Roommates of Film, TV

Sharing a living space with a roommate can either be a comedy gold mine or a horror show. Take a look at 10 of the best-known roommates ensembles of TV and film.

Felix Unger and Oscar Madison

Neil Simon’s “The Odd Couple’’ is a classic, if not the definitive, look at the collision of lifestyles in a shared space. The story follows the lives of recently divorced Felix Unger, a uptight, neurotic neat-freak, who moves in with his less-recently divorced buddy Oscar, a complete slob. Simon’s play was adapted into a successful movie and a TV sitcom.

Laverne De Fazio and Shirley Feeney

Penny Marshall and Cindy Williams starred in this “Happy Days’’ spin-off as roommates who worked in a Milwaukee brewery during the late 1950s.

Jack Tripper, Janet Wood, and Chrissy Snow

In “Three’s Company,’’ cooking student Jack Tripper moves in to a Santa Monica apartment with aspiring dancer Janet Wood and ditzy secretary Chrissy Snow after he lies and tells the building’s landlord he is gay. The show followed the roommates’ professional and social lives as they found themselves in the middle of countless misunderstandings.

Brandon and David

In Alfred Hitchcock’s 1948 film “Rope,’’ Farley Granger and John Dall play roommates who share a common interest: homicide. Seeking a twisted thrill, the pair strangle their former classmate in their apartment with a piece of rope, hide the body in a chest, and throw a dinner party at the scene of the crime. But the fun starts to fall apart when the roommies’ former professor (James Stewart) starts to get suspicious.

Allison Jones and Hedra Carlson

If you think living with your roommate situation is uncomfortable, watch “Single White Female’’ and count your blessings. Remember, if your roommate has never violently attacked your best friend, harmed a puppy, or seduced your fiance while impersonating you, you’ve probably got it made.

Dorothy Petrillo Zbornak, Rose Nylund, Blanche Devereaux, and Sophia Petrillo

Picture it: Miami, 1985. In “The Golden Girls,’’ a group of older, single women share a house while struggling with relationships, family, friends, and one particularly annoying ex-husband. Sarcasm-spewing Dorothy, clueless Rose, randy Blanche, and uncensored Sophia were definitely friends you could be thankful for.

Chandler Bing and Joey Tribbiani/Monica Geller and Rachel Green

The long-running NBC sitcom “Friends’’ followed the lives of six twentysomethings in New York as they struggled with relationships, family, careers, and love. The key roommate arrangements were Chandler and Joey sharing an apartment across from Rachel Green and Monica Geller — until that one season when Monica and Rachel lost their apartment to the boys in a trivia contest.

Rebecca Evans and Sara Matthews

In “The Roommate,’’ college student Sara (Minka Kelly) finds her new roommate Rebecca Evans (Leighton Meester) has become violently obsessed with her. Sound familiar? See “Single White Female,’’ earlier.

Leonard Hofstadter and Sheldon Cooper

On CBS’s “The Big Bang Theory,’’ Johnny Galecki and Jim Parsons play co-worker scientists and roommates living in an apartment that has been described as “nerdvana’’ for its assortment of comic book, science fiction, and fantasy paraphernalia. While they’re both socially awkward, Cooper takes the award for most neurotic, high-maintenance geek to co-occupy a dwelling.

Jessica Day, Nick Miller, Winston Bishop, and Schmidt

On Fox’s “New Girl,’’ perky teacher Jessica Day (Zooey Deschanel) moves in with three single male roommates after breaking up with her boyfriend. Her overly upbeat and optimistic outlook toward life frequently puts her at odds with the boys, particularly the curmudgeonly Nick Miller (Jake Johnson) who is prone to fix the apartment’s plumbing and electricity while gripped in rage.