"We Don't See Each Other": 17 TV Show Casts That Had The *Best* On-Screen Chemistry, And Whether They're Actually Close In Real Life
by Abby Zinman · BuzzFeedI'll be the first to say it: to some extent, chemistry can't be faked — whether platonic or romantic. So when a TV show cast just seems to mesh together perfectly, it's pretty obvious to the audience that it just WORKS.
And honestly, seeing a cast of actors work so well together on-screen makes a show infinitely more enjoyable to watch. So, I've decided to compile some top answers on the Reddit thread: "Which TV show cast has the best chemistry?" and do some digging to find out if the casts were ACTUALLY (allegedly) friends IRL:
1. "Breaking Bad."
BrBa is known to be one of the greatest TV shows of all time (it's THE greatest show to me, at least). Not just because of its wild plot and characters, but also because the cast meshes perfectly!
IRL FRIENDSHIP CHECK: YES! One thing we know for certain? Aaron Paul, who plays Jesse, and Bryan Cranston, who plays Walt, are bros IRL, and always loved one another. Aaron even said "I instantly fell in love with this man" in regards to Bryan. They're still close years after the show ended, and even started a Mezcal company together. It was a match made in heaven.
2. "Modern Family."
Many cast members in Modern Family actually grew up together, and the show ran for more than ten years, so it's safe to say these actors spent a LOT of time together. To many fans, it truly does feel like they're genuine family in real life.
IRL FRIENDSHIP CHECK: ABSOLUTELY! The fact that this cast is on the larger side just makes it even more amazing to see that they indeed still love each other! They reunite pretty frequently, and come support each other at their respective events all the time. My personal favourite anecdote was the cast's reunion at Sarah Hyland (Hayley)'s wedding, and specifically how Jesse Tyler Ferguson officiated! LIKE, HOW CUTE IS THAT?
3. "Brooklyn Nine-Nine."
This sitcom hooked people right away, not just because of the hilarious storylines, but also because of the characters' relationships. Like, Jake Peralta (Andy Samberg) and Amy Santiago (Melissa Fumero)'s relationship felt so believable to a lot of fans, as did Jake and Charles' friendship.
IRL FRIENDSHIP CHECK: YEP! Ever since the show wrapped in 2021, the cast has posted together many times. In March of this year, for one, Chelsea Peretti (who plays Gina) posted a pic of the cast together with the caption: "Tonite was like a very special episode where we ran thru so many memories and moments ❤️."
4. "Scrubs."
Part of the reason why this underrated gem of a show is so addictive is because the cast is just so likeable together — especially, but not limited to, the bromance between J.D. (Zach Braff) and Turk (Donald Faison).
IRL FRIENDSHIP CHECK: YOU BET! Well, you might already know that the two are actually besties in real life as well! Donald recently talked about how they met, and exclaimed that Zach quickly became his "best friend." The rest of the cast has also reunited at various events, so don't worry, it looks like they all love each other!
5. "The Office."
It'd be a crime not to include The Office on this list! The chemistry in this show is one reason why it's is so addictive — like, you can't watch a Michael (Steve Carell) and Dwight (Rainn Wilson) scene without beaming. And there's a reason many people mistakenly think Jenna Fischer (Pam) and John Krasinski (Jim) are actually married: they're simply just the best TV couple of all time.
IRL FRIENDSHIP CHECK: DEFINITELY! Jenna and Angela Kinsey (who plays Angela Martin) not only have an Office-themed podcast together, but they're also just besties! (Which is funny, because Pam and Angela are NOT friends in the show.) You might also know that Steve Carell and John Krasinski worked together again recently on John's new IF movie, and expressed lots of love for each other on and off the set.
As for the rest of the cast, they all reunite every now and then, and everyone has only had nice things to say about each other!
6. "Seinfeld."
"The vibe between Jerry and George was magical; you could really see them being best friends. Jerry with Elaine, Jerry with Kramer, and Kramer with the door," fan u/Slave35 wrote. And honestly? I think most of us agree wholeheartedly. The cast's obvious chemistry just took this feel-good show to the next level.
