As you browse the vast variety of movies out there, you’ll notice something: there are no movies without some kind of romantic pairing. Whether it’s a good friend and a bad friend, a boy and a girl, a criminal and a cop, a robot and a princess, a meerkat and a rabbit, a pirate and a princess, a prince and a princess, a pig and a prince, a soldier and a princess, a space alien and a princess, a monkey and a lion, a princess and a monkey, a princess and a wolf, a dinosaur and a boy, a boy and a dog, a zombie and a human, a monster and a princess, a robot and a wolf, a boy and a rabbit, a
In movies, the “good cop, bad cop” routine is a classic way for a pair of characters to bring a case to a close. But which two characters have been the most successful at using this technique? Not everything is a cop drama, so we’ll have a little fun with the list and rank the top 30 most iconic duos in movie history (RANKED).
Movies can be a great way to get to know a culture and learn about it in a fun and entertaining way. In this writer’s opinion, there are some cultural icons that have been the ones to grow the culture of a country, and have been quite instrumental in making that culture known to the world. Duos, in particular, have been a rather prominent theme in movies, and have been responsible in helping define cultures in a way that few other things can in a short period of time.
There’s something to be said about forging a bond with another person. You sometimes meet someone you can’t seem to shake – not that you’d want to. Whether it’s great comedy teams, hot romantic pairings, unbreakable crimefighting partnerships, or memorable hero-villain confrontations, two is the magic number of many television classics.
Character interactions like this are what keep audiences coming back and begging for more. In light of this, we’ve compiled a list of the 30 greatest and most well-known filmmaking teams of all time.
30. Insecure (Issa Dee and Molly Carter) (2016)
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Issa (Issa Rae) and Molly (Yvonne Orji) have been friends since college and are two strong women in their late twenties trying to make it in the world — or at the very least in Los Angeles. Their characters are also very genuine, particularly for African-American viewers, and depict what it’s like for women navigating personal and professional ups and downs.
The two share a strong bond, and throughout the show, they discuss personal problems, friendship, and the African-American community. Issa works for a non-profit called “We Got Y’all,” which assists middle-school students of color. Lawrence, her long-term boyfriend, has been slacking in their relationship since his start-up company failed, and she is trying to rekindle the spark.
Molly is a competent corporate attorney who, despite her professional success, has difficulty dating men. The half-hour programme looks at current social and ethnic issues affecting black people.
29. Laverne and Shirley’s Lenny and Squiggy (1973)
The eponymous couple is played by a tough-talking Penny Marshall and a constantly cheerful Cindy Williams, but Laverne & Shirley is just one of many comedies where the annoying neighbors steal the show. Leonard Kosnowksi and Andrew Squiggman, for example, are recognized for their tiny nicknames, signature “Hello!” entrance, greaser style, and persistent stupidity.
Shirley Feeney and Laverne DeFazio were best friends and roommates with dates, neighbors, and each other to contend with. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, they worked as bottle cappers at Shotz Brewery in Milwaukee. When an automated bottle capper forced them out of the brewery in 1965, they moved to Burbank, California to start a new life.
28. Alexander Scott and Kelly Robinson – I Spy (1965)
Kelly Robinson and Alexander Scott are an undercover American agent and his tennis instructor who traverse the globe to hide their true identities. Despite the fact that their job is serious, with no showy megalomaniacal villains or flashy gadgets, they have a close connection.
This pair of American spies handles their duties with skill, humor, and some serious worries about their vocation. Kelly Robinson is a former Princeton law student and Davis Cup tennis player; Kelly’s lover and friend, Alexander Scott, is a Rhodes scholar, Kelly’s trainer, and a language expert.
Scott has squandered his groundbreaking work – he was the first African-American man to win an Emmy for Best Actor in a Drama – by engaging in terrible conduct off-screen, which is disgusting in more ways than one. For a while, though, these two were the coolest cats on TV.
