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 [5 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
5. Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin
What a pretentious, stuffy list. No Beavis and Butthead? posted by Item at 6:55 AM on August 14, 2007 [2 favorites]
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]
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
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
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
We set out a few ground rules in making this list. To start with, no sidekicks allowed! Our buddies must be on an equal footing... Romance is completely off the table... And finally, the buddies must stand alone, not as part of some larger group of near-equal importance...
So Frodo and Sam break all the rules and they're still on the list. Okay then. posted by 23skidoo at 8:33 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
Also, Joanie and Chachi. And Adam and Eve (but not Adam and Steve). posted by DU at 9:29 AM on August 14, 2007
Jeeves and Wooster. But I guess Bertie was more of a sidekick.
Sir, you do forget yourself. Without Bertie, Reginald would have nothing to do all day. One must depend upon the other, like the Fraggles and Doozers of the wild. posted by Greg Nog at 9:30 AM on August 14, 2007 [1 favorite]
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
-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.
* - 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
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
Subscribe
The Producers?? Pffff.
posted by DU at 6:08 AM on August 14, 2007