So, I'm not gonna lie. I was in high school when Lizzie McGuire began, and I was in college when it ended. But I thought she was totally cool. I wanted her hair skills more than anything, but most of her clothes rocked, too. Having a little animated me would've been a neat (yet creepy) perk. I loved Miranda and Gordo, and thought the rest of Lizzie's family was interesting. Kate, Ethan, and Tudgeman rounded out a good set of characters. There were only two seasons, but they were long seasons. Let's take a look...
Season 1: "Bag Girl McGuire" (S01E11) Lizzie gets detention because of a girl in her math class. But Lizzie has a good time in detention, and becomes friends with that girl. She starts hanging out with her and dressing like her, which soon leads to acting like her. Next thing you know, Lizzie is cutting class and considering going to a high school party with no chaperones. Gordo and Miranda make an intervention video and trick Lizzie into watching it. Lizzie realizes being "good" is easier than being "bad," Meanwhile, while all of this is going on, Matt lobbies successfully for no bedtime, but he ends up going too far and falling asleep all day every day, so he ends up asking for his original bedtime once more.
Season 2: "Best Dressed for Much Less" (S02E12) Lizzie wants to win "best dressed," and thinks she needs a new pair of designer jeans to do so. Her mom offers to take her bargain-hunting, but Lizzie borrows money from Gordo and Miranda and buys the cool pants herself. Lizzie is impressed with the stuff her mom comes home with, but wears her own pants on the "voting day" anyway. The pants end up ruined, so she changes into the clothes that her mom got her and she gets lots of compliments. In the Matt storyline, he randomly gets on The Uncle Wendell Show, and gets a lot of attention from his schoolmates and such. But, when he and his parents go to the mall, Matt gets bombarded and he's not enjoying the fame anymore. Not to worry though, the show gets canceled so his fame is short-lived.
So this topic interests me quite a bit, so it's going to be a two-week series, with the top ten next week! PLUS, there's a bonus. If you can guess what I'm going to list as #1 (that post is already finished) before I post that list next Wednesday, you win a prize! Your only hint: it's from a 90s show. 1 guess per person.
20. Clarissa & Ferguson Darling. she tries to kill him in the very first episode! It didn't work. They scheme against eachother to make money off neighborhood kids, fight over their parents' attention when it comes to school activities (think about the episode when Ferguson is running for President!), they are masters at the silent treatment, and Clarissa even tries to break up Ferguson and a girlfriend in one episode. Plus, once they pretend to be awesome siblings to win a car, which is funny given their history.
19. Pete & Pete Wrigley. Most of the time, their storylines were complementary. BUT, when they went head-to-head, it was a big deal. Like the time their parents go out of town, and Big Pete decides to go on a date instead of race bikes, so Little Pete SELLS THE HOUSE. Big Pete has all of a day to smooth things over. Or when Big Pete is going out for a lifeguard position while Little Pete leads a revolt against the local pool's policies.
18. Malcolm & Reese Wilkerson. Some people might put this one up higher in the list. I was never a fan of the show, except that I loved the theme song. And while Malcolm was supposed to be the main character that everyone loved, I couldn't stand him. Anyway, Malcolm and Reese (and the other brothers, for that matter) went at it all the time. If it wasn't blackmail or pranks, it was humiliating acts, lying, keeping lovers apart, you name it.
17. Frasier & Niles Crane. One of our four adult pairs to make my Top 20 list. These two Brit brothers are pretty freaking cutthroat. Who does the dog like better? Who puts on a better party? Who has better connections? Who is a better speller? Really, name a competition and it's probably been fought between these two.
16. Bart & Lisa Simpson. I actually don't see these two as being huge rivals, since many times they just pick on eachother. They also work together to scheme a heck of a lot. BUT, they do both vie for their way on vacations, meals, even a science project at one point. I think one of my favorites is when their square off on the ice, playing for opposing hockey teams.
15. Cara & Mady Gosselin. seriously, I think they try to steal the spotlight from eachother. EVERY EPISODE. Being twins, they fight over toys, no big deal. But they both try to be more helpful to Kate, a better "teacher" to the little kids, and a better hider in games. Most recently, Mady thinks it's unfair that Cara got to go skiing with Daddy, so she wants to go CROSS COUNTRY to have a spa week with Mommy.
14. Lizzie & Matt McGuire. I think these two make a great rivalry. Matt is so cunning, and Lizzie is such a girlie-girl (most episodes) that most tricks work on her extremely well. But, when she wants to be conniving, she knows Matt's weak spots, and hits him where it hurts. They're both always trying to get the other in trouble with mom and dad, and every report card seems to be its own competition.
13. Mike & Carol Seaver. Mike was always in trouble, we all know that. To get attention, Carol had to be the biggest brainiac ever (and her two greatest accomplishments in this might have been learning to read before her older brother, and skipping a grade to be in his class), and yet that wasn't enough. Mike was always finding new things to tease Carol about (and it was so constant that when her beau died in a bad accident, she thought he was telling a cruel joke), and Carol was always trying to catch Mike in a lie.
12. Shawn & Jack Hunter. Easily the hottest pair on this list (including the other ten we'll see next week). And while they're never really after the same girl, I'd personally be hard-pressed to choose between the two! They get off to the rockiest of starts, with Shawn moving in with Jack (and Eric) his senior year of high school, at their father's suggestion. They get into it big time over everything for a while. As time went on they seemed to get a long better and better, but at the same time, they both use the other as a scapegoat when necessary.
11. Zelda & Hilda Spellman. I think that some of their antics would force them higher on the chart, but they weren't really the main characters on the show, and I think that's why they're sitting here, just missing the Top 10 slots. Aside from their abilities to play tricks on one another using magic (which was much more Hilda's style), they have several hundred years' of past rivalries that are mentioned semi-regularly on the series. They fought over men, family heirlooms, businesses, trips, parenting styles, and decor, for starters. It's a good thing they had Salem to keep the peace!
Having a little animated me would've been a neat (yet creepy) perk. I loved Miranda and Gordo, and thought the rest of Lizzie's family was interesting. Kate, Ethan, and Tudgeman rounded out a good set of characters. There were only two seasons, but they were long seasons. Let's take a look...
