Summary
- There have been few genuinely happy and functional couples in sitcoms, but those that exist are beloved by audiences.
- Conflict and dysfunctional relationships are often used as a plot device in sitcoms, like Ross and Rachel in Friends.
- The sitcom couples that have showcased happy relationships include Morticia and Gomez in The Addams Family, Red and Kitty in That '70s Show, and Jim and Pam in The Office.
The world of sitcoms is full of unhappy and dysfunctional relationships, but there were a few over the years that actually seemed happy together. These couples varied from being the center of attention of their respective TV series to simply being side characters—but they all shared a bond that audiences couldn't help but love. Some were deeply romantic, while others were more logical and realistic. Regardless, they really had something special.
Difficult relationships have become the staple of sitcoms. The conflict of a TV series will often revolve around the will-they-won't-they trope, so constant fights and misunderstandings are used to keep the plot rolling. This is seen in Ross and Rachel's relationship in Friends, who, though they are supposed to be the central romance of the series, have been seen to be a realistically terrible couple. Thankfully, other significant marriages and romances have been present in sitcoms to show audiences what a happy relationship is supposed to look like.
10 Morticia & Gomez - The Addams Family
Morticia and Gomez Addams are the ultimate romantic pair. No matter the movie or TV series adaptation of The Addams Family, Gomez adores his wife, and Morticia's love and respect for her husband are present in every decision she makes. The fact that the pair are so fascinated with the macabre makes this dynamic even more fascinating. Ultimately, this relationship has inspired many to crave an equally kooky but deliciously romantic relationship.
9 Red & Kitty - That '70s Show
Though That '70s Show mainly was about the teenagers hanging out in the basement, Red and Kitty Forman often stole the show. The pair were very different from one another—Kitty was the bubbly mom constantly striving to meet her children's every need, while Red was the hardass father just trying to get through it all. They bickered like an old married couple but were always willing to come together and make each other happy—ending many fights with an excited rush for the bedroom. This dynamic became even better in That '90s Show, where Red and Kitty's beloved marriage became more central to the plot.
8 April & Andy - Parks & Recreation
Another odd couple that somehow works perfectly, Andy and April from Parks and Recreation, were both hilarious and adorable together. Though Andy originally started the series in a relationship with Ann Perkins, he was a better fit with the apathetic intern. Like many of the best sitcom couples, Andy and April are opposites. While the former is energetic, optimistic, and silly, the latter is disinterested, dry, and sarcastic. Still, they always ed one another in their endeavors—no matter how ridiculous—and went the majority of Parks & Rec without any real marital issues.
7 Phoebe & Mike - Friends
Though Ross and Rachel were mostly just toxic, Mike and Phoebe were the truly perfect pair on Friends. Sure, Chandler and Monica had a lot going for them, but there was something about the way that Mike truly loved and appreciated Phoebe's uniqueness (even calling her "wonderfully weird" in his wedding vows) that allowed the couple to take the cake. Like many other couples on this list, Phoebe and Mike were opposites in that one came from wealth and the other from extreme poverty, but their love for music and willingness to go against the grain made them the perfect fit.
6 Turk & Carla - Scrubs
Turk and Carla had their fair share of problems throughout Scrubs. Balancing their personal lives with their work at a somewhat dysfunctional hospital—plus trying to make room for the codependent J.D.—was no easy task, and there were many times that it put a strain on their relationship. Even their wedding was a complete disaster since Turk's work as a surgeon made him miss the ceremony entirely. Still, a completely smooth sailing-relationship is far from realistic. What made Carla and Turk special was how they handled everything and always pushed through.
5 Lois & Hal - Malcolm In The Middle
Malcolm in the Middle is all about the chaos of raising children, and though they aren't perfect, Lois and Hal perfectly demonstrate how to make this work. With three kids, their lives are in a constant state of chaos. Additionally, they each have their own way of handling things, with Lois being a little more strict and Hal just rolling with the punches. Though these differences make things a little more complicated from time to time, they are always looking out for each other. The stress of raising kids is a lot, but they never cease to have the hots for each other—complete marriage goals.
4 David & Patrick - Schitt’s Creek
Everything from their meeting, proposal, and wedding made Schitt's Creek perfect. Like in all sitcoms, the couple found themselves in many wacky circumstances, which led to a few fights throughout their time together. Still, these moments of conflict never felt even close to something that could break them apart. They simply loved each other too much. The truly remarkable thing about David and Patrick was that they didn't take themselves too seriously, and even situations like accidentally hiring a professional to provide their fiance a "happy ending" weren't enough to ruin their happiness.
3 Lily & Marshall - How I Met Your Mother
Lily and Marshall certainly hit a rough patch in How I Met Your Mother, but that didn't change the fact that they were a truly great couple. Throughout HIMYM, they served as the example of what a married couple could be and had the dynamic that Ted was actively searching for. The pair could communicate telepathically, knew each other's strengths and faults as well as they knew their own, and could give a perfectly timed high five in any subtle moment of celebration. Ultimately, Lily-pad and Marsh-mallow were the gross kinds of cute everyone secretly strives for.
2 Eleanor & Chidi - The Good Place
A professor of philosophy and an Arizona trash bag shouldn't have worked so well together, and in life, they probably wouldn't have. However, after finding each other in the great beyond, Eleanor and Chidi became a perfect match. Of course, it took hundreds of years in The Good Place before they could finally have their happily ever after (with all their memories intact), but once they did, it was a near eternity of complete bliss. In fact, Eleanor and Chidi were the most important romance in history in The Good Place since it was thanks to their love that the afterlife no longer meant eternal damnation for all.
1 Jim & Pam - The Office
Jim and Pam from The Office have long been regarded as the best couple on TV. Audiences could see that the pair would be perfect together long before they made their romance official, thanks to all the subtle gestures they showed one another. They ed each other as best friends for years, and when romance began to bloom, it wasn't through massive romantic gestures but believable and realistic displays of love. Jim and Pam's love felt entirely attainable, with a simple sort of joy that is precisely what we all hope for in a TV sitcom (and real-life) relationship.