Easy Rider by Wyatt and Billy (#27) (1969)
After making a tidy profit on their latest drug deal, hippies Wyatt and Billy decide to outfit themselves with, among other things, motorcycles – Wyatt complete with Captain America gear and a similar motif on the bike – and, abandoning all other commitments in their lives except the desire to attend Mardi Gras, cycle from their home base of Los Angeles to New Orleans for the festival.
They are not intending to spend their money on this trip; instead, they are saving it for a more leisurely life in Florida later, and they will be camping along the route. Billy is wary of the people they meet, especially when it comes to hiding their wad of cash stuffed into Wyatt’s bike’s gas tank, money that will be their future. While Wyatt is more laid-back, believing in the karmic nature and practicality of helping others when they can and asking for help when they need it, Billy is wary of the people they meet.
They’ll learn that not all counter-culturalists share their views, and that spiritual and practical connections to others may be discovered in the most unlikely of places and people. They will, however, ruffle a few feathers just by being hippies, owing to a fear of what they represent rather than of them as people. Throughout it all, Wyatt mulls over whether the trip will meet his life’s expectations or goals.
The Fresh Prince of Bel Air’s 26. Smith and Carlton Banks (1990)
The most recent is one of them. The other, on the other hand, is a whole other tale. These cousins fought at first, but ultimately came together to create a powerful team. They didn’t usually mix, but when they did, they were almost as if they were one person. Both had blind spots in terms of their flaws, but they were willing to point them out to one another.
Will Smith (in his first acting role) is a street-smart teenager from West Philadelphia who is sent to live with his wealthy cousins in their Bel-Air mansion in Los Angeles, California by his mother after getting into a mob brawl while playing basketball.
Philip Banks (played by James Avery) is a prominent lawyer (later Judge), and Vivian Banks (originally by Janet Hubert and later by Daphne Reid) is a University Professor.
Carlton Banks (Alfonso Ribeiro), Will’s preppy and arrogant cousin, Hilary Banks (Karyn Parsons), Will’s attractive but dull-witted eldest cousin, Ashley Banks (Tatyana Ali), Will’s youngest cousin who often looks up to Will, and Geoffrey, the family’s cynical Butler are among the Banks family members.
Will’s working-class background contrasts with the Banks’ upper-class environment in a number of entertaining ways, generally leading him and his family into trouble.
25. Sherlock Holmes & Dr. Watson- Sherlock (2010)
Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson’s relationship predates all of the other couples on our list, but the BBC gave it fresh life by giving the classic detective story a contemporary twist.
A modernized series of Sherlock Holmes adaptations by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. In Afghanistan, an army doctor, John Watson (Martin Freeman), is wounded and forced to quit the military. He finds a flat to share with Sherlock Holmes (Benedict Cumberbatch), a talented but eccentric private detective, when he returns to London.
When the police are stumped, they resort to Mr. Sherlock Holmes and his unique deductive methods for assistance. With the assistance of Doctor John Watson, a recently returned Afghanistan vet, Sherlock tries to solve some of the country’s most intriguing mysteries. They team together to solve complex and sometimes bizarre murder mysteries. They also have to deal with Holmes’ arch-enemy, the criminal genius Moriarty.
The Wire’s Jimmy McNulty and ‘Bunk’ Moreland (2002)
Despite being partners, Jimmy McNulty and William “The Bunk” Moreland spent more time apart than together throughout The Wire’s five seasons due to a unique investigative task given to William “The Bunk” Moreland (and the harbor unit). However, their near-telepathic connection was immortalized in “the fuck scene,” in which the team goes to a murder scene and solves a crime using only f-bomb variations as communication. Genius.
23. Ren & Stimpy- The Ren & Stimpy Show (1991)
On the surface, combining a crazy chihuahua (Ren) with a cute but annoying cat (Stimpy) shouldn’t work, but it did, resulting in some of the greatest animated television of the 1990s. It’s still Nickelodeon’s edgiest show, with lots of dark humor and Ren’s emotional and completely unstable, but funny, outbursts – usually aimed towards Stimpy.
