In a world that's full of fear and loathing, few things warm the heart like a good old-fashioned bromance. Many a life-affirming bromance has been forged on our TV screens; here are five of our favourites from recent years...
Note: We'll do our best to keep things spoiler-free but do proceed with caution if you're still catching up on any of these shows.
Samwell Tarly and Jon Snow (from Game of Thrones, 2011-Present)
It's hard being a man of the Night's Watch, but it would be even harder without a friend. Jon - the handsome bastard of Ned Stark - took fat, cowardly Sam under his wing and they soon became the best of buddies. Not even wildlings could tear them apart!
Defining Bromance Moment: Jon and Sam kneel down to 'take The Black' (i.e. swear an oath of duty to the Night's Watch). Once finished, they are told to 'rise now as men of the Night's Watch' - Sam can't quite get to his feet, so Jon helps him up, and they hug.
Joey Tribbiani and Chandler Bing (from Friends, 1994-2004)
They weren't supposed to be roommates in the first place - Chandler's first choice was a photographer whose sister was a model - but we're glad that things happened the way they did. Even when Chandler moved in with Monica, they remained stone cold bros until the end (well, until Joey got his own spin-off, at least).
Defining Bromance Moment: In the final episode of the series - the one that, like, ten jillion people tuned in for - Joey and Chandler are saying goodbye (Chandler and Monica, who have just adopted two babies, are preparing to move to a new house in the suburbs). They wonder aloud whether to part with an "awkward hug" or a "lame cool-guy handshake"; initially, they opt for the lame handshake, but then they hug and ten jillion viewers well up.
Christopher Turk and John 'JD' Dorian (from Scrubs, 2001-2010)
Being a doctor, like being a brother of the Night's Watch, is not without its trials and tribulations. But JD and Turk got through them all - even when Turk found out that JD had been sleeping with a lawyer who was suing him (Turk) for malpractice, their bromance didn't sputter out.
Defining Bromance Moment: This song. How could it not be?
Abed Nadir and Troy Barnes (from Community, 2009-2014)
Troy and Abed are our favourite bros, simply because they're even bigger TV/Movie geeks than we are. When Abed discovers Inspector Spacetime (a show-with-a-show that's seriously indebted to Doctor Who), he and Troy immediately start playing The Inspector and his sidekick, Constable Reggie, with surprising levels of dedication. They also have their own friendship handshake, not to mention their own fake morning show ("Troy and Abed in the mooor-ning!")
Defining Bromance Moment: When Troy decides to head off on a round-the-world cruise in Season 5, Abed organises a school-wide game of 'Lava Floor' to see him off. The results are...well, epic.
Sherlock Holmes and John Watson (from Sherlock, 2010-Present)
And finally, how could we have a blog about bromances without mentioning the internet's favourite crime-fighting couple? John's bromance with Sherlock (a lot of Johns in this list, aren't there?) isn't always plain sailing - sometimes, in fact, he seems to very much dislike the man - but the interplay between these two (along with the regular hints that they may, one day, take things to the next level) has had tumblr users in hysterics for several years now.
Defining Bromance Moment: When John (okay, this one definitely warrants a SPOILER ALERT) visits Sherlock's grave in the final episode of Season 2, he is very, very not happy. It's a tearjerker all right, and the 'aaw' factor is only somewhat alleviated by the knowledge that (SPOILER ALERT AGAIN) Sherlock isn't really dead.
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