Before there was McDreamy and McSteamy, there was Mr. Spock and Captain Kirk

Grey's Anatomy, the long-running medical drama on ABC, hit the ball out of the park when it paired Drs. Derek Shepherd (Patrick Dempsey) and Mark Sloan (Eric Dane) as best friends. Known also as McDreamy and McSteamy, the pair's friendship is legendary with plenty of banter, quiet moments, disagreements, and love. And who can forget this iconic elevator scene?

Undoubtedly, the doctors will go down in history as one of the best bromances on television. Unfortunately, it was cut short when the late Eric Dane's character met his untimely end as a result of a plane crash. His death left a huge hole in viewers' hearts with some saying the series was never the same afterwards.

Another iconic pair of best friends caused the same stir when viewers thought Mr. Spock (Leonard Nimoy) had actually died at the end of Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan. He and Captain Kirk (William Shatner) had a bond on The Original Series that bled into the movies, continuing until Kirk's demise in the 1994 movie, Star Trek: Generations. (To this day, many fans say that Kirk didn't really die, and there has been much speculation as to when and if he'll return one day.) We've already seen a short video from The Roddenberry Archives that brought back a digitally-altered Shatner who reconnected with a very much alive Spock.

When The Original Series debuted in 1966, there was an unmistakeable connection between Spock and Kirk. Though Spock rarely shared his emotions, one could often see how much he cared for the captain and not just as his leader.

The pair had their own way of communicating, whether it was teasing jabs or quiet words. Oftentimes, it was just a look. And whenever there was trouble for one, there was trouble for two for they would risk anything for one another.

Some of their best conversations happened in the moments at the end of each episode, but the movies really delved into their relationship. No fan will ever forget when Spock was close to dying in The Wrath of Khan. As he sits close to the glass, he tells Kirk "I have been, and always shall be, your friend." He follows that with the Vulcan salute pressed against the glass which Kirk valiantly tries to mimic. That's strong stuff, and enough to make even the staunchest among us cry.

Then there weas the end of Star Trek: The Search for Spock when Kirk says losing his best friend would have destroyed his soul which is why he went to such great lengths to get him back.

Though Spock and Kirk were at opposite ends of the spectrum emotionally, they managed to form one of the strongest friendships. They looked out for one another, saved each other's lives, and rejoiced when they were safe. And though Star Trek was episodic television and didn't utilize character arcs as much as current series do, viewers always knew there was that unspoken link between the Captain of the Enterprise anad his First Officer.

Mr. Spock always strove to maintain his decorum as the First Officer and Second in Command, but there were moments when his concern for his friend overrode Starfleet regulations. That was most often when he referred to Kirk as "Jim." It was a lowering of his barriers, a quick peek into the emotions he suppressed like worry for his friend.

The Spock/Kirk friendship will never be duplicated, and even now, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is setting up that relationship which may evolve on a future iteration of Star Trek. Though it would be nice to see the pair in action again, working side by side, the chemistry between Nimoy's Spock and Shatner's Kirk is irreplaceable. Live long and prosper.