Romantic TV couples

Kevin Thompson's Valentine's Day picks for the TV couples that snagged our hearts.
Monday, February 14, 2005

Valentine's Day is a time for chocolate covered cherries, mushy cards, candlelight dinners and some really good lovin'.

For a TV critic, it's also a time to ponder which memorable TV couples have made our hearts skip a beat over the years.

No. 1: Mulder and Scully (The X-Files)

The truth is these two alien-chasing FBI agents exuded more sexual heat than most TV couples who fall into bed each week. Mulder and Scully did it with a knowing look. A quick embrace. A soft brush of the other's hair. A frantic cellphone call. The truth was out there: You knew their love was real. And you knew Mulder was the father of Scully's baby.

And the other 49 lovebirds . . .

2. Cliff and Clair Huxtable (The Cosby Show)

They slow danced with each other. They listened to John Coltrane together. They lovingly showed affection in front of their kids. Simply put, they had the kind of rock solid marriage everyone wants.

3. Lucy and Ricky Ricardo (I Love Lucy)

If they weren't on this list, I'd have some 'splainin' to do.

4. Rick and Lily (Once and Again)

They showed that divorced parents over 40 could actually act like lustful teens.

5. Bobby and Pam Ewing (Dallas)

For being a modern-day version of Romeo and Juliet. Aw, forget that. Remember, Bobby's six-pack abs? Pam's smokin' bod? That's what I'm talkin' 'bout!

6. David and Maddie (Moonlighting)

They fought. They solved crimes. They flirted. They fought. They flirted some more.

7. Ralph and Alice Kramden (The Honeymooners)

For all his "bang, zoom, to the moon" theatrics, deep down blustery Ralph knew his stand-by-your-man Alice was "the greatest." So did we.

8. Diane and Bobby (NYPD Blue)

Ever see them getting it on in a steamy shower? If so, you'd understand.

9. Buffy and Angel (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)

He was a brooding vampire. She was a sassy vampire killer. Which meant Buffy and Angel didn't go on many dreamy-eyed dates. But when they were together, their undying passion could raise the dead.

10. Barney and Betty Rubble (The Flintstones)

Because Barney can still make Betty giggle after all these years.

11. Sam and Diane (Cheers)

Their delightful verbal fencing, not all those barflies, made Cheers an instant TV classic.

12. Luke and Laura (General Hospital)

A couple who can survive sexual assaults, kidnappings and living life on the lam before getting hitched. That's love!

13. Doug and Carol (ER)

George Clooney. Juliana Marguilies. What else is there to say?

14. Ross and Rachel (Friends)

Because they were destined to be together. It just took forever.

15. Kevin and Winnie (The Wonder Years)

Ah, young love. So sweet. So innocent. Remember that first kiss in the very first show? 16. Blake and Krystle Carrington (Dynasty)

Sure, bling-blinging Blake sometimes treated his trophy wife like another pricey possession. But he loved Krystle and she loved him right back. Alexis who?

17. Rob and Laura Petrie (The Dick Van Dyke Show)

The way Laura fondly cried, "Ohhh, Robbbbb" oozed a deep-rooted passion that a '60s sitcom couldn't really explore. Rob and Laura slept in separate beds, for crying out loud!

18. Ward and June Cleaver (Leave It To Beaver)

There's something hopelessly romantic about two parents united in their parental duties. Who said every TV couple had to be all sexy?

19. Mike and Gloria Stivic (All in the Family)

They made out an awful lot, didn't they?

20. George and Gracie (The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show)

One of the all-time great show business couples. Say goodnight, Gracie.

21. Sydney and Vaughn (Alias)

Make love in the morning. Thwart a terrorist plot in the afternoon. Make love again at night.

22. Batman and Robin (Batman)

Holy close quarters! Let's face it: The Dynamic Duo spent way too much time alone in the Batcave. You do the math.

23. Martin and Gina (Martin)

Despite their off-screen problems, Martin Lawrence and Tisha Campbell boasted a sizzling on-screen comedic chemistry.

24. Herman and Lily Munster (The Munsters)

How often do you see Frankenstein whispering sweet nothings to his vampire squeeze? Never.

