Curiousity. Bad for cats but great for scientists.

I've been inspired (by which I of course mean it seemed far more enticing than theory) by Agent 99's list of dynamic duos and decided to compose my own, however I've included one film double act too:

10. Sam Tyler & Gene Hunt
Fighting and trouble is the name of the game here. Gene perfectly balances Sam's emo tendencies, and it is just so brilliant to see their contrasting qualities bouncing off each other when underneath it all they're actually quite similar. You know, when they're not punching each other. Plus Sam's general WTF face whenever Gene does something ludicrous is priceless.


Gene: Come out, you are surrounded by armed bastards!

9. Merry & Pippin
These two are a quintessential mischievous pairing. It's so fitting that they're cousins because they remind me so much of my cousin and I when we were younger and virtually inseparable. I'm willing to wager we were almost as much trouble as these two. They mess around and they make fun of each other, but at the heart there is a real care and compassion that goes beyond anything you can articulate. It's all there in the separation when Gandalf takes Pippin to Gondor and leaves Merry behind, and he nearly dies riding out with Eowyn in order to meet up with his friends. Just sigh. Of course, LOTR is all about friendship, so I had a hard time choosing between them, Sam and Frodo, and Legolas and Gimli. Family won out in the end.


Merry: You're supposed to stick it in the ground!
Pippin: It is in the ground!

8. Greg House & James Wilson
Half the reason I stick with House is their exchanges, they play off each other so well. House can be such a jerk and he purposefully messes with Wilson, and yet he sticks by him. House needs him as well, he's always so lost whenever it looks as if Wilson is really done with him this time. Some friends are like that, they try your patience and no one else understands why you would possibly want to put up with it, but you still do.


House: Trouble in paradise. 2 o'clock.
Wilson: Wait, your 2 o'clock or my 2 o'clock?
House: Over there!

7. Mitchell, Annie & George
Ok so they're technically three, but oh my god, they're good together. I was about to give up on Being Human but they fell into good pattern in the last few episodes of the season and that really made it all come together. They always try so hard to be understanding and supportive even when they just want to wallow themselves. It's very much a case of being in this together, and they certainly do it with flair.


George: We're like the world's gayest ninjas.

6. Charlie Eppes & Larry Fleinhart
My nerd duo represent! Starting out as student and mentor, these two developed an honest friendship that balances out their idiosyncrasies and offers mutual respect and support. Larry is a bit like Charlie's Yoda though. They go out of their way for each other, and I don't think there is anything sweeter than that. Charlie pulled some strings to make sure Larry's dream of going to space was realised, even though he didn't actually want him to go. That is true friendship.


Charlie: Larry, something went wrong, and I don't know what, and now it's like I can't even think.
Larry: Well, let me guess: you tried to solve a problem involving human behavior, and it blew up in your face.
Charlie: Yeah, pretty much.
Larry: Okay, well, Charles, you are a mathematician, you're always looking for the elegant solution. Human behavior is rarely, if ever, elegant. The universe is full of these odd bumps and twists. You know, perhaps you need to make your equation less elegant, more complicated; less precise, more descriptive. It's not going to be as pretty, but it might work a little bit better. Charlie, when you're working on human problems, there's going to be pain and disappointment. You gotta ask yourself, is it worth it?

5. Sheldon Cooper & Leonard Hofstadter
I suppose this is another nerd duo, but hey, nerds are fun! Sheldon must be the hardest person to live with, and yet Leonard stays there and adheres to all his rules. Sheldon isn't particularly good at social interaction either, living in his own world completely oblivious to social norms and conventions, and so the friendship can often seem one-sided. But within that genius is a vulnerability, and someone in definite need of a wing-man. Sheldon and Leonard would deny needing each other, in fact they often get on each other's nerves, but the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.


Leonard: At least I didn't have to invent 26 dimensions to get the math to work.
Sheldon: I didn't invent them. They're there.
Leonard: Yeah? In what universe?
Sheldon: In all of them, that's the point!

