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The best female buddies on film and TV

It seems like every couple of years or so, someone will release another one of those lists: You know, the ones that talk about the greatest on-screen partnerships and duos. There will be a top ten: Hepburn and Tracy will be mentioned, as will Bogart and Bacall. In the realm of (allegedly) non-romantic pairings, there will be Paul Newman and Robert Redford as Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, and maybe Laurel and Hardy, or the guys from Lethal Weapon. What there reliably never will be is any female-female buddy relationships.

Well, I think that’s nonsense – so without any further ado, here is a list of my favorite (allegedly) non-romantic female partnerships on film and television:

Dorothy (Jane Russell) and Lorelei (Marilyn Monroe), Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953) The ’50s showgirls of this classic film travel together, trade banter, stick up for each other in the face of outsiders, and even walk up the aisle together at the end in matching wedding dresses. Sadly, they weren’t actually marrying each other – even though the picture does make it look like it.

Kate/Offred (Natasha Richardson) and Moira (Elizabeth McGovern), The Handmaid’s Tale (1990) Trapped in the dystopian future imagined by Margaret Atwood’s novel, in this film adaptation Kate gets strength, courage, and some much-needed humor from her rebellious lesbian friend Moira.

Thelma (Geena Davis) and Louise (Susan Sarandon), Thelma and Louise (1991) In this iconic reworking of the traditional road movie, the waitress-and-housewife-turned-stickup-artists became so close that by the end, as Sarandon has said, “they were finishing each others’ sentences.”

Patsy (Joanna Lumley) and Edina (Jennifer Saunders), Absolutely Fabulous (1992—2005) The Bolly-drinking, pill-popping, square-daughter-enraging socialites from the cult British sitcom were apparently unable to function without each other. Admittedly, they were sometimes just plain unable to function.

Cybill (Cybill Shepherd) and Maryann (Christine Baranski), Cybill (1995—98) No divorced fortysomethings ever had as much fun as Cybill and Maryann did in Shepherd’s semi-autobiographical LA-based sitcom. Whether pondering life’s important questions (“Who would you rather sleep with? Ross Perot or one of those devil monkeys from The Wizard of Oz?”), climbing up on an advertising billboard to paint curves on a young, emaciated model, or making travel plans (“Cybill, let’s go to Mexico and get our butts tattooed!”), these were the two women who made you believe that, together, they really could do anything.

The Women of Sex and the City (1998—2004) Mr. Big said it best when he told Samantha, Miranda and Charlotte: “You’re the loves of [Carrie]’s life, and a guy would be lucky to come in fourth.” The rock-solid friendship of the quartet was the foundation on which this show was built.

Missy (Eliza Dushku) and Torrance (Kirsten Dunst), Bring It On (2000) This popular teen film got much of its spark from the chemistry between perky blonde cheerleader Torrance and sarcastic, Goth, ambiguously gay Missy. Whether battling homophobic teammates, stolen routines, or dangerously insane dance teachers, the two stuck together and fought it out.

Lana (Bridget Neval) and Sky (Stephanie McIntosh), Neighbours (2004—05) The first gay character on the long-running Australian soap, teenage newcomer Lana discovered a soulmate in straight series regular Sky. Their friendship survived Lana’s early crush, Sky’s sexual confusion, and homophobic pressures from outsiders, and they emerged as platonic BFFs who took each other to the prom.

Who are your favorite on-screen female buddies? Let me know in the comments.

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