20 TV couples that became legendary when they finally got together

While it had its ups and downs, the ABC series Once Upon a Time was always a fun show, in large part because it found new ways to breathe life into established fairy tales from the Disney canon and elsewhere. Emma Swan was, of course, part of the show from the beginning, and it was clear from the moment she met the rakish Captain Hook that they were going to get together. When they finally did begin a romantic relationship, it seemed the logical point for their characters, and the fact that they were both fierce and independent made their match particularly welcome.

If one show has made the most out of the current nostalgia for the 1980s, it would have to be Netflix’s Stranger Things. Though it doesn’t shy away from darker elements — particularly drawn from cosmic horror — it’s also a series that is very much about human relationships. The one between Joyce and Hopper is arguably one of the best, as it’s clear very early on that they’re meant to be together. Once they finally start a relationship, they become quite the team, and it’s clear that their bond will help them both survive the conflict that is ready to erupt between Earth and the residents of the Upside Down.

The character of Queen Charlotte in Bridgerton proved to be so popular with audiences that she even received her own spin-off. The series focuses on their courtship and its difficulties, many of which are the result of George’s mental illness. At first, it seems that the two of them are never going to get together, but, at last, they find a way of doing so. As the main series of Bridgerton reveals, theirs is a love that withstands the test of time and the darkness of George’s illness, and it’s to Charlotte’s credit that she does everything she can to make his life as easy as possible in the aftermath of his decline.

Netflix’s Heartstopper, based on the series of graphic novels by Alice Oseman, follows the friendship and later relationship between teenagers Nick and Charlie, with much of the first season focusing on their burgeoning romance and the second focusing on what happens once they get together. The series deserves a great deal of credit for depicting a teenage gay romance with such sensitivity and grace, and it’s easy to see why Nick and Charlie, as well as the show as a whole, have become so popular with audiences. They are perfectly suited as boyfriends, with Nick giving Charlie the open love and affection he has never had from another boy.

David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson were a true meeting of great talents in The X-Files, one of the most popular supernatural series from the 1990s. Fox Mulder and Dana Scully were a true meeting of opposites, and the fans clamored for them to get together. They finally did so, and the series wisely chose to show how their respective personalities and different attitudes toward the paranormal put a particular strain on their relationship. It’s quite refreshing to see these two characters meet as equals, and it’s clear that Scully will continue being more than a match for Mulder. 

The Netflix series Bridgerton has always excelled at maintaining romantic tension, and things don’t get much more tense than the romance between Anthony and Kate Sharma in the second season. After a season’s worth of brooding and feuding, they finally get together. The third season demonstrates the extent to which these two enemies-to-lovers have really managed to find their form of happiness. Though there will certainly be some difficulties ahead of them — they are still very different personality-wise, after all — the episodes in which they appear make it clear that they are stronger together than they ever were when they were unwed.

The courtship of Rose and Miles in The Golden Girls is actually a brief one — it takes place in only one episode — but it’s clear that they are still a terrific couple. At first, they seem like they aren’t going to be able to work at all, because Miles is (supposedly) a college professor and Rose is a naive farm girl from Minnesota. However, theirs ends up being one of the very few romantic relationships that lasts until the series finale, and it’s clear how much they truly love one another. Even more importantly, they respect one another, which is a key element to a healthy relationship, whether on TV or in the real world.

Cheers remains one of the most beloved sitcoms of the 1980s, and it’s easy to see why. One of the most important relationships in the series is the one between Sam Malone and Diane Chambers. Their on-again/off-again romance occupied a significant amount of screen time. While it may not be to everyone’s liking, it is nevertheless a fascinating example of how Cheers managed to play with the romance at the core of its first several seasons.

There are few better examples of a will they/won’t they than Fran and Maxwell of the beloved sitcom The Nanny. From the moment they meet, when Fran shows up selling makeup, the romantic attraction between them is palpable. To the series’ credit, it managed to keep their dynamic so fresh and interesting for so many seasons without it coming to feel stale. Once they finally get together, it’s clear how much they truly do care about and love one another. Not every sitcom can manage to keep its romantic leads interesting, but The Nanny more than succeeds in this regard.

Haley and Dylan are one of the most notable relationships in Modern Family, and it remains unclear for quite a while whether they will actually end up together or will forever be a case of what might have been. The series finally gives them their happily ever after, and it makes the wise decision to focus on their struggles as parents and as a married couple. Strange as it might seem to some, including Haley’s mother, Claire, the two of them truly are a love match, and their relationship actually forces both of them to finally grow up and act (mostly) like adults. 