IRL FRIENDSHIP CHECK: NOT QUITE! Are you ready to be shocked? Because in 2020, Jason Alexander (who played George Costanza) revealed that the cast was never that close IRL. "We were never social friends; we were work friends," he said, according to Daily Mail. "After nine years, when the show ended, we kind of went, 'Oh, bye, see ya!'" The cast still keeps in touch according to Julia Louis-Dreyfus, but they just apparently weren't as close as it may have seemed.
7. "Parks and Recreation."
What's there not to love about the characters in Parks and Rec? The relationships are adorable, and the friendships are super realistic. Of course, there are some big names in this show — like Amy Poehler and Chris Pratt — and the show went ran for over five years, so many people wonder if the cast is actually as close as they seem on screen.
IRL FRIENDSHIP CHECK: YES! The cast has reunited at various events and have also praised one another in interviews. In 2023, Chris Pratt told Seth Meyers that not only do they "still keep in touch," but they also have a group chat where they keep each other posted on their lives, and congratulate each other on any successes.
8. "New Girl."
Jess (Zooey Deschanel)'s friendship with her roommates is one we ALL wanted. Seeing how much Schmidt (Max Greenfield), Nick (Jake Johnson) and Winston (Lamorne Morris) care for Jess is just super adorable.
IRL FRIENDSHIP CHECK: SORTA! Although the cast seems to like each other, it does look like all of them aren't BFFs in real life. In 2020, Jake told Justin Long on a podcast that they didn't really hang out outside of shooting. "In this business, we don't see each other. I've got the friends who I see on a regular basis and then I've got the friends who I work with, who I really like, but the only time we see each other is like this," he explained. "Max and I text all the time, but if he tried to FaceTime me on a Wednesday, I would write, like, 'Leave me alone.'"
Jake did, however, come support Zooey at a movie premiere this year, so on the bright side, they're definitely at least friendly! And Hannah (Cece) and Lamorne have a New Girl podcast together, so they're definitely friends.
9. "Boy Meets World."
Another '90s gem of a TV show, this one was (and TBH still is) a comfort show for many millennials and beyond, largely because of the adorable relationships between Cory (Ben Savage) and Topanga (Danielle Fishel), Shawn (Rider Strong)... the list goes on.
IRL FRIENDSHIP CHECK: YES! And the cast is indeed still fond of one another — in 2021, Rider said how "it's so cheesy, but it really does feel like family" with the Boy Meets World cast. You might also know that many Boy Meets World cast members also appeared on Girl Meets World (which, uh, actually starred none other than Sabrina Carpenter), so they clearly still love the show, too!
10. "Schitt's Creek."
The thing about Schitt's Creek is once you start, you can't really stop watching. And a HUGE part of that is because of how the actors play off one another's humour and overall vibe.
IRL FRIENDSHIP CHECK: DUH! I'm sure you already know that the two leads, David and Johnny, are played by actual father-son duo Dan and Eugene Levy (who, by the way, just hosted the Emmy's together and did an incredible job). So it makes sense why their father-son chemistry was so natural! Sarah Levy, who is Dan's sister and Eugene's daughter, also plays Twyla. As for the rest of the cast, they were pretty much one big family during filming, and still support each other to this day!
11. "Psych."
The 2000s classic features some friendships that are downright amazing to watch — like Shawn (James Roday) and Gus (Dulé Hill), the show's protagonists. Fans also love Shawn's relationship with Juliet (Maggie Lawson).
IRL FRIENDSHIP CHECK: YES! It's no wonder people were so fond of Shawn and Juliet's relationship on the show, because James and Maggie dated IRL from 2007 until 2014 (which was the same year Psych ended). So although they're exes now, when you watch the show, it's clear they had chemistry in real life, too. As for James and Dulé, they're actually super close — like, at Dulé's wedding in 2018, James was a groomsman! Besties forever!
12. "Community."
