It’s February and that means Valentine’s Day, a day designed to lavish affection on your loved ones…or yourself, doesn’t matter. Today’s post is going to focus on a different type of love: the love of a best friend with a review of 2 Broke Girls.

The series originally aired from 2011-2017. I only caught up with it recently and I loved it so much I wanted to share that love in time for Valentine's Day! And also because the two leads Kat Dennings and Beth Behrs were so damn funny they deserve as shoutout even 5 years later for their performances.

The story follows Max Black and Caroline Channing as they try to navigate New York City and make a big name for themselves in the baking business. On screen antics aside, the friendship formed between these two characters made them beloved by millions of fans. In fact, the fictional friendship even spawned a real-life BFF situation to form with the actresses who played them, Kat Dennings as Max and Beth Behrs as Caroline. Kat Dennings said in a panel at Paley Center For Media’s PaleyFest in 2013:

“Beth and I genuinely love each other and are best friends in real life.”

And Beth Behrs has said the same:

"Kat and I are really great friends and I think you can see that chemistry onscreen."

You definitely can see the onscreen chemistry and it makes you root for these characters. When I watched the series and wound up loving these two girls as well. The funny one-liner jabs coupled with their obvious caring for one another is a nice mix. Even though on the surface Max seems like a hard-ass, and Caroline appears self-involved, there are several instances throughout the series where they go to bat for each other like only a really good friend would.

1. You’re my best friend Caroline, I love you

During the episode And the Kickstarter, Caroline is being a bit obnoxious about obtaining a new pair of pants through Kickstarter. A frustrated Max winds up saying something offhanded that hurts Caroline’s feelings. When Max goes to apologize we get a really big moment for the friends. I love this scene so much! First of all, Beth Behrs has a way of being on the verge of tears that just wrenches your heart. So, when Max unwittingly hurts Caroline’s feelings, Behrs pulls out the big emotional guns and I felt the pain from Caroline in that moment where she feels betrayed by her friend. Then Max turns it around with a heartfelt “I love you” and a funny, funny face from Dennings that reads perfectly for the moment and embodies the growth of the character. In the end, the girls really become more like sisters who sometimes fight but genuinely love each other.

2. Caroline sells her Tat rings

Friends gonna fight, it’s natural spending that much time with someone. In the same way that Max hurt Caroline’s feelings by saying she was “sick of her,” Caroline hurt Max’s trust when she ditched her to hang out with friends from her old life during the episode And the Pop-up Sale. In an effort to make amends with Max and prove that “she was in it for the long haul” Caroline sells all her jewelry and buys Max the oven she always wanted. Max is so moved she actually lets her walls down and we get the first friend hug from the two.

3. Max defends Caroline

During a dinner with some snobby rich people, Caroline comes under attack for the sins of her father in the episode And the Not Broke Parents. Hearing the dinner guests insult Caroline is too much for Max who quickly comes to her best friend's defense. What’s great about his scene is it shows just how tight the bond is between the girls. Max was at the dinner to make a good impression in front of her boyfriend’s parents but she throws all that out the window when her best friend is attacked. She defends Caroline like the badass that Max is and it shows that Caroline means more to her than anything. Also, during this episode Max gives Caroline a major complement for being able to pull herself out of her difficult circumstances.

4. I’ll do anything to get that girl into this school

I’ve never had a friend go to bat for me the way Caroline does in the episode And the Pastry Porn, and throughout the show really. When Caroline finds out that Max wants to go to pastry school but can’t get in due to the cost she doesn't waste a minute to tell the instructor: “I’ll do anything to get that girl into this school.” …and she means it by going to work at the pastry school to pay Max’s way through. That’s friendship right there!

5. The funeral

When Caroline goes to the funeral of her beloved nanny and no one remembers her, she’s heartbroken over it. The nanny was a big part of Caroline’s life but she doesn’t seem to have mattered. Seeing how upset her friend is, Max steps up and tells the family to pretend they remember Caroline so she can go home with her head held a little higher. A small act that means a lot.

6. The diploma

Caroline finds out that Max hasn’t graduated and convinces her to go finish her credits and walk to get her diploma. This episode actually shows how much the entire gang cares about each other. When Max’s mom doesn’t show up, Caroline first calls to chastise the mom and then rings up the gang from the diner they work at to come to support Max. Proving you can't choose your family, but you can choose friends who become like family.

These heartwarming moments, coupled with the wit and humor are just some of the reasons 2 Broke Girls was a winner. I really love those girls, they make you want to root for them. And the Max character has so many traits that remind me of myself that it’s a little bit like looking in a mirror.

I’m a little bummed they didn’t get to end the series with a proper finale. I don’t have a sense of closure with the last episode. We didn’t get to see the plot run its course and have the girls become successful. Instead, the focus was on them getting boyfriends which wasn’t really the premise of the show. I’m sure if the writing team knew it was the last season they would’ve put together a poignant episode with some nice closing moments. That’s the one thing I feel robbed about, no wrap-up with the characters…so I’ll give my own:

Max and Caroline have a double wedding. They buy houses next to each other and Caroline has her carpenter husband build an add-on that connects both houses so the girls are never apart. They each have a daughter and name them after each other. The movie based on Caroline’s life brings new success to the girl’s dessert bar and they finally open their cupcake shop in Manhattan. The End.

In the meantime, here's a nice video a fan made that really sums up the show and the girls:

Have you seen 2 Broke Girls? Let me know your thoughts in the comments....

Cynthia Vespia writes urban fantasy vigilantes and heroic adventure fantasy. Her fantasy crime fighters come in the form of superheroes, vigilantes, and bounty hunters with an edge. Cyn is also a freelance content writer and former fitness competitor.