We still have a long way to go in terms of actually letting women have meaningful relationships in TV and film, but that doesn’t mean 2022 didn’t still see some female friendships that were pure gems. At the end of the day, regardless of genre or the particulars of each friendship’s story, the best ones have more in common than you might think.
A great friendship is about love, mutual respect, support, and the chance to open up and be vulnerable about things you’d otherwise never voice. It’s coming back stronger after an argument, rather than giving up on each other completely. And it’s just seeing and being seen in return.
While most of our list of best female friendships of 2022 come from TV, we tossed in a couple films, too. Here’s hoping we have even more next year.
Olivia and Amanda, Law & Order: SVU
What makes Rollivia one of the best female friendships of 2022 isn’t the over a decade of time Amanda Rollins and Olivia Benson spent building their relationship from nothing. It’s not everything they’ve been through and overcome together. And it’s not that Rollins managed to become Benson’s very good friend even after Liv — not Amanda. Sorry, Captain —was so icy in the early days.
All of these things are important, sure. Yes, they all add up to one beautiful journey and a loss for SVU‘s main character that cuts deep.
…but to focus on 2022 in terms of everything that led up to it, or in terms of all the pain experienced by two of the longest-running (one of which being the longest-running) Strong Female Character™ arcs in TV, would be a great disservice to that which really makes them the best of 2022. It’s so simple: just…the joy.
This year, we got to see Benson and Rollins have fun together. Yes, they also had to work through some trauma after Amanda’s shooting. But that wasn’t their whole story — not by a longshot. For once.
From Amanda’s very good (yet still not taken) advice for Olivia to just bang it out with Stabler, to them working more cases together than they had in a while, to the Rollisi surprise wedding, and even to that last, drunken night…That’s what we’ll hold onto with this friendship and its place at the top of this year’s list of female friendships.
Literally, all we’ve ever wanted is to get to see women experience it all together — not just the pain, not only the overcoming, and not just talking about messy relationships — all of it. And no, it doesn’t hurt their standing to have had Kelli Giddish delivering some of her best performances ever in the role of Amanda Rollins and/or Mariska Hargitay…being Mariska Hargitay either.
Michael and Tilly, Star Trek: Discovery
For positive female friendship on TV, look no further than the Star Trek universe. Paramount+’s flagship show, Star Trek: Discovery has a pair whose friendship is the real embodiment of the word. Michael and Tilly started out rough, but Tilly’s sincerity pushed through Michael’s self-loathing, and their bond was formed.
This season showed our gals facing new challenges and pushing each other to be the best version of themselves they can be, even if that means that their journeys take them in different directions. It was so satisfying this season to watch them both grow as individuals and still maintain their friendship.
We can’t wait for them to return to our screens in 2023!
Carmen and Marissa, The Good Fight
The Good Fight‘s final season didn’t start with Carmen and Marissa in a very good place — not by any stretch of the imagination. A very uncomfortable, yet achingly beautiful, mid-season reconciliation made one of our favorite female friendships go out back on top, though. In fact, we’d argue they were stronger than ever before by the time they, and we, had to say goodbye. Their final moments on the stairs will be breaking our hearts every time we think about them for a long time to come.
Who knew something as simple as “I’m going to miss you” could mean so much?
The Paper Girls
They essentially started out as strangers but ended up as close true friends in the end. What else would you expect from a quartet of paper girls who accidentally embark on crazy time-traveling adventures together? Erin, Mac, Tiffany, and KJ showed how the love you have for and the support you get from your friends can help you overcome disagreements, uncertainties, and turmoil. May we all have the kind of friends who are willing to steal us diapers when we’re scared to use tampons.
Izogie and Nawi: The Woman King
The moment Nawi set foot through the King’s gates, Izogie took her under her wing. She treated her like a little sister and was not only her mentor but a best friend. Nawi being an orphan, she always felt alone. Izogie made her feel like she was part of a family. She didn’t hesitate to take her under her wing and give her the strength and guidance to be a powerful warrior, and she never wavered in her faith in what Nawi could do.
