The 22 Greatest TV Couples of All Time
The 22 Greatest TV Couples of All Time
Jim Halpert and Pam Beesly, <em>The Office</em>
They took fans on several seasons of a will-they-or-won’t-they emotional roller coaster, but Jim and Pam finally got together in season four (see ya never, Roy) and all was right with the world. As Pam pursued her dream of being an artist and Jim made moves away from Dunder Mifflin, the two never stopped supporting each other (or devising genius plans to prank Dwight). And be honest, we know you cried a little when Jim said he bought her ring a week after they started dating.
Lucy and Ricky Ricardo, <em>I Love Lucy</em>
What would this list be without the first (and probably the best) power couple to ever grace our television screens, Lucy and Ricky? It didn’t hurt that Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz were married in real life, but Lucy and Ricky had the greatest on-screen chemistry and it’s hard to deny how adorable their crazy TV relationship actually was.
Cory and Topanga, <em>Boy Meets World</em>
No '90s TV couple was more meant-to-be than these two. They may have given us a few unrealistic expectations about the fate of our middle school relationships, but Cory and Topanga were the poster children for what it meant to be young and in love.
April and Andy, <em>Parks and Recreation</em>
Pawnee, Indiana was full of ship-able couples (Ben and Leslie, Chris and Ann to name a few) but no couple was as crazy about each other or as crazy fun to watch as April and Andy. For all of April’s mean-spirited antics, it was the lovable goofball Andy who balanced her out and broke through to the softer side (who could forget the time she drove him 30 hours to see the Grand Canyon?)
Ross and Rachel, <em>Friends</em>
What’s there to say about Ross and Rachel that hasn’t been said? She got off the plane for him! He’s her lobster, people!
Coach Taylor and Tami Taylor, <em>Friday Night Lights</em>
They say everything’s bigger in Texas, and the love between the Taylors is no exception. Whether they were dealing with a tricky neighborhood parent or Julie’s hormones, Dillon’s favorite duo, Eric and Tami Taylor, stuck together as one of the most loving and realistically portrayed couples on television.
Meredith and Derek, <em>Grey’s Anatomy</em>
Talk about on-screen chemistry. From their first one-night stand to their Post-It wedding, there was no denying that Derek and Meredith were meant to be. Ultimately, the only thing that could pull them apart was death. (R.I.P. McDreamy)
Archie and Edith Bunker, <em>All in the Family</em>
He was a mean-spirited bigot and she was his sweet, soft-spoken, and sometimes-naive wife. The two of them didn’t come off as a likely couple but the contradictory nature of their relationship is what made Archie and Edith so lovable, no matter how often he called her a “dingbat.” Though he was pretty tough on the outside, Archie never let his rigid exterior hide how slightly overprotective and madly in love he was with Edith.
Carrie and Mr. Big, <em>Sex and the City</em>
After all of the issues that plagued their rocky relationship throughout the series’ six-year run, watching Big get cold feet and leave Carrie at the altar in the big-screen adaptation was a bit of a gut-punch. But, in the end, Big was able to pull himself together once he realized how impossible it was to deny that he and Carrie were made for each other.
Florida and James Evans, <em>Good Times</em>
Raising three teenagers in one of the toughest housing projects in Chicago wasn't easy, especially considering James’ frequent periods of unemployment, but he and Florida managed to make it work. It was equal parts hilarious and headache-inducing to tune in every week to watch Florida and James’ love prevail even while dealing with the shenanigans of their children and quirky neighbors.
Jamie and Claire Fraser, <em>Outlander</em>
Calling all shippers! Dedication does pay off. Outlander's number one couple hasn't exactly had a smooth ride over the first three seasons of the show, but season 4 has them attempting (key word: attempting) to establish a home together. Their ever-complicated love lives can feel daunting at times, but one look at, well, they way they look at each other, will convince any cold-hearted soul that it's worth the work. Don't believe us? Just check out EW's own evidence.
Homer and Marge Simpson, <em>The Simpsons</em>
Writers and producers of the show implying that Homer and Marge would be testing out a trial separation in The Simpsons’ Season 27 premiere was enough to make the entire internet have a meltdown. Loyal viewers know for a fact that if Marge can put up with Homer’s side-splitting antics for 27 years, their marriage is set up to last a lifetime.
