Match The Teen TV Stars To Their Onscreen BFFs
- by Bri Thomas
- – on
- in Movies and TV
It is back-to-school time, meaning students must now wake up early, sweat during gym class, study for tests, pick at the surprise lunch of the day and be around mean girls, ex-lovers...and best friends! Without friends, school would be absolutely unbearable, and thankfully there are numerous examples - all seen on TV shows - of what true friendship in high school looks like.
Fans have felt like they were part of popular friend groups, on shows such as “Glee”, “Pretty Little Liars”, “One Tree Hill” and “Riverdale”. As they watched their favorite series, they laughed when these characters laughed, cried when they faced tough moments and made it to graduation with them - just like they do in reality with their BFFs!
How well do viewers know these iconic friends from television, though? Who were the true best friends from some of the best high school-based series ever? Put your knowledge to the test, reminisce about some classic besties and select the right answer. And as the test is taken - with all 25 questions, full of 25 different TV shows and detailing 25 of the most popular BFFs - remember to be super thankful for all friends out there. Without them, how would students make it to the holiday break? How would kids select the perfect outfits for school? How would teens make it through boring classes, difficult tests and bad days where everything goes wrong? And how in the world would they make it to graduation, if these friends were not around? Friends like...
Will’s best friend was…
Will moved from West Philadelphia to Bel-Air, where he befriended this smooth guy. This guy was usually thrown out of the house, since he didn’t get along with Uncle Phil, but he and Will still managed to hang out. This guy also had a crush on Hilary, and one time, she was even blackmailed to go on a date with him - the one time this guy was seen without his sunglasses. This guy was also first introduced as Ashley's new music teacher, after she admitted to Will that she didn’t like playing the violin. Will’s best friend was…
Dawson’s best friend was…
Opposites attract, as seen through the BFFs from “Dawson’s Creek”. Dawson was a romantic and an aspiring film director. As a high school student, he went through many ups and downs with his friends and family members, but he believed that any problem could be solved with a Steven Spielberg film. His friend was a bit of an underachiever, and instead of using inspiring scenes and quotes, he used sarcastic humor to deal with his problems and to hide his pain, since he had a less-than-ideal childhood and was often seen as a black sheep. Dawson’s best friend was…
Lizzie’s best friend was…
Hilary Duff became very popular when she starred on the Disney Channel as Lizzie McGuire from 2001 to 2004 (then in a movie, too!). High schooler Lizzie had a frenemy named Kate, a crush named Ethan, a brother named Matt and a male bestie named Gordo. Her main best friend was a female, though, one she gossiped with, shopped for bras with, gushed over Aaron Carter with and tried out crazy fashion styles in the 2000s with. Lizzie’s best friend was…
Rachel’s best friend was…
“Glee” was about high school students who loved to express themselves through song. The entire group had their ups and downs, but for the most part, since they had to work together in competitions and in class, they were all friends. Some of the characters were closer than others, though, and when things got tough, Rachel Berry turned to her gay best friend for advice and comfort. These two friends even ended up living together and serving as the new directors of the Glee Club after they graduated. Rachel’s best friend was…
Zach’s best friend was…
“Saved By The Bell” ran from 1989 to 1993, and it spun off into two series - “Saved by the Bell: The College Years” and “Saved by the Bell: The New Class” - and two TV movies - “Saved by the Bell: Hawaiian Style” and “Saved by the Bell: Wedding in Las Vegas”. The main Bayside High School group was made up of three males and three females, and though they went through everything together, the main character, Zach, was especially close to one of his buds - the athletic one. Zach’s best friend was…
Cory’s best friend was…
Another high school-based series that focused on one gang of best friends was “Boy Meets World”. The main character, Cory, had a favorite teacher, a lifelong girlfriend and a best friend...even though he was a nice kid who got along well with most people in his life. Cory and his BFF grew from rambunctious little boys into more mature high school students and even went on to move to New York with together, along with Cory’s wife, Topanga, and brother, Eric. Cory’s best friend was…
Betty’s best friend was…
Like many on this list, the high school group from “Riverdale” is a group of friends who all get along yet who all fight. Deep down, the two main girls are really good friends, though, serving as a ying and a yang together. Betty is the girl next door, a good student and a compassionate individual. Her friend is a rich girl who loves to shop and be the center of attention. Through the original comics and the new series, both girls have feelings towards Archie. Through it all, though, Betty’s best friend was…
Alison’s best friends were…
