3. Chandler and Monica from Friends
Another GOAT, Monica and Chandler from Friends is another quintessential TV couple that taught me a lot about love.
From the moment they surprised audiences by getting together, Monica and Chandler set out to show a positive example of what relationships look like. They experienced plenty of funny, sad, and messy dating in their twenties. Then, suddenly realized in their thirties that they were meant to be together.
One of the things I loved the most about their love story was the timing. It didn’t happen immediately when they were 20, even though they’d known each other for so long. They grew as friends first, and then when they were ready for marriage and ready to settle down, they got together. Timing is such a personal thing. Someone else’s timeline does not need to match yours, and they showed that for me. Also, as a fellow neat-freak and organized/Type A queen, I loved seeing Chandler accept Monica exactly as she was. Knowing that there was a man out there who would do more than jut ‘put up’ with my OCD-tendencies gave me hope. And then I did find my own Chandler with my husband, who got indoor shoes just for me. Also, getting to see their love for one another continue to strengthen through their challenges with fertility, something we’re also dealing with, and their eventual path to adoption was inspiring. It showed me that just because you’ll go through hard times, you don’t have to turn on each other. They never did.
5. Ned and Chuck from Pushing Daisies
My final TV couple is not as mainstream as some of the others on here, but just as important. Ned and Chuck from the TV show Pushing Daisies is another couple who taught me a lot about love.
On the show, Ned, a pie maker who has the power to bring the dead back to life, is able to bring back his murdered childhood sweetheart, Chuck. They fall in love again, but there’s a catch – if Ned touches her again, she will die. So they can never touch. It seems like that would not be much of a love story, but it is.
Ned and Chuck taught me that love isn’t always easy, and it definitely isn’t always conventional. However, if you can get a little creative, there are plenty of ways to show it. They also taught me the power of being vulnerable in relationships through open conversations and sharing deep truths. The show always had a very whimsical quality to it, epitomizing that even when love doesn’t look like a fairy tale, it doesn’t make it any less magical. Finally, they showed that love can endure any obstacle, no matter how hard you think it is.
Of course, there are plenty of other inspiring love stories in the media, but when choosing 5, these are it. While I know that at the end of the day, these are shows and actors, I recognize that most writers take inspiration from their own lives. I like to think that these couples are based on real people. And even if they aren’t, it doesn’t make the lessons about love that they taught me, and I’m sure many others, any less valuable.
Who are your favorite TV show couples, and why? Share them with me!