Romantic relationships are one of the main plot drivers of sitcoms; and due to the often long-running nature of these shows, sitcom romances are often slow burns.
The longer story arcs across multiple episodes also allow for more time to develop the foundation of relationships between characters, as well as the 'will-they-won't-they' trope which is typified by couples like Rachel and Ross, Jim and Pam and Sam and Diane.
While sitcom couples often break up, make up and go through various complications, they're also one of the main reasons we continue watching. Here, we break down our favourites, from 'opposites attract' pairings to undeniable soulmates.
Ross and Rachel from Friends
Ross and Rachel are one of the definitive sitcom couples, with a much-loved 'will-they-won't-they' relationship that lasts from the pilot episode right up until the last. While Ross's often obsessive nature has been criticised by fans in recent years, there's no denying that these two had a lot of chemistry, love and mutual respect for each other, and with a Vegas wedding, a baby and much more being part of their story by the last season, the decision to make them endgame just made sense.
Nick and Jess from New Girl
Though their chemistry was teased in very early episodes of New Girl, it took a long time for Jess, an energetic and organised English teacher, and Nick, a slightly lazy aspiring writer who once admitted he didn't actually own a bank account, to finally get together. Even when they did - after a fan-favourite first kiss in season four - it wasn't always an easy road, but their often contrasting personalities made for a sweet and loving relationship.
Phil and Claire from Modern Family
Phil and Claire don't always see exactly eye to eye in Modern Family, but their clear affection for each other shines throughout various trials and tribulations of family life. Their relationship is marked by mutual care and, despite some clashes, a deep partnership that allows them to support each other through the ups and downs of parenthood.
Uncle Phil and Aunt Liv from the Fresh Prince of Bel Air
Uncle Phil and Aunt Viv, de facto parents for Will Smith's character in The Fresh Prince of Bel Air when he begins living with them, are loving and grounded figures who provide Will with a new life in their affluent home. Despite their respective, extremely successful careers, Phil and Viv prioritise family over everything.
Cece and Schmidt from New Girl
Schmidt's character arc from high-flying, often chauvinistic businessman to a loving stay-at-home dad is one of the best parts of New Girl. Another couple from the show who took a while to commit to each other, once Cece accepted her feelings for Schmidt, the pairing became one of New Girl's most beloved relationships.
Chandler and Monica from Friends
They may not have been a planned long-term relationship by the writers, but Monica and Chandler's coupling ended up being a pivotal mid-series moment, and their relationship milestones - getting engaged, getting married, trying to get pregnant and later adopting twins - would provide major plot points for the rest of the show. Compared to Ross and Rachel's on-and-off situation, Monica and Chandler got together and never broke up, with their relationship strengthening over the seasons and becoming one of the most stable pairings in sitcom history.
Ben and Leslie from Parks and Recreation
Ben and Leslie had so many sweet moments over the course of Parks and Recreation, from Ben acting as Leslie's campaign manager (and being so sure he would win that he never wrote her a concession speech), to his proposal in their future home, to their adorable "I love you and I like you" vows. While they were something of an 'enemies-to-lovers' trope in the beginning, they went on to become an incredibly strong partnership and constantly made each other want to be better.
Red and Kitty from That 70s Show
Being set in the 70s - hence the title - some of the relationships on That 70s Show aren't always as progressive as they would've been in the 21st century and Eric's parents Red and Kitty are a good example of this. Red, the no-nonsense, often gruff father, is known for his strict demeanour and dry wit, while Kitty, his warm and more emotionally expressive wife, balances their relationship with maternal kindness and humour.
Jake and Amy from Brooklyn 99
Another 'enemies-to-lovers' pairing, Jake and Amy started out as partnering detectives who would often clash over their vastly different personalities; Jake being messy, disorganised and constantly pranking the rest of the Brooklyn 99 force and Amy being a type-A workaholic who meticulously thinks everything through. The show suggested that opposites attract, though, when a first date (which was the result of a lost bet) became the start of a long relationship between the two, which ended with Jake leaving the force to become a stay-at-home dad.
