each other’s orbits when their husbands fall in love with each other.
Their cosmic differences allow them to learn a lot from each other.
Their friendship ultimately becomes more defining than their marriages because of the trust and understanding they find where the least expected it.
Leslie and Ann, Parks and Recreation – NBC (2009-2015)
One of the great parts of Parks and Rec is the chemistry between all the characters.
But, there was one friendship that always stood out amongst the rest — Leslie and Ann. They are an important example of a non-toxic female friends who support and lift one another at any given moment.
Of course, they would get in fights now and then (see iconic snake juice episode), but they always came out of it stronger than ever.
Who would have thought that a pit would be the cause of such a great friendship?
Mellie Grant and Olivia Pope – Scandal ABC (2012 – 2018)
Who would have thought these two unlikely women would become such a power team? Olivia was Fitz’s mistress for years and eventually moves into the white house after Mellie gets kicked out.
They might not have the most traditional friendship, but they have each other’s backs as the wolves try to creep in to destroy them. They are forever connected through a common love and a common choice.
Mellie and Olivia might have started at odds, but eventually, as Fitz was taken out of the equation these women grew to truly understand one another.
Olivia even ran Mellie’s campaign to become president and then served as Mellie’s Chief of Staff. There is mutual love and respect there that makes them an iconic duo.
Michonne and Carl – The Walking Dead AMC (2010 – Present)
There are not enough tissues to get through the magical connection between Carl and Michonne. At first glance, Michonne came off as a cold character. She didn’t seem to play well with others and held onto the darkness of her past.
Carl was the first person to get Michonne to open up more. Carl was the first one to give Michonne his stamp of approval.
As the seasons progressed, they bonded more with inside jokes, candy, deep talks, and general goofing around. Michonne took on a maternal role for Carl, and their bond was undeniable.
During Carl’s passing, there wasn’t a dry eye as the two shared their “ I love you “ goodbyes.
Meredith and Christina: Grey’s Anatomy – ABC (2005 – Present)
You can’t get much closer than being someone’s person.
After going through a hospital shooting, a deadly plane crash, and the ups and downs of romantic relationships, these two can’t help but be bonded for life.
Even though Sandra Oh’s Christina in 2014, their friendship has continued offscreen, with Christina “calling” Meredith to congratulate her on winning a Harper Avery award and now “sending” Meredith a hot Irish doctor after her breakup with DeLuca.
Mike Ross and Harvey Specter, Suits – USA (2011-2019)
It’s a bromance of the ages, a list exploring notable friendships of the decade wouldn’t be complete without them.
Mike Ross blew into Harvey’s office as a fluke pretending to be a lawyer, with the advantages his genius afforded him, and they spent the new few years being partners in crime since.
They had many ups and downs, as they struggled to keep Mike’s true identity under wraps, and there were many times the loyalty between them was tested. However, at the end of the day, and the series, one thing remained.
They were best friends and family. They’re one of the most memorable dynamic duos on air.
Don Draper and Peggy Olson, Mad Men – AMC (2017-2015)
Peggy Olson fought her way through the male-dominated ad agency with her keen insight and determination to be taken seriously, and it was Don Draper’s influence that shaped and guided her every step of the way.
He respected her business sense and creativity, and the time he spent nurturing her led to a close bond forged through troubled pasts that they both understood too well.
Ultimately, their connection surpassed all others on Mad Men and developed into one of the most lasting friendships on television.
What is YOUR most unforgettable friendship of the decade?