When we were younger, most of us learned what love and relationships were by watching Disney movies where the princesses would fall head over heels with the Prince Charming whose only accomplishments were being rich and creepy. Lots of smooching, getting married the next day, and then living happily ever after. That was the plan.
But as our brains developed more, we watched characters like Jim and Pam going from friends to lovers in an office full of weirdos. We can’t help but get emotionally attached to these characters, and even years later, we still get butterflies in our stomachs.
1. Emily and Gabriel—Emily in Paris
For four seasons, Emily (Lily Collins) has been torn between work and hectic private life in Darren Star’s hit series. Not so long ago, Netflix renewed “Emily in Paris” for a fifth season, in which our beloved Emily will have to head the office of the “Grato” agency in Rome. But wherever fate takes her, in Emily’s heart, there will always be a hot chef and owner of a Michelin-starred restaurant, Gabriel, played by French actor Lucas Bravo.
2. Daphne and Simon—Bridgerton
He is a handsome duke with a tragic past. She is a naive young girl who dreams of finding love and her place in society. What began as a witty agreement on a fake relationship has turned into a stormy romance that millions of viewers are now eagerly following. Over time, the characters have proven that they are willing to give up almost everything just to be together. And it is a pity that the tight shooting schedule will not allow Rege Page, who plays Duke Simon Hastings, to appear in season 4 and onward.
3. Jon Snow and Ygritte—Game of Thrones
Usually, when we think of GoT, we remember the juicy drama and hardcore action, but all eight seasons are also densely packed with love subplots. But why does the romance between Jon Snow and the red-haired savage from beyond the Wall evoke such strong emotions in us? Maybe because their touching relationship is like a fiery flower that bloomed in the middle of an icy desert despite all odds. Perhaps it’s because the chemistry between Kit Harington and Rose Leslie was exceptionally strong. It’s no wonder this wonderful on-screen couple got married in real life.
4. Fox Mulder and Dana Scully—X-Files
Despite their opposing views on the paranormal phenomena, a special bond quickly developed between David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson’s characters. While the series creator, Chris Carter, wanted the relationship between the partners to remain purely platonic, their intense eye contact, subtle touches, and barely perceptible sexual tension indicated otherwise. Later, the writers gave the audience what they’d been asking for, and in the third episode of season 6, Mulder confessed his love to Scully. And we all felt that.
5. Carrie Bradshaw and Mr. Big—Sex and the City
Any list of the best TV couples is simply impossible to imagine without the charming Carrie Bradshaw and her lover, “Mr. Big.” Has there ever been a more epic and emotionally rambunctious romance than these two? From the moment Chris Noth’s character helps Carrie collect the contents of her handbag from the floor, she is captivated by her “Superman,” but his fear of commitment holds him back. Despite all the hardships, the lovers continue their relationship before finally realizing that they belong with each other.
6. Ross and Rachel—Friends
It would not be fair to skip Ross and Rachel, even though Chandler and Monica’s relationship is more deserving in some ways. Their love story was far from being perfect, but Phoebe said it best: “He’s her lobster!” She read somewhere that lobsters choose a partner for life. And she had no doubt that Ross and Rachel were simply made to be together forever.
7. Jim and Pam—The Office
Jim and Pam from the iconic comedy series The Office are the epitome of sensual tension. It’s hard to find the right words for what happens on screen when the charming paper salesman starts flirting with the secretary. Over the course of nine seasons, we watched Jim go from yearning for Pam to a proposal in the pouring rain to a long-lasting marriage with children. And all this time, we had no doubt that they were soulmates.
8. Leslie and Ben—Parks and Recreation
Leslie and Ben, played by Amy Poehler and Adam Scott, got off to a rocky start when Ben arrived in Pawnee, Indiana, to inform the town of budget cuts. In Season 3, they teamed up to plan the town’s Harvest Festival. And in Season 4, they share a sweet kiss in Indiana’s smallest park after Leslie confesses her feelings for Ben. Watching their relationship develop is one of the best things about Parks and Recreation, aside from maybe April and Andy.
9. The Tenth Doctor and Rose Tyler—Doctor Who
The Tenth Doctor and Rose Tyler are the ultimate couple for the new wave of Doctor Who fans. They start off as travel buddies, but it doesn’t take long for the Doctor to realize he’s totally fallen for Rose. She feels the same, but neither of them really comes out and says it until much later. There’s a rough patch when Rose gets stuck in another universe, but they eventually reunite in a really emotional moment. After some time, though, the Doctor figures out that he can’t be with Rose as he is. But thanks to some wibbly-wobbly timey-wimey TARDIS shenanigans, a human version of the Doctor and Rose end up getting their happily ever after.
