The Best TV Couples
Happy Valentine's Day! It's only appropriate to embrace the romance a little bit and write a love letter to some of the best on-screen couples on television:
The will-they-won't-they romance between a secretary and a salesman caused quite a stir when the American version of The Office premiered in 2005. Post-Friends, network television was exploding with this type of romance -- the couple that starts out platonic but quickly blossoms into something more. The moments between Jim and Pam in the early seasons of The Office are some of the sweetest in TV history. While the back and forth was drawn out a little too long (once Roy and Pam break up, it's hard to find reasons why Jim and Pam couldn't get together), it was worth it to watch Pam go through some self-discovery on her own in season three, especially during the momentous fire walk scene. After that, the rest is history, highlights include the wonderful two-part Niagara Falls-wedding episode and a post-volleyball game pregnancy reveal. Let's just pretend season nine and the documentary crew drama doesn't exist, okay?
When I was in college, I binge-watched the first two seasons of ABC's Once Upon a Time. I was captivated by Emma's story, as she journeys from big city loner to accepting her fate as the one to break the Storybrooke curse. Along the way, she's reunited with her son and birth parents and slowly begins to open up to those around her. While the fairytale elements that surround this emotional arc add in touches of flair, Jennifer Morrison always roots Emma's arc in realism. Midway through season two, she meets Captain Hook and the chemistry between Jennifer and Colin O'Donoghue is off the charts. I found myself rooting for the couple, even as all signs pointed that they would not be endgame. Much to my pleasant surprise, the tension between these two (from enemies to allies to friends to lovers) blossomed throughout the rest of the series, as Emma and Hook began to let their guards down and open up to each other. They end the series together, happily ever after.
After Darren Criss joined the cast of Glee in season two, things were never quite the same. While the first season initially positioned the relationship between Rachel and Finn as the must-watch couple of the series, the true heart of the show and real romantic center was Kurt and Blaine's romance. Because Glee is Glee, these two took a little bit of time to finally get together and went through many ups and downs but ended the series happily married and having a baby via surrogate. Not only is their chemistry off the charts, but they sing many memorable duets, including Baby It's Cold Outside, Animal, Candles and Perfect.
Controversial as it may be, I've always been a Jane and Michael shipper. Despite their ups and downs in season one, the connection between these two has always been strong, from their shared history, Michael's crystal-clear understanding of everything that makes Jane who she is, his support for her writing and his close connection with her family. Even after a broken engagement, their friendship remains strong and eventually these two work their way back together, sealed with a romantic kiss in the snow (it's their thing!!). I'll leave it at that to avoid any further spoilers, but if you haven't started watching Jane yet, you can catch up via Netflix before the final season airs in March.
Once Ben Wyatt was introduced to the Parks and Recreation cast, it didn't take long for him and Leslie to fall for each other. Despite some minor scandals early on (i.e. Ben is technically Leslie's boss, so he has to quit his job), these two are one of the most solid couples in television history. They get together relatively early on in the series and the show continues to be successful, even after the will-they-won't-they tension is out of the picture. One of my favorite parts of Ben and Leslie is that they cheer each other on and do everything they can to support each other's dreams, even if it means they have to part temporarily or sacrifice something themselves. They also both share a nerdy appreciation for government and it's adorable.
Required Reading
Last week, Entertainment Weekly released a special romcom edition of the magazine. In it, they hosted reunions for the casts of My Best Friend's Wedding, 27 Dresses and (500) Days of Summer. It's always fun to see actors reunite! In addition to the beautiful portraits featured in the pages of the magazine, there are also fun interviews with the cast, where they reflect on why these movies are still favorites today. Revisit these classics and then sit down for a romcom marathon!
