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The best TV duos are not all romantic couples. They can be friends, relatives or colleagues whose chemistry, contrasts and evolving relationship help define a series. This editorial selection considers how each pairing works on screen, shapes its show and leaves a mark on television; it is not a data-ranked consensus.
What makes a great TV duo?
A memorable pair needs more than two popular characters sharing scenes. Chemistry can come from likeness, friction or both: the Television Academy’s interview feature discusses rapport and trust alongside contrasting approaches to performance and character. Its examples include romantic partners, friends and professional collaborators, showing why “duo” is broader than “couple.”
- Chemistry and contrast: Their differences create energy, while their connection makes the audience care.
- A relationship with staying power: The dynamic develops, survives change or remains a compelling constant.
- Importance to the show: The pair helps drive stories or gives the series a distinctive identity.
- Television impact: Their partnership remains recognizable beyond individual episodes or seasons.
These are editorial criteria, not a scoring system validated by a survey. “Best” is subjective: TheWrap said as much in its 2022 list of 47 couples, presented in no particular order. E! News’s collection of 50, by contrast, explicitly focuses on romances and love stories. Neither format settles what belongs on a broader list of TV duos.
50 best TV duos of all time
The pairings below span genres and relationship types. They are grouped by the kind of bond that makes them distinctive, not ranked from first to last. The cited features offer examples and perspectives, not an exhaustive inventory or objective verdict.
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Friends and chosen family
- Grace Hanson and Frankie Bergstein (Grace and Frankie) — friends. The Television Academy includes this pairing among its examples of television friendships and partnerships. Their bond belongs on a duo list without needing to be reframed as romance.
- Lucy Ricardo and Ethel Mertz (I Love Lucy) — friends. The Academy’s 2018 roundup includes Lucy and Ethel among notable television couples; the broader lesson is that long-standing pairings can be compelling through companionship as well as romance.
- George Jefferson and Weezy Jefferson (The Jeffersons) — spouses. The Academy’s examples include George and Weezy, a married pair whose relationship is part of the show’s central family dynamic.
- Jim Halpert and Pam Beesly (The Office) — colleagues and romantic partners. The Academy’s 2018 list includes Jim and Pam, whose pairing connects workplace interaction with a developing romance.
Partners who work together
- Martin Riggs and Roger Murtaugh (Lethal Weapon) — professional partners. Their contrast is central to the appeal of the pairing. Showrunner Matt Miller described them this way: “Together, these are two very distinct characters.” The Television Academy’s feature discusses their dynamic as an example of how difference can fuel a duo.
- Harvey Specter and Mike Ross (Suits) — colleagues, mentors and rivals. Executive producer Aaron Korsh characterized them as brothers who love each other and are also highly competitive. That mix of affection and rivalry makes their relationship more layered than a simple mentor-and-protégé setup.
- Harvey Bullock and Jim Gordon (Gotham) — police partners. The Academy feature includes them among its examples of professional pairings, a reminder that trust and collaboration can anchor a duo even when the characters are not a couple.
Romantic couples
- Rob and Laura Petrie (The Dick Van Dyke Show) — spouses. The Academy’s 2018 roundup includes Rob and Laura among its television couples, placing their marriage among the enduring pairings considered in that feature.
- Luke Spencer and Laura Webber (General Hospital) — romantic partners. Luke and Laura are another Academy-listed example of a television romance. Their inclusion reflects how soap-opera couples can become defining pairings in a series’ long-running story world.
This list is a curated selection, not a claim that nine examples—or any particular group of 50—can be certified as the definitive best. A broader set should make room for eras, genres and bonds beyond romance, judging each pairing by the same questions: what makes them work together, how the relationship matters to the show, and what viewers remember.
Why rankings of TV duos differ
Lists use different definitions. A “best couples” roundup counts romantic relationships; a “best duos” list can also include friends, family members and professional partners. TheWrap’s 2022 list of 47 couples says its selections are subjective and unranked, while E! News describes its 50 picks as love stories. Those lists are useful examples of editorial taste, not evidence of a settled television canon.
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For a fair comparison across relationship types, look at the pairing’s chemistry and contrast, development or durability, importance to the series, and cultural reach. The Television Academy’s interview-based feature adds a useful perspective: strong pairings can depend on trust and rapport as well as distinctly different characters or performance styles.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Sources and scope
The Television Academy’s July 20, 2017 feature draws on interviews with performers and showrunners about on-screen chemistry and partnership. Its February 14, 2018 roundup supplies additional couple examples. TheWrap’s February 14, 2022 article and E! News’s list, published June 6, 2016 and updated August 12, 2016, illustrate how entertainment outlets frame subjective rankings and romantic-couple lists. These sources provide perspectives and examples; they are not a comprehensive poll or statistical ranking.
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- Television Academy: TV duos and chemistry
- TheWrap: 47 best TV couples
- E! News: 50 best TV couples
- Television Academy: TV couples
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