When we sat down to write our Top 5 TV Romances, we of course knew we'd made some glaring omissions from the list. Much like many TV romances, they were there all along and we just didn't see them. Here's five more of our favourite...
5. FRASIER – Daphne & Niles
Trivia question – what was the name of Niles' wife before Daphne? Pretty much from the get-go, Niles and Daphne were meant to be together. Frasier, it seemed, was just a total player and had a string of girlfriends down through the years. But for poor 'oul Niles, he was just smitten with Daphne Moone from day one. N'aww.
4. ER – Doug & Carol
Forget about Grey's Anatomy. This was the ultimate in TV doctors and nurses. For those of us who remember ER when it was on TV, Doug Ross and Carol Hathway were just the coolest couple around. Carol was all street-smart and knew her shit and Doug was, well, Doug. Everybody loved him. What's more, they looked as though they actually fit together as a couple. They both complimented one another and really seemed authentic.
3. SCRUBS – Turk & Carla
In the first couple of seasons, Turk & Carla were the epitome of smug-married. Always hanging off each other, very cute / cuddly and always had something to say about everyone else's relationships. However, as the series progressed, the relationship became more rounded and realistic. They had huge fights, ups and downs, but there was a strong core to it all. We would have bet money the two of them got it on in real life.
2. THE OFFICE – Pam & Jim
There are naysayers who believe that the UK Office was a better show than the US Office. We're not going into that here (the US Office was WAY better), but we are going to talk about Pam & Jim. What made them so good to watch was that it was, in essence, absolutely relatable. Pretty much everyone knows someone who's been in their situation – he was with someone, she was with someone. He was single, she wasn't. And on and on it went.
1. THE SOPRANOS – Tony & Dr. Melfi
It may have been one-sided, but the romance between Tony and Dr. Melfi was as real as anything we've seen. It's a testament to James Gandolfini's acting abilities that you could really see the desperation in him. Granted, nothing ever came of it and Tony, as was his wont, moved on. But still, it was riveting to watch the first time around. More than anything else, the relationship between Tony and the psychiatrist was a reflection of the show - complex, multi-layered and not what you'd expect.