Yahoo Lifestyle The 25 best romance shows to watch ahead of Valentine's Day
Love is universal, which is probably why it gets so much attention across film and television. While there are plenty of good romance movies out there, an exploration of the best television romances tends to get less consideration. But, TV can sometimes accomplish things that cinema cannot, like affording our favorite onscreen couples the ability to develop and nurture their relationships over the course of a season—and, when we’re lucky, seasons.
Whether you’re looking for a slow burn love story or a fiery romantasy, there are plenty of options to peruse before you dive into your next binge-watch. Ahead, find Harper’s Bazaar’s list of the 25 best romance TV shows of all time.
Like Water for Chocolate (2024)
More than three decades after the critically acclaimed film adaptation of Laura Esquivel’s 1989 novel hit theaters, the story has been adapted into a limited series. With Salma Hayek serving as the executive producer, the show reintroduces the epic romance between childhood sweethearts Tita (Azul Guaita) and Pedro (Andrés Baida) for a new generation. Tita is raised by Mama Elena (Irene Azuela), a bitter widow who refuses to let her youngest daughter marry. Pedro agrees to marry Tita’s older sister, Rosaura (Ana Valeria Becerril), in order to stay close to his first love, and the subsequent heartbreak drives Tita deeper into her cooking. Set amid the backdrop of the Mexican Revolution and combining elements of the supernatural with magical realism, Like Water for Chocolate is a rich, sensual, sentimental journey.
Normal People (2020)
Miscommunication tropes are never fun to watch, but the BBC's adaptation of Sally Rooney’s best-selling novel takes the storytelling device to a whole new level, exploring the ways that class differences and repressed insecurities can alienate people, even from the ones they love most. Paul Mescal and Daisy Edgar-Jones are mesmerising as Connell and Marianne, classmates who engage in a clandestine affair and later reconcile as young adults in university. As the two stumble through milestones, accomplishments, and other romantic relationships, they keep finding ways to come back to each other.
Bridgerton (2020—Present)
What says romance better than longing stares across a ballroom? Based on Julia Quinn’s Regency-era romance series, this Netflix rom-com show follows the titular Bridgerton family as its eight children enter London’s marriage market. Season one kicks off with Daphne (Phoebe Dynevor), the eldest Bridgerton daughter and the first of her sisters to make her debut into society. When the queen selects her as the “diamond of the season,” Daphne is all but guaranteed to have her pick of suitors. But first she’ll have to battle rumours published by the anonymous Lady Whistledown, escape the overbearing nature of her protective older brother, and untangle her complicated feelings for a mysterious and perpetually single duke.
Fleabag (2016—2019)
While season one mostly deals with the messy and unsightly sides of grief, season two—as our titular Fleabag instructs in the premiere episode—“is a love story.” The unnamed protagonist (brilliantly played by the show’s writer, Phoebe Waller-Bridge) is still learning how to rebuild her life and her business after the death of her best friend. But with the news that her widowed father is set to marry her godmother, Fleabag can’t help but feel drawn toward unexpected forces—namely, the priest who will officiate the wedding (Andrew Scott). Besides the forbidden romance at the center of season two, the show also ties a neat bow on Fleabag’s estranged relationship with her other true love: her uptight sister, Claire (Sian Clifford).
Outlander (2014—Present)
Claire (Caitriona Balfe) is a former World War II–era nurse attempting to revive her marriage with a honeymoon to Scotland. But when she ventures too close to an ancient circle of stones, she finds herself transported back in time to 1743, where she’s forced to marry a brave and stubborn Highlander soldier named Jamie (Sam Heughan). The show has as many swoon-worthy moments between Jamie and Claire as it does steamy scenes and historical cameos.
Daisy Jones & the Six (2023)
This one is for every Fleetwood Mac fan who is obsessed with Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham’s relationship. Indeed, the original Taylor Jenkins Reid novel was inspired by the band’s 1997 reunion performance of “Silver Springs,” a blistering breakup song that promises the haunting of a scorned lover. Similarly, Daisy Jones & the Six captures Nicks and Buckingham’s tumultuous relationship through Daisy (Riley Keough) and Billy (Sam Claflin), two ’70s-era rock stars battling addiction and industry pressures. While the two are clearly captivated by each other’s existence, there is one tiny problem: Billy is already married.
Pride and Prejudice (1995)
This faithful adaptation of Jane Austen’s 1813 novel follows the bumpy relationship between Elizabeth Bennet (Jennifer Ehle), the witty second-eldest daughter of a country gentleman, and Fitzwilliam Darcy (Colin Firth), the wealthy and seemingly haughty owner of the Pemberley estate. The two make hasty character judgments of each other after meeting at a ball, but those first impressions eventually lead them down a long and winding road of courtship. While the 2005 film adaptation of Pride and Prejudice gave us Mr. Darcy’s infamous hand flex, the 1995 limited series gave us Colin Firth stripping down to his undergarments before diving into a lake. And they say Jane Austen can’t be sexy.
