3 Best Fictional Friendships of All Time
In my novels, I love to feature the theme of friendship. Though fictional, my characters help me explore how friendships develop and their impact on people's lives. Over the years, I've encountered some great fictional friendships in books, movies, and TV shows. And they undoubtedly serve as models for the friendships that I create in my stories and also for the friendships that I nurture in real life. Below are my picks for the 3 best fictional friendships of all time.
3 Best Fictional Friendships of All Time
Frodo and Sam and the Fellowship (Lord of the Rings)
The friendship between the two hobbits, in particular, is the the most aspirational on my list. Why? Because the trials they went through together to secure their bond - journeying into Mordor to cast the One Ring into the fires of Mount Doom - are simply unrealistic for us mere humans. Yet, friends in real life do support each other through life's catastrophes, such as illness, divorce, or unemployment. And when they come through such trials, their friendship will either be stronger or will have collapsed under the weight of such hardship.
Frodo and Sam represent the former. They began the terrible journey armed only with hope and survived it, because even at their darkest hour, when Frodo seemed ready to give up and cast himself into the fires, Sam's love pulled him up, literally and figuratively. There are several moments throughout the movie where we get reaffirmations of their friendship, but my favorite moment occurred during the Fellowship's reunion (view the clip below). Amidst the raucous of Frodo's reunion with the other members of the Fellowship, the quiet understanding between him and Sam packs the emotional punch.
Holmes and Watson (Sherlock)
I admit it: I'm a Cumberb*tch, a woman who has a deep fascination with the actor Benedict Cumberbatch (definition via Urban Dictionary). The actor's portrayal of the iconic Sherlock Holmes as a brilliant, social miscreant appeals to me, much like Hugh Laurie's Dr. House.
Photo via ScreenerTV
Holmes and Watson have an unlikely friendship, seemingly full of contrasts: Holmes is anti-social, Watson personable; Holmes cerebral, Watson earthbound. Yet, they complement each other so that, together, they make a strong team. The whole is greater than the sum of its parts, as they say. What is most appealing to me about their friendship is the impact they have on each other. In finding a friend in the other, Watson begins to heal from his psychological war-scars and Holmes discovers a reason to continue living.
Monica, Ross, Chandler, Rachel, Joey, and Phoebe (F.R.I.E.N.D.S.)
Ah, F.R.I.E.N.D.S.
After 10+ years together, I think I know more about Monica, Ross, Chandler, Rachel, Joey, and Phoebe than I do my own husband (shh, don't tell him that).
These 6 fictional friends are important to me because they actually helped me through the tumultuous years of early adulthood. In my 20s, F.R.I.E.N.D.S. became my surrogate friends. Back then, I often felt lost, which fed into my depression. And although I had strong friendships in real life, my depression was such that I could not allow my friends to try to help me through it. Oddly, I turned to fictional characters such as these 6 for solace. Their comedic storylines and over-the-top personalities was just far-enough removed from reality that I could enjoy them from a safe distance. And during my lowest moments, when I felt the most alone, the characters' decade-long friendship offered me hope that one day I may find such friendships of my own.
Plus, they always brought on the laughs when I needed a good laugh :-)