Greatest sidekicks ever: Nos. 16-20

Image credit: Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Everett Collection

WILLOW, FROM BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER

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16. Waylon Smithers
Sidekick to: C. Montgomery Burns
The dutiful electron to Mr. Burns' evil proton, The Simpsons' Smithers takes devotion to new subatomic lows — whether it's disciplining a lazy workforce, moistening a pair of eyeballs, or removing the dead skin off his cadaverous employer. But as devoted a personal assistant as he may be, Smithers' chest tattoo of Burns' scraggly mug and the words ''Boss of My Heart'' belies a forever unrequited dream of a more amorous kind of fusion. —Timothy Gunatilaka

17. Willow Rosenberg
Sidekick to: Buffy Summers
The once-mousy No. 2 behind Buffy's hottie superhero, Willow (a nerd-cool pioneer) tempered the vampire slayer's quip-spouting, melodramatic ways with patience, reason, and a readiness to roam the nether regions of the demon world. Eventually, Willow developed her own superidentity — without ever upstaging her stake-wielding pal — by dating a werewolf, becoming a scary-good witch, and gracefully outing herself. —Nisha Gopalan

18. Andy Richter
Sidekick to: Conan O'Brien
Roly-poly comedians belong to one of two schools: one embodied by the manic physicality of John Belushi, and the other by the sly, subtle irony of Andy Richter. Conan's longtime second chair spoke softly but carried a big shtick, and was adept at playing both the imp (e.g., crooning in a boy band comprised of four different Andys) and the meathead (wandering nude onto the Today show set). When Andy left the show in 2000, Conan was right to accept no substitute. —Paul Katz

19. Bernard P. Fife
Sidekick to: Andy Taylor
As deputy of Mayberry, N.C., in The Andy Griffith Show, the soda-straw-thin and easily rattled Barney Fife (the late Don Knotts) was so incompetent that Sheriff Taylor allowed him to carry just one bullet — in his pocket. Barney, whose buffoonery only served to highlight Andy's wisdom, was a cheerfully deluded man — blustery and prone to panic attacks during any emergency, yet loving and loved by Andy, Opie, and every resident of the bucolic Eden he swore to protect. —Ken Tucker

20. Turtle
Sidekick to: Vincent Chase
Wherever Entourage A-lister Vincent goes, mad money, hot babes, and his Queens posse follow. But while Eric is the manager, and half brother Drama has the family ties, tubby wisecracker Turtle is the gang's most superfluous, and thus most essentially Hollywood, member. He's hanger-ing on for dear life, smoking pot, and offering (im)moral support. Sure, his rapper Saigon is about to blow up, but even with his own gig, Turtle will always be our Best Supporting Slacker. —Dan Snierson