10 Slow-Burn Romances On TV That Took Forever

Many television shows take forever for some couples to finally confess their feelings, kiss, and enter a relationship. Fans “ship” the characters long before the couples realize they are meant for each other. However, this can be an agonizing wait for viewers.

Known as “slow-burn” romances, these TV couples take a long time to finally start dating. They may flirt or deny their feelings for several seasons, but fans could easily tell how they belonged together. Take a look at 10 of the best slow-burn romances in TV history. These couples may have waited a long time, but at least it was satisfying when they finally got together.

10 Josh & Donna (The West Wing)

The best TV relationships stem from couples who banter with each other. In The West Wing, this describes Josh Lyman (Bradley Whitford) and Donna Moss (Janel Moloney). From the beginning of the show, they bicker while they work together. During these banters, it’s obvious they have electric chemistry.

Over time, the two genuinely care about each other. There are several moments where it seems like they will finally get together, including when Donna visits Josh after he is shot in the show’s second season. Fans rooted for them and it took them forever (seven seasons, to be exact) to finally kiss, sleep together, and suggest they will be a couple forever.

9 Jake & Amy (Brooklyn Nine-Nine)

In Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Jake Peralta (Andy Samberg) and Amy Santiago (Melissa Fumero) balance each other out. While they’re rivals at first, fans hoped their playful banter would develop into a relationship.

Eventually, their rivalry turns into a friendship, but they frequently flirt with each other. At the start of the third season, they begin a relationship. After failed relationships with other characters, fans waited to see their favorite characters start dating. Once they’re committed to each other, Jake and Amy have a healthy relationship that eventually leads to their marriage.

8 Steve & Laura (Family Matters)

From the beginning of Family Matters, Steve Urkel (Jaleel White) has a crush on Laura Winslow (Kelly Shanygne Williams). Unfortunately, she doesn’t share the same feelings. Instead, he’s too annoying. However, audiences suspected (and hoped) the two would eventually fall in love.

In the fifth season, the show shifts in a fantastical direction when Steve transforms his DNA to have a “cool” alter-ego, known as Stefan Urquelle. Laura is attracted to him, but she’s unsure if she should date him. It isn’t until the ninth season when Laura realizes she loves Steve for who he has always been, not his alter-ego. Steve finally gets the girl of his dreams.

7 Damon & Elena (The Vampire Diaries)

Many couples from The Vampire Diaries took forever to get together, including Stefan and Caroline and Bonnie and Enzo. However, the relationship between Damon Salvatore (Ian Somerhalder) and Elena Gilbert (Nina Dobrev) is an iconic (albeit controversial) romance.

Damon and Elena are, originally, enemies. At first, she’s dating Stefan (Paul Wesley), Damon’s younger brother. Damon soon develops a crush on Elena, but she doesn’t reciprocate the feelings, even though she always sees the good in him. Fans waited for the two to kiss in the second season and then officially get together in the show’s season four finale. They ultimately gave in to the passion that fans always saw, and it was rewarding to the devoted “Delena” fans.

6 Pacey & Joey (Dawson’s Creek)

Dawson’s Creek has one of the best love triangles in TV history: Dawson Leery (James Van Der Beek), Pacey Witter (Joshua Jackson), and Joey Potter (Katie Holmes). For years, fans constantly argued about which young man Joey should date. However, most audience viewers cheered for Pacey and Joey when they finally kissed in the show’s third season.

As teenagers, they bicker, and they don’t show any signs of having romantic feelings. However, like most relationships, once they start spending alone time together, they realize they might love each other after all. Their relationship has many ups and downs, but overall, no one can deny they’re perfect for each other. Their love story helped boost ratings for the show. It was an exciting storyline and fans couldn’t get enough of it.

5 Alison & Emily (Pretty Little Liars)

In Pretty Little Liars, Emily Fields (Shay Mitchell) has always had romantic feelings for Alison DiLaurentis (Sasha Pieterse). Emily protects and defends her, but Alison constantly manipulates and plays with Emily’s feelings. This is partly because Alison is afraid to admit that she loves her.

After an agonizing wait, Alison and Emily finally kiss in the show’s fifth season. Afterward, Alison still tries to deny the growing relationship. Years later, in the seventh season, neither of them could deny their attraction. They become a couple and every fan who “shipped” their relationship rejoiced. They waited seven long, intense seasons for Alison and Emily to finally get together.

4 Fran & Maxwell (The Nanny)

From the first season of The Nanny, it was obvious that Fran Fine (Fran Drescher) and Maxwell Sheffield (Charles Shaughnessy) are attracted to each other. They have so much sexual tension, but Maxwell is always afraid to make the first move. This becomes a running gag, contributed by Maxwell’s butler, Niles (Daniel Davis).

Week after week, fans (and Niles) shouted, “Just get together already!” On numerous occasions, Maxwell admits that he loves Fran, but he takes back the confession. Finally, in the show’s fifth season, he tells her that he loves her, and this time, he truly means it. For many viewers, the “slow-burn” romance is the best part of the show. In fact, after Fran and Maxwell get married, the show loses its spark. Instead, fans prefer the flirtation.

3 Sam & Diane (Cheers)

In Cheers, everything changes when Diane Chambers (Shelley Long) walks into Sam Malone’s (Ted Danson) bar on her way to her wedding. After being ditched by her fiancé, Sam feels sorry for Diane, offering her a job. This was only the beginning of one of television’s most agonizing “will they or won’t they” romances.

Sam and Diane have so much tension. During the first five seasons, they fight, flirt, even kiss and consummate their feelings. However, they’re never “together,” which drove fans crazy. Finally, they decide they want to get married in the season five finale, “I Do, Adieu.” Fans were excited, but it didn’t last long. They didn’t move forward with their wedding and Diane leaves Sam and the bar to become a writer. It was a disappointing conclusion.

2 David & Maddie (Moonlighting)

Moonlighting might be one of the more forgotten shows of the 1980s, but it had a memorable relationship: the romance between David Addison, Jr. (Bruce Willis) and Maddie Hayes (Cybill Shepherd). As private detectives, there is a lot of mystery in the show, but fans were mostly invested in David and Maddie’s friendship.

Viewers knew they belonged together. It’s not until the end of the third season when Maddie views David as more than a friend. In “I Am Curious…Maddie,” the two finally got together, resulting in the show’s highest-rated episode. However, after the episode, the show lost ratings because fans had already witnessed David and Maddie’s romance. This incident has now become known as the “Moonlighting curse” for TV shows. Now, people wonder: Is it worth it to have “slow-burn” romances?

1 Luke & Lorelai (Gilmore Girls)

Since the beginning of Gilmore Girls, Luke Danes (Scott Patterson) is in love with Lorelai Gilmore (Lauren Graham). As the owner of Luke’s Diner, he’s an important person in her life. She can always rely on him. They banter, offer advice, and Lorelai feels like she can talk to Luke about anything. Fans (and the rest of Stars Hollow) knew Luke and Lorelai had undeniable chemistry, but Luke was always afraid to confess his feelings.

In the season four finale, “Raincoats and Recipes,” Luke and Lorelai finally kiss. Before kissing her, he famously says, “Would you just stand still?” It’s one of the best “first kisses” in TV history, and fans cheered during the entire scene.

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