This early 2010s sitcom was a fan fave for many people because of the cast. The unlikely friendships between this group of students is simply just super lovable, and it looks like such a natural connection. That's why people are so excited for the new Community movie that's currently in the works!
IRL FRIENDSHIP CHECK: WE THINK SO! You'll be happy to know that Allison Brie (Annie) and Danny Pudi (Abed) are pretty good friends off-screen. In March 2024, she exclaimed that she loves Danny, and talked about how they frequently go hiking together! As for the rest of the cast, it looks like they're still in touch, because Allison did reveal there's a cast "text chain."
13. "Full House."
This was EVERY '90s kid's favourite TV show — and I'd argue that's mainly because the family really did feel like a true family. The Tanner sisters were adorable to watch, and it was particularly sweet how each adult had a totally unique relationship with the three daughters. There was just so much love in this show!
IRL FRIENDSHIP CHECK: YES! Since the show wrapped in 1995, many of the cast members have stayed close — most even appeared on Fuller House, which was so cute! Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen have been notorious for leaving their Full House days behind, but John Stamos (Uncle Jesse) revealed that they "came back" to reunite with everyone when Bob Saget (Danny Tanner) passed away in 2022. John also said that Bob was "the glue," so unfortunately, the cast hasn't gotten together as much since he passed away. Long story short, though, it's clear the Full House fam adores one another.
14. "Friends."
You knew this was coming! What is there to say about Friends — and specifically the perfect cast of characters — that hasn't been said already? The six leads truly did sell the show. Even when their relationships constantly changed, you can just feel the bonds they have with each other through the screen.
IRL FRIENDSHIP CHECK: YES! It's clear this cast will always have some level of love for each other — but they don't see each other all together too often. Jennifer Aniston (Rachel) and Courteney Cox (Monica) are indeed BFFs in real life, though — like, Courteney was the maid of honour at Jennifer's wedding, and they're close with Lisa Kudrow (Phoebe) as well! So it's obvious this cast's on-screen did indeed translate to real life.
15. "Bones."
The chemistry between this unique cast of characters definitely made people fall in love with Bones. The show was about more than just the drama — it was seriously interesting and fun to watch the characters interact with one another. Virtually all of the relationships in this show felt genuine: Booth (David Boreanaz) and Brennan (Emily Deschanel), of course, but let's not forget about Angela (Michaela Conlin) and Hodgins (T.J. Thyne).
IRL FRIENDSHIP CHECK: MOSTLY! Emily said she "had a great relationship" with David — they really immersed themselves in their characters, and even spent "more time with each other" than with their spouses while they played Booth and Brennan. She also said "he became like a brother." It looks like Emily is IRL friends with Michaela, too. But we haven't seen the cast reunite much (if at all).
16. "Top Gear when it was Jeremy, James and Richard."
This action-packed reality show was at its best when it was hosted by Jeremy Clarkson, James May, and Richard Hammond. Their friendship was immediately obvious, and the bond just added to the enjoyment of the challenges and stunts in the show.
IRL FRIENDSHIP CHECK: TOTALLY! And besides, after a whopping 22 years on TV together, it's obvious these three are a family now! The Grand Tour, a recent documentary series starring the trio, just aired its last episode in September 2024 — so of course they're still friends, and I'd place a big bet that they always will be.
17. "Justified."
"Especially Timothy Olyphant and Walton Goggins," Reddit user u/AstroWorldSecurity clarified. "Their two characters grew up together and you'd swear up and down the actors did as well." It's true that Raylan and Boyd's friendship was a key part of this 2010s Western show, but were they friends IRL?
IRL FRIENDSHIP CHECK: NOT AT ALL! Well, QUITE the opposite. Walter Goggins told The Independent this year that he and Timothy "had a tough time" while on set. He said their working relationship started off OK, but frayed as time went on, and by the end of the show, they "weren't talking." Yikes. In another interview, Timothy agreed that they'd "get really frustrated with each other," but it was likely that the finale weighed on their minds.