Habiba ElGaniny Watching TV can be an unexpectedly immersive experience, especially when you’re following a series for weeks, months, or even years. Slowly, its characters become part of your daily ritual. You start looking forward to each new episode, wondering what they’ll do next, what they’ll wear, who they’ll call, and how their story will unfold.
Some characters make you feel as though you’d find solace in their conversations and surprisingly reassuring counsel. They stop feeling like fictional characters and start feeling like people you somehow know.The line between fiction and reality begins to blur.
You resist going to sleep because you are too captivated to find out what happens next. Eventually, you stop wishing the episodes were longer and start wishing the character actually existed.
Then comes the inevitable morning when you finish the final episode
If you’re lucky, there’s another season waiting for you. If not, there’s that peculiar emptiness that settles in when a fictional world you’ve inhabited suddenly disappears. You realise the character has stayed somewhere in the back of your mind for far longer than they probably should have.
Perhaps that’s the ultimate magic of television: creating fictional characters who feel so real that we begin to miss them.
So, let’s introduce you to a few TV characters who feel like friends, the type of fictional companions who would somehow fit perfectly into your real life. If you’ve watched these shows, you probably already know the feeling. If you haven’t, consider this your introduction to a whole new kind of fascination.
1- Allie Hayes
Allie has been Mika Abdalla’s little gift to us. Everything about Allie is memorable, endearing whether it’s her lifestyle, her outfits, hair or her enthusiasm when it comes to karaoke. At a time when friendships, alongside relationships, are becoming increasingly convoluted, Allie offers a delicate reminder of girlhood and female friendship, and how they should never have to be complicated, competitive or consuming.
She’s the kind of companion who’ll answer your 2 a.m. FaceTime call, listen to some wild idea you’ve just had, and somehow make you feel like it’s the most brilliant idea in the world. And what’s better than plotting something with your best friend and she’s actually excited about it?
Most likely, she’ll be rehearsing her plays but that’s the enchanting thing about Allie. She’ll always make time for her people. Watching Allie and you immediately feel like you need a girls’ night in eating Cheetos and dancing to “on the floor” by JLO.
2-Blair Waldorf
Queen Bee has managed to build an empire not just in the show but in our collective cultural memory.
Blair came to redefine our standards for friendships. She teaches us that female friendships do save your life, and sometimes more than once. She also reminds us that love, in all its forms, can have very few limits.
She’s the kind of friend who would help you prepare for a job interview—and not merely by playing the interviewer. Blair would probably find a way to make sure you got the job.
There are so many things you just can’t miss about Blair. She is fierce, astute, powerful and most of all extremely elegant. When it comes to having signature fashion staples, Blair stands out. One season in, you’re already obsessed with her headbands. She managed to leave an enduring impression by such a small sartorial gesture. But what made Blair so beloved was her loyalty and unwavering devotion.
Her friendship is the one that turns easily into a family tie. Once she’s your friend, you have a sister for life. No matter how much you argue, she will always be by your side.
3- Eloise Bridgerton
Watching Bridgerton and this era always gives us those delicate shivers and yearning for this debutante air. Yet, watching such characters as Eloise in such an environment satisfies our craving for defiance.
Personally I always find it amazingly iconic to watch female characters defy social conventions and just do what feels right. Eloise was definitely one of those characters.
Whenever she shows up you’ll find yourself smiling because she’s either gonna be very cutely temperamental or making fun of some superficial things (mostly her brothers’ doings) or maybe those debutant men that try to approach her too confidently. We always need that type of friend in our life, who is sarcastic, funny, and with a distinctive perspective. She’ll always know what to say and when to say it.
She’s the kind of friend that’ll defend your name in any room. Watching Eloise feels like you’re missing out.
4- Anne shirley
Amybeth McNulty’s Anne captured our hearts with her ethereal, village-like charm and gave us an eternal wish to experience life in Green Gables. Watching Anne suffer and being a victim of misunderstanding and people’s questionable intentions, but constantly choosing kindness and ending up as compelling and delightful, is truly inspirational.
Observing her invites you to wonder how many extraordinary souls walk among us without ever knowing it. She reminds me of butterflies. Everyone can see and appreciate their beauty, but it can be difficult for them to recognize it themselves. It leaves you wondering: If only they could see themselves the way we see them.
She’s the kind of friend that’ll always see the goodness in you, make you believe that soulmates do exist and they could be your life-time companions. Having a hot cup of tea with her in the early morning discussing books and sophisticated words from her eccentric dictionary and to play along with her as princess Cordelia.
has to be the ultimate experience
5- Spencer Hastings
If you’ve watched Pretty Little Liars, you’ll understand how precious it is to have a Spencer in your life. If you haven’t, allow me to enlighten you.
She’s your emergency contact ,most probably she’ll be there with you. If not, she’ll be the first person you’d think to call. It’s not just about her sense of urgency, razor-sharp investigative instincts, or her genuine devotion for the people she loves. It’s also her astute self.
Spencer is the kind of friend you think of when you have a crisis, not just to chat over some surface-level conversations but more profound ones. She’ll probably plan a proper coffee date that won’t last less than four hours. She can effortlessly make a monthly catch-up call feel fresh, as if you were just talking the day before.
Watching her connect with her girls will immediately make you feel like you miss your girls. It’s kinda difficult to get over the aching realization of having a Spencer in your life.
6- Maddy
Maddy is often remembered for being audacious, unapologetic and intimidating, and, admittedly, that’s the side you mostly encounter if you cross her. Obviously, no one wishes to.
But there’s another Maddy. The one you see when the armour comes off.
Having Maddy in your life means you’re getting free confidence tips all the time. She’ll always lift your spirit, celebrate your achievements as if they were her own and above all she’s the companion that would never give up on you and would do whatever it takes to get you out of any predicament.
She shows us that it’s okay to be vulnerable, make mistakes, and to have imperfections. She always brings with her sanctuary. She sees you for who you truly are and loves you wholeheartedly. She doesn’t only listen, she shares, talks and bonds. In a time when oversharing is close to a sin, Maddy gave us a little pinch that oversharing won’t ruin your mysterious aura. Forging a deeper connection with someone is intimate and fun.
When it comes to supporting and having your girls back, Maddy always serves.
