Do we like them?

Do we like Timon and Pumbaa?

A character from The Lion King (1994)

Our score: 8 out of 10. Yes, we'd back them. They're loyal, funny and kind to a stranger, even if they're a bit lazy and self-serving at first.

Timon is a quick-talking, scheming meerkat and Pumbaa is a gentle, flatulent, softhearted warthog. Both are outcasts who found each other and settled into a carefree life, far from the politics of the Pride Lands. Their philosophy is 'Hakuna Matata', meaning no worries. They are the comic relief of Disney's 1994 animated classic.

They find a young, exhausted lion cub alone in the wilderness and take him in. They show him a new way to live, teach him to eat grubs, and give him a family when he has none. Timon is the bossy, self-interested one, and Pumbaa is the sweet-natured heart of the pair. Their bond with each other is the steadiest thing in the film.

They score an 8 because their flaws are small and their loyalty is real. Their carefree outlook can look like dodging responsibility, and Timon especially would rather avoid a fight. But when a friend needs them, they show up, and they do it with bravery and a lot of jokes. They are good company to back.