Mitch and Cam, <em>Modern Family</em>
Despite all their bickering and occasionally selfish behavior, these two work because they let each other make mistakes – and they still love each other at the end of the day. They’re also selfless when it matters, like when Cam chose his love for Mitchell over his fears of being rejected by his family. And how can you not love a couple who introduces their baby daughter like she’s Simba from The Lion King?
Ned and Chuck, <em>Pushing Daisies</em>
The criminally underrated Pushing Daisies may have only lasted two seasons, but that was more than enough time for this quirky duo to make their way into viewers' hearts. Even though Chuck and Ned could never touch (we know it’s been a while: he brought her back from the dead with a touch, and another one would kill her again) the chemistry between the two was still electric.
Sandy and Kirsten Cohen, <em>The O.C.</em>
Sandy and Kirsten had the kind of love that could — and did — endure anything: Adopting a troubled teen, navigating mysterious exes, family deaths, alcoholism, unexpected pregnancies, an earthquake ... you name it, and they conquered it. Because a love built in the back of a mail truck is destined to last.
Marshall and Lily, <em>How I Met Your Mother</em>
Through all of Ted’s romantic turmoil, Marshmallow and his Lily Pad were the constant reminder that true love actually did exist. Whether it was waiting for each other in the airport with a six-pack of beer or stopping by a fast-food restaurant post-wedding vows, Marshall and Lily are the original #RelationshipGoals.
Shawn and Angela, <em>Boy Meets World</em>
Though they don’t get nearly as much recognition as they deserve, Shawn and Angela were an incredible couple. It was so rare to see an interracial relationship on television in the '90s, and as the one African-American woman in a predominately white cast, Angela could have easily been cast as the token minority character who was only defined by her race. Instead, she was able to hold her ground as a steady character who always managed to talk some sense into Shawn any time his immaturity got the better of him.
Elena Gilbert and the Salvatore brothers, <em>The Vampire Diaries</em>
It's hard enough to find one epic love, but Elena Gilbert found two ... and they just so happened to be brothers. In the beginning, it was her love for Stefan that taught her how to live again after the loss of her parents. And when she became a vampire, it was her love for Damon that made her glad that she was (sort of) alive. And in the end, Stefan made the ultimate sacrifice, giving Damon and Elena the opportunity to live out their human lives together.
Chuck and Blair, <em>Gossip Girl</em>
As dysfunctional as their relationship was, no couple on Gossip Girl could ever compare to Chuck and Blair, mainly because they were the perfect example of two people who really were better together. In the beginning, Chuck was nothing but a womanizer while Blair would do pretty much anything to defend her title as Queen B. We can all agree that, individually, they were two people no one wanted as enemies, but they ended up bringing out the best in each other.
Tony and Carmela Soprano, <em>The Sopranos</em>
Tony Soprano didn’t exactly have it easy as a Mafia boss, and at the end of a long day, it’s important to come home to a… well, home. And that’s exactly what Carmela was for Tony, in spite of a few rough patches. Whether she was whipping up a Sunday dinner or taking care of the kids, she remained a stable, supportive figure away from the messy and often chaotic Jersey streets.
Zach and Kelly, <em>Saved By The Bell</em>
Before Cory and Topanga, we had Zach and Kelly. Though they were pretty much exactly like your typical (fake) high school couple — the pretty, popular cheerleader and the handsome guy that every girl in school had heart eyes for — it was a shock to none of us when the two of them actually got married in the show’s movie adaptation set in Las Vegas.
Sam and Diane, <em>Cheers</em>
Straight from the bar where everybody knows your name, it’s the couple whose names everybody knows. The waitress and her ex-ball player didn’t have much in common, and were often dysfunctional, but their slow-burning romance resonated with audiences anyway. Shelley Long left halfway through Cheers’ 11-season run, but the two’s chemistry was enough for them to remain one of TV’s favorite couples, even now.
Find out whether your favorite TV couple is one of the best of all time.