When they are done right, TV romances can become truly beloved by fans. Sometimes, these romances will happen quickly, becoming established shortly after the characters first interact. Other times, the relationships will have more of a build-up, and they will happen slower and over several seasons. Fans may love the occasional fast-burn ship, but they usually end up really rooting for the slow-burn pairings.
Slow-burn pairings, when done right, will take multiple seasons to get together and will have fans patiently, or not so patiently, for them to get together.Sometimes, the wait for a pairing to get together can be absolutely infuriating, but when it is done right, it is definitely worth celebrating. These are 10 TV couples who took multiple seasons to get together but were worth the wait.
10Barney and Robin
‘How I Met Your Mother’ (2005)
In the pilot episode ofHow I Met Your Mother, Robin was introduced as Ted’s love interest. However, throughout the show, Robin and Barney really bonded as friends. They truly clicked in theSeason 1 episode, “Zip, Zip, Zip,“when they spent a Bro Night together and played laser tag. They hooked up in Season 3 but otherwise remained friends, until finally getting together at the end of Season 4.
Barney and Robin’s relationship was a roller coaster ride, with them dating for the beginning of Season 5 before breaking up, staying friends, and eventually getting engaged in Season 8. Barney and Robin sadly got divorced in the future timeline, but they were a great couple while they lasted.The two were very in sync with one another, and the build-up to their relationship was very satisfying.
How I Met Your Mother
9Harvey and Donna
‘Suits’ (2011)
From the beginning ofSuits, Harvey and Donna were shown to be inseparable, although they both claimed that their relationship was platonic.As the show went on, it was revealed that they were extremely close, had previously hooked up once before compartmentalizing their relationship for work, and had a ritual that they did before trials.
Donna and Harvey’s relationship escalated when Donna realized her feelings for him and kissed him in Season 7, and then had to get distance from him due to his rejection. They then finally got together at the end of Season 8, and they were a great couple before finally getting marriedin the series finale. Donna and Harvey worked so well because they were partners in everything, from work to life.
8Dan and Blair
‘Gossip Girl’ (2007)
Gossip Girlwas one of the more dramatic and emotional teen dramas, with the couplings of the main characters regularly switching up. The most unlikely couple was definitely Dan Humphrey and Blair Waldorf, butby the time the two got togetherin the show’s fourth season, their relationship actually made a lot of sense.
Dan and Blair initially hated each other, but they ended up developing an unlikely friendship in Season 4 after realizing that they actually had a lot of similar interests.Dan and Blair were easily each other’s best pairing: they understood each other, challenged each other both emotionally and intellectually, and really became each other’s close friends and confidantes.
Gossip Girl
7Paige and Alex
‘Degrassi: The Next Generation’ (2001)
Degrassi: The Next Generationwas the best teen drama of all time, and it had many epic romances during its run. The show’s best slowburn couple was definitely Paige Michalchuk and Alex Nuñez. The two dated twice, both times for quite a while, but sadly did not end up together. However, the buildup to their relationship was really well done.
Paige and Alex initially hated each other, especially when they were stuck working together in the mall. However, Paige and Alex slowly became friends and eventually became a couple.Their buildup from enemies to friends to a couple was really well-written.The two were really great for each other, with Alex grounding Paige and Paige making Alex take things more seriously.
Degrassi: The Next Generation
Watch on Max
6Annie and Auggie
‘Covert Affairs’ (2010)
Covert Affairswas ahighly underrated spy dramathat followed the life of CIA field operative Annie Walker. As Annie became more immersed in her life working for the CIA, she developed a very close working relationship and friendship with her handler, Auggie Anderson.From the beginning, it was clear that there was something between Annie and Auggie, but they always just stayed friends and dated other people.
After multiple seasons of feelings growing between the two of them, Annie and Auggie finally had their first kiss in the Season 3 finale, leading to them getting together. Sadly, they did not stay together due to Annie’s own struggles, but they likely would have eventually gotten back together if the show had not been canceled.