Phoebe and Mike from Friends
Paul Rudd was supposedly only meant to feature briefly on Friends, but the cast, crew and audience had such an affinity for the character of Mike that he ended up becoming Phoebe's husband. Mike was Phoebe's first long-term relationship, and despite one breakup and a couple of other hurdles, the two were perfectly suited.
Lily and Marshall from How I Met Your Mother
Much like Ross and Rachel or Chandler and Monica in Friends, the relationship between Marshall Eriksen and Lily Aldrin acts as a plot device for many of How I Met Your Mother's most pivotal moments. The pilot episode sees the childhood sweethearts getting engaged, while the first season ends with their breakup. Luckily, the two eventually come back together, and their close partnership serves to remind Ted of the kind of love he wants to find throughout the entirety of the show's run.
Basil and Sybil from Fawlty Towers
Basil and Sybil may not have had a typical outwardly loving relationship, but without their partnership, there would be no show (and Fawlty Towers remains one of the most loved British sitcoms of all time). Basil's buffoonery was often contrasted again Sybil's stoic, calm demeanour, and Basil's unique terms of endearment for his wife was one of the best of the show's running gags.
Andy and April from Parks and Recreation
Apathetic intern April Ludgate was based in large part on the actual character of Aubrey Plaza, who reportedly not only helped to craft April but also suggested that she would be attracted to Andy Dwyer, improvising a line that would spark the beginning of the two's relationship. Though Andy's golden retriever personality seems at odds with April's perpetual disinterest in the world, the two are a perfect match and shock their friends, co-workers and audiences in the third season when they throw a surprise wedding.
Barney and Robin from How I Met Your Mother
Robin Scherbatsky was first introduced on How I Met Your Mother as the long-standing object of protagonist Ted Mosby's misguided affection, but after a few seasons, her compatibility with Ted's best friend Barney became clear. The two went through several break-ups and other bumps in the road, but their strong foundation of friendship made them a great couple.
Cam and Mitchell from Modern Family
While LGBTQ+ characters had appeared in sitcoms before Modern Family, one of the show's main couples, Cam and Mitchell, were a pioneering early example of an openly gay, loving partnership on a sitcom. While they sometimes bicker, the couple's relationship is characterised by mutual support and affection.
Chris and Ann from Parks and Recreation
Chris and Ann date a couple of times in the earlier seasons of Parks and Recreation, but Chris's happy-go-lucky demeanour means that Ann is unaware when he breaks up with her. They remain friends, and when Ann later decides she wants to start a family and Chris offers to act as her sperm donor, the two realise that they still have feelings for each other. While Ann can get frustrated with Chris's extremely positive outlook on life, their contrasting personalities compliment each other, with Chris helping Ann to come out of her shell.
Jim and Pam from the US Office
Jim and Pam are one of the most beloved sitcom couples and television couples overall. While Pam is engaged to another man in the earlier seasons of The Office, Jim harbours a seemingly unrequited crush on her, before confessing his feelings in a tear-jerking scene. The couple's organic chemistry and genuine love and care for each other makes them one of the most iconic couples on the small screen.
Niles and Daphne from Frasier
Niles Crane and Daphne Moon from Frasier have one of the show's most compelling and charming love stories. After meeting through his brother, their friendship evolves over time, revealing a deeper emotional connection that grows into a genuine and passionate romance, and they finally marry in the tenth season.
Captain Holt and Kevin from Parks and Recreation
Andre Braugher, who sadly passed away in 2023, was known for his beloved Captain Holt character on Brooklyn 99, a stoic and stern police department captain with a much more warm and personable husband, Kevin. The couple met in the 70s and maintained a strong bond ever since, despite a brief break-up during the show, after which they renewed their wedding vows in a season five episode.
Uncle Jesse and Aunt Becky from Full House
Full House was a defining sitcom for a generation of viewers, kickstarting the careers of a very young Mary Kate and Ashley and going on to become incredibly successful. While Lori Loughlin's character of Aunt Becky was only supposed to feature in a six-episode romantic arc with aspiring rockstar Jesse, their relationship and dynamic soon became central to the series.
