Favorite TV Sitcom Couples: I wanted to do something special for Valentine’s Day this year! Obviously, I have my 10 Movies to Watch If You Love Valentine’s Day movie list, but I’ve wanted to do a bit more than that for the site, so I’ll be posting some more features and lists to celebrate the genre of both film and television. These are my favorite TV sitcom couples! In no particular order:
David & Patrick (Schitt's Creek)
I could have chosen any couple from Schitt’s Creek to put on this list. Johnny and Moira, Alexis and Ted… they all have their charm and moments. But it’s Patrick and David that indeed became the heart and soul of this show. It’s so rare to find LGTBQ representation on television that isn’t full of drama and tragedy. Or lovers who are faced with discrimination and homophobia.
But Schitt’s Creek takes place in an ideal world where everyone is free to love and be loved, regardless of sexual orientation. The world… just is. And Patrick and David’s love story is pure, humorous, and full of so many sweet moments that it could be a list all of its own. They’re absolutely one of the very best couples ever to have appeared on television.
Ross & Rachel (FRIENDS)
Okay, hear me out… I know Ross is not a popular character on Friends. And his relationship with Rachel was so fraught with drama that the couple seemed to become synonymous with couples on television who couldn’t seem to stay together… or apart. But Ross and Rachel were the Lobsters of this show. They were the first television couple I remember “shipping” at such a young age.
I wanted them together so badly, even in the later seasons when I knew the show was winding down. Sure, they were a bit of a mess. Ross did cheat – side note: whether or not they were on a break is still debated to this day, but the fact remains Ross jumped in bed with another woman the very night that break/not a break happened, so…. – but they always seemed to be that couple who would eventually find their way back to one another, especially after having a baby. I’ll always have a soft spot in my heart for Ross and Rachel.
Turk & Carla (Scrubs)
I’m sure they weren’t the first solid couple on television, but they’re the first I remember as being the couple that went the distance with minimal drama. Scrubs had its own Ross and Rachel storyline with JD and Elliot, but once Turk and Carla became a thing, they were a Thing until the end.
Carla was older than Turk, and she helped him mature as a man while he helped her loosen up a bit. Their dynamic was always so much fun, and you could see their love and passion for each other in every episode. Turk and Carla proved that television didn’t need to break up a couple to keep fans interested.
Jake & Amy (Brooklyn Nine- nINE)
While it may have taken Jake and Amy a few seasons to finally get the timing right, once they admitted their feelings for one another, that was it. They’re the perfect example of opposites attract. Amy is the button-down overachiever who attends adult puzzle camp every summer and skipped the fourth grade.
Jake is the goofy man-child with daddy issues and uses humor to deflect from uncomfortable situations. The two complement each other perfectly, and watching their relationship blossom and progress is one of the best parts of Brooklyn Nine-Nine. We’re all Charles Boyle, rooting for them and then fainting at every relationship milestone. They work it out even when things get rough (like whether or not they want kids). Jake and Amy definitely have relationship goals.
Nick & Jess (New Girl)
Like Schitt’s Creek, I could have included every central relationship from New Girl on this list. Cece and Schmidt, Aly and Winston. They were all fantastic in their own way, but Nick and Jess were the couple who anchored the show. From the first episode, it was clear that Nick Miller and Jessica Day had insane chemistry.
They had the “will they or won’t they” going for them, and shockingly, it didn’t get stale when they finally pulled the trigger and became a couple. Like Jake and Amy, these two people are as different as two people can be, but it works. I will argue that their first kiss is one of the sexiest first kisses in television history! So few have come even close, and that is the power and appeal of Nick Miller.
LASZLO & NADJA (WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS)
How many television couples can say they’ve been together for centuries? Nadja and Laszlo’s relationship spans a very, very long time, but it’s never felt more modern. They love each other while tolerating each other’s quirks and annoyances. They also have an open marriage, which is never an issue (except for Gregor).
They’re two of the funniest characters on one of television’s funniest shows. Also, how many other television couples have recorded an album together? Nadja & Laszlo Sing Songs of Love and Terror.
Brad & Jane (Happy Endings)
Happy Endings was one of the best shows on television that no one watched. I’m still salty that it only got three seasons. But at least it lives on streaming on Hulu. I’ve recently begun rewatching this show, and I’m reminded of how much I adore the show’s lone married couple, Brad and Jane.
They’re both successful people who genuinely enjoy each other. No ball and chain joke here, folks. They have a healthy relationship, and Brad’s goofy nature is perfect for Jane’s Type A personality. They even have their own love language and aren’t afraid to get freaky. It’s a breath of fresh air, considering so many marriages in sitcoms are treated like a pathetic joke.
Michael & Holly (THE OFFICE)
Jim and Pam would be the obvious choice here. They’re included on almost every list of favorite television couples I’ve ever seen. But I’ve got to be honest, while I did enjoy the journey of Jam, I loved Michael and Holly’s story more. It was genius on the writers’ part to have Michael fall in love with an HR rep, given how much he despises HR and Toby. Amy Ryan was perfect as the woman who saw everything unique in Michael. Things that probably baffled all of his other girlfriends.
Despite the circumstances that broke them apart, the love was always there, and when Steve Carell decided to leave The Office, it only made sense to give him the happy ending he deserved: Holly. (For the record, I also thought Michael’s proposal was more romantic than Jim’s, too… shhh….)
Niles & Daphne (Frasier)
Talk about a slow burn! When Niles first meets Daphne in season one, he’s instantly smitten. Except… he’s also married. Daphne is utterly oblivious to Niles’s crush, which eventually evolves into full-blown Love. It takes these two kids seven seasons (!) to finally be on the same page, and of course, it comes on the eve of Daphne’s wedding to Donny.
There is always the fear that the chemistry will be lost after a “Will they or won’t they?” couple gets together (the Moonlighting curse), but Niles and Daphne never have that problem. It’s still fun to watch their romance grow, and adding them to the long list of Opposites Attract perfection is easy.
Ben & Leslie (Parks and Recreation)
While Andy and April tend to get most of the attention on Park and Rec, my favorite lovebirds will always be Ben and Leslie. They started out on the wrong foot but worked their way from rivals to friends to lovers. Throughout their relationship, they’ve supported, helped, and made sacrifices for each other’s happiness. They’re so sweet together and, like all great couples, made one another better.
Honorable Mentions *: Holt and Kevin (Brooklyn 99), Monica and Chandler (Friends), Andy and April (Parks and Rec), Ted and Alexis (Schitt’s Creek), Cece and Schmidt (New Girl), Zack and Kelly (Saved by the Bell), Andy and Haley (Modern Family), Jeff and Annie (Community), Rose and Miles (The Golden Girls)
- Honorable Mentions are obviously not my entire list of favorites.