Covert Affairs
Watch on Peacock
5Ricky and Gina
‘High School Musical: The Musical: The Series’
It may sound surprising that one of the better-written slowburn teen drama romances of recent years came from a Disney show, but such was the magic ofHigh School Musical: The Musical: The Series. The show started out with Ricky Bowen joining a production ofHigh School Musicalto win back his ex-girlfriend, Nini. In the process, Ricky built a beautiful connection with fellow castmate Gina Porter.
Ricky and Ginahad an amazing buildup for their relationship in the three seasons that they took to get together. At first, they connected in Season 1, but they did not get together due to Gina moving and Ricky’s rekindled relationship with Nini. It was incredibly earned when Ricky and Gina finally did get together.Ricky and Gina were perfect for each other, and they had many beautiful hints at their relationship, from their first meeting in the stairwell to their big mutual love confession in the series finale.
High School Musical: The Musical: The Series
Watch on Disney+
4Joey and Pacey
‘Dawson’s Creek’ (1998)
For the better part of the beginning ofDawson’s Creek, Joey Potter and Pacey Witter barely tolerated each other. As Dawson Leery’s two best friends, they spent a lot of time together, but they did so reluctantly. There was one moment in Season 1 where they spent time one-on-one and Pacey kissed Joey, but she rejected him. That was it on them for a while.
At the beginning of Season 3ofDawson’s Creek, though, everything shifted. Dawson asked Pacey to look out for Joey in his place, and a really beautiful friendship developed. Pacey and Joey became very close, with him pining after her for a significant part of the season.They had a wonderful and surprising first kiss, but were kept apart by Dawson, before finally getting together.Although their relationship was on and off in the later seasons, the buildup to Joey and Pacey was amazing.
Dawson’s Creek
3Midge and Lenny
‘The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’ (2017)
For fans ofThe Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, it was looking for a long time like Midge Maisel and Lenny Bruce would never happen. There were many odds against them, such as the fact that Lenny not entirely fictional, that he was never a main character on the show, and that Midge and Joel kept coming back to each other. And yet, in the Season 4 finale, the show finally went there with Midge and Lenny.
Midge and Lenny were absolutely perfect for each other.They had the same sense of humor, were always rooting for each other, and just got each other. They supported each other at each of their respective highs and lows. Although Midge and Lenny sadly did not end up together, they still had one episode together before Lenny ultimately moved away. Additionally, there was a beautiful flashback scene of themin the show’s series finale, cementing their relationship as something special.
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
2Tim and Lucy
‘The Rookie’ (2018)
At the start ofThe Rookie, Lucy Chen was just a rookie, and Tim Bradford was her T.O. However, as they spent more and more time working together, Tim and Lucy developed a very close friendship. They both supported each other through difficult and scary moments and celebrated each other’s wins.
For a long time, it was very obvious that there was something there between Tim and Lucy, but it was unclear if the show would ever go there.They had many close moments, from dancing together to a very awkward double date, to having their first kiss as practice for going undercover.It was amazing when Tim and Lucy finally got together, and even though they are sadly broken up right now, itwill hopefully not stay that way.
The Rookie
1Luke and Lorelai
‘Gilmore Girls’ (2000)
Gilmore Girlshad many great romances, but there was nothing on the same level as the slow-burn romance of Lorelai Gilmore and Luke Danes. At the beginning of the series, Luke was just the diner owner and friend of Lorelai as she lived her life and had other romances. However, there was always an amazing connection between the two of them.
Luke and Lorelai’s romance was the ultimate slow-burn, and it was truly decades in the making.Luke fell in love with Lorelai the day they met, and kept the horoscope that she had written on in his wallet ever since.He gave the whole diner free coffee when she called off her engagement with Max. Luke and Lorelai getting together at the opening of the Dragonfly Inn was amazing,as was their relationship. It really was worth the wait.
