Gossip Girl

TW – Mentions of eating disorders 

There is a common misconception about Gossip Girl. For a show with such a title, the honest-held belief of many fans is that Serena and Blair are the pinnacle of female friendship in TV. I’m not sure if many people base their opinions on Tumblr, or only half-watched the show, but as iconic as the Upper East Side queens are, their friendship is far from perfect. I admit, it’s hard to think of the show’s representation of friendship without Kristen Bell’s iconic narrations – “Serena and Blair… they do besties better than anyone.” Of course, with every scheme, and every argument, Serena and Blair overcome and turn out stronger, but there is no denying that their relationship is complex and often bordering on toxic.

Honestly, I think that’s one of the reasons I love their friendship so much. It isn’t sunshine and rainbows. Despite their riches, they are raw, and real and often play dirty – throwing each other under the bus regularly to benefit themselves. Serena skips town, leaving Blair high and dry amid her parent’s divorce, ditching in the first place because she slept with Nate Archibald, Blair’s long-term boyfriend. Blair in return attempts to ruin Serena’s reputation by trying to out her stay at the local psych ward and accidentally revealing Eric’s suicide attempt in the process. Serena tries to destroy Blair’s chances of getting into Yale by stealing her perfect answer to the Dean’s famous party question, and Blair overthrows this by spoiling Serena’s ballot so that it says the name of the guy who overdosed and died when Serena was present.

I’m a die-hard Blair Waldorf apologist, so I would argue that despite her cruel exterior, Blair is the stronger contender out of the two when it comes to being a real friend. However, no one in the universe of Gossip Girl loves Blair like Serena does. Miss Waldorf says it best, “all of the boyfriends and mean girls and teachers, and our crazy mothers, we went through it together. We raised each other.” For two girls who are more sisters than friends, I believe Serena and Blair are among the most genuine representations of female friendship. In a world riddled with sexism and controlled by the patriarchy, two strong females are bound to clash as they fight to earn their individual deserved successes. The crux of the matter is that there isn’t a line the one would cross to help the other. Serena’s alcohol and drug problems, Blair’s eating disorder. They don’t judge.

“You’re family. What is you, is me. There’s nothing you could ever say that would make me let go.”

Tegan Davies

Sex and the City

When it comes to female friendships on screen, Sex and the City has got to be one of the best examples. Carrie, Charlotte, Miranda, and Samantha may be total opposites in some ways, but their bond is unbreakable – and that’s what makes their friendship stand out. Every woman brings something unique to the table. Carrie’s dreamy, sometimes clueless, but always looking for love. Charlotte is a hopeless romantic who believes in fairy-tale endings. Miranda’s all about her career and keeping things real, while Samantha is unapologetically confident and always doing things her way. They might clash at times, but it’s those differences that make them such a solid team.

What I love about their relationship is how real it feels. They’re not just sharing good times – they’re there for each other through the messy stuff, too. Breakups, career changes, personal struggles – they face it all, and always come out stronger on the other side. The way they argue, forgive, and grow makes their friendship something we can all relate to, no matter where we’re at in life. It’s so important to see female friendships like this in TV shows. We live in a world where women are often pitted against each other, but Sex and the City turns that on its head. The show proves that women can be different, support each other through tough times, and still have each other’s backs through it all.

At its heart, Sex and the City is about more than just friendship. It’s about the complicated, messy, real-life relationships that make our lives richer and more meaningful. These women teach us that true friendship isn’t perfect – it’s real, it’s raw, and it’s something worth celebrating.

Wiktoria Alicja Gabara

Featured image courtesy of Alex Sheldon via Unsplash. No changes have been made to this image.