The rest of these examples of friends were narrowed down to one best friend - but this group of girls goes together. PLL all started when Alison disappeared then returned from the dead, causing her remaining friends - four high school girls - to be taunted by an anonymous person who wants them to go down. The series was full of murder, secrets, romance and a few normal high school occurrences, and these four had each other’s pretty little backs through it all. Alison’s best friends were…
Serena’s best friend was…
On New York’s Upper East Side, an elite group of high school students dealt with breakups, makeups, inheritances, proms, drugs, tests and shopping sprees, all while an anonymous blogger, Gossip Girl, revealed all of their secrets. Almost everyone in the group fought, dated, hung out and hooked up, but the two main characters were the best of friends. Serena was the blonde it girl, torn between maintaining her elite persona and letting loose with other socialites, no matter how scandalous. She was balanced out with the help of her BFF, a classy, scheming, caring brunette. Serena’s best friend was…
Eric’s best friend was…
Back in the ‘70s, a group - including Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis - sat around a table in a basement, enjoying a particular extracurricular activity. This group also enjoyed everyday high school things like joyriding, studying/avoiding it, making out and turning to each other for advice. Eric specifically turned to one of the other characters for guidance, and the two bonded over their blunt and sarcastic sense of humor. They even ended up being foster brothers. Eric’s best friend was…
Jason’s best friend was...
Friends who are teammates have a special bond, as they hang out during school, enjoy free time together and participate in difficult and exciting games and practices together, just like on “Friday Night Lights”, which follows the Dillon Panthers, a high school football team. Jason Street was the Panthers’ star quarterback, serving as the coach’s personal protege. He and his best friend always dreamed of buying a ranch after high school and living in Texas forever. Jason’s best friend was...
DJ’s best friend was…
It made for a full house when a man was raising his three daughters with the help of his two best friends. Plus, there was a dog, an annoying neighbor, new relationships and even twins to add into the mix! All of the characters on this show made for some heartfelt and humorous moments, but one of the characters is an iconic best friend. Despite how people felt about her, she was always there for DJ, the eldest Tanner daughter. DJ’s best friend was…
Rory’s best friend was…
To better prepare for an Ivy League education, Rory Gilmore transferred to Chilton Preparatory School, but before she was wearing a school uniform, she was just a normal teenager in Stars Hollow, attending the local high school with everyone else - including with her best friend. Even when she transferred, even when she started hanging out with new people, and even when she moved away, she maintained her friendship with her oldest drum-playing, glasses-wearing, CD-hiding, antique-selling friend. Rory’s best friend was…
Peyton’s best friend was…
Another dramatic high school was that of Tree Hill, where Peyton ruled with her bestie. The two bonded after Peyton lost her mother, and over time, the girls began to think of each other as sisters, with the motto "hoes over bros". Of course, though, drama ensued, and Peyton started to view the bigger picture, not being as excited about high school popularity - even though that is what her friend still wanted. Oh, and they fought over the same boys all the time. Despite it all, Peyton’s best friend was…
Raven’s best friend was…
Another Disney show that had two female best friends and one male best friend was “That’s So Raven”. Raven was the main character, a teen who had visions. Her male best friend was Eddie - a rapper and a basketball player. The trio was rounded out by another female bestie; she was a bit spacey, a redhead, a dog groomer, a protest organizer, a president of an eco-friendly school club and a teenage art prodigy. Raven’s best friend was…
Malcolm’s best friend was…
Malcolm Wilkerson served as the main protagonist of the series. He had a best friend who was a genius. The friend was also handicapped and missing a lung, and he suffered from asthma so sometimes struggled to speak. Malcolm was first shown with this friend when they ended up in the same accelerated class, and they had many of the same classes throughout middle school and into high school. The two also shared a mutual interest in comic books. Malcolm’s best friend was…
Clarissa’s best friend was…
In the ‘90s, Melissa Joan Hart starred in “Clarissa Explains It All”, a show that focused on a high school-aged girl, Clarissa. Her best friend was an upbeat skateboarder, always asking what was the worst that could happen. The two would have long talks about life, love, school, parents and other teen problems, and most of these talks took place in Clarissa’s bedroom, which her friend would enter by climbing a ladder to her second-story bedroom. Clarissa’s best friend was…
Richie’s best friend - and surrogate brother - was…
The '50s were known as the happy days, as after school, teens would go hang out at diners full of poodle skirts and jukeboxes. Richie Cunningham was the most famous teen to do so, and fans watched him hang out with his friends and try to pick up girls. No one had a way with the ladies like his best friend, though - that suave, cycling guy with a catchphrase and a leather jacket. Richie’s best friend - and surrogate brother - was…
Kevin’s best friend was....