Sex and the City (1998—2004)
Sex and the City’s ability to stand the test of time, emerging as arguably the most iconic romance show even decades after its premiere, is no small feat. That’s in large part due to the pithy and shrewd observations made by the show’s leading lady, Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker), a sex columnist with a serious dating problem. Armed with the support and tough love of her closest girlfriends, Carrie attempts to find true love with one man after another, in the process revealing the basest, most embarrassing, and oh-so-realistic sides to life as a hopeless romantic.
The Mindy Project (2012—2017)
Mindy Kaling resuscitated the art of the romantic comedy with this hilarious and quirky Hulu series. She stars as Mindy Lahiri, an obstetrician/gynecologist trying to find love in New York City. The ensemble is full of equally endearing and eccentric characters, from Jeremy (Ed Weeks), a handsome British doctor who manages their medical practice, to Danny (Chris Messina), a grumpy doctor with a secret heart of gold who just so happens to be Mindy’s frenemy.
Queen Charlotte (2023)
If you loved Bridgerton, then you’ll almost certainly love Queen Charlotte, a prequel limited series that follows the love story between Queen Charlotte (India Amarteifio) and King George (Corey Mylchreest). Loosely based on the real-life royal couple, the show begins with Charlotte attempting to escape her wedding to the British monarch, who she has yet to meet. While the two eventually develop a close bond, a mysterious secret keeps George from fully allowing Charlotte into his orbit.
Emily in Paris (2020—Present)
Emily in Paris is best enjoyed if you don’t think too hard about it. The show follows naively optimistic marketing executive, Emily Cooper (Lily Collins), as she uproots her life in Chicago to move to Paris. Despite not knowing how to speak French, Emily slips into an easy rhythm, overcoming inconceivable career challenges, mortifying social situations, and plausible culture shock with the bravado of a Disney Channel sitcom star. All in all, the Netflix rom-com is a glorious escape from reality, trotting out one ridiculous romantic plot line after another like a conveyor belt of confections.
The Summer I Turned Pretty (2022—Present)
Jenny Han’s young-adult romance novels come to life in this breezy Prime Video adaptation. Growing up, Isabel “Belly” Conklin (Lola Tung) spent every summer at Cousins Beach, a Cape Cod–esque town full of picturesque shorelines, hydrangea-trimmed mansions, and rich teenagers. The summer she turns 16, Belly at last confronts her lifelong crush on Conrad (Christopher Briney), the son of her mother’s best friend. But her confusing feelings for Conrad’s younger brother, Jeremiah (Gavin Casalegno), and the pressures of the country club’s upcoming deb ball complicate their relationship.
Scandal (2012—2018)
Scandal may be a political thriller about a former White House communications director, but it’s also a cautionary tale about the intoxicating power of illicit love. Starring Kerry Washington and Tony Goldwyn, the show follows Olivia Pope as she heads her own crisis-management firm after leaving her cushy job at the White House. As she develops a roster of powerful clients, Olivia still can’t help but be drawn back to Fitzgerald Grant, her former (married) boss, who just so happens to be the president of the United States.
Heartstopper (2022—Present)
In this heartwarming coming-of-age story, British classmates Charlie (Joe Locke) and Nick (Kit Connor) develop an unexpected romance at their all-boys school. While the show deals with timely and relatable issues, like teenagers learning how to come to terms with their own sexuality, it also dives into broader themes about friendship, belonging, and acceptance.
Lovesick (2014—2018)
This screwball rom-com series (which was thankfully renamed from its original title, Scrotal Recall) revolves around a group of close-knit university friends who are living together in Glasgow. After being diagnosed with chlamydia, Dylan (Johnny Flynn) goes through the slightly humiliating ritual of reconnecting with all of his past flames in order to notify them of the potential hazard to their health. In the process, he begins to dissect his own messy feelings for his engaged best friend, Evie (Antonia Thomas), who—unbeknownst to Dylan—used to secretly be in love with him.
Crash Landing on You (2019—2020)
Nothing executes romance quite like Korean television. Chief among the romantic K-dramas is Crash Landing on You, which follows South Korean CEO and heiress Yoon Se-ri (Son Ye-jin) after she accidentally paraglides and lands across the demilitarized zone of North Korea. There, she meets Ri Jeong-hyeok (Hyun Bin), an emotionally guarded captain of the Korean People’s Army. He agrees to help Se-ri return home to South Korea, a promise that becomes harder to accomplish as his feelings for her grow.
