Rosencrantz & Guildenstern are Dissed
August 14, 2007 5:55 AM   Subscribe

What, no Bill & Ted? NY Magazine's interesting and diverse (or at least conversation-engendering) list of the top 15 pop-culture "duos" of all time. They cleverly narrowed down the list by eliminating non-equals (e.g. Batman & Robin), duos within groups (e.g. Spock & Kirk), & romantic couples (e.g. Mork & Mindy). Fans of classic comedy duos might be disappointed (they're also missing the most dynamic duo in the history of mankind).
posted by ericbop (81 comments total) 1 user marked this as a favorite
 
I appreciated your title. FYI.

The Producers?? Pffff.
posted by DU at 6:08 AM on August 14, 2007


No Jake and Elwood Blues either. Lame sauce.
posted by rollbiz at 6:21 AM on August 14, 2007


Seconding pffft, and double-pffft for their #12. Also, no Twins?
posted by Kirth Gerson at 6:25 AM on August 14, 2007


No Grey Gardens? Edie and Edie FTW.
posted by hermitosis at 6:27 AM on August 14, 2007


Nick and Nora?
posted by robocop is bleeding at 6:29 AM on August 14, 2007


Larry and Balki?
posted by Servo5678 at 6:32 AM on August 14, 2007 [1 favorite]


Itchy and Scratchy? They form a dramaturgical dyad.
posted by DU at 6:32 AM on August 14, 2007 [2 favorites]


Martin & Lewis aren't even on the list?
posted by JJ86 at 6:32 AM on August 14, 2007


They're missing Queequeg and Ishmael.
posted by martinX's bellbottoms at 6:33 AM on August 14, 2007 [1 favorite]


Lots missing, but I'm glad to see Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin.
posted by Rain Man at 6:38 AM on August 14, 2007


Art Carney and Jackie Gleason?

Jack Lemmon & Walter Matthou?

Come on, this list bites.
posted by Devils Rancher at 6:39 AM on August 14, 2007


I assumed the most dynamic duo in history was going to be Gilgamesh and Enkidu. Is that not a widely known story anymore?
posted by leibniz at 6:45 AM on August 14, 2007 [4 favorites]


If we're going to go in the Itchy and Scratchy direction, doesn't that take us to Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner?
posted by t2urner at 6:48 AM on August 14, 2007


At least they got Martin & Lewis, but they concealed that fact from people who don't actually read the article by putting in their characters from Artists & Models.
posted by goatdog at 6:53 AM on August 14, 2007


This list sounds like the writer was trying to impress some college chick. I haven't even heard of a few, and some other's claim is one crappy French film or book... Can you say pretentious...
posted by Gungho at 6:56 AM on August 14, 2007


Here's a famous duo: This list and my ass!
posted by DU at 6:59 AM on August 14, 2007 [7 favorites]


matthowie and jessamyn??
posted by LordSludge at 7:08 AM on August 14, 2007 [1 favorite]


I'm surprised the 'buddy movie' was invented in 1969. Does that mean Rick Todd and Eugene Fullstack shouldn't be on the Buddy List?

And I thought Itchy and Scratchy formed a dermatological dyad.
posted by MtDewd at 7:12 AM on August 14, 2007


Seconding Jake & Elwood Blues. They have their names tattooed across their fists, for god's sake!
posted by anthill at 7:12 AM on August 14, 2007


Oscar and Felix?
posted by octothorpe at 7:19 AM on August 14, 2007


When the pair went their separate ways on 2003’s Speakerboxxx/The Love Below, it was quickly obvious that, without each other, Big Boi's just a good rapper and Andre’s just a Prince fan in a silly outfit.

What? That's just crazy. I don't even know how to react to that.
posted by solipsophistocracy at 7:29 AM on August 14, 2007


Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd?
posted by lordrunningclam at 7:32 AM on August 14, 2007


Norman Bates!
posted by avoision at 7:33 AM on August 14, 2007 [1 favorite]


They even break their own "rules" when it suits them. No sidekicks, but Hobbes is "not a sidekick". No duos that are part of larger groups, but Frodo and Sam are special.
Meh.
posted by yhbc at 7:36 AM on August 14, 2007


How great is it that they link to a copyrighted (and thusly removed) video on YouTube?
posted by katillathehun at 7:45 AM on August 14, 2007


The only way this list would have been more pretentious would be if they included Abelard and Heloise.
posted by TedW at 7:49 AM on August 14, 2007


Jules & Vincent!
posted by squalor at 7:54 AM on August 14, 2007


Mickey and Mallory?
posted by neilkod at 7:55 AM on August 14, 2007


Mac and PC?
posted by tristeza at 7:57 AM on August 14, 2007 [1 favorite]


heheheeheheheh. you're a dumb ass.
Beavis and Butthead.
posted by veritas que at 8:00 AM on August 14, 2007


or i could have more closely read all the posts.
posted by veritas que at 8:01 AM on August 14, 2007


Tenspeed & Brown Shoe!

Scylla & Charybdyis!

