Sunday, November 17, 2013

Engaging Twosomes




THE NYT looked at some of the TV shows where two people clicked in a big way, thus making the show a stronger one. Most of their examples were recent, but looking back, what twosomes (not necessarily romantic) really make a show zing. Here are three for me.

Andy Taylor and Barney Fife on THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW. Don Knotts and Andy Griffin had chemistry. You believed in their friendship from their first scenes together. Barney was a screw-up but there was nothing he wouldn't do for the Taylor family. And Andy covered up a million of Barney's goofs over the years. They played like a well-oiled machine.

Tami and Eric Taylor, played by Kyle Chandler and Connie Britton on FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS anchored a constantly changing cast of teenagers. Romances might come and go, teams might graduate and move on, but they were the rock solid totally believable heart of the show. Who didn't want parents like them?

Lorelai and Rory Gilmour (Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel) on THE GILMOUR GIRLS were perhaps the first mother-daughter team to even have their own patter. Although they had moments of disagreement, you never doubted they loved each other and it was this bond that carried the show through some fairly doubtful scenarios. This must be a special gift of Graham because she has a similar relationship with Mae Whitman on PARENTHOOD.

What are some of your favorite TV relationships?



Really liked ALL IS LOST. http://crimespreemag.com/film-review-all-is-lost/

30 comments:

Kieran Shea said...

McNulty and Bunk - THE WIRE

Nate Fisher and Brenda Chenowith SIX FEET UNDER

and of course...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnBezIgA3ys

Anonymous said...

Lucy & Ethel
Andy & Barney
Ralph Kramden & Ed Norton

Jeff M.

Anonymous said...

Cisco and Pancho.
Hoppy and Gabby.
Sky King and Penny.
Buffalo Bob and Clarabelle.
George and Gracie.
Mama and Dagmar.

Damn, I look at the list, and I have one conclusion: I am old!

pattinase (abbott) said...

Morse and Lewis

Anonymous said...

Dan & Roseanne
Mary & Rhoda
Hill & Renko
Flynn & Provenza


Jeff M.

Anonymous said...

Correction: Gabby Hayes was NOT with Hopalong Cassidy. I guess I misremembered. It should be Hoppy and Red.

Age tends to do that to memory. It becomes less of a clear linear line than a foggy meadow.

Anonymous said...

And I am the only one who remembers Jake and Molly (The Goldbergs)?

Anonymous said...

Morse and Lewis? What about Lewis and Hathaway. Not a bad sequel to a great series.

Anonymous said...

Yes, Morse and Lewis definitely.

Cagney & Lacey
Archie & Edith

OK, R.T., you convinced me.

You're old.

;)


Jeff M.

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Prashant C. Trikannad said...

Richard and Caroline in CAROLINE IN THE CITY and Mulder and Scully in THE X-FILES.

Anonymous said...

Patti - I always loved the Cybill Shepherd/Bruce Willis dynamic on Moonlighting.

Anonymous said...

I'm surprised no one has yet mentioned Boris and Natasha, Tom and Jerry, Fred and Barney, Sylvester and Tweetie, Yogi and Booboo, Roadrunner and Wiley Coyote, and other animated pairs. Am I the only person who wasted his youth and adolescence by watching cartoons?

Dan_Luft said...

Henry Blake and Radar. Cliff and Norm on Cheers. Jim Rockford and Angel. Dietrich and Harris on Barney Miller. Buddy and Sally on the Dick Van Dyke Show. I'm trying to think of some less obvious choices.

pattinase (abbott) said...

Chandler and Joey on FRIENDS. Jerry and George on SEINFELD,

pattinase (abbott) said...

Larry and Arthur on THE LARRY SANDERS SHOW.

Anonymous said...

Everyone's comments are revealing. One can almost profile the commentators' "tastes" in TV by thinking about their choices.

Perhaps, Patti, that was your intent: get people to disclose more about themselves than they had thought possible.

pattinase (abbott) said...

Nope. I never have any intentions in what I ask here.

Anonymous said...

I like the on-screen chemistry between the actors on British comedies--even (or perhaps especially) when the characters are married but not traditionally "happy": like Hyacinth and Richard in "Keeping Up Appearances" or Sibyl and Basil on "Fawlty Towers." A happier marriage is between Jean and Lionel on "As Time Goes By"--I really feel they have the chemistry of a married couple.

Deb

Anonymous said...

Lionel and Jean, yes Deb. Frankly, I never understood how Richard got together with Hyacinth. But then, I'm guessing he probably didn't have much say in the matter.

I'd add Tom & Barbara in THE GOOD LIFE and Diana & Tom in WAITING FOR GOD. Also Stephen Fry & Hugh Laurie in JEEVES & WOOSTER.

Jeff M.

pattinase (abbott) said...

Timmy and Lassie.
And along the lines that a good twosome does not have to get along: Archie Bunker and Mike Stivic.

Todd Mason said...

Following Deb's suggestion, Pauline Collins and John Alderton of NO, HONESTLY and WODEHOUSE PLAYHOUSE, among much else. Still married, it seems, and one hopes happily.

Emily and Bob Hartley, most of the time. (Perhaps less so toward the end of the series.)

Tony Randall and Jack Klugman were a rather better pair than Lemmon and Matthau, who didn't give the same sense of actually liking each other.


pattinase (abbott) said...

Jerry and Bob more so!

Steve Oerkfitz said...

Emma Peel & Steed.
Lenny and Carl from the Simpsons.
Bert & Ernie.

pattinase (abbott) said...

Trying to think of Steed's name earlier. Bert and Ernie are perfect.

Anonymous said...

Lenny & Squiggy


Jeff M.

Rick Robinson said...

The Smothers Brothers.

Cap'n Bob said...

Matt Dillon and Miss Kitty
Matt Dillon and Chester
Moe and Curly
Fred and Ginger
Granny and Jethro

pattinase (abbott) said...

Poor Larry.

Cap'n Bob said...

I love Larry, too, but Moe and Curly hand a more hands on relationship. Get it? Hands on?