Gilmore Girls (2000—2007)
The show may be called Gilmore Girls, but what would this seminal piece of 2000s-era television be without its boys? Set in the eccentric but charming small town of Stars Hollow, the show tracks the lives and relationships of mother-and-daughter duo Lorelai and Rory Gilmore—played flawlessly by Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel, respectively. Rory’s carousel of boyfriends is a mainstay of fandom debate, splitting viewers into camps that pledge devotion to this or that hero. And while Lorelai also has her fair share of boyfriends through the show’s seven seasons, it’s her slow-burn romance with Luke (Scott Paterson), Stars Hollow’s grumpy diner owner, that pulses as Gilmore Girls’s beating heart.
One Day (2024)
If you’re in the mood for a Normal People–esque slow burn, then be sure to try One Day. Following up a 2011 film adaptation, Netflix turned David Nicholls’s 2009 novel into a tear-jerking limited series. Chemistry sparks off of costars Ambika Mod and Leo Woodall, who play former classmates turned best friends turned lovers Emma Morley and Dexter Mayhew. Each episode of the show depicts the same date, July 15, in different years throughout a 14-year period, following the duo through life changes, romantic relationships, and petty grievances.
Insecure (2016—2021)
Based on Issa Rae’s viral web series, The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl, Insecure revolves around Issa (played by Rae), a 29-year-old nonprofit worker who finds herself dissatisfied with her job and relationship. While the first episode may seem to spell doom for Issa’s unemployed boyfriend, Lawrence (Jay Ellis), the pair’s relationship continues to unfold and reignite in unexpected ways over the course of five seasons.
Never Have I Ever (2020—2023)
Mindy Kaling whipped together some of her tried-and-true ingredients from The Mindy Project to concoct a similarly addictive television recipe for young adults. Based on Kaling’s own childhood experiences, Never Have I Ever is similarly charming and wacky, following the trials and tribulations of 15-year-old Devi Vishwakumar (Maitreyi Ramakrishnan), who is determined to get a boyfriend in her second year of high school. While her run-ins with love interests Paxton Hall-Yoshida (Darren Barnet) and Ben Gross (Jaren Lewison) are cute and endearing, it’s Devi’s troubled relationship with her mother and reminiscences of her late father that secure the show’s spot as one of the best coming-of-age arcs in television history.
Sex Education (2019—2023)
Otis (Asa Butterfield) is a socially awkward teen with a weird relationship with sex—a relationship that’s only inflamed by the invasive practices of his mom, Jean (Gillian Anderson), a brilliant sex therapist. But when Otis accidentally ends up therapising his fellow classmate through an awkward penile predicament, he and his friends, Eric (Ncuti Gatwa) and Maeve (Emma Mackey), realize there’s a gap that he can fill within his woefully misinformed student body. Thus, the student-run sex clinic opens.
The Great (2020—2023)
The Great is sort of an anti-romance show, given that the two main characters, Catherine (Elle Fanning) and Peter (Nicholas Hoult), spend a lot of their airtime trying to kill each other. This hilarious Channel 4 series depicts a fictitious version of Catherine the Great’s ascent to power as the empress of Russia. While historical evidence shows that the real-life Catherine viewed her husband as vulgar and dim-witted, The Great takes creative liberties, showing how the couple evolved from embittered foes to devoted partners in crime. Overall, the series is a wild roller coaster, interspersing moments of sincere tenderness with casual debauchery and violence.
Anne With an E (2017—2019)
Anne With an E introduces a new generation of TV lovers to Lucy Maud Montgomery’s coming-of-age novel Anne of Green Gables. Anne Shirley (Amybeth McNulty) is a 13-year-old orphan who is taken in by elderly siblings Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert (Geraldine James and R. H. Thomson). The Cuthberts live modestly, a lifestyle that continuously grates against Anne’s penchant for fantasy and adventure. Sometimes struggling to fit in with her peers, Anne develops a unique bond with her charming classmate and occasional frenemy, Gilbert Blythe (Lucas Jade Zumann).
Nobody Wants This (2024—Present)
Joanne (Kristen Bell) is an agnostic who runs a sex and dating podcast. Noah (Adam Brody) is a rabbi who recently became single. On paper, they would never work—but that doesn’t stop Joanne and Noah from falling madly in love with each other anyway. Unfortunately, feelings aren’t enough to make a relationship succeed, and Noah’s intention of marrying a Jewish woman leads Joanne down an unexpected path.
Modern Love (2019—2021)
This Amazon Prime Video series is based on a weekly New York Times column of the same name, which presents different stories centering on love, set against the backdrop of New York City. The anthology format allows for episodic, star-studded ensembles, including the likes of Anne Hathaway, Dev Patel, Tina Fey, Julia Garner, and Ed Sheeran.
You Might Also Like