Castor & Pollux!
posted by Kirth Gerson at 8:03 AM on August 14, 2007 [1 favorite]


No Tommy and Richard?

I've always thought Batman and Alfred were the real duo, anyway.
posted by Tehanu at 8:12 AM on August 14, 2007


Bob Hope & Bing Crosby, Abbott & Costello, Burns & Allen, Wheeler & Woolsey, Clark & McCullough, Edgar Bergen & Charlie McCarthy, Peter Lorre & Sydney Greenstreet, Bogie & Bacall, Greer Garson & Walter Pidgeon, Judy Garland & Mickey Rooney, Alan Ladd & Veronica Lake, Cheech & Chong, and so on & so forth.
posted by goatdog at 8:14 AM on August 14, 2007


Jobs and Wozniak?
posted by octothorpe at 8:16 AM on August 14, 2007


Strawberry's not here, man.
posted by squalor at 8:30 AM on August 14, 2007


12. Joe Kavalier and Sam Clay

Pfff. Two characters from a recent bestseller, who have in no way entered the popular mindset. Ten dollars says they had to look up their first names for this article. I read the book and I didn't remember.
posted by George_Spiggott at 8:47 AM on August 14, 2007


Mallory and Irvine Maybe Irvine was a sidekick, though.
posted by Devils Rancher at 8:47 AM on August 14, 2007


Jeeves and Wooster. But I guess Bertie was more of a sidekick.
posted by goatdog at 8:49 AM on August 14, 2007


As pretentious as can be imagined, but I give them joy for #5.
posted by anvilcity at 8:51 AM on August 14, 2007


So Frodo and Sam break all the rules and they're still on the list. Okay then.

c'mon skidoo, they also save the world from frickin' Sauron! The least they deserve is an exemption.
posted by jmd82 at 8:52 AM on August 14, 2007


Patsy and Edina.
posted by George_Spiggott at 8:57 AM on August 14, 2007


What, no G.W. and Cheney?
posted by Benny Andajetz at 8:59 AM on August 14, 2007 [1 favorite]


Wallace and Gromit.
posted by Devils Rancher at 9:00 AM on August 14, 2007


r2d2/c3po
posted by bruce at 9:09 AM on August 14, 2007


No Lucy & Ethel? No Nick & Nora? Hope & Crosby? Patsy & Edina?

NO JENNIFER & JONATHAN HART!????? Okay, that's just plain murdah.
posted by miss lynnster at 9:17 AM on August 14, 2007


Sherlock Holmes and Watson. Laurel and Hardy. Pinky and the Brain.

Lethal Weapon: "three half-assed sequels spoiled it all."

C'mon, Lethal Weapon 2 was at least 3/4 ass. "Diplomatic immunity." "They fuck you at the drive-through."

They also say that Laverne and Shirley was "the best of Happy Days' three spinoffs," but Happy Days had five spinoffs: Laverne and Shirley, Mork & Mindy, Joanie Loves Chachi, Blansky's Beauties, and the controversial Out of the Blue.
posted by kirkaracha at 9:21 AM on August 14, 2007


Whoa, I never heard of those last two.

Also, Joanie and Chachi. And Adam and Eve (but not Adam and Steve).
posted by DU at 9:29 AM on August 14, 2007


Where's my Ponch and John?
posted by strangeleftydoublethink at 9:31 AM on August 14, 2007


What, no G.W. and Cheney?

W is disqualified for being a sidekick.
posted by Faint of Butt at 9:55 AM on August 14, 2007


I was going to suggest Little Orphan Annie and Daddy Warbucks, but I'm not entirely convinced they weren't lovers.
posted by Astro Zombie at 10:03 AM on August 14, 2007


Hardcastle & McCormick
posted by Flashman at 10:06 AM on August 14, 2007


Bull and shit?
posted by ORthey at 10:18 AM on August 14, 2007 [1 favorite]


Influentially bad TV: Starsky & Hutch. I'm not entirely convinced they weren't lovers, either.
posted by Kirth Gerson at 10:18 AM on August 14, 2007


Martin & Lewis aren't even on the list?

See #4 (Hollywood or Bust was better, IMO).

But what about Luke & Laura? Shields & Yarnell? Tex & Edna? The Ghost and Mr. Chicken? Chocolate & Peanut Butter?
posted by mazola at 10:34 AM on August 14, 2007


Ted & Ralph
posted by kcds at 10:34 AM on August 14, 2007


Nigel Tufnel & David St. Hubbins?
posted by mazola at 10:48 AM on August 14, 2007


Others I left out of my fpp:

-Crockett & Tubbs
-Wayne and Garth
-Michael and Kitt
-Ren & Stimpy

-another vote for Jake/Elwood, & R2D2/C3PO

-If there's room on this list for Danny Glover, surely there's room for Christian Glover!

-my favorite rule-breakers: B.A. Baracus/Murdock ("I'm gonna kill that crazy fool!!")
posted by ericbop at 10:51 AM on August 14, 2007


NY Magazine is just reminding everyone how cool they are- putting out a list that includes "Waiting for Godot" characters and a hip-hop duo.

