5 television duos that show us how powerful female friendships can be
These five television shows highlight just how amazing and important female friendships can be.
Friendships are often some of the most important relationships in a woman’s life, but they are frequently overlooked when it comes to television and movies — especially with all that pressure to fall in love. When female friendships are brought to the big or small screen accurately, however, it’s incredibly refreshing to see. And it’s something that seems to be happening more and more these days.
After all, we all know that a breakup with your best girl friend can be just as devastating as parting ways with a significant other. Likewise, some of our best moments happen with our girls by our sides. Seeing that portrayed in media shows Hollywood is finally coming to understand this.
The female friendships listed below are some of our favorites from television shows over the years. These duos don’t just reflect the real nature of female friendships, but they inspire us to appreciate the women in our own lives a bit more.
Abbi and Ilana from Broad City
Broad City followed two 20-something besties Abbi and Ilana, who are played the creators of the show, Abbi Jacobson and Ilana Glazer. The series saw them trying to find their way in the Big Apple and quickly became praised as a comedy for millennial women trying to figure out how to “adult.”
These ladies showed a different side to female friendships on television. The stereotypical 2D view of female friendship often consists of women getting their nails done, shopping, and talking about men all day. Although the friendships mentioned on this list share elements from that description, they feature fleshed out characters who have more meaningful motivations. And something Abbi and Ilana have that so many other female friendships on TV don’t is the complete freedom to be improper, gross, and wild. They are the pothead female comedy duo we have been missing.
Throughout the series, the two women bond over their shared Jewish heritage, weed, the willingness to get swept up in crazy shenanigans, and their need to conquer New York together. They uplift each other. Ilana talks about how great Abbi’s posterior looks, and Abbi gets Ilana to embrace her curly hair. (Ilana also probably wants to hook up with Abbi, and the one-sided sexual tension is absolutely hilarious!)
Broad City lasted for five seasons, and the fifth season was when the creators brought more seriousness to the show. We found out how Abbi and Ilana became friends, and how trying to make it in New York was starting to weigh on them. Ilana and Abbi both decide to take huge next steps, with Ilana choosing to go to grad school for psychology and Abbi admitting that she hates living in New York. Once Abbi decided to move to Connecticut, both girls had to start envisioning life without the other being around 24/7. They had to admit that they were codependent on each other and holding each other back from growing into the women they were meant to be.
And the series finale makes it impossible to not cry. Abbi and Ilana have a final sleepover before their lives head in different directions. Luckily, the show does end by putting viewers at ease: We see that Ilana and Abbi are communicating via video chat in their respective cities. Both girls’ phones are displaying Ilana’s phone wigs as they did before, but this time, the girls seem happier and more adult. The finale ends with a wide shot of all the different types of young friendships developing in New York City, a great way of showing that friendships make life more meaningful.