The best TV couples EVER (that we wish were together IRL)
Ross & Rachel? Seth & Summer? Zack & Kelly? SWOON! These TV couples practically set the bar (read: raised our expectations far beyond the realms of relationship possibility) for love when we were growing up. So in honour of the small-screen pairings we just hoped beyond hope were actually together in real-life, we run down why these TV twosomes were so awesome.
GettyChandler & Monica
Friends
Played by: Matthew Perry & Courteney Cox
When Chandler and Monica got it on in London, we were shocked. It was something that we didn't even know we wanted, but their holiday fling turned into something so much more. From their romantic wedding to the arrival of their twins, they are one of our fave TV couples ever.
Getty ImagesSeth & Summer
The OC
Played by: Adam Brody & Rachel Bilson
Like all good couples Seth Cohen and Summer Roberts had the whole love/hate thing going on from the start, which obviously made for loads of sexual tension. Grrreat! Through her rage blackouts and dressing up as his favourite cartoon character; four seasons later they eventually got married. Too. Cute. Oh and did we mention they were together for most of the show IRL (in real life) too? #thedream
FlynetMatthew & Mary
Downton Abbey
Played by: Dan Stevens & Michelle Dockery
After two seasons of to-ing and fro-ing, Lady Mary and foppish lawyer cousin* Matthew finally got it together. Alas, the ending wasn't so happy for these two as Matthew got killed off in the Christmas special, right after they'd welcomed their first child. WHY TV GODS? WHHHHHHHHHHHHHYYYYYYY?
*bit weird he's a relation, non?
Getty ImagesCarter & Abby
ER
Played by: Noah Wyle & Maura Tierney
It was the relationship that never quite was, which is why, of course, we've always thought that they would have been perfect. After he developed a drug problem following the stabbing of season 7, it was Abby who intervened and got him the help he needed. But alas, with Abby's alcoholism and family pressures on both sides, these two just couldn't make it work and Carter flew off to Africa where he met and married Thandie Newton. On the plus side, Abby did get back together with hunky Kovac so all is well that ends well.
AMCBetty & Don Draper
Mad Men
Played by: January Jones & Jon Hamm
We've always loved these two. Not only are they the most handsome couple on TV but they're also just so goddam ridiculous. Ignoring the fact that they must surely be wasted most of the time on account of their playing fast and loose with the rules on when cocktail hour ends (and starts) we always hoped they'd end up back together.
ABC/Getty ImagesCory & Topanga
Boy Meets World
Played by: Ben Matthews & Danielle Fischel
These two gave us expectations about love and life that no real relationship can ever even hope to live up to. What's more, they were even responsible for deluding us into thinking our school sweethearts were actually the one and that love conquers all. Oh and if that wasn't enough; Cory and Topanga were only married by the power vested in STAMFORD BLATCH! YouTube it if you don't believe me.
ABC/Getty ImagesPacey & Joey
Dawson's Creek
Played by: Joshua Jackson & Katie Holmes
While the first season was devoted to the will-they-won't-they aspect of Joey and Dawson's love life, season 2 introduced us to the phenomenal coupling that was Joey and the hapless Pacey (which in turn gave us Dawson's cry face). Not only has Joshua Jackson never been cuter but reports at the time suggested that these two co-stars were more than, erm, co-stars. The icing on the TV cake? Pacey and Joey eventually end up together - as it should be.
Rex FeaturesMr. Darcy & Elizabeth Bennett
Pride & Prejudice
Played by: Colin Firth & Jennifer Ehle
Let's throw it out there right off the bat; pretty much every great couple is a version of Darcy and Elizabeth. There's the love/hate thing going on; adversarial exchanges-a-plenty and when they do finally admit their feelings, it's all those bumps in the road that make their eventual union all the better. Plus, we love the fact that in the much-lauded BBC version, art imitated life when Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle reportedly hooked up.
Getty ImagesRoss & Rachel
Friends
Played by: David Schwimmer & Jennifer Aniston
Their relationship spanned ten series and, along the way, it produced some of TV's most super moments. From their first kiss on that rainy night in the coffee shop through to Ross cocking it all up with the whole “we were on a break” debacle to eventually having a baby together before finally, finally making a go of it at the finale; these two were all kinds of TV couple brilliant. In fact, so blurred were the lines between TV-land and reality for us that we actually desperately wanted Jen-An and David to be together in real-life - until it transpired she was with Brad Pitt and the then-married couple gave us this tv treat.
