Get ready for a nostalgic trip down memory lane as we count down the most iconic teen drama couples that defined a generation! From vampire romances to high school sweethearts, these couples captured our hearts and made us believe in true love.
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00:00But I am not sorry that I'm in love with you.
00:02I love you, Damon.
00:08Welcome to MissMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the most iconic TV couples
00:12that have become a cornerstone of the teen drama genre.
00:16Since we'll be discussing key plot details, here's your spoiler alert.
00:20You okay?
00:21It's just painful.
00:26I know.
00:30For roughly a decade, fans were hooked on this will-they-won't-they couple.
00:38Unlike most other pairings under this trope, however, Clark and Lana don't get a happy
00:42ending.
00:43The two start off as friends before realizing their feelings can't be kept at bay.
00:48I have to live with the decisions that I've made.
00:52I just need to know that you love me.
00:57In any other show, this relationship might have progressed organically.
01:01But things tend to get a little complicated when you're in love with the last son of Krypton.
01:05Wish I could explain, but I can't.
01:08Story of your life.
01:11With extraterrestrial forces and Lana's equally complex relationship with Lex Luthor in the
01:16way, the pair's shot-at-happiness is constantly derailed.
01:20Still, their undeniable chemistry made fans tune into Smallville time and again, cementing
01:25Clark and Lana as one of the defining teen couples of the early aughts.
01:30To see you on the street every day, and not be able to touch you.
01:39Stay.
01:41Don't.
01:43It takes some time before the romantic undertones of this couple fully surface, but Spencer
01:52and Olivia have a clear connection from the first time they share the screen.
01:56In a tension-heavy sports drama, the pair provides the perfect balancing act.
02:00There's a reason we're together.
02:03Look at Jordan and Simone.
02:06If today taught me anything, it clarified for me that if you got a chance at real happiness,
02:13you gotta take it.
02:15Where certain all-American storylines about class struggles can feel particularly heavy,
02:21this romance ignites a refreshing sense of hope.
02:23Sure, some of their problems lean into genre tropes.
02:26However, most of the challenges that Spencer and Olivia face are dealt with a mature touch,
02:30reflecting the real-life parallels the series shoots for.
02:34And even though life took us on a journey, multiple journeys,
02:39my heart and soul always made it back to you.
02:43Because you're home.
02:45Thank you for teaching me how to love you.
02:47Thank you for loving me.
02:50The culmination of their arc feels entirely earned,
02:52offering a heartfelt reminder that happy endings might just be real.
03:00Among the most groundbreaking relationships in TV history,
03:03this romance remains a fan favorite to date.
03:06Initially paired with Oz as one of the show's primary couples,
03:09Willow eventually begins to realize her feelings for Tara.
03:12While Oz offered her love and stability,
03:14it's Tara who provides Willow with the clarity she needs.
03:18I can't do this.
03:29We can do this.
03:31Their journey is ultimately centered around growth and self-discovery,
03:34even if it's a constant work in progress.
03:37Bringing major representation of the LGBTQ plus romances on screen,
03:41Willow and Tara's story has deeply resonated with fans across generations.
03:46And though their romance meets an untimely and tragic end,
03:49its profound impact continues to be felt to this day.
03:52I'm totally not here.
03:54You guys, you do whatever you want.
03:56I'll go watch TV downstairs really loud in the basement
04:00where I can't hear anything.
04:02Oh my god!
04:05I love you guys!
04:10This self-professed weirdo and the perennial girl next door
04:15make for a captivating duo.
04:17Doesn't it ever occur to you just how different we are?
04:19On a cellular DNA kind of level,
04:21you're a straight-A student,
04:23you're a cheerleader,
04:25for god's sakes,
04:27you're the perfect girl next door.
04:29I hate that word.
04:31I'm the damaged, loner outsider
04:33from the wrong side of the tracks.
04:35More so than any of Archie's romances,
04:37Riverdale fans tuned in to see how the Betty Jughead dynamic played out.
04:41The fact that actors Cole Sprouse and Lily Rinehart
04:44were a real-life couple at the time
04:46added even more intrigue
04:48as Jughead and Betty's chemistry sizzled on screen.
04:50And now all I can think is,
04:52maybe I'm crazy like they are.
04:54Hey, we're all crazy.
04:58We're not our parents, Betty.
05:02We're not our families.
05:04Admittedly, this CW show got more outlandish
05:06the longer it went on,
05:08but it was hard to resist at its best.
05:11The Bughead romance represents
05:13the series during its prime,
05:15pulling viewers into this unconventional
05:17yet magnetic pairing.
05:1916. Elena and Stefan
05:21The Vampire Diaries
05:23Um, I was just, um...
05:25I was just...
05:27It's a long story.
