Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, and our hearts are aflutter thinking about the most romantic couplings on our favorite shows.
More specifically, we’re reminiscing about some of TV’s greatest LGBTQ+ relationships. These couples don’t just give us butterflies — they also provide much-needed representation to a group that doesn’t get to see themselves in characters very often.
These couples, fictional though they may be, are the definition of relationship goals.
As any TV fan knows, a good on-screen relationship needs several factors to work. The actors have to have chemistry, the characters have to have chemistry, and their relationship has to make sense in the context of the plot.
Sometimes, especially with LGBTQ+ pairings, it can feel like the writers just throw people together for the sake of a subplot, but those couples don’t tend to resonate with audiences.
One example of this is Alex and Piper from Orange is the New Black.
Their relationship was toxic, and fans hated them together, and their chemistry was lukewarm at best. Don’t worry, though; we’ve rounded up some of the sweetest LGBTQ+ couples to help you forget about the sour ones.
David and Patrick: Schitt’s Creek
David Rose and Patrick Brewer will always have a special place in our hearts. The purity and innocence in their relationship were unmatched.
Personality-wise, they couldn’t have been more different. David was loud and dramatic, over the top, and full of big feelings. On the other hand, Patrick was more tempered, logical, and level-headed.
The two complemented each other well, though, and the way they supported each other through various events (Patrick coming out to his parents, for example) was beautiful. And Schitt’s Creek gave us a world without homophobia, which was refreshing and made it easy to relax into the show.
We got to see the two of them grow together, with David pulling Patrick out of his shell and Patrick helping to ground David when he needed it.
Captain Holt and Kevin: Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Captain Holt was an out and proud Black gay police captain with a no-nonsense attitude and a heart of gold.
His husband Kevin Cozner was the severe and perfunctory professor whose love of the English language was only outmatched by his love of his husband and their corgi, Cheddar.
The two of them together were a breath of fresh air in a police comedy. Their relationship didn’t get the same amount of air time as some of the others on the show, but there were still several episodes dedicated to their love story and the challenges they faced.
We loved seeing them overcome difficult periods in their relationship and come out on top.
Amelia and Kai: Grey’s Anatomy
Amelia Shepherd is a complicated character on Grey’s Anatomy, the majority of whose history was actually explored in the show’s first spin-off, Private Practice.
Amelia’s been through the wringer with relationships and experienced a lot of loss, which is why we were so happy to see her find someone she really cared about.
Kai wasn’t Amelia’s first non-man crush, but they were her first relationship on the show that wasn’t with a man.
Kai, Grey’s Anatomy’s first major non-binary character, has struggled a bit with their relationship because they never wanted to have children, so it’s been hard getting used to Amelia’s son.
Maya and Carina: Station 19
Staying in the Grey’s Anatomy universe, Maya and Carina have developed their relationship in both shows at times. On Station 19, the two have been through a lot together.
During a particularly shaky time for Maya’s mental health, it was unclear whether they were going to make it, but their partnership was built on a strong foundation, and they found their way.
As Station 19 prepares to come to an end this year, fans are waiting with bated breath to find out what will happen with the Marina ship and whether they’ll be able to start the family they’re hoping for.
We can only hope that we’ll get to continue following their relationship on Grey’s Anatomy after Station 19 ends.
Bill and Frank: The Last of Us
The Last of Us gave us one of the most beautiful love stories we’ve ever seen in the span of one hour with characters that we’d never seen before and would never see again.
Bill and Frank’s entire story played out over the course of the episode, from the moment they meet to their tragic deaths, and this installment of the video game-turned-TV-phenomenon shook audiences around the world.
The unexpected gentleness of love so rich came even as a dark show full of loss and struggle was just getting on its feet. Bill and Frank drew in fans who hadn’t even seen the show before.
This insightful episode contributed to The Last of Us‘s eight Emmy wins, one of which went to Nick Offerman for his stunning performance as Bill.
Angel and Papi: Pose
Transgender representation is hard to find on television, but Angel was one of the good ones. Angel and Papi had a lot of complex issues to work through: Angel’s sobriety and Papi’s newly discovered son, for starters.
But despite their challenges, the lovebirds tie the knot in a beautiful ceremony, and we’re certain that they’ll make it.
For the LGBTQ+ community, Angel and Papi are particularly important because they show a cisgender, heterosexual man in love with a transgender woman and accepting her for exactly what she is: a woman. Papi doesn’t feel that his identity or masculinity is threatened, like others in Angel’s past.
This particular relationship was stunningly written to be raw and real, and we’re better for having gotten to witness it.
Are there any LGBTQ+ relationships on TV that you’re particularly fond of, or even ones you think missed the mark?
We’d love to hear from you!
Let us know in the comments which ships you can’t live without.
Haley Whitmire White is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. You can follow her on X.