Lucy and Ricky from I Love Lucy
While I Love Lucy wasn't the first sitcom ever broadcast, it did revolutionise the genre, and the chemistry between the two co-stars and co-creators of the show is partly to blame. Lucille Ball's Lucy Ricardo is a charmingly eccentric housewife with a knack for getting into hilarious, often absurd situations, and her husband, Ricky Ricardo, balances his career with his often exasperated but loving support for Lucy's various schemes.
Penny and Leonard from The Big Bang Theory
The chemistry between Penny and Leonard formed the basis of much of The Big Bang Theory's romantic drama in the first few seasons, before a surprising kiss between the two that started their often turbulent relationship. Though they had breakups and plenty of arguments, their love and respect for each other proved the idiom 'opposites attract'.
Edith and Archie from All in the Family
70s sitcom All in the Family was a pioneering sitcom for its willingness to confront 'controversial' issues which were largely seen as taboo on TV at the time. Carroll O'Connor's Archie Bunker is a blue-collar worker with a conservative outlook on life, while his wife, Jean Stapleton's Edith, is a warm-hearted and optimistic homemaker and the matriarch of the family. Their contrasting personalities - as well as those of Archie and his liberal son-in-law Michael - drive much of the show's humour and social commentary.
Hal and Lois from Malcolm in the Middle
Hal and Lois, the central parental figures in the acclaimed sitcom Malcolm in the Middle, are a loving yet unconventional couple raising their four children in a chaotic household. Hal is often portrayed as kind-hearted and somewhat hapless, while Lois is the hyper-organised and fiercely protective glue that holds the family together. Despite the couple's contrasting parenting styles and often chaotic home lives, their dedication to one another is clear.
Turk and Carla from Scrubs
While Turk and JD's friendship is one of the most loved aspects of popular sitcom Scrubs, Turk and Carla's relationship is surely a close second. Navigating both living and working together, their foundation is built on trust and humour, and their relationship is marked by deep affection and mutual support.
Paul and Jamie from Mad About You
Paul and Jamie Buchman, played by Paul Reiser and Helen Hunt, are the central characters in the sitcom Mad About You; a married couple living in New York City, we see them navigating the ups and downs of their relationship and everyday life throughout the series. Their chemistry and the show's realistic portrayal of married life made Mad About You a beloved staple of 90s TV, and it even had a crossover with Friends, with Lisa Kudrow playing both Phoebe and her twin sister Ursula in both sitcoms.
Gloria and Jay from Modern Family
While they may seem like an unlikely pairing, Colombian-American Gloria and her sardonic business owner husband Jay were an integral part of Modern Family's dynamic. Gloria's passionate personality perfectly complimented Jay's often more stoic stance and the pair shared a clear love and affection for one another.
Luke and Lorelai from Gilmore Girls
Luke and Lorelai from Gilmore Girls were a fan-favourite pairing right from the first season. Lorelai's positive and often erratic character might seem to oppose Luke's grumpy, sarcastic demeanour, but the couple's blossoming relationship felt authentic and deserved, after years of building a strong friendship.
Marge and Homer from The Simpsons
Intended as a pastiche of the typical Middle America family, The Simpsons portrays Marge and Homer as a stereotypical stay-at-home mum and a buffoonish head of the family, respectively. While the long-term couple have had plenty of ups and downs over the course of the show - which is the longest-running sitcom and animated series of all time - they always reunite and support each other.
Eleanor and Chidi from The Good Place
In the first season of The Good Place, self-centred Eleanor manipulates Chidi, a morally-driven philosophy professor, to help her become a better person. As they navigate the complexities of their new existence in the afterlife, their relationship blossoms from a mentor-student dynamic into a profound romantic connection and their initially mismatched personalities make for a healthy, supportive relationship.
Eric and Donna from That 70s Show
Eric and Donna start off as childhood best friends in That 70s Show, but over the course of the show, the two begin to develop feelings for each other. Due to the foundation they had built up as friends, the couple see each other through plenty of ups and downs, and the series ends with them navigating a long-distance relationship.
Ted and the Mother from How I Met Your Mother
The relationship between 'the mother' and Ted Mosby may have had a controversial ending amongst fans, but considering it was the basis for the entire series, we still think it deserves to make the list. Cristin Milioti's Tracy seemed to be completely perfect for Ted, who had waited a long, long time to meet his soulmate.
