A Lesson in True Bromance

There is no bond quite like a bromance. Adventure, competition, sillyness and a love for each other that goes beyond friendship. Film and television has taught me that a truly great love story is inferior to an epic friendship.

You think you have some vague idea about what an amazing friendship entails? That’s adorable. You actually don’t. Have a look at what you’re missing.

Lesson 1: JD and Turk – Scrubs

There is an actual article which lists all the ways that J.D. and Turk’s self-professed “guy love” is better than any relationship ever. It’s hard to argue with the statement when you realise that they’ve lived together for years, have pet names for each other, enjoy long meaningful hugs and do pretty much everything together – all while having actual relationships with women.

Lesson 2: Troy and Abed – Community

You and your best friend are pretty close. You do fun things together. But Troy and Abed build epic blanket forts together. They rap in Spanish. They have a special handshake. They host a fake morning talk show. At one point they (sort of) switched bodies. Your bromance quite simply does not compare.

Lesson 3: Shawn and Gus – Psych

The Psychic and the Salesman. Best friends since forever. In many ways, they’re complete opposites, but they complement each other more than most actual couples could hope for. They fight a lot. They sometimes compete for the same girl. They go on crazy adventures and solve mysteries by doing the things they dreamed of doing as kids. Shawn and Juliet may not work out in the end, but Shawn and Gus = Forever.

Lesson 4: Peter and Sydney – I love you, man  

Even though they haven’t known each other for that long, Peter and Sydney hit if off immediately and bond over their jam sessions, eating fish tacos and hanging out in the man cave. At the end of I Love You, Man I became more invested in their friendship than anything else. Peter’s fiancé – played by Rashida Jones – could have actually dropped dead at the wedding ceremony. Peter and Sydney are together. That’s all that matters.   PS: I love Rashida Jones. She’s a beautiful actress. I was just driving a point home.

Lesson 5: Chandler and Joey – Friends

Roommates. Best friends. Grown up but very childish. Chandler and Joey was hands down the best relationship ever created during the ten years that Friends was on the air. Even Ross and Rachel cannot compare. Their love for childish antics and Baywatch. Their rivalry. Their friendly banter. Chandler and Joey is the type of friendship you should still be having even if you’re in your late twenties.

Lesson 6: Stark and Banner/ Stark and Rhodey – Iron Man trilogy/ Avengers

Tony Stark is many things: genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist. He is also narcissistic which is why he doesn’t have many friends. But he has two good friends. Colonel James “Rhodey” Rhodes and Bruce “Incredible Hulk” Banner. Stark and Banner bond over science and the occasional alien invasion in New York and will literally catch each other when they fall. Stark and Rhodey argue as much as a married couple; but Rhodey will scour the dessert for Stark, who will in turn let Rhodey use one of his iron man suits. These are examples of true bromance.

Lesson 7: House and Wilson – House

Dr. House is not the easiest person to get along with. Every single person who has ever met him will attest to this. Including Dr. Wilson. But sometimes the people who frustrate us the most are the people we care for the most. House might not like to let people in, but even his guarded and intimidating presence can be vulnerable. Even the man who alienates people and doesn’t want any relationships needs a friend. Wilson is hardly perfect. They both have their own problems. But they’re there for each other even if it is an Odd Couple type of relationship.

Lesson 8: Damon and Alaric – The Vampire Diaries

A vampire and a vampire hunter might not seem like a match made in bromance heaven. In fact, they didn’t start out as best of friends. What with Damon turning Alaric’s wife into a vampire and snapping Alaric’s neck on a few occasions. That might be difficult to forgive for some. But their love for drinking in the afternoon and bringing down villains in Mystic Falls has brought them closer together. As close as brothers.

Lesson 9: Wayne and Garth – Wayne’s World

It might be Wayne’s World, but Wayne is nothing without Garth. Their dynamic is unmistakable and their mutual love for rock n roll, hockey and babes are what makes these guys true buds. Neither Rob Lowe nor Christopher Walken can topple the excellent epicness that is Wayne and Garth. This lovable duo will party on for years to come, whether they’re in Aurora or…nope, they’ll probably stay in Aurora.

Lesson 10: Holmes and Watson

Possibly one of the more iconic bromances ever conceived, Holmes and Watson have been played by various different actors and have been re-imagined so many times, that in the hit TV show Elementary, Watson is played by Lucy Lui and Holmes is a recovering drug addict. But, of course, this article is about the relationship between the two, which, despite all the re-imagining, has never changed. Holmes and Watson complement each other extremely well. Their mutual adoration for solving mysteries and working on each other’s nerves is one of the reasons that every other dynamic duo is compared to them. The quintessential bromance both starts and ends with Holmes and Watson.

People talk about Rick (Humphrey Bogart) and Ilsa (Ingrid Bergman) in Casablanca as one of the best on screen romances ever. “Here’s looking at you kid” and what not.

It’s all very romantic, but when she gets on that plane, no one is thinking about her anymore. They’re all looking at the beautiful bromance blossoming between Rick and Captain Louis Renault (Claude Rains). Because a beautiful friendship is, well, beautiful.

Honourable Mentions:

Seth and Evan – Superbad
Riggs and Murtoch – Lethal Weapon
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
Lowrey and Burnett – Bad Boys
Woody and Buzz – Toy Story
Brendan and Dale – Step Brothers
Tango and Cash
C3PO and R2D2 – Star Wars
Starsky and Hutch
Burt and Ernie – Sesame Street    

About the Author: Dean is a co-founding member of BTG Lifestyle. The other co-founder is Stephen Nagel. They are the true dynamic duo. Holmes and Watson don’t stand a chance against them.