Everyone prioritizes things differently when it comes to expectations regarding what makes good television. For some, it’s all about being as thematically rich as possible; others care most about the tightness of the plot. Characters are most important for some, and in that vein, the relationships between said characters. In that spirit, today we’re talking about the best duos in supernatural television series. Characters who find themselves in dangerous situations outside the explanations science often benefit from teaming up, and when the chemistry is right, we as an audience benefit as well. A good pairing can elevate the love for a series as a whole, and the following duos do just that. With Ryan Coogler aiming to reboot The X-Files — a show that makes an appearance on this list and pretty much created the "ship," — it's only right that we dig into the best Supernatural TV show pairings ever.
Korra and Asami in 'The Legend of Korra'
Ironically, this endgame couple from The Legend of Korra started off at odds over a boy. Korra (Janet Varney) decided she didn’t like Asami (Seychelle Gabriel) when the latter started dating Mako (David Faustino), but she soon couldn’t help but like the girl once they spent some time together. Mako ping-ponged between the two girls for a bit, but they remarkably didn’t let him make them dislike each other.
Once their respective relationships with Mako ended, Korra and Asami became very close, but there was clearly something more than friendship going on. Their team-ups became more and more frequent, and when Korra goes away, Asami is the only one with whom she stays in touch. Unfortunately, we didn’t get to see them make things official onscreen, but the series finale heavily implies that they finally give romance a shot.
Buffy and Spike in 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer'
Buffy (Sarah Michelle Geller) and Spike (James Marsters) represent one of our favorite kinds of duos; namely, those who start off as enemies. They reluctantly reunited in the shared interest of sharing the world, and Spike developed an initially one-sided crush as they continued to work together. Their bickering and sexual tension made their interactions consistently the most entertaining to watch.
Buffy eventually gave into their chemistry, and they had a very complicated and volatile relationship that ended badly, leading Spike to realize he needed to make a change. He underwent torture in order to have his soul returned so that he could finally be someone Buffy could have a healthy relationship with. The two became partners again, and grew increasingly close throughout the final season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, to the point where Spike was often the only one in Buffy’s corner, and vice versa.
Mulder and Scully in 'The X-Files'
Not only are Mulder (David Duchovny) and Scully (Gillian Anderson) one of the best duos on a supernatural TV show, but these two are widely regarded as one of the best duos ever, period. These two super-likable characters made the scenes they shared together sing with their chemistry and charisma. It’s difficult to define their relationship, but the bond these two shared certainly wasn’t replicated anywhere else.
Much of the success of The X-Files can be credited to this pairing. Mulder and Scully were professional partners, occasional rivals, best friends, and eventually, their relationship became romantic. The pair had such amazing chemistry that The X-Files fandom created the term "shipping."
Steve and Dustin in 'Stranger Things'
Steve (Joe Keery) and Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo) had little to no interaction in Season 1 and wound up being an unlikely duo in Season 2. While Steve’s girlfriend Nancy (Natalia Dyer) was off playing detective with Jonathan (Charlie Heaton), Steve was trying to track her down in order to make amends over a fight they’d had. Dustin, meanwhile, had a baby demo-dog on his hands, growing so swiftly that it went from a pollywog to a creature big enough to eat his cat in only a few days. He went looking for his friends, but Mike (Finn Wolfhard) was helping Will (Noah Schnapp), and Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin) was busy with Max (Sadie Sink).
So, as these two found themselves rather out of the loop, they found each other. Dustin was in need of a helping hand in monster fighting, while Steve pretty much just needed something to do. Not only did this duo turn out to be hilarious, with the two actors gelling together in a way that heightened their already-charming screen presence, but they also formed a genuine brother-like bond. Steve helped Dustin find more confidence in himself, and Dustin helped Steve get out of his high-school-jock persona that was holding him back from being his best self.
Sam and Dean in 'Supernatural'
We couldn’t write a list about the best duos on supernatural TV shows without mentioning the brothers that serve as the protagonists of a show literally called Supernatural. Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean (Jensen Ackles) are the brothers at the heart of the show, whom audiences followed for a whopping 15 seasons of supernatural adventures.