05:29We get it, most fans were rooting
05:31for the Delaina ship,
05:33but there's something endearing about The Vampire Diaries' original pair.
05:35For some,
05:37Elena's collection with Stefan feels more natural,
05:39while her romantic tension with Damon is palpable,
05:41you can't deny the inherent warmth
05:43and unwavering support that Stefan provides.
05:45The Delaina pairing
05:47was the foundation of the show's success,
05:49propelling The Vampire Diaries
05:51to mainstream popularity.
06:03Their bond wasn't just built on attraction,
06:05it was a deep and enduring friendship,
06:08where she helped him reconnect with his humanity,
06:10Stefan's influence opened Elena up to possibilities
06:12she couldn't have imagined.
06:14They may not have been endgame,
06:16but the Elena-Stefan romance remains
06:18one of the show's biggest home runs.
06:2815. Lucas and Peyton
06:30One Tree Hill
06:32No matter how much they try to avoid confronting their feelings,
06:34these two always find their way back to each other.
06:37For better or for worse, Lucas and Peyton were meant to be.
06:39Though their dynamic comes with a lot of heartbreak,
06:41sorry Brooke,
06:43they just can't stay apart.
07:01From dealing with fractured family bonds
07:03to navigating struggling careers,
07:06Lucas and Peyton are forever entangled.
07:08Most of One Tree Hill revolves around their on-again-off-again dynamic,
07:10which fans couldn't help but root for.
07:12But as the show matured,
07:14so did their relationship.
07:16And against all odds,
07:18this couple finally makes it work.
07:20Their story shows that while true love is never easy,
07:22it's always worth fighting for.
07:2514. Ezra and Arya
07:27Pretty Little Liars
07:29This student-teacher relationship may be somewhat controversial,
07:31but Ezra fans will be quick to tell you
07:33that there's nothing creepy about it,
07:35especially after the show jumped forward five years
07:37in its seventh season.
07:55This on-again-off-again couple
07:57has broken up and gotten back together
07:59in almost every season of the show,
08:01but viewers know they're meant to be,
08:03even when Ezra and Arya themselves
08:05may doubt it.
08:07Fortunately, this is one TV couple
08:09that got there happily ever after,
08:11with an engagement, a wedding,
08:13and even plans for an adoption in their future.
08:15These guys are in it for the long haul.
08:17By the power vested in me,
08:19I now pronounce you husband and wife.
08:21I present to you, for the very first time,
08:23Mr. and Mrs. Fitz.
08:2713. Ephraim and Amy
08:29Everwood
08:31Everwood may not have quite cemented itself
08:33in the upper echelon of teen dramas,
08:35but the Ephraim-Amy pairing
08:37remains unforgettable.
08:39These two are constantly fighting
08:41over what to do with their relationship,
08:43and it's no wonder that the show
08:45has become so popular in recent years.
08:47In fact, it's even more so
08:50These two are constantly on the cusp of something more,
08:52but life always seems to have other plans.
08:54In the early days, their friendship
08:56revolves around Ephraim's unrequited feelings
08:58for Amy, as teen romances usually go.
09:00Look, I'm sorry if I-
09:02No, no, I'm sorry.
09:04Look, Amy,
09:06I know your life is really rough right now,
09:08and I want to be there for you.
09:10I do, but not like this.
09:12I can't
09:14keep being your second choice.
09:16Not when you're my first.
09:19However, their eventual relationship spirals
09:21into a series of false starts and missed opportunities.
09:23From misunderstandings,
09:25academic struggles, or other romantic interests,
09:27something continually
09:29seems to get in their way.
09:31But we'll admit it, that's what makes them so much fun
09:33to watch. Sure, their ending might feel
09:35a bit rushed, but fans still get that
09:37big emotional payoff they've been waiting
09:39for the show's entire run.
09:41I love you too.
09:43I knew it then.
09:45I know it now.
09:48I'll know it always. You're it, Amy.
09:52You're my one.
09:54I am.
09:56You always have been.
09:5812. Angela and Jordan
10:00My So-Called Life
10:02Despite lasting just one season, My So-Called Life
10:04remains one of the most critically acclaimed
10:06teen dramas in TV history.
10:08While framed as a coming-of-age story for main
10:10character Angela Chase, the show also
10:12explores her complex relationship with
10:14classmate Jordan Catalano.
10:17Like as their job?
10:19Yeah.
10:25I'd really like to do that.
10:31Are you in part-time?
10:35Through the ups and downs of adolescence,
10:37Angela and Jordan are inexplicably
10:39drawn to each other. Although
10:41they're only officially a couple for a solitary
10:43episode, their relationship embodies
10:45the delicate nature of young love.
10:47Heartwarming at times and frustrating
10:49in others, this duo captures how
10:51teenage romances ebb and
10:53flow with each day.
10:55Admit what?
10:57That all of this happened.
