The concept of the odd and unlikely friendship is a common TV series trope. It has been seen again and again, whether it's on a sitcom, drama, police procedural, or any other genre. Sometimes, the friendship develops despite the two people having polar opposite personalities – think Sherlock and John on Sherlock. Other times, it's because the individuals come from very different backgrounds and so it seemed like they wouldn't have much in common.
They may have been forced to converse because of school or a job. Or maybe they met by accident and somehow realized they had more in common than they realized. Or maybe it's a mentor-mentee situation (think Steve and Dustin on Stranger Things). Whatever the case, the unlikely friendships are often the most interesting and memorable ones when it comes to the small screen.
Penny And Sheldon Cooper (The Big Bang Theory)
The fact that Penny became friends with any of the guys on The Big Bang Theory is a mystery since they are complete opposites: the guys are nerdy scientists while Penny is the stereotypical popular girl who probably bullied people like them when she was younger. But the unlikeliest of friendships of all was between Penny and Sheldon.
Despite their differences, it turns out that each was able to truly help the other through some of the most important moments in their life because of them. Penny helped Sheldon understand social situations and was the only person who knew how to really get through to him, while Sheldon helped make Penny a softer and more loving person who began to appreciate things she never thought she would, like comic books, Star Wars, and Star Trek.
Walter White And Jesse Pinkman (Breaking Bad)
Was it really a friendship? That is still up for debate. That said, Walter White, a high school chemistry teacher, and Jesse Pinkman, a drug-dealing high school dropout, are about as unlikely a pair of friends as one could imagine. But the Breaking Bad duo managed to make magic together on screen.
Initially, the friendship was purely business, only because each had something to offer the other: Jessie had connections and knowledge of the underground drug world while Walter possessed the scientific knowledge to make drugs. The "friendship" grew beyond that, and they protected and cared for one another, even if it was only in their own weird ways.
Calvin Butler And Dave Johnson (The Neighborhood)
While this series is one of the more underrated ones of this decade, the very premise of the story is the idea of an unlikely friendship. The Johnsons, a stereotypically white, middle-class family move into a predominantly Black neighborhood and their neighbor Calvin Butler isn’t too happy about it.
But as they get to know one another, the hard-nosed Calvin begins to warm to the quirky and corny Dave. Both buck stereotypes about race, and with their wives becoming instant friends in a heartbeat, their friendship completely transcending race, it's an inspiring show about inclusivity, acceptance, and not passing judgment.
Felix And Oscar (The Odd Couple)
The name says it all: this sitcom from the '70s (other iterations have followed) was all about two men who couldn't be more different from one another living together. Despite their very different outlooks on life, they learn to love one another and sort of become friends.
Both men are divorced and trying to start over. Felix is a neurotic neat freak who can't stand Oscar's fun-loving, free-spirited attitude, and his ability to make a huge mess.
Barney Stinson And Ted Mosby (How I Met Your Mother)
Under most circumstances, Barney and Ted would never be friends. Barney is an older womanizer who was all about material things and one-night stands. Ted, meanwhile, was far more laid back and desperate to find lasting love.
They did make great friends on How I Met Your Mother in that Barney was never afraid to act as Ted's wingman ("Ha-ave you met Ted?") That said, if Barney hadn't almost forced himself into the groups' lives, Ted might have simply rolled his eyes at his actions and walked away while Barney would have declared Ted a lost cause.
Grace Hanson And Frankie Bergstein (Grace And Frankie)
Another series with the entire premise predicated on the concept of an unlikely friendship, Grace and Frankie is about two older women of the same names who have known each other for ages but don't really like one another. Grace is the uptight, prim, and proper businesswoman while Frankie is the free-wheeling hippie.
Of course, as the trope would dictate, circumstances lead to them having to lean on one another for support and even move in together. While their differences bring things to a head many times, eventually, they begin to appreciate what the other has to offer. In the end? They easily became roommate goals.
James T. Kirk & Mr. Spock (Star Trek)
Who could have ever predicted the friendship between the captain of the starship USS Enterprise and a human-Vulcan mixed heritage science and first officer? It says a lot about accepting those who are different from you, considering these two were literally of different species. Not surprisingly, their adorable friendship on Star Trek has become the thing of memes.
It's no surprise that their friendship was not only the most beloved by fans of the series, but they also complemented one another so well. Kirk was impulsive and passionate while Spock was consistently the logical thinker, always there to reign the captain back in if he went too far.
Daryl Dixon And Carol Peletier (The Walking Dead)
In the pre-apocalypse world, Carol, the doting battered housewife, and mother, and Daryl the low-life redneck, would never have crossed paths. And if they had done so by chance, they would never have given one another more than a passing glance.
Yet in this new world, they became fast and close friends, looking out for one another and willing to literally put their lives on the line for the other. The friendship has been so beautiful that it's no surprise a spin-off series starring the pair had already been confirmed prior to the end of The Walking Dead.
Daniel LaRusso And Johnny Lawrence (Cobra Kai)
What's amazing about this friendship is that it's the story of one-time arch-rivals coming together, decades later, for a common goal. Through Cobra Kai to date, Johnny and Daniel have held on to their long-time rivalry, which began back in high school. Now in their 50s, their lives couldn't have gone on more different paths: Daniel became a wealthy and successful businessman with a wife and kids while Johnny was single, living in a rented apartment, doing odd jobs, and drinking too much.
But by the end of season three, they had finally accepted that they are actually a lot more alike than they realized and come together to help one another.
Johnny & Moira Rose And Roland & Jocelyn Schitt (Schitt's Creek)
The fish out of water premise of this multi-Emmy-winning Canadian series that sees a once-wealthy family forced to move to a small town and interact with the average town folk, is hilarious, especially when you add Eugene Levy and Catherine O'Hara to the mix. One of the funniest, yet also heartwarming, aspects of Schitt's Creek is the unlikely friendships that grew between members of the Rose family and others in the town.
None is as unlikely, however, as Johnny and Moira befriending the town mayor Roland and his wife Jocelyn. At first, it was reluctantly. Johnny and Moira are used to fine wine and designer clothing and Roland and Jocelyn cheap beer and discount jeans off the rack. But left to lean on one another, they develop a mutual appreciation and affection.