CONVINCINGLY DRAWN friendships are essential to any good television show. They create continuity and foster running jokes; they help viewers to understand what makes characters tick. Yet platonic relationships rarely drive the narrative. “Seinfeld” focused on the absurdities of modern life rather than how friendships make them bearable. “Sex and the City”, despite the characters calling themselves “each other’s soulmates”, gives most of its airtime over to dating; the four women come together mostly to dissect their experiences. The big emotional payouts in “Friends”—despite its name—were found in romantic subplots and the coupling up of members in the group. The same is true of “How I Met Your Mother”.

Perhaps this is because constant, loving friendships do not generate much drama, while the pursuit of intimacy can be fraught. Adult characters are supposed to face more serious trials than falling out with mates, the sort of subject matter better suited to a teen drama. Even the death of a friendship tends to be understated, a quiet, slow drifting apart rather than an explosive breakup.

Over five seasons “Broad City” has shown how rich and rewarding depictions of adult friendship can be. Created by Ilana Glazer and Abbi Jacobson, and based on their own lives, the show started out as a web series recording their antics as young women trying to “make it” in New York. The television series—which broadcast its final episode on Comedy Central on March 28th—has continued to draw on personal material (such as the women’s time trying to flog spa coupons) and has invented wild new stories, too. The result has been a show consistently funny and loving, riotous and comforting.

Perhaps as a result of its origins in standalone online episodes, “Broad City” does not follow typical narrative arcs. Episodes would still make sense if watched out of order. There are no plotlines that must be closely observed, though there are jokes that recur (Abbi is funniest when she is stoned, Ilana when she talks about sex). There is a supporting cast of characters, including a smelly housemate and a casual boyfriend, but they are never as bright, bold or important as the two protagonists. After an adventure involving a sexual conquest—or more likely a trip to a department store or a ride on the subway—the women usually end up on the couch. These are the tender moments that restore the show’s equilibrium, and bring the viewer back time and again.

That is not to say the show is monotonous or lacking emotional depth. In one memorable episode, Ilana takes Abbi to a fancy seafood restaurant for her birthday. Ilana is so keen to make sure Abbi has a good time that she brings along an EpiPen to prevent her own shellfish allergy from ruining the night. Ilana’s expanding face serves up a hilarious performance, matched only by her insistence that Abbi enjoy the meal. They are so close that when they end up in hospital, they share a bed. Elsewhere, when Ilana needs to clear out her late grandmother’s apartment, Abbi helps out. When Abbi has dental surgery, Ilana takes care of her.

Their friendship is elevated to the status of romantic love, albeit in a funny way. One episode features a montage depicting Abbi and Ilana in their separate bathrooms (the viewer sees them both on a split screen). They are variously using the toilet, smoking weed, getting ready, taking a pregnancy test, eating half of the same Valentine’s Day chocolate box, sleeping and even having sex. The scene ends with them picking up their phones at the same time and leaving, presumably to meet one another. They are together even when they are apart.

“Broad City”, instead of threatening the steadfast relationship, has found other means to keep the series dynamic. The show’s writers have invented countless ways of humiliating and empowering the two main characters. They have also tried new formats. One episode is rendered in cartoon animation; another is told as a series of posts on Instagram. That storyline criticises the modern obsession with broadcasting and curating life on social media.

Ilana’s and Abbi’s escapades are joyful precisely because they take precedence over serious matters such as jobs and romantic partners. Indeed, if those goals are supposed to bring love, support and security, Ilana and Abbi have already found those things in each other. Their patience and mutual understanding makes them among the most endearing characters on television. Even though “Broad City” has come to an end, Ilana and Abbi will be held up as a model for friendship—and how to portray a compelling friendship on screen—for decades to come.