Based on the bestselling series by Diana Gabaldon, the Starz series Outlander follows World War II nurse Claire as she is thrown back in time by a set of standing stones in the Scottish Highlands. Having been transported to the 18th century, she finds herself falling in love with handsome Highlander Jamie Fraser, even though she is married in the present. It takes a bit of time for them to come together, but once they do, they are a force to be reckoned with, and they become involved in some of the major events of Scottish history. Their love is so powerful that almost nothing can defeat it, not even when Claire returns to the 20th century. The series makes it clear that they’re in it for the long haul, and the audience can’t help but cheer.

Schitt’s Creek slowly became one of the most popular series of the 2010s and 2020s. There’s a fundamental goodness and sweetness to it that is in marked contrast to many other TV series of the same era. Who could forget, for example, the courtship, relationship, and marriage of David and Patrick? From the moment they meet, it’s clear that there’s something between them, but it doesn’t solidify until they consummate their relationship. Once they do, they prove to be perfect complements, with David bringing the stodgy Patrick out of his shell and Patrick providing the neurotic and insecure David the unapologetic love he’s always wanted and needed.

There are many things to enjoy about the relationship between Monica and Chandler in Friends. Unlike Ross and Rachel, who were very much a part of the plan, their bond comes as something of a surprise, both to them and the audience. However, it’s one of those relationships that still manages to feel organic in hindsight, and it’s easy to see how they would find some unexpected happiness with one another. From that point on, they grow both as individual characters and as a couple, which is one of the key aspects of good television writing.

Frasier was one of the best-written comedies of its time, with sharp dialogue and wit in almost every episode. Very early in the show it becomes clear that Frasier’s brother Niles carries a flame for Daphne, their father’s nurse, but it takes the two quite a while to finally get together. When they do, it’s the culmination of several seasons of storytelling, and it feels true to the characters and their personalities. Moreover, the series also details the difficulties they’re getting together causes, which is a nice bit of realism in a genre that isn’t always known for its fidelity to how things work in the real world.

The Office, like so many other sitcoms, made a great deal out of the will they/won’t they dynamic of Jim and Pam. From the beginning, it was clear that they would eventually end up together, and it would have been easy for the show to not know what to do with them once they did so. However, it was so gratifying to see these two people finally admit their love for one another, and their relationship became one of the key anchors of the series in the later series, which helps to explain its enduring appeal.

Anyone who watched Glee  at the height of its popularity remembers the iconic moment when Darren Criss’s Blaine serenades Chris Colfer’s Kurt with a rendition of Katy Perry’s “Teenage Dream.” Even though they weren’t a couple at the time, the spark was there, and it was fascinating and endearing to watch these two gay teens finally find love with one another. What was particularly refreshing about Glee was the extent to which it delved into the difficulties of their relationship. This made them feel fully developed, even as one also knew they were destined to be one of the show’s final couples. 

It’s clear from the first episode of Brooklyn Nine-Nine that Jake (Andy Samberg) and Amy (Melissa Fumero) are going to be one of the couples to watch. After several seasons, they finally get together, and the last seasons of the show do a very good job of showing the stresses and anxieties that new couples face, particularly when it comes to their efforts to have a baby. Even though they both retain the elements of their personalities that made them so beloved in the first place, it’s also clear that theirs is truly a relationship of equals, with Jake’s child-like energy balancing out Amy’s ever-present neurosis.  

The Good Place definitely deserves its reputation as one of the best sitcoms of the 2010s. Focusing on a group of four people sent to the Bad Place (a sort of Hell) without realizing it at first, it managed to explore weighty philosophical issues within the safety of the sitcom form. One of the key relationships in the series is between Eleanor and Chidi (played by Kristen Bell and William Jackson Harper, respectively), and it’s quite heartwarming to watch them grow closer as the series continues. What’s more, each brings something unique to the table, with Eleanor’s free spirit and Chidi’s anxious philosophizing somehow finding a magnificent harmony once they finally get together. 

It’s hard to imagine a more opposite couple than Andy and April of Parks and Recreation.  While he’s a lovable goofball with a heart of gold, she’s far more sardonic and cynical. However, there’s potent chemistry between Chris Pratt and Aubrey Plaza from the moment they meet, so it’s gratifying when they finally get together. They are a perfect example of the old adage that opposites attract, and they each bring something unique to the relationship. While sometimes differences can push characters apart, Parks and Recreation realized that April and Andy had the true “it” factor, which helps to explain why they are one of the couples that last to the very end.

Parks and Recreation is, in many ways, the epitome of feel-good television, and Amy Poehler’s Leslie Knope is the avatar of goodwill and sunny optimism. From the moment she meets Ben, it’s clear there’s a spark, but it takes a while for them to find their groove as a couple. Once they do, however, it’s clear that they each bring out the best in the other. They are two great characters who work together and love and support one another in all the ways that matter. The show rewards the viewers for their investment in this couple, and in the end, Ben and Leslie get their happy ever after, being successful in both love and their careers.