Rex FeaturesBuffy & Angel
Buffy The Vampire Slayer
Played by: Sarah Michelle Gellar & David Borenaz
ERM... Bog off Bella and Edward, there was a human-vamp couple we loved first and they went by the names of Buffy and Angel. Surely the blueprint for all other vampire-human relationships; he helps her by having the inside track on the blood-sucking baddies, he wanted to be good and he wore a lot of monochrome. Unfortunately, there were a few blips for these two; after they consummated their relationship, the pure ecstasy of the whole experience turns Angel evil again and Buffy has to kill him. Nightmare. But although they really put us through the ringer, it was a great tale of (tough) first love that had us hooked for years.
Getty ImagesHarry & Charlotte
Sex And The City
Played by: Evan Handler & Kristen Davies
Of all the many, many couples on SATC, our favourite is probably Harry and Charlotte, closely followed by Miranda and Steve. However, Charry (go with us) just pip them to the post on account of how bladdy cute they are together. Harry completely adores Charlotte and can't believe his luck, whilst she converts to Judaism for him and all the while they end up having mega cute kids. In short; we LOVE this pair.
Rex FeaturesZack & Kelly
Saved By The Bell
Played by: Mark-Paul Gosselaar & Tiffani-Amber Thiessen
Zack Morris and Kelly Kapowski; we followed these 80s high school sweethearts right the way through college and even to their eventual wedding in Las Vegas. Although a real-life romance was never confirmed, we've always thought a union IRL would have been dreamy, not least of because of their matchy-matchy double-barrelled forenames.
Ah well, Zack + Kelly 4evz.
Rex FeaturesMcDreamy & Meredith
Grey's Anatomy
Played by: Patrick Dempsey & Ellen Pompeo
They fancied each other right from the pilot – as many-a-great TV romance has started – and even manage to get past a huge break-up whereby his wife comes to town and he decides to give it another go with her. However, because they're meant to be, the two eventually reconcile and marry. Oh, and obvs have great baths together, too. We're still not over his death tbh :(
Rex FeaturesMulder & Scully
The X Files
Played by: David Duchovny & Gillian Anderson
Do you even need to ask? These two survived Mulder getting abducted by aliens. Twice.
Rex FeaturesLuke & Lorelei
Gilmore Girls
Played by: Scott Patterson & Lauren Graham
Even though we still kind of need subtitles for a lot of what those fast-talking Gilmore Girls were ever saying, what we do know is, Lorelai and diner owner (-come-dependable pal-come-love interest) Luke were meant to be. Yes, yes, we know they annoyed the bejesus out of each other, but it was that frenetically-scripted sexual tension that would make us tune in every week. The new episodes at least had them back together, but blimey, it took a while!
Rex FeaturesKermit & Miss Piggy
The Muppets
A frog and a pig; who'd have thought it?
Getty ImagesTim & Dawn
The Office
Played by: Martin Freeman & Lucy Davies
An office nearly-romance so expertly depicted, we were willing these two to get it together for two whole series. Luckily, Ricky Gervais made our TV dreams come true in the Christmas special.
Getty ImagesDaphne & Niles
Frasier
Played by: Jane Leeves & David Hyde Pierce
Niles Crane practically fell apart every time he clapped eyes on chipper Northern lass Daphne and it provided amongst the funniest moments of the show. After seven seasons and two days, Niles confesses his undying love for Daphne and the two eventually wed. Super stuff.
Rex FeaturesAngela Chase & Jordan Catalano
My So-Called Life
Played by: Claire Danes & Jared Leto
More teen angst and sexual tension than you can shake a stick at, Angela and Jordan Catalano's (because you just have to say his full name) unspoken-unconsummated relationship – communicated mostly in moody looks and even moodier leans by the lockers – has become a cult classic.
Rex FeaturesChuck & Blair
Gossip Girl
Played by: Ed Westwick & Leighton Meester
He's Chuck Bass. She's Blair Waldorf. Their amalgamated name makes an actual OED-recognised word (Chair). Need we list anymore reasons why these two Upper East Siders were so great together?
Rex FeaturesJess & Nick
New Girl
Played by: Zooey Deschanel & Jake Johnson
Are Nick and Jess, dare we say, the new Ross and Rachel? During the first season we saw their unspoken feelings for each other bubble up and simmer down as regularly as Schmidt put a dollar in the douchebag jar and after waiting, and waiting and waiting, in the second season they finally admit that they're into each other. We don't know how this will pan out but dang, are we excited about it. So watch this space.