A ferocious, hyperactive chihuahua (Is there another breed?) and a happy-go-lucky, empty-brained cat go on unusual and often unpleasant adventures together. Hairballs, filthy litterboxes, “magic nose goblins,” sentient farts, jars of spit, outhouses, eating dirt, monkey vermin, and anything else imaginable are all frequent occurrences.
These two strange buddies embark on a variety of hilarious adventures, including selling rubber nipples, looking for land in Canada, spending the night in a frightening house, and just looking for employment.
22. The Rush Hour Trilogy by Lee and Carter (1998-2007)
Since the genre’s inauspicious start with 48 Hours in 1982, buddy cop movies have thrived on the friction between two guys who have a common goal but can’t seem to get on the same page. Lee and Carter are good examples of this, not only in terms of techniques, but also in terms of cultural and language dissonance (it’s been claimed that when Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker met, each informed the director that they couldn’t understand a word the other was saying).
For starters, irritation and misunderstanding make for great comedy; throw in Chan’s martial arts skills and Tucker’s lightning-fast tongue, and you’ve got box-office gold.
Cultures clash and tempers flare as the two policemen from different worlds find one thing in common: they can’t stand one other. As the clock ticks down, they must work together to capture the criminals and bad guys.
Jack Bauer and Chloe O’Brian (24). (2010)
Where would the volatile counter-terrorist Jack Bauer be if he didn’t have his cool-headed computer genius as his closest colleague and best friend? That’s where I’ll be found. Mary Lynn Rajskub’s comic background made her the perfect foil for Kiefer Sutherland’s dead serious action man, ensuring that the famous War on Terror–era thriller always included an unexpected and funny platonic coupling at its heart.
20. J.D. Dorian & Christopher Turk- Scrubs (2001)
Although several of these couples might be classed as “bromance,” none have defined the word like J.D. and Turk. Their love for each other often overshadowed Turk’s marriage, resulting in some of the show’s most memorable gags.
With the help of his best buddy, other rookie doctors, and the pompous but brilliant attending physician he considers his mentor, John “J.D” Dorian navigates the perplexing world of medicine at the fictitious Sacred Heart hospital in California.
19. Woody & Buzz – Toy Story (1995)
In 1995, Pixar produced its first full film, the buddy comedy Toy Story, which included this animated pair. When humans are around, anthropomorphic toys seem dead, but when they leave the room, they spring to life. The relationship between Woody, a classic pull-string cowboy toy (voiced by Tom Hanks), and Buzz Lightyear, a futuristic spaceman action figure, lies at the heart of the story (voiced by Tim Allen).
The relationship between the two main characters develops from competitors vying for Andy’s love to friends banding together to reunite Andy’s family of toys after they were separated during a move to a new home. The film spawned two sequels, with a third in the works, and established the pair as household stars in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure (Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure) (Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure) (Bill and (1989)
Bill S, Preston ESQ., and Ted Theodore Logan, two almost brain-dead teenage boys from San Dimas, a little town just outside of Los Angeles, dreamed of establishing their own rock and roll band, the “Wyld Stallyns.”
Unfortunately, they are still in high school and on the verge of breaking up, and if they do not pass their next history report, Ted’s father will send him to military school, separating them. Bill and Ted, on the other hand, are ignorant that they must stay together in order to save the future. As a consequence, Rufus, a man from the future, showed up to help them pass their report. As a consequence, Bill and Ted started collecting historical data for their research.
The Andy Griffith Show, Episode 17: Andy Taylor and Barney Fife (1960)
Because they were pushed together by family (they’re cousins) and work, these two didn’t have to like each other, yet they formed a great team. Barney was the jerk, while Andy was the level-headed professional.