“The Wonder Years” told about the life of Kevin Arnold, a boy growing up in an American suburban middle-class family. Each season was set 20 years before the show aired, meaning the series ran from 1988 to 1993, and it was set in the year 1968 to the year 1973. From the time Kevin was 12 and up until he was 17, his main dilemma was winning over Winnie Cooper, and he turned to his brainy friend for advice on how to do so. Kevin’s best friend was....
Carrie’s best friend was…
Before Carrie had her three best friends from “Sex & The City”, she had a best friend in high school. This friend was brunette and tough. She would have done anything to keep her friends safe. She was also a bit insecure, was the first of Carrie’s young friends to lose her virginity and even shared a drunken kiss with Carrie’s on-again, off-again boyfriend, Sebastian. Nevertheless, Carrie forgave her, loved her and remained friends with this girl. Carrie’s best friend was…
Stiles’ best friend and fellow pack member from “Teen Wolf” was...
Two members of the Teen Wolf Pack were best friends, working together like a true family. One of these characters was Mieczyslaw “Stiles” Stilinski, the first member of the pack. He helped other members through struggles related to being a young werewolf and even went on to intern with the FBI. The other character slowly but surely embraced supernatural abilities, and that was greatly due to guidance from Stiles. Stiles’ best friend and fellow pack member from “Teen Wolf” was...
Manny’s best friend - from junior high through high school and on to graduation, all while facing pregnancy and the desire to be loved/hot - was…
“Degrassi” was another series that had numerous spin-off series, but the original cast walked viewers through high school-related hardships such as abortions, drug addictions, breakups and deaths. Two of the best friends on this show helped each other through these struggles, yet also had their moments of falling out. When all was said and done, though, Manny’s best friend - from junior high through high school and on to graduation, all while facing pregnancy and the desire to be loved/hot - was…
Angela’s best friend was…
Angela had always been friends with Sharon, a fellow Girl Scout, but when she grew up, a new best friend came into play during sophomore year. Sharon was upset and told Angela that she hated her new appearance and personality, but Angela was okay with being a different version of herself. She was often going on and on about Jordan Catalano to her new bestie, a girl who was afraid of the dark and enjoyed liquor, drugs and The Grateful Dead. Angela’s best friend was…
Blair’s best friend was…
At the exclusive private boarding school, Eastland Academy, an unlikely friendship developed. Blair was rich and rebellious and was often seen smoking cigarettes, drinking beer and flirting with boys. When a new girl showed up on her motorcycle, Blair found the girl to be classless and crude, since she was a little rougher and talked everyone into stealing the school van and using fake IDs. Several episodes showed the two butting heads, but in the end, they stood next to each when it mattered, and the new girl even dubbed Blair as her official best friend. Blair’s best friend was…
Laura’s best friend was…
Out on the prairie, Laura Ingalls Wilder, a half-pint tomboy, learned lessons from her Ma and Pa. She did chores with her sisters, Mary and Carrie. She bickered with the school bully, Nellie. She also made a new best friend (around the time she lost her dog, Jack), one with whom she went on many adventures. The two took care of a mother wolf and her babies and even solved a series of burglaries in their hometown of Walnut Grove. Laura’s best friend was…