10:59That you have emotions.
11:05That you can't, like,
11:07treat me one way in front of your friends
11:09and the next minute leave me some note.
11:11With that in mind, the show's early
11:13cancellation is almost poetic,
11:15leaving fans to decide for themselves if these
11:17two ever made it work.
11:23Most of the couples we've mentioned went from
11:25friends to lovers, but this pair follows a very
11:27different path.
11:43Your dad is destroying the King family.
11:47What's the matter with you people, huh?
11:49Beginning the series at odds, Veronica and Logan
11:51take a 180-degree turn few could have
11:53seen coming. From barely standing
11:55each other to falling head over heels,
11:57this couple proves that there's a fine line
11:59between love and hate.
12:01Thanks to the show's neo-noir format,
12:03fans are given a refreshing lens to follow
12:05Veronica and Logan's journey.
12:07Aren't we trying to be friends?
12:09As your friend, I was angry at what happened to you.
12:11Someone's always supposed to pay, right?
12:13Isn't that the rule we live by?
12:15We tried to be friends, and it didn't work.
12:17This is the moment, Logan,
12:19right now,
12:21where it is just
12:23done.
12:25Each season's central mystery pushes their
12:27relationship to its limits, creating an
12:29emotional tug of war that divides the audience.
12:31In the final season, fans are
12:33teased with the possibility of their happily
12:35ever after.
12:37I texted sir, I'm running a few minutes late.
12:39Well, this is what I got.
12:41I can see how that could be confusing.
12:43I dictated the text.
12:45I blamed Siri.
12:47But I'm here now. There's no place I'd rather be.
12:49Ultimately, though, Veronica
12:51suffers an agonizing loss
12:53that leaves everyone heartbroken.
12:5510. Dylan and Brenda
12:57Beverly Hills, 90210
12:59So,
13:01are you sorry we missed the movie?
13:03Oh, yeah.
13:09As a
13:11global phenomenon in the 90s,
13:1390210 popularized the
13:15teen soap opera genre. Whether you're
13:17inclined towards the Donna and David romance,
13:19or the Dylan and Brenda ship,
13:21there's a lot of relationship drama to go around.
13:23Dylan's similarly complicated
13:25relationship with Kelly created a love
13:27triangle that had viewers at the edge of their
13:29seats. Still, his romance with
13:31Brenda remains the show's biggest talking point.
13:33In a classic case of the good
13:35girl falling for the bad boy, the couple's
13:37opposite attract dynamic
13:39never lost its appeal.
13:41The world was sadly robbed of Shannen Doherty
13:43and Luke Perry far too soon,
13:45but their unforgettable performances as these iconic
13:47characters will continue to define
13:49a generation.
13:50I've never stopped loving you.
13:52And I know now I never will.
13:56I'll applaud you from afar.
14:00I want more than your applause.
14:04I won't be gone forever, Dylan.
14:08Give me something to come back to.
14:13This entry may be cause for some
14:15debate, as Rory has several
14:17significant relationships throughout the run of the
14:19show, but her romance with Jess
14:21made every bookworm girl believe
14:23that she could find a bad boy who
14:25loved to read as much as she did.
14:27And that's special.
14:29Right now, I have to go. Understand?
14:31Not at all.
14:32It's more fun that way, isn't it?
14:46Beat it.
14:47These two definitely had their ups and downs,
14:49but as the series progressed,
14:51Jess matured into a great guy
14:53who wanted the best for Rory.
14:55There weren't many people in Stars Hollow
14:57rooting for these two, except Luke.
14:59But viewers certainly love them together.
15:01Wow. So...
15:03Yep.
15:04Wow, well this is great.
15:05I'll tell Dean you said that.
15:06I mean, Rory and Jess, Jess and Rory...
15:08I think this is great.
15:10If only the show had a different romantic ending
15:12in store for the couple.
15:13I don't deserve this, Rory.
15:15No, you don't. You don't deserve it.
15:17I just...
15:19I'm in love with him.
15:21Despite all the bad he's done,
15:23I can't help it, I'm in love with him.
15:26Love, huh?
15:28Yeah.
15:32While their initial story may have been
15:34one of unrequited love,
15:35with Stiles harbouring a crush on Lydia
15:37for years before anything came of it,
15:39Lydia eventually came to realise
15:41she felt the same way.
15:42I, uh...
15:45I read once that
15:48holding your breath
15:49could stop a panic attack.
15:52So...
15:54when I kissed you,
15:58you held your breath.
15:59It took many seasons of shipless hoping,
16:01but in Season 6,
16:03after some earlier teases,
16:04these two finally confessed their feelings
16:06to each other,
16:07and Stydia became a reality.
16:09And come on,
16:10wasn't them finally getting together
16:12all the more satisfying
16:13because we had to wait for it?
