With Valentine’s Day approaching fast, it’s the perfect time to cuddle up with someone special (or maybe just a snack) and watch some of the best on-screen love stories of the last year.
Janine and Gregory – “Abbott Elementary”
“Abbott Elementary,” created by actress, comedian and producer Quinta Brunson, has become one of the most popular modern sitcoms on television. Airing every Wednesday on ABC and streaming on Hulu, the show follows the staff of a fictional elementary school in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania as they are filmed for a documentary.
Two main characters, Janine Teagues and Gregory Eddie, played by Brunson and Tyler James Williams, have been dancing around each other in a slow-burn romance since day one. Their meet-cute in the pilot episode has had fans rooting for them well into the second season. Since then, both characters have gone through their own relationship arcs while realizing their feelings for each other.
Bill and Frank – “The Last of Us”
If you’re looking for something a little grittier and aren’t completely sick of hearing about a pandemic, then I recommend picking up “The Last of Us” streaming on HBO Max. Adapted from the video game series of the same title, the series is set in 2023, 20 years after the start of a global pandemic that turns its victims into zombie-like “Infected.” Starring Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey, it’s a beautiful look into a bleak world.
One of the best parts of the show is the love story told in the episode “Long, Long Time” between doomsday prepper Bill (Nick Offerman) and Frank (Murray Bartlett), the wanderer he took in.
The pair met in 2003 when Frank stumbled into a trap that Bill set in order to catch the Infected. Frank asks for help and food and Bill begrudgingly lets him inside. As they eat together, Frank enjoys his first meal in a while and Bill relishes the company he’s lacked for even longer. The pair bond over music and their mutual loneliness, both because of the end of the world and their identities in a homophobic society.
Frank decides to stay for a couple of days, which turns into a couple of years, which turns into a couple of decades. The episode follows the evolution and heartbreaking conclusion of their relationship.
It’s a gorgeous representation of finding love later in life and expands on the show’s theme that life is better if you have someone to live it with. Somewhere between watching Ramsey crack jokes and Pascal shoot monsters, you’ll be reaching for the tissues. Frank said it best: “Paying attention to things – it’s how we show love.”
Charlie and Nick – “Heartstopper”
If you’re looking for a classic coming-of-age rom-com, I can’t recommend “Heartstopper” enough. Season one came to Netflix in 2022 and we’re gearing up for the release of season two as early as this summer. Based on a webcomic by Alice Oseman, the series follows teenage boys Charlie Spring (Joe Locke) and Nick Nelson (Kit Connor) as they navigate school, friendships and their own identities.
Charlie is a gay high schooler who is harboring a crush on the (presumed straight) rugby player Nick. His friends, transgender Elle Argent and ally Tao Xu, are understandably wary. It turns out that his feelings are reciprocated and Nick spends the first half of the season coming to terms with his bisexuality and the second half pursuing a relationship with Charlie.
The multiple queer love stories in “Heartstopper” are straightforward and while their premises have been done to death for straight audiences, it’s a breath of fresh air for LGBT+ viewers. Portraying LGBT+ identities as lighthearted and innocent is something we haven’t seen very often. It’s definitely one of the best young adult romances streaming right now.