Sheriff Andy Taylor, a widower, and his son Opie live with Andy’s Aunt Bee in Mayberry, North Carolina. Because there aren’t many crimes to investigate, Andy spends much of his time philosophizing and soothing down his cousin Deputy Barney Fife.
Spongebob Squarepants and Patrick- Spongebob Squarepants and Patrick- Spongebob Squarepants and Patrick- Spongebob Squarepants and Patrick- Sponge (1999)
He’s been living in a pineapple under the sea for the last 17 years, where he’s become Nickelodeon’s most-rated, most-licensed (and profitable) longest-running product. The success of the squeaky-voiced, eternally cheerful sea sponge known as Spongebob Squarepants would be impossible without the assistance of his good-hearted, dim-witted starfish neighbor and best friend Patrick.
SpongeBob SquarePants is a character-driven animated series that follows SpongeBob SquarePants, an incurably happy and honest sea sponge, and his underwater friends on their nautical and sometimes hilarious adventures.
SpongeBob lives in Bikini Bottom, a sub-surface city a few fathoms under the tropical isle of Bikini Atoll, in a two-story pineapple. Instead of taking a logical approach to everyday issues, SpongeBob has an odd and unique outlook on life.
Whether he’s searching for the perfect spatula to enhance his burger flipping abilities at the Krusty Krab or just hanging out with his best friend Patrick, SpongeBob’s good intentions and upbeat approach to life create chaos in his underwater surroundings (an amiable starfish).
15. The Simpsons’ Itchy and Scratchy (1994)
The cartoon cat-and-mouse combo has provided Bart and Lisa hours of sadistic delight during The Simpsons’ quarter-century-plus existence.
Bart and Homer are both imprisoned for disturbing Itchy-dressed entertainers at Itchy and Scratchyland, a theme park modeled on the violent television program. The Simpsons rescue the day by killing the robots with camera flashbulbs when the robot characters get violent, like they did in “Westworld.”
14. Bonnie & Clyde- Bonnie & Clyde (1967)
Many of the other couples on this list were influenced by Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway’s groundbreaking 1967 film Bonnie and Clyde. Based on the real tale of famous bank robbers Clyde Barrow (Beatty) and Bonnie Parker (Dunaway), the film broke a number of cinematic taboos, including sex and brutal violence, and was a success with younger audiences.
Clyde and Bonnie meet when Clyde is trying to steal Bonnie’s mother’s car during the Great Depression. Bonnie is unhappy with her humdrum life and decides to join Clyde as his partner-in-crime. The two start off small, with a few quick holdups, but the thrills and money aren’t enough to satisfy their need for adventure and riches.
13. Fred Flintstone & Barney Rubble- The Flintstones (1960)
Mr. Flintstone and Mr. Rubble were neighbors, colleagues, and close friends, as well as members of the Loyal Order of Water Buffaloe. Since the Stone Age, Fred and Barney have shown that men have always been macho with a sensitive side.
The Flintstones were a Stone Age family that lived in the present day. Before coming home to his beautiful wife Wilma and daughter Pebbles, Fred Flintstone resided in Bedrock and had an unsatisfying quarry job. Fred, who enjoyed golf and bowling, also enjoyed torturing his next-door neighbor Barney Rubble, whose feisty wife Betty was Wilma’s closest friend.
12. Coming to America with Prince Akeem and Semmi (1988)
In arguably Eddie Murphy’s most toned-down depiction, Prince Akeem is brilliantly halted by Semmi (Arsenio Hall), who is appalled by their farce of acting as impoverished refugees in a strange new country. The duo’s lack of understanding of American culture and propensity for mispronunciation offer lots of chuckles.
11. Chandler Bing & Joey Tribbiani- Friends (1994)
While being members of an ensemble group, the roommates/best friends surpassed the degree of intimacy among their peers. To call their relationship a “bromance” would be an understatement; they were so much more. They were able to play off each other so well because they were the perfect mix of opposites and similarities.
