Relationships can be tricky. In real life, our love lives aren’t micromanaged and scripted by professional writers and directors. Lucky for us, there are a seemingly endless supply of serendipitous love connections — and lovers’ quarrels that always work out — on TV. The best TV couples are the ones we get so emotionally invested in, we cry when they grow closer to each other and hurl objects at our TVs when they face hardships.
Digital Trends went through decades of TV love and picked our favorite TV couples. Enjoy!
Homer and Marge Simpson (The Simpsons)
No TV couple has had their love tested more than Marge and Homer Simpson. For nearly 30 years, Homer and Marge have faced death scares, a zombie apocalypse, dreams of divorcing each other, and more — and still remained in love. That is the kind of love only achieved with decades of dedication, immortality, and dozens of cartoonists.
Leslie Knope and Ben Wyatt (Parks & Recreation)
Powered largely by Leslie Knope’s unwavering vision of fairy-tale romance, her relationship with Ben Wyatt on Parks and Recreation is a the blueprint for true love. The unconditional support they show for each other’s goals, whether it’s running for political office or going on a calzone spree, is continuously as endearing as it is hilarious. We should all strive to be more like Ben and Leslie.
Buffy Summers and Angel (Buffy The Vampire Slayer)
Buffy and Angel’s supernatural twist on high school romance from Buffy The Vampire Slayer was irresistible to watch, and impossible not to root for. Bad post-sex etiquette and infidelity mixed with evil spirits and lethal sword battles make for great TV — and an even better TV couple.
Carrie and Doug Heffernan (King of Queens)
The main appeal of Carrie and Dough Heffernan’s relationship on King of Queens was how unglamorous and relatable it was. They were just as charming and funny lazing around on the couch as they were fighting rodent infestations in their attic. The chemistry Leah Remini and Kevin James developed on King of Queens was so good that the pair got back together for James’ latest CBS sitcom, Kevin Can Wait.
Cookie and Lucious Lyon (Empire)
Cookie and Lucious Lyon are the epitome of a power couple on Fox’s Empire, with the fur coats and battle scars to prove it. Cookie served a 17-year prison sentence so Lucious could build his musical empire, and Lucious stepped in front of an exploding car for Cookie. They may fight like they hate each other, but deep down they’d do virtually anything for one another.
Cory Matthews and Topanga Lawrence (Boy Meets World)
Cory Matthews and Topanga Lawrence from ABC’s hit sitcom Boy Meets World taught a generation of millennials about love. The pair’s love lasted long past grade school, spawning two children, and a severely underrated spin-off series, Girl Meets World.
Elizabeth and Philip Jennings (The Americans)
Elizabeth and Philip Jennings prove the couple that slays together stays together. The Russian spy couple face hails of gunfire, and raise children side by side in a relationship that’s part Huxtable and part Mr. & Mrs. Smith.
Lucy Ricardo and Ricky Ricardo (I Love Lucy)
I Love Lucy is widely regarded as one of the greatest TV shows ever made. While the show’s two stars may have run into trouble in their real-life romance, a big part of their on-screen success was because no matter how much Lucy’s zany exploits frustrated her husband, Ricky, their love always remained as warm and fresh as ever. Colorized versions of the original black-and-white episodes were released recently to huge success, proving everyone still loves seeing these two together.
Martin Payne & Regina “Gina” Waters-Payne (Martin)
The absurdity of Martin and Gina’s shared physical comedy on the classic Fox sitcom Martin made it apparent in every episode that the pair was made for each other. Whether it was helping Gina get her head out of a headboard, or the couple’s numerous, impromptu dance-offs, Martin and Gina were a match made in comedy heaven.
Marshall Eriksen and Lily Aldrin (How I Met Your Mother)
Mitchell Pritchett and Cameron Tucker (Modern Family)
Modern Family succeeds at poking fun at conventional family dynamics, and the show’s central gay couple is as lovable as they are trailblazing. They raise an adopted child with effortless love, fight for acceptance (often in hilarious ways), and still find time to fit in a bit of romance.
Jim Halpert and Pam Beesly (The Office)
Jim (John Krasinski) and Pam (Jenna Fischer) embody the quintessential office relationship. The characters’ unspoken flirtation through stolen glances across the office, as well as the comedic rapport between the actors playing them, makes it hard to look away from the TV when they both are on the screen together.
Rachel Green & Ross Geller (Friends)
One obvious trait of a great TV couple is that they’re so iconic they can be identified by just saying both of their first names. Ross and Rachel had their ups and downs on Friends, but no matter how many engagements, mishaps, or hilarious fights got in the way, they were destined to end up together. Before you ask, no, Ross wasn’t wrong: They were on a break!
Jack Pearson and Rebecca Pearson (This Is Us)
NBC’s award-winning family drama was all but tailor-made to make people cry, and the central relationship of the show helps it do just that on a regular basis. Jack and Rebecca open up so much of their lives that, fictitious though it may be, it’s hard for viewers to not invest every emotion they have into the parents of three. In the This Is Us universe, this couple only exists in memories, and yet the impact of their love still remains.
Steve Urkel & Laura Winslow (Family Matters)
Most of their relationship during the nine seasons of Family Matters revolved around Laura Winslow rejecting nerdy Steve Urkel, but you could always feel the love. The way Steve’s goofiness brought out the silliest side of Laura, and how Laura’s strong resolve inspired confidence in the meek nerd, is a dynamic almost anyone who had a high school crush can relate to.