4. Howard Moon & Vince Noir
Putting the fun in dysfunctional, these two are just in a class of their own. One is jazz-obsessed with delusions of grandeur, the other is vapid, easily distracted by shiny things and obsessed with his hair. It has no right to work as well as it does! Honestly, why does this work? Why? They argue more often than they don't, and Howard is always just a little jealous of how easily Vince has it. But it's when you start to think that there is no way there's a real friendship there that they band together and pull through whatever bizarre turn the world has thrown at them...usually with a song. Clearly true friendships are built on music.


Howard: I'll put a move on you.
Vince: I've felt your moves, it's like being caressed with natural yogurt.
Howard: I got new moves.
Vince: What, did you send off for some new ones?
Howard: Yes, I did. They came by post.
Vince: First post?
Howard: The post that hurts the most.

3. Merlin & Arthur
A friendship that goes back eons, but I am more concerned with the current adorkable re-incarnation of the duo. Arthur acts like a prat most of the time, while Merlin grumbles and cleans up after him, saving his ass time after time without Arthur even noticing. Not that Arthur doesn't appreciate it, he just can't show it and is possibly emotionally stunted what with being royal and all. But isn't it just so much fun to watch? I find myself grinning like a fool half the time because they really are just that adorkable.

Arthur: I've been trained to kill since birth!
Merlin: How long have you been training to be a prat?
Arthur: You can't address me like that.
Merlin: Sorry, how long have you been training to be a prat, my lord?

2. The Tenth Doctor & Donna
Donna is just made of so much epic win, it can't be quantified. You knew this was going to be a completely different dynamic the first time she slaps him, and how she never actually notices that something amazing is going on when she first appears in the TARDIS. She's so different from Ten's other companions, and it really works for them. She comes across as very strong and forceful, but she has a good heart and is so empathetic. I think there are parallel to be drawn there between both of them. I love how there's none of the jealousy, or the UST, and how quick they are to point it out to people. I love how she puts Ten in his place and how she reels him in and keeps him in line (because it's true, sometimes he does need someone to stop him) and in reverse I love how encouraging Ten is with her, how he pushes her and treads carefully around her vulnerabilities. They laugh, they cry, they exchange words, and it's all just a rich tapestry of an endearing, multi-faceted friendship that stems from a mutual understanding of each other and an actual need to have that person in your life at that time.


Donna: I can't understand you! How many words - One! One word! Shake, milk-shake, milk! Milk! No? Not milk! Um, shake, shake, shake! Cocktail shake! What, d'you want a Harvey Wallbanger?
The Doctor: Harvey Wallbanger?
Donna: Well, I don't know!
The Doctor: How is Harvey Wallbanger one word?
Agatha Christie: What do you need Doctor?
The Doctor: Salt! I was miming salt! I need salt! I need something salty!
Donna: What about this?
The Doctor: What is it?
Donna: Salt!
The Doctor: That's too salty!
Donna: Oh, that's too salty!

1. Jack Harkness & Ianto Jones
I guess technically this may be considered cheating since I wasn't doing couples with this list, but whatever, it's still a friendship. Besides, they're my OTP, they're my exclusion to everything. This is such an odd one because it came a bit out of left field and left everyone doing a double take. After all, every healthy friendship starts off with parties drawing guns on each other, doesn't it? Ah but this is Torchwood, the word 'healthy' has no place here. At the end of the day though, this comes down to understanding. You've got two people, fucked up and broken, but they understand each other - the motivation, the fallout, the guilt, the pain, the reaction, the joy. There's a relatability, and that is a very valuable thing. From comfort, companionship and understanding, you eventually have expectation and need. The Alfred to Jack's Batman, Ianto does everything for him. Well, he does everything for Torchwood really, but then again Torchwood and Jack aren't mutually exclusive. Ianto keeps Jack going, he grounds him, while Jack gives Ianto a purpose. There's such subtlety in it as well, just the way Ianto is always there, hovering in the background, and anticipating what is needed. Much like the previous pairing, Jack and Ianto bring out the best in each other, and even when some bad stuff goes down they're there for each other, without judgement or expectation, because they get it. It's far from perfect but within their world, it works. What more could you really ask for?


Jack: Do I show off?
Ianto: Just a bit.

Music: Resistance - Muse
Mood: Procrastinating aka natural state of being