Ranking | The seven best couples in movies and TV

With the best holiday rapidly approaching, what better way is there to celebrate love than to cozy up and discuss the best movie and TV romances of all time and what they teach us? As a movie and TV show connoisseur, one of my absolute favorite elements of storytelling is romance, and as hard as it was, I believe I’ve successfully narrowed it down. 

7 | Clarke and Lexa from “The 100” 

As messy as this TV show can get, one of the few grounding elements is the relationships — specifically the romance between Clarke (Eliza Taylor) and Lexa (Alycia Debnam-Carey). As leaders of their respective clans, they are constantly weighing the options in this post-apocalyptic, war-torn earth. What’s so beautiful about this relationship is that they balance each other in a world that doesn’t have much balance. With Clarke acting as the heart and Lexa as the head, the two not only give their people what they need but also complete each other. 

6 | Steve Rogers and Peggy Carter from “Captain America: The First Avenger” 

The whole beauty of this relationship is that they are torn apart by war and time, and in the end, they’re still able to find their way back to each other and have a life together. Steve (Chris Evans) holds onto his love for her for almost 90 years of separation — as his lifespan is much longer than the average man — and eventually travels back to the 1940s to be with her. 

5 | Nathan and Haley from “One Tree Hill” 

Of course, this article wouldn’t be complete without possibly the most iconic couple from early 2000s TV. I mean, what’s more iconic than getting married at 17, having a kid and then living the rest of their lives together as a famous singer and an NBA basketball player? This one might be the most unrealistic of them all, but the depth of their love couldn’t be more real. Nathan (James Lafferty) and Haley (Bethany Joy Lenz) have quite literally been through it all together, from their scandalous teenage pregnancy to their child’s psychotic nanny. No matter what they face, their thoughts and concerns are only on one another and their children. Their relationship proves to be unconventional from the start when the star basketball player falls in love with the tutor girl. From there, it’s history. Their relationship is driven not only by their love for each other but also by their encouragement of one another. They push each other to be better and support each other in reaching their dreams, which is essential and beautiful to see in a relationship. 

4 | Jack and Rose from “Titanic” 

As cliché as it is, no romance ranking would be worth reading if Jack (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Rose (Kate Winslet) weren’t on it. It’s a classic. The reason I believe this is such an inspirational love story is that they’re only focused on each other, and their love is strong enough to ignore society’s standards and expectations. They’re able to laugh and love when they’re together, despite the scandal of it all. Coming from two very different childhoods and different socio-economic statuses that aren’t supposed to love — or in this case even interact — they push these societal notions aside and recognize the happiness they find with each other. There’s also beauty in what they give each other. Rose gives Jack a sense of belonging and sees him for who he is, not what he has, and Jack gives Rose a sense of freedom and choice. I think being able to give each other what the other needs and being able to see each other for who they are is so significant, especially in the time period that the movie takes place. I also think it can be a message for all of us to find someone who truly sees us. 

3 | Shane and Ilya from “Heated Rivalry”

Obviously, these beauties need to be included in this list. Not only is this relationship one of the most popular recently, but it is also one of the most raw, intimate experiences in television. There are so many elements that make this relationship inspirational and magnificent while also being realistic. I think the biggest value we can learn from this relationship is to never be burdened by the idea of who you love. Romantic love is a rare thing to find in this world, so when you finally find that person, it’s OK to be yourself and love them with everything you have, despite societal expectations. 

2 | Joe and Susan from “Meet Joe Black”

I’ll hype this movie up any chance I get because I believe it’s one of the greatest movies of all time, and this movie wouldn’t be complete without the romance. “Meet Joe Black” is a complex story of Death taking human form and requiring the escort of Bill Parrish (Anthony Hopkins), whom he recruits to give him a tour of life. As Joe (Brad Pitt) explores what it means to live, he meets Susan (Claire Forlani), Bill’s daughter, and they become enthralled in a life-changing love. One of the main qualities to admire about Joe and Susan’s love is the message it leaves us with, which is something best conveyed by Bill Parrish himself, who says that “to make the journey and not fall deeply in love, well, you haven’t lived a life at all. But you have to try, cause if you haven’t tried, you haven’t lived.” What makes Susan and Joe’s love so wonderful is that they show each other what it is really like to live. 

1 | Noah and Allie from “The Notebook”

As basic as it may be in terms of ranking, it’s “The Notebook,” and it’s a classic. The love Noah (Ryan Gosling) and Allie (Rachel McAdams) have for each other is one of the most real loves in his world. It is a little unrealistic in the sense that he sent her a letter every day for a year and built a whole house for her, but it’s important to shrink those down into small gestures and examine the relationship at a closer level. It’s not about Noah building Allie a house — it’s about him listening and understanding and supporting her in every part of her life. I think people should do small deeds for each other to show their love. I think people should write love letters to each other every once in a while. I think people should fight like Noah and Allie, and I think they should forgive each other and look past their disagreements. I think people should be completely and utterly consumed by their love. 

While all of these relationships are beautiful in different ways, they all have something in common. They’re all flawed. Nothing in life is perfect, and love definitely is not. However, we also see in these relationships that these couples work together to overcome obstacles and overlook their flaws. They turn away from the outside world and focus on their own little worlds that are right in front of them. They focus on their love. 

Abby Breidenbach is a sophomore on the pre-law track with a law, criminal justice and society major and a minor in creative writing. She loves writing, reading, watching movies and passionately speaking about her loves and interests. If you’d like to chat, email Abby at aeb281@pitt.edu.