You're the inspiration: TV couples that made us believe in true love

Morticia and Gomez Addams showcased the beauty of finding someone that fully matches one’s vibe. They were so in sync that audiences could feel their connection through the screen. That’s pretty good for a couple that was as fictional as Esop's Fables.

This Is Us cemented itself as one of the best shows of the 21st century with the twists and turns of its pilot episode. However, while audiences were immediately hooked to the various timelines, the relationships, including Beth and Randall Pearson, kept many tuning in week after week. With them, it was more about showcasing a relationship in which being open and honest was the key element to making it sustainable. Something every couple should strive for.

Hardcore Boy Meets World fans know that it’s a tiny bit annoying how the show flipped and flopped the origin of Cory and Topanga’s relationship, but in the end, the middle school sweethearts turned college newlyweds never failed to make fans swoon with their love. So much so that the show has proven timeless, and new generations are continuing to fall for their love story.

Love and trust are one thing, but another thing that helps keep a relationship intact is a healthy sex life, which Veronica and Kev on Showtime’s Shameless had. It was the type of sex life that left others envious.

David and Patrick demonstrated that one could mix business with pleasure, but more importantly, that even when the past comes back around, real love can persevere.

There are plenty of sitcoms where it’s clear there is some tension between the lead couple, but not until the 2010s have TV shows started to highlight that it takes work to make a marriage last. That is why Rainbow and Dre’s separation arc in Black-ish will forever stand out. It made fans question the reality of these fictional characters, but thankfully, they worked it out. If they hadn’t, fans might have had to give ABC a piece of their minds!

Not every couple needs to be carbon copies of one another. It works for some, but not everyone, and that is why so many continue to love the dynamic between Leslie and Ben on Parks and Recreation.

The Good Place is one of the most thought-provoking sitcoms ever to grace the small screen. While it often made audiences question everything from their morals to eternity, it also gave way to the endearing rollercoaster ride of Eleanor and Chidi’s relationship. They should have never worked on paper, but love finds a way, even in the afterlife.

To make a list of the best TV couples and not include Jim and Pam from The Office is like penning a piece about the greatest basketball players and ignoring Michael Jordan. They’re one of the GOATs, forever and always.

A lot of the dating and whatnot that happened on Living Single was either pretty normal or based around passionate sex, but when it came to Synclaire and Overton, there was this charming appeal to them that made viewers yearn to have what those two had.

It’s been well over a quarter of a century since The Wonder Years left the air, so it’s okay to say that Kevin and Winnie don’t wind up together, but there was nothing sweeter than their good-natured love story back in the day.

Superstore was like the second coming of The Office, and with that, it was pretty apparent how things would pan out for Jonah and Amy from the jump. However, this NBC workplace comedy managed to stray away from the obvious by giving Amy and Jonah more valleys than peaks on their journey to finally getting together, which made for a glorious watch.

The official statistics aren’t back from the lab, but one can assume that 99.9% of Full House viewers thought Uncle Jesse and Aunt Becky were two of the hottest humans ever to walk the earth at that time. So yeah, who wouldn’t want to believe in the love between these two modelesque people who lived in the attic of the guy’s brother-in-law?

Find anyone who came of age in the early ‘00s and say, “Seth and Summer?” Chances are they’ll go on for at least several minutes about how that couple from The O.C. defined their generation while at the same time giving them hope that one day they too would find the Summer to their Seth.

Ian and Mickey weren’t the most consistent in their relationship, with Mickey spending the start of it in hiding and Ian being unsure if Mickey could really ever love him fully. Still, they proved that when two people are endgame, that’s all that matters.

New Girl spawned a lot of memorable pairings, but there were so many nuances and levels to Cece and Schmidt’s love that it made them arguably the most admirable couple of the Fox series.

Sabrina and Harvey dated throughout high school, and it seemed like they’d be together forever. Then college came, Harvey went MIA, and by the end of the series, Sabrina was ready to walk down the aisle with someone else. Thankfully magic sort of intervened, and fans got their fairy tale ending with Sabrina and Harvey riding off together.

The beauty of Jake and Amy’s relationship was the natural development as they went from coworkers to friends to dating to getting married and eventually starting a family.

When history books look back at television from the 2000s, Jack and Rebecca Pearson will have one of the largest sections because that’s a love story that does not fade with time.

Nicky and Lorna weren’t the most official couple on Orange is the New Black, but they had one of the most compelling connections on the Netflix series. There was something about the way Nicky cared so much for Lorna that, even if she never meant to marry or be with Lorna on that level, it was still something viewers felt showcased love in a very genuine way.

Issa and Lawrence found one another when they were young and were sort of lost and confused as to who they were and where they were supposed to be in life. That, and more, ultimately led to a lengthy break, but with time and personal growth, they reconnected, and that’s a great lesson in love; one has to love and accept themselves before one can bring another along for the ride.

One could debate for hours which couple from That ‘70s Show was the best and which ones made zero sense, but the only right answer for which one stood above the rest would be Eric and Donna for their girl-next-door love story that managed to have a happy ending despite all of the highs and lows.

Modern Family gave way to so many amazing pairings, but it was Cam’s high energy next to Mitchell’s buttoned-up demeanor that never failed to make fans feel the love between them, whether they were in their confessionals or accidentally locking their baby in the car after a doctor’s visit.