CRITIC'S CUT: Top TV Companions; Sticking by the Sidekick

BWW TV World is thrilled to present our weekly Critic's Cut: slicing the best (and the worst) moments of pop culture into ten little digestible pieces.

Critic's Cut runs every Friday, presenting television's 'Best Of' moments, characters, shows, and more!

This week's edition features the most renowned television sidekicks in history, who all proved that no one can do it alone.

10) Cosmo Kramer (Michael Richards)
Sidekick of: Jerry Seinfeld
Well, he may not have been the sane sidekick (that'd be George Costanza,) but Cosmo Kramer isn't infamous for no reason. He aptly represented the sheer craziness of some New Yorkers, and proved to be a decent and zaney friend to Seinfeld. Cosmo's a caricature, and a good one.

9) Rhoda Morgenstern (Valerie Harper)
Sidekick of: Mary Richards
Rhoda and Mary Richards were totally television's first pair of BFFs. There have been few like them, and even fewer as charming as Rhoda. She was walking sass in a headscarf, a girl from the Bronx who was beloved enough by audiences to score her own show.

8) Barney Stinson (Neil Patrick Harris)
Sidekick of: Ted Mosby
All right, Barney Stinson may be the tuxed-king of bros, but that guy is loyal. And dedicated. And doesn't understand the concept of giving up (unless he's already slept with his goal.) Harris' performance has garnered him as much praise as possible for a sitcom role, and rightly so. For real: how can literally EVERY ONE of a character's one-liners be turned into a cultural catch phrase?

7) The Fonz (Henry Winkler)
Sidekick of: Richie Cunningham
Well, he rides a motorcycle and has no problem getting rough with a jukebox. To say he was simply a sidekick is a bit of a disservice to The Fonze. He was totally Richie Cunningham's protector and source of hero-worship. He's the epitome of cool guy. C'mon. Plus, he always hangs out in a bathroom.

6) Barney Fife (Don Knotts)
Sidekick of: Sheriff Andy Taylor
Knotts didn't become a television legend just because. It all comes from somewhere. In the case of Fife, it came from clumsy neuroses that always landed him somewhere halfway between a full-blown panic attack and using only that one bullet he kept in his pocket on the last ounce of his sanity.

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Tyler is currently finishing his senior year of college in Chicago while working on the News Desk at BroadwayWorld. He has also worked in the public relations industry at Margie Korshak Inc., working on campaigns for Broadway In Chicago, including The Book of Mormon, Kinky Boots, Jersey Boys, and more.