Dickinson: Every Romance On The Apple TV+ Show, Ranked

It may still be a relatively new streaming service but Apple TV+ already has several fantastic shows. From Ted Lasso to For All Mankind, they’re firing on all cylinders and that’s before even discussing Dickinson. There are many reasons why this comedic take on the life of famed poet Emily Dickinson works and one of them is the romantic storylines.

The series sees its main characters couple up in some interesting ways. Some are married, others are in forbidden romances, and not all of them are good for the people involved. Regardless, they’re all pretty entertaining to see unfold.

10 Emily Dickinson & Sam Bowles

The love life of Emily Dickinson (Hailee Steinfeld) is a complicated one in this series. She has had several suitors but was quickly smitten with newcomer in season 2, Samuel Bowles (Finn Jones). He gravitated towards Emily for her writing skills and published her work in his newspaper.

While this seemed like it could be a decent romance at first, it became clear that Sam was shady. He often played mind games with Emily and manipulated her. On top of that, he was already married and carried on an affair with Emily’s best friend Sue.

9 Sam Bowles & Sue Gilbert

Speaking of the relationship between Sam Bowles and Sue Gilbert (Ella Hunt), it wasn’t revealed until near the end of season 2. In “I’m Nobody! Who are you?” Emily found herself invisible after her first poem was officially published.

She snuck around that day and entered the home of Sue and Austin, only to discover that Sue was hooking up with Sam. This was simply a case of Sam being someone who did this kind of thing regularly and Sue looking for an escape from her unhappy marriage and unresolved feelings for Emily.

8 Austin Dickinson & Sue Gilbert

That unhappy marriage was one that Sue seemed content with at first. When she wed Austin Dickinson (Adrian Blake Enscoe) in season 1, she liked him and was looking for a bond after most of her family members passed away. Things also looked good on the surface in season 2.

Sue was now a popular influencer and they had a lot of nice things. Alas, Austin was displeased with her spending and Sue hid a miscarriage from him. Austin’s constant desire to start a family went against what Sue wanted, causing further rifts that led both to look for romance elsewhere.

7 Austin Dickinson & Jane Humphrey

This was one that kind of felt like a surprise when it really gained traction but a closer look showed that it makes plenty of sense. Jane Humphrey (Gus Birney) is a popular girl who is somewhat mean to the main characters. Still, she made her feelings for Austin clear in season 1.

He ended up choosing Sue and Jane moved on as in season 2, it was revealed that she got married, had a baby, and then became a widow. When things went south with Sue, Austin started hanging out with Jane more and was there for her and her child. Their relationship will likely be explored further in season 3.

6 Henry Shipley & Lavinia Dickinson

Over time, Lavinia Dickinson (Anna Baryshnikov) has gone on to become a series favorite. She spent a lot of season 1 just wanting more out of life, including on a romantic level but put her focus on someone who wasn’t really right for her. The arrival of Henry Shipley (Pico Alexander) changed that somewhat.

Henry was a friend of Austin’s who stayed at the Dickinson residence and he had big plans for Lavinia, even getting engaged. Lavinia is a strong-willed independent woman, though, so she rejected the idea of being a simple housewife and wanted to explore her sexual desires further. There was potential here but Henry’s desire for a traditional relationship went against Lavinia’s wishes.

5 Emily Dickinson & George Gould

At the start of the series, it seemed like George Gould (Samuel Farnsworth) would play a big part in Emily’s life. He is the first person to try and help her get her poems published and he’s constantly there for her, whether it’s to cover for her sneaking out to college or take a trip to visit Henry David Thoreau with her.

The two even shared a kiss in “Wild nights” and George asked Emily’s father for her hand in marriage. Of course, doing that angered Emily and caused a rift in their potential romance. George learned from that and asked her outright to travel with him later but she declined. In another life or a world where there was no Sue, these two could’ve worked out.

4 Mr. & Mrs. Dickinson

In terms of successful relationships, you can’t really top Mr. and Mrs. Dickinson as they have a longstanding marriage. Things started rocky on the show as Mrs. Dickinson (Jane Krakowski) just wanted to be a doting housewife and wasn’t taken seriously by her husband (Toby Huss).

However, season 2 saw Mrs. Dickinson become a stronger woman who called out her husband on several occasions. She even got stuck in a hole with him purposely so they could talk things out. Mr. Dickinson ultimately heard her out and they became a stronger couple because of it.

3 Betty & Henry

Their last names aren’t known but Betty (Amanda Warren) and Henry (Chinaza Uche) are a very strong unit. The two African-Americans live a difficult life due to the era where the show takes place but they aren’t stuck as slaves. Henry is a hired hand for the Dickinsons, while Betty runs a dress shop.

As a couple, they didn’t get a lot of shine in season 1 but that changed in season 2. They were both part of making The Constellation newspaper into a thing and they stood by each other through some dangerous situations. Betty’s concern for their safety and future helped showcase their love for one another.

2 Ben Newton & Emily Dickinson

“A brief, but patient illness” was the episode after George asked for Emily’s hand in marriage. With that turning her away from him, she suddenly ran into Ben Newton (Matt Lauria) who was at her home to work as her father’s clerk. The two instantly hit it off and it was like Emily had found her person.

He also appreciated poetry and didn’t really want to get married. It made it so Emily was even willing to do domesticated things around the house for him out of love and not because it was an expected duty. Unfortunately, Ben died after the two were “anti-married,” causing their romance to end prematurely.

1 Emily Dickinson & Sue Gilbert

At the heart of the show is Emily and Sue’s love for each other. Though best friends on the surface, the two share a much more intimate relationship as they sleep with each other early on and show more affection for one another than anyone else in their lives.

This love causes issues for Sue’s marriage to Austin and was part of why Sue pushed Emily away in season 2. The beautiful poems that Emily wrote for her were too much to handle emotionally. Their argument and then hook up at the end of season 2 was one of the most passionate scenes you’ll see anywhere, further hammering home what this romance is like.

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