Recently, we asked the BuzzFeed Community to tell us their absolute favorite slow burn romances on TV, and they delivered. Here are some of the best responses:
Warning: In order to show some of their very best scenes, there are MASSIVE spoilers in the photos below!
1. First, Lorelai Gilmore and Luke Danes from Gilmore Girls
"Luke and Lorelai FINALLY GETTING TOGETHER made me so happy. It took way too long, but at least, it happened."
—supernerdanfgeek
Total number of Gilmore Girls episodes before they shared a kiss : 86
Netflix 2. Jess Day and Nick Miller from New Girl
"100% Nick and Jess. When he pulls her in and finally kisses her, then says, 'I meant something like that.' I ugly screeched at the TV."
—vhannah0750
Total number of New Girl episodes before they shared a kiss : 39
Fox 3. Damon Salvatore and Elena Gilbert from The Vampire Diaries
"They had chemistry since they met. It took them forever to get together. They went through so much that got in the way of their relationship, so when they finally got together, I was so excited my jaw was dropped for, like, 10 minutes. I was like, 'FINALLY.'"
—peynor
Total number of TVD episodes before they shared that steamy motel kiss* : 63
*Yes, they kissed twice before this, but this was THE moment set to Florence + the Machine.
The CW 4. Temperance "Bones" Brennan and Seeley Booth from Bones
"Oh my god, that was incredible!"
—ruchav
Total number of Bones episodes before they shared their first REAL kiss*: 100
*Yes, they kissed in Season 3 under the mistletoe, but this was THE moment.
Fox 5. Rick Grimes and Michonne from The Walking Dead
"It was great because it wasn't set up or teased. They were just two very good friends who, at the end of an episode, found comfort in each other's company. It wasn't sensationalistic and didn't feel like a ratings move — they felt like two real people who were ready to open up to each other and try something new."
—guyincognito
Total number of TWD episodes before they shared their first kiss (and slept together): 77
AMC 6. Adora and Catra from She-Ra and the Princesses of Power
Suggested by: fluffylavenderlemon
Total number of She-Ra episodes before they finally admitted their feelings for each other: 52
Netflix 7. Midge Maisel and Lenny Bruce from The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
"Lenny and Midge, especially because it was never supposed to be a romance in the first place, but their absolutely ridiculous levels of chemistry were too much to ignore. I still get giddy watching them dance in Miami or finally get together in the blue room!"
—jennyinoz45
Total number of Maisel episodes before they finally kissed and slept together: 34
Prime Video 8. Rhaenyra Targaryen and Daemon Targaryen from House of the Dragon
"I’m sorry, but Daemon and Rhaenyra from House of the Dragon . It’s so wrong but feels so right!"
—xeniagreenstein
Total number of HOTD episodes before they were officially married: Seven
HBO 9. Niles Crane and Daphne Moon from Frasier
"David Hyde Pierce and Jane Leeves had amazing chemistry. Niles was so smitten with her from the very beginning but so uptight that he wouldn’t leave Maris. When they finally got together, it was so satisfying!"
—sondere
Total number of Frasier episodes before they shared a kiss: 168
NBC 10. Lucifer Morningstar and Chloe Decker from Lucifer
"She was pretty much the only woman on Earth able to resist his charms. And the devil doesn't normally fall in love. But they were meant to be, so when they finally got together, whew boy, super hot!"
—shauna_malwae-tweep
Total number of Lucifer episodes before they shared THAT kiss on the beach: 24
Netflix 11. Stede Bonnet and Edward "Ed" Teach/Blackbeard from Our Flag Means Death
"I have never loved a TV couple so much; the slow burn and the way they helped each other learn and grow was spectacular."
—gretchenmarkowski
Total number of Our Flag Means Death episodes before they finally admitted they have feelings for each other: Nine
HBO Max 12. Janine Teagues and Gregory Eddie from Abbott Elementary
"Love, love, LOVE watching the slow burn of Janine and Gregory! I know I'll scream when they get together."
—thousandisland
Total number of Abbott episodes before they shared their first kiss: STILL WAITING
ABC 13. Leslie Knope and Ben Wyatt from Parks and Recreation
"They started out as adversaries, with Ben trying to cut Pawnee's budget and Leslie trying to save it. But then, working together led to mutual respect, which turned into true love! Best couple ever."
—mollymcduck
Total number of Parks and Rec episodes before they kissed for the first time: 44
NBC 14. Fleabag and The Hot Priest from Fleabag
"What they had in that second season was magical, deep, and heart-aching. The ending was absolute perfection."
—ruemclanahan
Total number of Fleabag Season 2 episodes before they finally acted on their sexual tension: Four
Prime Video 15. Kim Possible and Ron Stoppable from Kim Possible
"I waited YEARS of my childhood for that coupling to finally happen, and I even got to the point where I gave up on their relationship entirely. I have to thank the Disney Channel writers for ultimately fulfilling my wish!"
—hiitsnicetomeetyou
Total number of Kim Possible episodes before they kissed at the school dance: 65
Disney Channel 16. Josh Lyman and Donna Moss from The West Wing
"They didn’t even kiss until the final season, but when they finally did, I fully SCREAMED!"
—awest04
Total number of West Wing episodes before they finally — FINALLY — kissed: 145
NBC 17. Jake Peralta and Amy Santiago from Brooklyn Nine-Nine
"They had hands down one of the best sitcom romances I have ever seen. When Jake proposed to Amy during the Halloween heist, I was literally giggling and kicking my feet!"
—sure_bea
Total number of B99 episodes before they shared their adorable first kiss: 45
NBC 18. Hannibal Lecter and Will Graham from Hannibal
Suggested by: wildwolffree17
Total number of Hannibal episodes before there was an ~official~ hint of a romantic relationship*: 39
*The show getting cancelled before this duo becoming a couple still hurts.
