TV couples have brought us touching moments, sidesplitting laughter, and plenty of tears. But whether married or dating, they’ve also taught us valuable lessons about life and relationships. What these ten most iconic television couples share is pure magic! Who is your favorite of all time?
10. The Brady Bunch: Mike & Carol Brady
Mike (Robert Reed) and Carol (Florence Henderson) are undoubtedly one of the greatest television couples ever. With a blended family of six children, they mastered the art of helping people get along. No matter the dilemma, they solved it in roughly 20 minutes each week. With skills like that, they probably would’ve made awesome U.S. diplomats.
9. Sex and the City: Carrie Bradshaw & Mr Big
A prominent storyline in the series was the relationship between Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker) and “Big” (Chris Noth). Big was the one love Carrie couldn’t walk away from. Big knew she completed his life. Though they constantly tried to mess up what they had, they stayed together until the end of the series and beyond.
8. Parks and Recreation: April Ludgate & Andy Dwyer
Andy (Chris Pratt) started dating April (Aubrey Plaza) after he broke up with Ann. As they say, birds of a feather flock together, and these two strange birds were meant for each other. Shortly after they began dating, they married and eventually moved to Washington, D.C. Sure, they were a dysfunctional couple, but in a delightful, sitcom way.
7. The Office: Jim Halpert & Pam Beesly
Admittedly, Pam (Jenna Fischer) and Jim (John Krasinski) were much more likable because of the sexual tension between them as friends. However, the sparks after they married created equally watchable drama. There were plenty of memorable moments, including the births of their children, CeCe and Philip.
6. Cheers: Sam Malone & Diane Chambers
During a stretch of the 1980s, the most popular couple on network TV were definitely Sam (Ted Danson) and Diane (Shelley Long). In true “opposites attract” fashion, interactions between Diane, the intellectual, and Sam, the player, created sparks. Diane won his heart. Eventually, they broke up. But while it lasted, it was pure sitcom gold.
5. The Honeymooners: Alice & Ralph Kramden
Although it originally aired for only one season from 1955-1956, the show was a huge hit in syndication. Ralph (Jackie Gleason) was the hilariously outspoken, overbearing, and hotheaded head of the household. But his wife Alice (Audrey Meadows) was the real boss. Ralph would constantly threaten to send her “to the Moon,” but Alice always brought him back to Earth.
4. All in the Family: Edith & Archie Bunker
Archie (Carroll O’Connor) was a bigoted and outspoken white working-class family man whom nearly everyone had a difficult time getting along with. He constantly called his sweet and understanding wife Edith (Jean Stapleton) a “dingbat.” But she could always calm him down. Only Edith could turn gruff, grizzly Archie into a teddy bear.
3. The Big Bang Theory: Sheldon Cooper & Amy Fowler
It takes one to love one. Nerds Sheldon (Jim Parsons) and Amy (Mayim Bialik) were essentially the same. Know-it-alls, ice cold, and socially awkward. Two people incapable of having a romantic relationship. Like alchemy, over time their dysfunction as a couple transformed into pure gold.
2. Friends: Ross Geller & Rachel Green
Although the on-again-off-again relationship of Ross (David Schwimmer) and Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) could get tiresome at times, it still kept fans glued. People watched in hopes that their romance would work. At the end of the series, that hope was realized. Rachel and Ross were together, which made all the fans feel happy ever after.
1. I Love Lucy: Lucy & Ricky Ricardo
Not only are they television’s greatest TV couple of all time, but Lucille Ball (Lucy) and Desi Arnaz (Ricky) were a real-life couple, too. Most episodes followed the same formula: Either Lucy was in the dark about something or Ricky was. These misunderstandings led to some of TV’s most comic moments. Desi typically played straight man to Lucille’s comedic genius.