25. Mr. and Mrs. C (Happy Days)

They would excitedly rush upstairs for some afternoon delight whenever the kids weren't home. As a thumbs-up Fonz would say, "Aaayyh!"

26. Isabel and Leo (Relativity)

Kimberly Williams and David Conrad kissed like they meant it in this little-watched series that skillfully dealt with the complexities of twentysomething romance and relationships.

27. Joyce and Frank (Hill Street Blues)

No couple looked sexier in bed than those secret lovers played by the ruggedly handsome Daniel J. Travanti (Pizza Man!) and the fetching Veronica Hamel.

28. Niles and Daphne (Frasier)

Because sometimes nice, nerdy, opera-loving guys do get the girl of their dreams.

29. Jonathan and Jennifer Hart (Hart to Hart)

It's Robert Wagner and Stefanie Powers, people! Hellooooooo!

30. Gomez and Morticia Addams (The Addams Family)

They did a mean tango. Only really passionate people can do a mean tango.

31. Latka and Simka (Taxi)

The funny accents made 'em so darn cute! Tank you berry much!

32. Kermit and Miss Piggy (The Muppet Show)

We needed a carefree frog and a showboating pig on the list. Seriously.

33. Paul and Jamie Buchman (Mad About You)

For showing that marriage can be hard work — and worth the effort.

34. Ozzie and Harriet (The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet)

See Ward and June Cleaver.

35. Lois and Clark (Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman)

Lois Lane and Clark Kent never looked that pretty in the D.C. Comics version. You can thank Teri Hatcher and Dean Cain for that.

36. Carrie and Big (Sex and the City)

OK, so Big was a first-class cad who often treated Carrie like crud on the bottom of his shoe. But they had chemistry. And all was forgotten when the big lug finally told Carrie, "You're the one."

37. Dharma and Greg (Dharma & Greg)

Dharma was a free-spirited yoga trainer. Greg was an uptight attorney. Yes, sometimes opposites do attract — and make you laugh.

38. Mike and Carol Brady (The Brady Bunch)

It's not easy looking chirpy and romantic when six kids are running your house. Go ahead, you try it!

39. Trista and Ryan (The Bachelorette)

Before America got sick of the attention-happy Trista, it actually loved this sweet, made-for-reality-TV couple. Well, they mostly loved the painfully shy, poetry-spouting Ryan.

40. James and Florida Evans (Good Times)

They lived with the buffoonish J.J. and still managed to keep their marriage strong. Big ups to James and Florida for that.

41. Turk and Carla (Scrubs)

They still have that newlywed glow.

42. Boston Rob and Amber (Survivor: All-Stars)

Any couple that can make living in the jungle with 16 smelly castaways look like a tropical vacation deserves a mention, don't ya think?

43. Ren and Stimpy (Ren & Stimpy)

If a scrawny, hot-headed Chihuahua (that's Ren) is gonna spend that much time with his kitty kat roomie (that's Stimpy), it must be love.

44. Remington and Laura (Remington Steele)

It's hard not to look all weak in the knees when you're standing next to the future 007.

45. Marge and Homer Simpson (The Simpsons)

Why not? At 16 years, The Simpsons is the longest-running sitcom on TV. You know Homer and Marge have had some serious lovin' in at least half of those years. D'oh!

46. Pebbles and Bamm Bamm (The Flintstones)

OK, they're babies, but they played so well together. Besides, when they grew up and got their own show, we kinda figured that Pebbles and Bamm Bamm were doing more than goo-goo and gaa-gaa-ing together.

47. The Donald and . . . The Donald (The Apprentice)

No one loves himself — or his companies, hotels, casinos and TV shows — more than The Trumpster.

48. Sandy and Kirsten Cohen (The O.C.)

Sandy singing to his wife on their 20th wedding anniversary probably melted every woman's heart in America.

49. Stewart and Sally McMillan (McMillan and Wife)

Rock Hudson was a grizzled police commissioner. Susan St. James was the wife who just wanted to help. Isn't support in a marriage a beautiful thing?

50. Flavor Flav and Brigitte Nielsen (Strange Love)

The cartoonish black rapper and the statuesque Danish actress are TV's oddest freak show couple since, well . . . give me a minute, I'll think of another one. Well, probably not.