That guidance wasn’t one-sided either. When Izogie was faced with her own problem and was ready to give up, Nawi reminded her to gather her courage and strength again to fight. She refused to let her give in, and as Izogie put it, “give her power away.” That’s why these two made our list of favorite friendships for 2022.
La’an and Una, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds
While everyone else thinks they’re too intimidating and “where fun goes to die,” La’an Noonien-Singh and Una Chin-Riley on Star Trek: Strange New Worlds know better. They have tough exteriors, but when no one is looking, these two gals are actually having more fun than anyone else. They have shared history, with Una being the one who saved La’an from certain doom when she was left for dead by the Gorn. And while they met due to tragedy, these two have persevered together to become soul sisters for life.
A highlight from this season is episode 1×05, “Spock Amok,” where La’an and Una best everyone at Enterprise Bingo. What’s more fun than watching the two most serious characters on the show re-flavor gum with the transporter and having a phaser duel? We can’t think of much.
Addison and Jenn, Quantum Leap
Quantum Leap’s Addison has been going through a rough time throughout the show’s first season. First her fiancé leaps into the past without telling her – losing his memory of her and their time together in the process. Then they discover that the whole reason he did it was to save her from some mysterious fate. Luckily, her friends are there for her, no matter what. It takes true friendship to indulge in some Bad Reality TV Therapy, but that’s exactly what Jenn, Magic, and Ian do for Addison. It’s still early days in the season, so there’s a lot of room for the audience to see Jenn and Addison’s friendship, and we’re here for it.
Wednesday and Enid, Wednesday
There’s nothing quite like making that first, real, true friend — the one that makes you realize you never even knew what the meaning of the word was until them. The one who makes you step out of your comfort zone, not because they demand it of you…but because you want to do it. For you and for them. Because you care.
For Wednesday Addams, that’s Enid Sinclair. And for Enid Sinclair, that’s Wednesday Addams.
Wednesday and Enid are the epitome of “opposites attract,” and that makes their brief, yet powerful, journey even more beautiful. And no, we’re still not over how big of a deal that hug in the Wednesday finale was. There’s simply no getting over it, for us or for our favorite fictional besties.
Now, if that friendship evolves into something more in future seasons? We’ll be here for that, too.
Basically a whole team of female friendships, A League of Their Own
When it comes to female friendships in 2022, A League of Their Own really hit it out of the park. (And yes, the corny sports pun is necessary here.) There’s something particularly special about seeing a bunch of women, from many backgrounds, come together to really form a team. It wasn’t always easy, and not everyone got along all the time. But that’s ok. Because by the end of just eight short episodes, the Rockford Peaches weren’t “just” friends — they were a family.
Of course, the Peaches weren’t the only team on this series. Max and Clance were also a bright, shining example of what it means to really be true friends — to support each other’s wildest dreams and just…be there. Unlike that other team, these two had been best friends forever. It’s not time that makes these two one of our favorite pairings, though, so much as it’s just how strong their bond is.
Sidney and Gale, Scream
If you’d told us in 1996 that Sidney Prescott and Gale Weathers would be any kind of friends by 2022, much less so incredibly there for each other that they made an end of year list, we would’ve laughed in your face. But, well. Here we are. If “enemies to lovers” is one of your favorite ship styles, then maybe this “enemies to bffs” duo will be one of your favorite female friendships, too.
…if not, there’s always Ghostface to convince you.
Rose and Lissa, Vampire Academy
Vampire Academy isn’t just a story about supernatural beings and not oppressive regimes that are not so subtle social commentary, it’s a story about friendship. And sure, the show (and the books it’s based on) does have some great ships, but the foundation of everything is Rose and Lissa and what they’d do (what they’ve done) for each other. Forget the boys. In this show, we put our BFF above everything — not because we have to, but because we want to.
It’s a refreshing take in general, but it’s especially great to see in YA entertainment, a genre that sometimes sends the message that romance is all young girls can and should focus on. And though Vampire Academy is, ultimately, a story about finding a balance within all relationships and aspects of your life, the fact that Rose and Lissa will always be one of the most important things in each other’s lives? Well, that will never not be amazing.
