Some of the best—and most memorable—sitcoms of the last decade all feature one prominent thing: Solid romantic relationships that have not only stood the test of time, but no matter when we watch, they still make us swoon. As a genre, romance is one of the highest-grossing in any field, so the detail that our favorite comfort shows also feature endearing and unique love stories isn't accidental. They matter to the story, to the character development, and to the overall universal theme that many of us can understand despite our differences.
From shows like Friends to the most recent sensation of Abbott Elementary, here are the 10 most memorable sitcom couples to have graced our screens.
Ben Wyatt and Leslie Knope (Parks and Recreation)
Countless critics have said that Parks and Recreation didn't find its footing until Adam Scott's Ben Wyatt stepped into the picture, and it's true. Waltzing into the Pawnee Parks Department for budget cuts, the instant rapport he builds with Amy Poehler's Leslie Knope has all the markings of the hate-to-love trope. Their animosity gradually develops into a friendship, then later leads to the type of romance that's all about exhibiting the great lengths people will go to for one another. Supportive, hilariously kindred, and deeply in love, there's a realistic magic in Ben and Leslie's relationship that always grows more compelling over time.
Monica Geller and Chandler Bing (Friends)
There's plenty of drama where relationships are concerned in Friends, but the love story that quietly blooms between Monica Geller and Chandler Bing results in one of the most gorgeous accounts of the friends-to-lovers trope. (And a sprinkle of the whole best friend's little sister.) While couples make up and break up an exhausting number of times during the show's 10-season run, Monica and Chandler prove that finding a partner is all about learning how to communicate, unwavering loyalty, and a love that stands through every trial. It's hard to imagine what the show would be without their steady adoration taking us through various narrative points during the season.
Amy Santiago and Jake Peralta (Brooklyn Nine-Nine)
Brooklyn Nine-Nine is a riveting masterpiece for its acute awareness of the times, for its effortless inclusivity, and for the inevitable romance that comes to life through Jake Peralta and Amy Santiago. Polar opposites in more ways than one, fans spend the first couple of seasons watching them go head-to-head with competition, only to watch that banter seamlessly lead to a relationship that underscores why it's important for couples to challenge one another. When they finally get together, Jake and Amy become each other's most significant cheerleaders as they encourage one another to go for bigger and better things in their field while ceaselessly loving each other through everything.
Eleanor Shellstrop and Chidi Anagonye (The Good Place)
The Good Place's titular heaven turns out to be the bad place, but every little thing that develops in the afterlife for these characters turns out to be the best thing they've ever experienced. As yet another pair of opposites attract, Eleanor and Chidi shouldn't exactly work out as a couple, and yet, all their cracked edges fit together perfectly. As characters who both need to find ways to evolve in order to eventually leave their purgatory, much of what they discover in one another allows them to find something even better than they were looking for, which also plays into the soulmates theory that countless romance fans adore.
David Rose and Patrick Brewer (Schitt’s Creek)
During the first season of Schitt's Creek, it's impossible to think that any member of the Rose family could settle down and find love. Yet, that's largely where the show's beauty lies, and when David Rose meets Patrick Brewer, there's magic in the wildly strange small town. David and Patrick take what begins as a working relationship and develop one of the most wholesome friendships that then grows into love in a way that's deeply rewarding. Throughout the series' relatively short run, we watch the two of them bring out the best in each other so adorably that they make every romantic trope feel utterly unique (like being serenaded).
Janine Teagues and Gregory Eddie (Abbott Elementary)
In a list of many opposites, Abbott Elementary’s Janine and Gregory are two peas in a pod—made for each other. The two of them initially connect as teachers because they’re both slightly nerdier than their coworkers (Jacob Hill, not included), but it’s their careful means of checking in on each other throughout the course of the show where their friendship develops into something bigger. Now, as a couple, their relationship is an added balm in a show that’s already brimming with wholesome charm and a sweet approach to a setting we don’t often see on our screens.
Nick Miller and Jess Day (New Girl)
Like in Friends, it was inevitable that we'd eventually watch pairings fall in love in New Girl's apartment 4D. It was also easy to predict that Nick Miller and Jess Day would end up together, given the trajectory of their meeting and how their friendship blooms from a lingering annoyance that never quite leaves either of them. Nick and Jess are nothing alike, and yet, they're perfectly suited for one another on a wildly emotional level where it's clear that they're both capable of cracking themselves wide open for the ones they love.
Winston Schmidt and Cece Parekh (New Girl)
Like Nick and Jess, Cece and Schmidt getting together was inevitable on New Girl. But interestingly, theirs may be the most memorable story because of how it all begins and follows the "he falls first" trope to the T. He said he was going to marry her, and he did. Plus, in Season 7, their daughter is quite literally the entire reason why it's the show's best season yet. Cece and Schmidt share similar morals in their work ethics, but what ultimately made their relationship so endearing was watching them push through every barrier that stood in their way to underscore that they could appreciate and respect each other's different cultural upbringings to create something new and beautiful together.
Amy Sosa and Jonah Simms (Superstore)
From the very first episode of Superstore, when Jonah fills the Cloud 9 ceiling with stars, it was obvious that Amy Sosa and Jonah Simms would eventually get together. As far as workplace romances go, theirs is one of the most adorable ones to date. Both hard-working and deeply caring, Amy and Jonah's slow-burn relationship came with a number of trials during the show's run, but in the end, their adoration and loyalty to each other proved to be the lasting treasure they found in a mediocre job.
Pam Beesly and Jim Halpert (The Office)
The Office is known for many things, like Michael Scott's wildly hilarious antics, but it's also renowned for doing the best job of taking on the office workplace romance trope. No power imbalance or anything of the sort, Jim and Pam were just two lonely people who found in each other a best friend who's willing to remember everything about them. With every look they shared and every milestone moment viewers watched on-screen, Jim and Pam's relationship remains one that's still sweet to look back on.
Where To Watch The 10 Most Memorable Sitcom Couples Online
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