But what else would anyone expect from one of the most annoying magazines on the planet.

Joe Spiggott-- I read Kavalier and I couldn't remember the first names, either.
posted by wfc123 at 10:59 AM on August 14, 2007


Well, I knew they wouldn't be on the list but I would like to make a brief case for Human Torch and Thing from the FF. Torch and Thing have both had significant appearances outside of the FF (both in their own titles and in Marvel Team-Up, Marvel Two-In-One and Strange Tales), so that makes them more important than the other team members.* They have never had romantic entanglements (with each other). Neither is the other's sidekick. Why are they important to popular culture - well, the FF is the foundational book of Marvel Comics which seems to have an inordinate amount of pop culture real estate these days. Kirby drew them (in his signature series) and Lee's handling of the buddy duo, while likely drawing from film and literature of the period, still set a standard comic book adventure team trope - the big galoot and the hothead.

Now for the super-nerd win : Char and Amuro!**

* - Just going by the list rules. I don't necessarily think they are more important than Reed, Sue, Franklin, Jennifer, Wyatt, etc.

** - I would bet that worldwide more people know these characters than most anyone on the list.
posted by Slothrop at 11:04 AM on August 14, 2007


These lists always invite outrage paired with even more outrageous suggestions.

"Andre 3000 and Big Boi, are you kidding? What, no MF Doom and Madlib? No Ben and Jerry? No Sacco and Vanzetti? No Breaking and Entering?"
posted by kid ichorous at 11:05 AM on August 14, 2007


No Bob and Doug, eh? Hosers.

(and the Blues Bros., etc. etc.)
posted by Smedleyman at 11:33 AM on August 14, 2007


Becket and Henry II.
Elizabeth and Essex.
Bill Cosby and Robert Culp in I Spy.
Rocky and Bullwinkle, and Boris & Natasha.
Maxwell Smart and 99.
Silver Streak is better than Stir Crazy.
posted by kirkaracha at 11:57 AM on August 14, 2007


bad list, as Statler and Waldorf might say:

WALDORF: They aren’t half bad.
STATLER: Nope, they’re ALL bad!
posted by umop-apisdn at 11:57 AM on August 14, 2007


Frankenberry and Count Chocula?
Goatse and Tubgirl?
Me and Julio?
posted by Brak at 12:12 PM on August 14, 2007


No mention of Jay and Silent Bob? Motherfucking philistines.
posted by tracert at 12:23 PM on August 14, 2007




I was going to complain about the absence of my favorites, but I can see that they have already been well represented.

So instead I'm going to suggest that you consider how awesome it would be to combine some of these duos.

Because I really want to see what kind of craziness Jake Blues and Guildenstern could get into.

Or Jay and Kitt. That would fucking awesome.
posted by quin at 1:19 PM on August 14, 2007


upon further reflection:

-Sherman and Peabody
-Kip and Henry
-Appleton and Bartokomous
posted by ericbop at 1:43 PM on August 14, 2007


Pete & Pete!
posted by elr at 2:11 PM on August 14, 2007


Ant & Dec
Regis & Kathy Lee
posted by Flashman at 4:40 PM on August 14, 2007


Bill & Ted
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern
Gilgamesh and Enkidu
Patsy and Edina
Statler and Waldorf
Jay and Silent Bob
Pete & Pete
Rocky and Bullwinkle
Boris & Natasha
Wallace and Gromit.

One must depend upon the other, like the Fraggles and Doozers of the wild.


It's the comments in threads like this that keep me reading MetaFilter. It starts with a pop culture topic that gets treated as kind of a throwaway question in the original material, but then it gets discussed here with fun and some startlingly familiar references. Gilgamesh and Muppets, old cartoons and BBC shows.

I realized what was absent earlier: Mulder and Scully, before season 7.
posted by Tehanu at 5:26 PM on August 14, 2007


Tom/Huck
Amos/Andy
Lucy/Ethel
Bob/Ray
Kate/Spence (non-spousal, bickering phase)
Sonny/Cher (ditto)
posted by rob511 at 5:52 PM on August 14, 2007


Cagney & Lacey
posted by Snyder at 6:30 PM on August 14, 2007


Lennie and George

Allman and Woman
posted by kirkaracha at 6:51 PM on August 14, 2007


Matthowie and Jessamyn

and...

Cortex and.. Cortex?
posted by tehloki at 7:09 PM on August 14, 2007


No Bodie and Doyle? WTF?
posted by PeterMcDermott at 12:34 AM on August 15, 2007


And how do Andre 3000 and Big Boi make it in over Snoop and Dre?
posted by PeterMcDermott at 12:43 AM on August 15, 2007


The list neglects shaggy and scooby, and thus is null and void.
posted by zap rowsdower at 9:06 AM on August 15, 2007


No Barry and Lavone? (awww yeah)
posted by hattifattener at 12:46 AM on August 16, 2007


Dr. Forrester and TV's Frank
posted by Snyder at 4:32 PM on August 16, 2007 [1 favorite]


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