It's an age-old question: Can men and women really be "just friends?" Sure enough, a lot of guy-girl TV friendships ultimately make the transition from platonic to romantic at some point (Monica and Chandler, Kim Possible and Ron Stoppable). Then there are the ones who flip-flop between friends and dating (Ted and Robin).
At times, it can seem that if a guy and a girl share great chemistry and friendship on a TV show, then they're destined/doomed to get caught up in a "will they, won't they?" situation. The following list celebrates the strictly platonic guy-girl friendships on TV.
Sheldon & Penny (The Big Bang Theory)
These two are perhaps the best candidates for an Odd Couple reboot. Their relationship is rather fluid, going through a myriad of changes and dynamics throughout the series – from frenemies to caring mother and needy son, siblings, and ultimately great friends. Something about singing "Soft Kitty" together seems to bonds two people together for life.
They balance each other and are always there to offer help when one of them is out of their element. They may not be dating, but Penny is undoubtedly Sheldon's emotional support person. And in his own idiosyncratic way, Sheldon does his best to show he cares about Penny too – like when she dislocated her shoulder, or when he tried to turn her Penny Blossoms into a big business.
Leslie & Ron (Parks & Recreation)
These two are another odd couple done right. Leslie is the perky over-achiever, and her superior Ron is a dead-pan grouch who doesn't believe in his job. In a real workplace, these are the two co-workers who would hate each other. While Leslie and Ron can have their contentious moments, at the end of the day, there is a deep sense of respect and care between them.
Not only do they share a love for breakfast food, in the workplace, but they also balance each other's extreme personalities and give support because "that's what you do when you care, win, lose or draw." Best of all, Leslie was adamant she wouldn't get married to Ben unless Ron was there to walk her down the aisle.
Meredith Grey & Alex Karev (Grey's Anatomy)
Aside from a small heart-to-heart in season 2, Meredith and Alex were often at odds with each other in the beginning. That is until Izzy, Christina, and Derek (and everyone else you ever loved) left by season 11, and Meredith and Alex were the only two original interns left. By this time in their lives, Meredith and Alex had worked together for over a decade and developed a rather strong bond.
Not only does Meredith dub Alex her new "person", but she has him as her emergency contact. Alex was there when Meredith went into labor and was the one to comfort her when she was hospitalized after being attacked by a patient. These enemies-turned-friends were often shown supporting each other with whatever relationship crisis or tragedy that comes their way.
Don Draper & Peggy (Mad Men)
Another mentor-mentee entry on this list (throw Buffy and Giles into the mix and a pattern is emerging). Peggy may have started as Don's newly hired secretary, but over the years the two would develop a mutually respectful workplace friendship. By the time Peggy stopped referring to Don as Mr Draper, it was clear the power imbalance between them had leveled, making the two equals.
As well as respect, there was a deep level of care between Don and Peggy. He was the only person there when she secretly gave birth; in the series final, Don's phone call to Peggy was without a doubt the most vulnerable, honest, and raw. Peggy is perhaps the one woman Don Draper truly loved and trusted.
Elliot Stabler & Olivia Benson (Law & Order: SVU)
Law & Order: SVU just hasn't been the same since Elliot Stabler left. Part of the show's incredible success – for the first 12 seasons – was the palpable chemistry between Christopher Meloni and Mariska Hargitay. Benson and Stabler were often referred to as work husband and wife – even by Stabler's real wife Kathy – and are probably the best duo on any crime procedural.
They were capable of not only going undercover together but being sweet and goofy, as well as comfortable enough to call each other out when one of them was out of line. There were times they clashed on the job – blinded by personal biases – but there was never a longterm impact on their partnership.
Derek Morgan & Penelope Garcia (Criminal Minds)
Another crime-drama duo fans are missing since Shemar Moore left in season 11. Derek Morgan and Penelope Garcia – or "Hot Stuff" and "Baby Girl" – were the coworker best friends who always respected and protected each other. When it comes to dating, the pair had their minor cases of jealousy but nothing romantic or sexual ever transpired between them, as Garcia once said "maintaining the integrity of my most beloved of friendships."
Their flirtatious banter may have prompted a workplace meeting on sexual harassment, but that never stopped them from being open about how much they loved each other.
Toph & Sokka (Avatar: The Last Airbender)
In all honesty, all of the friendships in Avatar are great. Toph may have had a one-sided crush on Sokka early on – kissing Suki on the cheek when she mistakenly thought it was Sokka who saved her from drowning – but she eventually moved on and the two were friends well into old age.
Their friendship has its decent share of sarcastic banter – such as Toph complimenting Sokka's drawing skills, even though she is blind – but the care and trust they share are often shown in small details, like Toph holding onto Sokka whenever she is flying in the air or in a boat on the water.
Robin & Marshall (How I Met Your Mother)
This one may not be an obvious pick, especially with all the other relationships to choose from on How I Met Your Mother. However, with the exception of his friendship with Ted, Marshall's friendship with Robin is one of the one the show that isn't laden with sexual tension or toxic. In fact, an entire episode, "The Mermaid Theory," is dedicated to Marshall and Robin's friendship.
The two may not spend much one-on-one time with each other – in part due to Marshall's concern he will start to see Robin as a mermaid instead of a manatee – but the two are clearly dear friends. A shining example is when Marshall took Robin to a Canadian bar because she was homesick.
Veronica & Wallace (Veronica Mars)
Veronica and Wallace's meet-cute is certainly out there. He was the new kid at Neptune High, found duct-taped to the flagpole in his underwear. Teen sleuth/outcast Veronica was the one to cut him down, and as they say, the rest is history.
Wallace was Veronica's crime-solving sidekick through high school and college. When it came to their dating lives, Wallace showed concern over Veronica's relationship with Logan, just like she had her reservations over his relationship with Jackie, yet their concerns were always sincere and never out of romantic jealousy. Plus their parents briefly dated, making the best friends almost step-siblings.
Joey & Phoebe (Friends)
Joey and Phoebe's chemistry on Friends was undeniable. Matt LeBlanc and Lisa Kudrow made the suggestion to the writers to do an episode of flashbacks, revealing Joey and Phoebe had been secretly hooking up throughout the series. Thankfully, the writers nixed that idea because it would have cheapened their friendship. After all, as said by Phoebe, "boyfriends and girlfriends may come and go, but this is for life."
Over the course of the series, Joey and Phoebe's friendship included quirky and flirtatious banter, unconditional support for their work and love lives, and sweet moments like Joey giving up meat during vegetarian Phoebe's pregnancy to balance out her cravings. Let's not forget the quote: "What are your intentions with my Phoebe?"