NBC 19. Haley Dunphy and Andy Bailey from Modern Family
"Andy was such a goofy and kindhearted guy, and against shallow and self-involved Haley, the whole 'opposites attract' thing was done so incredibly well. Their chemistry was clear from the start, but watching their friendship slowly grow while still having the sexual tension building underneath made their first kiss really satisfying. Such a good slow burn."
—katcloud
Total number of Modern Family episodes before they shared THAT passionate kiss in the house*: 151
*Yes, they kissed once before, but this was THE kiss, you know?!
ABC 20. Oliver Queen and Felicity Smoak from Arrow
"I loved them together, but I thought that it would never happen because in the Green Arrow comics, Oliver and Laurel are always the main love interests. I bet the casting department had no idea that the chemistry between Stephen Amell and Emily Bett Rickards was going to be so strong. The series seemed to have started out following the comic book with tension between Oliver and Laurel, but I love that the show decided to change gears with Felicity when they recognized the actors' chemistry."
—emberdahlia
Total number of Arrow episodes before their first kiss: 47
The CW 21. Beth Boland and Rio from Good Girls
Suggested by: spongybob16
Total number of Good Girls episodes before they finally acted on their sexual chemistry: 19
NBC 22. David Rose and Patrick Brewer from Schitt's Creek
"I rewatch the episode with David's birthday more than I would like to admit!"
—k402e21627
Total number of Schitt's Creek episodes before they shared their first kiss: 39
Pop / CBC 23. Joyce Byers and Jim Hopper from Stranger Things
"After seasons of pining and sexual tension, the Hopper and Joyce kiss in Season 4 was seriously worth the wait. Honestly, their reunion hug in Russia was already too much for me to handle that by the time they were making out I was losing my damn mind. So much so that I couldn't even think of how long it was since Hopper brushed his teeth…"
—jenniferabidor
Total number of Stranger Things episodes before they FINALLY kissed for the first time: 34
Netflix 24. Chuck Bartowski and Sarah Walker from Chuck
"There were so many moments where we thought it was gonna happen, and they were fake dating the whole time, so when they finally actually got together, it was so satisfying!"
—mariatessa
Total number of Chuck episodes before they have the "do you love me?" kiss: 48
NBC 25. Leo Fitz and Jemma Simmons from Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
"I have recently been rewatching Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., and I love FitzSimmons! They went from being roommates to partners at their work and then all the way to getting married! I know they've had a few bumps along the way, like being separated at the end of Season 1 and Simmons being trapped on an alien planet for months, but I just love them so much!"
—fuzzywuzzykoala
Total number of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. episodes before they had this kiss in the lab: 52
ABC / Marvel 26. Veronica Mars and Logan Echolls from Veronica Mars
"The ULTIMATE enemies-to-lovers trope. Their chemistry was so intense even in the first episodes, and their first kiss had me cheering. Let’s not talk about Season 4, though..."
—ej_orenji
Total number of Veronica Mars episodes before they shared their first kiss: 18
Warner Bros 27. Amy Sosa and Jonah Simms from Superstore
"I’ve watched the series dozens of times, and the ending of the town hall episode STILL makes me want to scream out of relief and shock."
—f4bul0u5
Total number of Superstore episodes before the memorable tornado kiss: 33
NBC 28. Eve and Villanelle from Killing Eve
"This is a more recent slow burn couple with so much sexual tension that I literally can't stop thinking about. I think Sandra Oh and Jodie Comer have some of the best chemistry on TV, and it really helped make the Eve and Villanelle relationship so good and so satisfying. Let's just not talk about the end, okay?"
—noradominick
Total number of Killing Eve episodes before they shared their first kiss on the bus*: 19
*You know, before Eve head-butted Villanelle, LOL.
BBC America 29. Fran Fine and Maxwell Sheffield from The Nanny
"Hands down Fran Fine and Maxwell Sheffield. The tension remained for the entire series. It was so well done, and I haven’t seen a will-they-won’t-they work as well since."
—ljlwagner88
Total number of The Nanny episodes Mr. Sheffield declares his feelings for Fran: 75
CBS 30. Shawn Spencer and Juliet "Jules" O'Hara from Psych
"The tension was there from day one, but it was such a good slow burn."
—tashakaye96
Total number of Psych episodes before they kissed: 72
USA Network 31. Emma Swan and Killian Jones from Once Upon a Time
"Their chemistry was amazing, and I loved all of their banter. All of their kisses were so swoon-worthy!"
—alysaurus688
Total number of OUAT episodes before their first kiss in Neverland: 49
ABC 32. Dana Scully and Fox Mulder from The X-Files
"The answer has to be Mulder and Scully. They had astronomical levels of chemistry since day one, and they perfectly complemented each other. Everyone around them always mistook them for a couple because to anyone with eyes, they revolved around each other. After several almost kisses and love confessions that used everything but the word 'love,' they finally got together after seven seasons. The tension was wild, and the journey was so worth it. (We don’t talk about the revival seasons.)"
—annahill95
Total number of The X-Files episodes before they shared the iconic New Year's Eve kiss: 143
Fox 33. And finally, Jim Halpert and Pam Beesly from The Office
"When they FINALLY got together, it was so satisfying! And unlike other shows that tend to lose steam once the main love interests get together, The Office just seemed to get better after they got together. They really did pull the whole show together."
—emberdahlia
Total number of The Office episodes before Jim confessed his feelings to Pam: 28
NBC Okay, we can't fit everyone into one post, so which other slow burn TV couples are the very best, and why? Tell us in the comments below!
Some submissions have been edited for length and/or clarity .