Elder brother Dean spends most of his life looking after Sam, four years his junior. The two began to rely on each other much more after their mother’s death at the hands of a demon. Through many years of monster hunting, the two shared an incredibly close bond that endeared fans to the series, regardless of how popular the storylines of certain seasons were. Though they found themselves at odds at various times, they always came out of every situation with a deeper bond.
Elena and Damon in 'The Vampire Diaries'
Elena (Nina Dobrev) and Damon (Ian Somerhalder) don’t exactly start off on the best footing. Damon shows up in Mystic Falls and basically wreaks havoc on the town Elena has called home her whole life, and she does what she can to get in his way. To make things more complicated, Elena was in a deeply committed relationship with his younger brother, Stefan (Paul Wesley). Despite not getting along, Damon and Elena managed to forge a strange truce based on the genuine bond that they had.
When Stefan and Elena broke up, she found herself smack dab in the middle of a good old-fashioned love triangle. The truce between Damon and Elena had by then developed into a friendship, despite both parties knowing he was in love with her. Everything changes when Elena becomes a vampire, and she realizes that Damon is the only one who accepts her unconditionally, at her best and her worst.
Laszlo and Colin in 'What We Do in the Shadows'
Lazlo (Matt Berry) and Colin (Mark Proksch) are the unlikeliest pair on What We Do in the Shadows, but that’s what makes them work so hilariously. Lazlo lives with his vampire wife Nadja (Natasia Demetriou), longtime friend and fellow vampire Nandor (Kayvan Novak), and energy vampire Colin Robinson, with whom the fun-loving Lazlo appears to have very little in common.
That all changes in Season 3, which has the cast exploring their immortality in new ways. For Lazlo, this leads to a sort of depression, as he realizes that an eternity of sucking blood and “fucking forever” may not be as meaningful as he’d like. Colin, meanwhile, wants to find out more about the history of energy vampires: where they come from, and whether they’re immortal like regular vampires. These individual journeys bring Lazlo and Colin together in an odd but sweet friendship that brings them closer than ever before.
Geralt and Jaskier in 'The Witcher'
Geralt (Henry Cavill) and Jaskier (Joey Batey) fulfill a well-worn, but proven trope as a duo made up of one grumpy guy and one goofball. Geralt the Grumpy (aka Geralt of Rivia) lives a solitary lifestyle, rarely opening up to anyone or forming any lasting emotional attachments. Enter Jaskier, a bard with a hunger for companionship and adventure, who doesn’t know how to take a hint.
The two quickly become a proper duo, traveling together while Geralt slays monsters and Jaskier creates a soundtrack with the hope of rehabilitating his surly friend’s public image. The two have a falling out towards the end of Season 1, and Geralt says some harsh things that lead to the two parting ways altogether. Fans looked forward to their reunion in Season 2, and it didn’t disappoint. Before long, they’d fallen back into their signature dynamic, a fan-favorite part of the show.
Hilda and Zelda Spellman in 'Chilling Adventures of Sabrina'
Zelda Spellman (Miranda Otto) and her sister Hilda Spellman (Lucy Davis) are perfect opposites. Zelda is the booksmart witch, poised to assume the mantle of High Priestess of the Church of Night from the very moment we meet her. Though we have to wait a while for the story to weave its way there, through marriages, murder attempts, and attacks from the Dark Lord (Luke Cook) himself, Zelda leans on her sharp mind to get her there — and on her sister, Hilda.
Hilda Spellman leads with love. Of Sabrina's (Kiernan Shipka) two aunts, Hilda is generally the one more inclined to empathize with Sabrina's teenage struggles — as she struggles with being caught between her witch and mortal lives. Hilda also has a remarkable command of potions, often cooking up remedies that save the day. Sabrina is incredibly lucky to have two polar opposite aunts in her life, helping guide her journey through fully becoming a witch, the Queen of Hell, and the like. Even when Zelda murders Hilda only to reanimate her in the family cemetary...it's all out of love.