TV from the 1980s was filled with couples who sizzled. The banter was witty and the romance was sweet.
Whether the relationship was filled with teenaged angst, will they or won’t they anticipation or married couples working to keep that spark, we couldn’t wait to tune in every week to see them.
Which of these throwback TV couples from the 1980s was your favorite?
Dave and Maddie – Moonlighting Yes, the shoulder pads were huge but the couple was so hot they smoldered. Dave and Maddie lit up the screen as they volleyed banter back and forth. Moonlighting was quirky fun with characters that frequently breeched the 4th wall to poke fun at their own show. We choose to remember the amazing chemistry of the show in it’s heyday rather than the painful way the series ended.
Lee and Amanda – Scarecrow and Mrs. King Running from the bad guys, Secret agent Lee Stetson, code named Scarecrow, desperately implored recently divorced mom Amanda King to give his package to the man in the red hat on train. Thus an unlikely partnership and eventual romance bloomed. Scarecrow and Mrs. King was wonderfully sweet ‘80s fun. Just hearing the opening theme music still makes us smile.
Luke and Laura – General Hospital After many trials and tribulations, the 1980’s most popular soap super couple were first pronounced husband and wife in 1981. Although a lot happened between them both before and since, this is the moment that fans would never forget.
Sam and Diane – Cheers The passion radiating between brainy waitress Diane and her womanizing boss, Sam was so hot that it seemed inevitable they’d end up in the bedroom. Every moment of their relationship involved a hilarious dance between love and hate.
Gary and Valene – Knots Landing Valene met Gary when she was only a teenager working at a diner. They fell in love almost instantly and got married a mere three days later. Unfortunately, Gary’s drinking and his meddling family, especially big brother J.R., got in the way. Despite all of the ups and downs, we always knew that these two were meant to end up together.
Kevin and Winnie – The Wonder Years They were the epitome of first love and teenaged angst. From first crush to first kiss to first heartbreak, we experienced it all with Kevin and Winnie. Even their school dance was both sweet and somehow heartbreaking.
Capt. Jean Luc Picard and Dr. Beverly Crusher – Star Trek: The Next Generation Jean Luc Picard was the stoic, responsible Captain of the USS Enterprise so when there were obvious sparks between him and the ship’s doctor, Beverly Crusher, we weren’t sure if he’d ever act upon it. Little did we realize that his feelings for her ran deeper and longer than even Dr. Crusher expected.
Vincent and Catherine – Beauty and the Beast Long before the CW’s version hit our screens or Disney did the animated movie, fans watched the CBS version of Beauty and the Beast in the 1980s with Ron Perlman and Linda Hamilton as the romantic leads who were kept apart by incredible circumstance.
Bo and Hope – Days of Our Lives It was one of the biggest soap weddings of the ‘80s. Bo and Hope finally tied the knot in a cathedral in London. It felt like such a major event that I ditched school so that I could watch it live.
(Days of Our Lives/ Peacock/Screenshot/Daytime Confidential) Dan and Roseanne – Roseanne They may not have been a hot couple in the traditional way we normally see on TV but Dan and Roseanne were wonderfully real and so very, very funny.
Elliott and Nancy – thirtysomething The series began as Elliott and Nancy’s marriage was falling apart. He cheated. She shut down and arguing was their only form of communication. What was fascinating was watching this couple, who had first fallen in love when they were 18, work to put their relationship back together again.
Bobby and Pam – Dallas They started out as the Romeo and Juliet of Texas when Digger Barnes’ daughter ran off and married his sworn enemy, Jock Ewing’s son. They had to deal with big brother JR’s machinations, a miscarriage, and a divorce. Bobby’s second proposal turned out to be very sweet, if only that final fiery car crash and Pam’s reaction hadn’t separated them for good.
Remington and Laura – Remington Steele When Laura Holt can’t get taken seriously as a female private investigator she makes up a fictitious boss, Remington Steele. The problems and fun begin when a mysterious thief and conman takes over that identity. The two not only solve cases, they manage to drive one another crazy while they fall in love.