Six young people from Manhattan, New York, who are on their own and attempting to earn a livelihood in the real world, discover that the companionship, comfort, and support they get from one another is the perfect antidote to life’s pressures. This regular group of buddies encounters enormous mayhem, family turmoil, past and future loves, fights, laughing, tears, and surprises as they discover what it means to be friends.
The Blues Brothers’ Elwood and Jake Blues (1980)
In John Landis’ musical comedy classic The Blues Brothers, John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd play brothers Jake and Elwood Blues, respectively (1980). The plot is based on a musical comedy by the Blues Brothers that aired on Saturday Night Live in the late 1970s, with paroled felon Jake and his brother Elwood embarking on a “mission from God” to rescue the Catholic orphanage where they grew up from foreclosure.
The couple reunites their R&B band and organizes a performance to raise the $5,000 required to settle the orphanage’s property tax bill. As the film progresses, they are chased by the local police force while being pursued by a destructive “mystery woman,” Neo-Nazis, and a country and western band. The picture contains excellent action, humor, and music, as well as some amusing on-screen exchanges between John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd.
9. Breaking Bad’s Walter White and Jesse Pinkman (2008)
Walt White (Bryan Cranston) may be the brains behind the operation, but Jesse (Aaron Paul), his partner’s voice of reason, keeps things running. Their bond grows beyond student-teacher as White becomes more unpredictable and Jesse learns that it’s acceptable to be sorry.
It all started with an honest high school teacher attempting to generate money for his family after discovering that cancer had left him with little time. While the guys are forced to continue the operation, they begin to plan a way out as soon as possible and at any cost.
8. Batman and Robin (Batman and Robin) (1997)
This dynamic duo originally appeared in early DC Comics issues, but they made their movie debut with Batman: The Movie in 1966, after the end of the first season of the Batman television series. Batman and Robin, the iconic crime-fighting duo, have served as a model for crime-fighting teams throughout cinematic history.
These fearless crimefighters take on The Joker, The Penguin, The Riddler, and The Catwoman with Batman at the helm and Robin at his side.
7. Rick and Morty- Rick and Morty, Rick and Morty, Rick and Morty, Rick and Morty, Rick (2013)
Rick is an eccentric and inebriated mad scientist who defies a slew of societal conventions, including education, marriage, love, and family. Rick’s 14-year-old grandson Morty is a kind but often troubled kid whose naïve but grounded moral compass acts as a counterbalance to Rick’s Machiavellian ego.
Rick walks into Morty’s apartment and asks for help on an intergalactic mission. Morty reluctantly agrees and sets off on an endless adventure across time, space, and dimension. Morty must keep Rick under control since he is creating havoc everywhere they go.
Various versions of the characters inhabit different realities across the show’s multiverse, and their personal characteristics may vary from one reality to the next. The show’s first Rick refers to himself as “Rick Sanchez of Earth Dimension C-137,” but this does not apply to every other member of the Smith family.
6. X-Files’ Fox Mulder and Dana Scully (1998)
Mulder (David Duchovny) and Scully (Gillian Anderson), TV’s most potent male-female duo, are two of the most popular small-screen partners in science fiction television history. Scully and Mulder, like a few others on this list, met as colleagues and friends before falling in love while investigating paranormal and alien phenomena.
After five years of researching paranormal occurrences, the X-Files is shut down by the government. Agents Fox “Spooky” Mulder and Dana Scully of the FBI are reassigned to more routine duties, such as bomb detail. Despite this, Mulder continues to get evidence that supports his theories regarding alien activity on Earth and a global conspiracy protecting the knowledge. An outbreak of metamorphic alien activity in Texas provides clues to the agents.
5. Superbad – Seth and Evan (2007)
Seth and Evan, high school seniors and close friends, were counting down the days before they split ways and decided on the best way to pass the time: losing their virginity before heading off to college. Of course, since this is easier said than done, the team’s third wheel, Fogell, and rivers of alcohol are the only things that can help them wow the opposite sex at the summer’s biggest party, which is just a few hours away.
