5 Truly Pathetic Best Friend Characters From The 90s

Remember the 90s? Totally tubular, right? We had Clueless, we had Friends, we had The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. So much good stuff. But let's be real. For all the iconic leads, there were some… well, let's call them less than stellar best friends. The sidekicks who tried so hard, bless their hearts. The ones who were always a step behind, a bit goofy, maybe even a little bit… pathetic? Yeah, we're going there. And honestly? It's hilarious.

We're not talking about the villains here. Oh no. These are the ones who were supposed to be your ride-or-die. Your confidante. Your person. But somewhere along the line, the writers just kinda… dropped the ball. Or maybe they were just brilliantly, hilariously awful. Either way, they're etched into our 90s memories forever. Let's dive into the glorious world of the pathetic 90s bestie. It’s a niche, I know, but it's a fun niche.

Why is this even a thing? Because we love our heroes, but the flawed characters? They're the ones who make the stories relatable. And the pathetic best friend? They’re the comic relief. They highlight the main character’s awesomeness by… well, by not being awesome. It's a delicate balance, and sometimes, it tips right over into pure, unadulterated pathos. And we wouldn't have it any other way.

The Lovable Loser: Carlton Banks

Okay, okay. "Pathetic" might be a strong word for Carlton. But hear me out! Will Smith's cousin, the king of the dad dance. The Carlton Dance. Need I say more? He was supposed to be Will's steadfast buddy, his moral compass. And he was! He was loyal. He was kind. He was… unbearably uncool.

His fashion sense? A masterclass in tweed and questionable sweater vests. His hobbies? Playing his parents' favorite music, or, you know, studying. We love him for it, of course. He’s the embodiment of trying your absolute best and still being… well, Carlton. He’s the guy who’d enthusiastically agree to a wild scheme, only to be terrified by the slightest hint of rebellion. His entire existence was a gentle, persistent eye-roll from the universe.

And that laugh? Oh, that glorious, nasally laugh. It was a sound that could simultaneously make you want to hug him and hide your valuable possessions. He was the ultimate wingman, but the kind who’d accidentally set the tablecloth on fire trying to impress the girl. Pathetic in the most endearing way possible. He never truly got Will's world, and Will never truly got Carlton's. That was the magic. And the patheticness.

The Sidekick Who Lacked Spark: Eddie Winslow

Steve Urkel’s best friend. Or, more accurately, Steve Urkel’s constant tormentor who somehow always ended up being his biggest fan. Eddie was the cool kid, the jock, the one with the girls. Or at least, that's what he thought he was.

Eddie was… fine. He had his moments. But next to the sheer, unadulterated force of nature that was Urkel, Eddie felt like a damp rag. He was supposed to be the main man in his own life, but so often, his storylines revolved around him needing Urkel’s help. Whether it was with homework, girls, or just basic survival against Urkel’s inventions gone awry.

He’d complain, he’d sigh, he’d try to be the responsible one, and then Urkel would swoop in with a science experiment that somehow, miraculously, saved the day. Eddie was the guy who was always a little bit bewildered by everything. Like he’d wandered onto the wrong set and just decided to go with it. His most consistent character trait was probably his exasperation. And that’s, dare I say it, a little bit pathetic.

The One Who Just Couldn't Keep Up: Joey Tribbiani

Hold on, hold on! Before you start yelling, let's define "pathetic" here. Joey wasn't unlovable. He was definitely not pathetic in the sense of being a loser. But as a best friend? Especially in his early seasons? He was… a bit of a liability. A lovable, dim-witted, food-obsessed liability.

His best friend, Chandler, was the witty one. The smart one. Joey was… the handsome one who mostly thought about sandwiches and women. He’d misunderstand jokes. He’d forget important details. He’d often need Chandler to explain things to him, or bail him out of awkward situations. Remember his acting career? A constant source of bewildering roles and nonsensical auditions.

He’d go along with anything, bless his heart. If you told him the sky was green, he might just believe you. And while that made him incredibly loyal and sweet, it also made him a prime candidate for being dragged along on ill-fated schemes. His intellectual capacity was often… a conversation starter. A very, very slow conversation starter. He was the friend who’d forget your birthday but would absolutely share his last slice of pizza with you. And that’s a unique brand of pathetic we can all appreciate.

The Wannabe Cool Girl: Tiffany "Tiffany" Amber Thiessen (Kelly Kapowski's Friend)

Okay, this is a deep cut. Remember Saved by the Bell? Kelly Kapowski was the undisputed queen. And then there was her best friend, who was… also there. What was her name again? Exactly. Tiffany. Tiffany was Kelly’s friend. She was pretty. She was part of the gang. And that’s about it.

Tiffany was the background singer in the opera of Bayside High. She was the girl who was supposed to have her own storylines, but mostly just seemed to exist to agree with Kelly or to be one of Zack's many crushes. She had all the potential to be a vibrant character, but she always felt like she was just… orbiting.

She’d try to be cool. She’d try to be involved. But she never quite had that spark. She was the filler friend. The one you invite to the party because you have an odd number. Her defining characteristic was probably her constant presence in the background of Kelly’s much more interesting life. A true master of the understated, almost invisible, friend role. And that, my friends, is a special kind of pathetic.

The Eternal Goofball: Kramer

Now, Kramer isn’t Jerry’s best friend in the traditional sense. He’s more of an… appendage. A chaotic, wild, mail-delivering appendage. But he’s there. He’s always there. And he’s… well, he’s Kramer.

He bursts into Jerry’s apartment with no warning. He’s got a million bizarre schemes and theories. He’s oblivious to social cues. He’s the embodiment of unadulterated, unfiltered, barely-contained chaos. He’s supposed to be Jerry’s neighbor and friend, but his entire existence is a series of comedic disruptions.

He’s loyal, in his own strange way. He’ll go along with Jerry’s ridiculous ideas, often misunderstanding them entirely. He’s the guy who’d accidentally steal Jerry’s girlfriend, or end up with a, shall we say, unique new hairstyle. He’s not pathetic in the sense of being weak or unintelligent, but in the sense of being a complete and utter social anomaly. He’s the friend who makes you question your own sanity for associating with him. And that, in the 90s best friend hierarchy, is a truly special kind of pathetic. The kind we love to watch.

So there you have it. A stroll down memory lane, filled with some of the most wonderfully, hilariously pathetic best friends the 90s had to offer. They were the glue that held the main characters together, or at least, the slightly sticky, brightly colored glue that sometimes dripped. And that's why we still talk about them. Because sometimes, the most memorable characters are the ones who are trying their absolute best, and just… not quite making it. It’s human. It’s funny. It’s the 90s.