10 Character Pairs With off the Charts Chemistry (original) (raw)
Published Apr 27, 2023, 2:30 PM EDT
Christine is a freelance writer for Collider with two decades of experience covering all types of TV shows and movies spanning every genre. With a particular affinity for dramas, true crime, sitcoms, and thrillers, if it's a top TV show, Christine has likely watched it and is eager to share her thoughts. When she's not furiously writing away, you can find her enjoying the next binge obsession with a glass of wine in front of the TV.
There’s a kind of magic that happens with a show when the characters have incredible chemistry. It has occured time and time again with groups in an ensemble cast: think Seinfeld, How I Met Your Mother, and, of course, Friends. But sometimes, it’s a leading pair who truly feeds off one another’s energies so beautifully that it’s wonderful to watch.
This isn’t just in the romantic sense, but also platonic couples that were perfectly cast with storylines that help bring the chemistry to life. These might be friends, colleagues, even enemies that simply work well together.
10 Ellie and Joel - ‘The Last Of Us’
Pedro Pascal as Joel and Bella Ramsey as Ellie in The Last of Us Episode 6
Image via HBO
Joel and Ellie on The Last of Us give off total father/daughter vibes, though it wasn’t an easy journey to get there. Even before they were trusting and loving towards one another, the way they played off one another was believable and intriguing. Joel, a hardened apocalypse survivor and Ellie, an orphaned teenager who was willing to match him toe to toe. From the tender and heartfelt scenes to even ones when Ellie tries her best to annoy Joel, it was clear they were there for one another.
The pair have been lauded for being perfectly cast. They remain faithful to the video game characters on which they are based and also riff beautifully off one another. They have expressed their love for one another off camera in numerous interviews, and the camaraderie shines through on camera as well.
9 Nick and Jess - ‘New Girl’
new-girl-social-feature
Image via FOX
One of the most notable “will they, won’t they” romances on television, Jess and Nick were friends and roommates for quite some time on New Girl even though it was clear that they both had a deeper connection. Their romantic chemistry was undeniable. Fans couldn’t wait for the first anticipated kiss between them, anxious every time one or the other started dated someone new and made the undeniable chemistry even more difficult to bear.
The characters were believable as quirky 20-somethings just trying to figure out their places in life. Every interaction between them, however, whether it was flirty or silly, was electric. They are arguably one of the best sitcoms duos of the 2010s.
8 Fitz and Olivia - ‘Scandal’
The intense passion between Olivia and Fitz on Scandal could be felt through the screen every time they look into one another’s eyes. That their romance was forbidden, with Fitz being married (not to mention the president of the United States) and Olivia someone tasked with working behind the scenes for him, made their chemistry even hotter.
They were believable as two people deeply in love with one another, to the point of obsession. Fans felt the aching hearts any time they were together, believing that they wanted nothing more than to rip each other’s clothes off.
7 Jenn and Judy - ‘Dead To Me’
Christina Applegate as Jen and Linda Cardellini as Judy hugging in season 3 of Netflix's Dead to Me
Image via Netflix
Jenn and Judy’s friendship on Dead To Me was purely platonic, but it was beautiful, too. While they didn’t get started that way, with Judy inserting herself into Jenn’s life under false pretenses, they quickly realized how much they needed one another. Theirs was the type of friendship where either would go to any lengths to protect the other. And in fact, they did, time and time again.
In the final season, the way Jenn stood by Judy in her last days, despite everything else she was going through herself, had fans balling. The emotional, heartfelt conversations with one another about how much they meant to the other proves that intense connections don’t always have to be romantic.
6 Mulder and Scully - ‘The X-Files’
Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny in The X-Files Season 3, Episode 8
Image via FOX
It was the dynamic between Mulder and Scully on The X-Files as one of the most iconic crime-fighting couples on TV that truly made the show. They complemented one another beautifully, Fox Mulder as the FBI special agent who believed in the paranormal and Dana Scully as the logical doctor who was convinced there was a scientific answer for everything.
Even though their relationship eventually turns romantic, it was their platonic bond for much of the series that had fans glued to their screens. Fans loved how well they worked together, each convincing the other that not everything they believed to be true was so.
5 Alexis and David - ‘Schitt’s Creek’
As siblings, David and Alexis from Schitt’s Creek were the perfect pair. Wealthy and entitled, they had moved on to live separate lives as adults. But when brought back together due to unfortunate circumstances in the family finances, they were forced to cohabitate in a small motel room. The sibling rivalry was believable and hilarious, with the two opposite individuals eventually learning to appreciate and support one another.
Their pairing led to one of the most quotable lines on the series, “Ew, David,” which Alexis often uttered to her brother in disgust when he did or said something she didn’t like.
4 Donna and Harvey - ‘Suits’
Sarah Hafferty as Donna Paulsen and Gabriel Macht as Harvey Specter in one of the scenes in Suits.
Image via USA
The actors who played these two characters on Suits are reportedly best friends in real life, and that translated well to the screen. The way they read one another so flawlessly, or rather Donna read Harvey, was like water flowing. Being close friends for so long, the clear love and affection between them was evident.
The pairing was so wonderful that fans were lobbying for them to be end game given how perfect they were for one another. Yet they also felt the same hesitation as Harvey, reluctant to pursue something for fear of losing his best friend. They had both best friend and soul mate vibes.
3 Daryl and Rick - ‘The Walking Dead’
Rick and Daryl from The Walking Dead were the perfect odd couple and two fan favorite characters. Rick was the straitlaced former police chief who, in his past life, always did the right thing and lived by the letter of the law. Daryl was the exact opposite, a self-proclaimed redneck who was always up to no good with his older brother Merle.
The fact that the two came to rely on and respect one another in the apocalypse, despite their differences, made for a beautiful friendship. They would never have met and been friends in the real world, which made their tight bond so much more impactful.
2 J.D. and Turk - ‘Scrubs’
They had the type of friendship most people wish they had with someone else, complete with their own secret language and inside jokes. Having known one another for so long, Turk and J.D. from Scrubs were the epitome of best friends, and totally presented the perfect bromance.
On the medical comedy, the pair are always up to shenanigans, honoring silly traditions like an annual steak night where they consume as much as possible and doing silly dances and their signature Eagle pose. They share similar interests but it’s the way they finish each other's sentences that makes J.D. and Turk so perfectly coupled.
1 Cristina and Meredith - ‘Grey’s Anatomy’
If there was ever a platonic pair of friends that proved that a person’s soulmate didn’t have to necessarily be a romantic partner, it’s Cristina and Meredith from Grey’s Anatomy. It was a line from the show that Cristina said to Meredith, “you are my person. You will always be my person,” that spoke volumes to pairs of best friends all over. Initially, it was meant to signify that Meredith was the one person she could trust, the emergency contact she’d write down on a piece of paper. But it eventually went deeper and more emotional than that.
The line was so powerful, it’s often repeated and even now found on tons of merchandise, from friendship necklaces to coffee mugs.
NEXT: The 10 Best, Underrated TV Friendships That Are #BestFriendGoals