An unexpected run-in with the cops threatens to put an end to the boys’ steamy fantasy as they begin their frantic search for booze at the town’s liquor shops. The time is ticking, the stakes are high, and their daring plan must bear fruit before the clock strikes midnight. What does it feel like to be the worst person on the planet?
4. The Odd Couple: Felix Unger and Oscar Madison (1968)
Based on the popular play and film of the same name, “The Odd Couple” performed well on television as well. Both Jack Klugman and Tony Randall, who portrayed the slobbish, fly-by-the-seat-of-his-pants Oscar and the stiff-upper-lip Felix, thrived on the set of a television show, particularly when the show started shooting in front of a live studio audience. It was particularly interesting to see them try to fit into one other’s environment.
Felix Ungar and his wife recently split. He is depressed and tries to commit himself, but is rescued by his friend Oscar Madison. Oscar invites Felix to temporarily move in with him since he has nowhere else to go. The only problem is that Felix is neat, orderly, and neurotic, while Oscar is messy and unfocused.
3. Up in Smoke with Cheech and Chong (1978)
Richard “Cheech” Marin and Tommy Chong are an award-winning comic duo best known for their stand-up routines and theatrical skits from the 1970s. The duo produced a number of albums in the 1970s, including Los Cochinos, which won a Grammy for Best Comedy Album in 1974. Cheech and Chong’s act was inspired by the hippie and free love movements of the 1970s, with marijuana as a central theme.
Many of their stand-up routines, including the famous “Dave’s not here” joke from their first film, Up In Smoke, were adapted for the big screen (1978). The hilarious pair had fantastic chemistry and were so excellent in their portrayals that it was difficult to discern how much they were acting. Cheech and Chong went on to star in a number of low-budget cult films that are still popular today.
2. Lethal Weapon — Riggs and Murtaugh (1987)
Martin Riggs (Gibson) and Roger Murtaugh, two mismatched LAPD detectives, feature in Lethal Weapon, perhaps the most well-known buddy cop film of all time (Glover). Riggs, who is mentally ill, and Murtaugh, a 50-year veteran of the force, are polar opposites, and their opposing police strategies result in some fantastic on-screen clashes.
Thanks in part to the on-screen chemistry between the two characters, the film’s success spawned a slew of sequels and a current television adaptation. Above all, Riggs and Murtaugh are as clever and amusing as any other duo on this list, reviving a genre that many thought was destined to mediocrity.
1. Tom and Jerry- Tom and Jerry are two of the most well-known cartoon characters in the world (1911)
Tom and Jerry, two well-off brothers, have been working together in business for years and have an incredible connection.
In this cartoon series, a house cat (Tom) and a mouse, two old foes, fight it out (Jerry). The plot of each short centers on Tom and Jerry’s repeated efforts to outdo each other, as well as the ensuing mayhem and destruction. Tom seldom succeeds in beating Jerry, due to Jerry’s cunning skills, luck, and lack of reckless tendencies, despite his brilliant preparations (whether they work or not), determined and enthusiastic attitude, enormous size, and excellent general intelligence.
They have, nevertheless, shown genuine friendship and concern for one another’s well-being on many occasions. In the shorts Busy Buddies and Tot Watchers, Tom and Jerry set aside their rivalry to pursue a common goal, such as chasing down a baby who has escaped the careful eye of a negligent babysitter and keeping it safe. They had always saved each other’s lives when they were really in danger, despite their continuous assaults.
One of the greatest aspects of movie franchises is the list of iconic duos. From the bromance between Austin Powers and Dr. Evil, to the camaraderie shared by The Dude and Walter, to the friendship between Han Solo and Chewbacca, to the tag team partnership between Sam Witwicky and his dad, the list is endless.. Read more about movie couples and let us know what you think.