16:15Stiles and Lydia care strongly for one another,
16:18and are deeply committed to keeping each other safe,
16:20which, given the lives they lead,
16:22they've had ample opportunity to demonstrate.
16:25I didn't stand back.
16:27You don't have to.
16:307. Nathan and Hayley
16:32One Tree Hill
16:33You know, I keep putting myself out there
16:35and you keep blowing it,
16:36and it's probably a good thing
16:37because at this point,
16:38there's nothing you can say or do
16:39that's going to surprise me.
16:46Lucas and Peyton
16:47may have been intended
16:48as the main romance of the show,
16:50but they were easily eclipsed
16:51by Nathan and Hayley.
16:53These two have been through
16:54pretty much everything together,
16:56from car crashes
16:57to kidnappings
16:58to school shootings.
16:59They've shared many kisses in the rain,
17:01and despite some ups and downs,
17:03have always come back to each other.
17:05Because I love you.
17:08Because you're looking really hot
17:10standing out here in the rain
17:11and I'm thinking I have to kiss you.
17:17Look, you have to.
17:24After this series jumped forward
17:25several years,
17:26we got to see what Hayley was like
17:27with a child in the mix,
17:28and of course,
17:29they were the perfect parents.
17:31They made us believe
17:32that maybe high school marriages
17:33actually can work out in the end.
17:35You just need the right partner.
17:37I don't think anybody understood
17:39the love that I had for you.
17:42Because if they did,
17:43they would have never doubted us.
17:46So I wanted to marry you all over again,
17:48in front of most of our world.
17:52Because today,
17:53when I look into your eyes,
17:56my love for you only grows.
17:586. Pacey and Joey
18:00Dawson's Creek
18:01This is one story
18:02where the protagonist
18:03doesn't end up with a girl next door,
18:04and it makes so much sense.
18:06From the beginning,
18:07there was chemistry
18:08between Dawson's friends
18:09Joey and Pacey,
18:10even though Joey did end up
18:11with Dawson for a period of time.
18:13Let's not forget who started this, okay?
18:15Let's not forget who pushed me
18:16towards Joey Potter in the first place.
18:17It was you!
18:18Yes, it was you!
18:19Because you couldn't be bothered!
18:20Because I didn't want to get hurt!
18:21Because you couldn't be bothered!
18:22Because I didn't want to get hurt again, Pacey!
18:23I still had feelings for her!
18:24I still loved her!
18:25The tension between these two
18:26was always undeniable,
18:28and you'd be hard-pressed
18:29to find any dedicated viewer
18:31of the series
18:32who thought that Joey
18:33made the wrong choice
18:34by opting to be with Pacey
18:35over Dawson.
18:37In the finale,
18:38they finally made the decision
18:39that fans thought they should have made
18:40all along,
18:41ending up together
18:42after many years of strife.
18:45Are those tears?
18:47Are you crying?
18:52You got me.
18:53Number 5,
18:54Seth and Summer.
18:55The OC.
18:56Seth and Summer
18:57may not have had the drama
18:58that Marissa and Ryan did,
18:59but they were definitely
19:00the most adorable couple
19:01in Orange County.
19:02This is a classic tale
19:03of opposites attracting,
19:05with popular girl Summer
19:06falling for comic book nerd Seth.
19:08You remember that?
19:10That was, like,
19:11sixth grade.
19:16I wish I was a mermaid,
19:18and...
19:22was friends with all the fish,
19:23a shiny tail,
19:24and seashells,
19:25and...
19:27Their banter and bickering
19:28made them feel totally relatable,
19:30adding some much-needed
19:31levity to a show
19:32that otherwise
19:33had a habit of taking itself
19:34quite seriously.
19:35We're so happy
19:36these two ended up together.
19:37Captain Oates
19:38and Princess sparkle forever.
19:40Some of these George guys,
19:42they look so...
19:44idealistic.
19:46You got nothing to worry about.
19:48Just remember,
19:49this isn't goodbye.
19:51You're my destiny, Colin.
19:54I've saved the world,
19:55Summer Roberts.
20:00Though the popular quarterback
20:01dating the artistic loner trope
20:02may be a staple of teen movies
20:04and television,
20:05Hudson-Berry proved
20:06to be so much more.
20:07Sure, their relationship
20:08may have gotten off
20:09to a rocky start,
20:10but as it progressed,
20:11Finn and Rachel proved
20:12to have a very real
20:13and deep connection.
20:15You okay?
20:16Don't worry about me.
20:17Okay, this is all up to you now.
20:19You wanted the solo,
20:20you wanted the chance
20:21to be the star,
20:22this is your chance.
20:23Don't screw it up.
20:24Of course,
20:25this on-screen chemistry
20:26was only intensified
20:27by the fact that
20:28Lea Michele
20:29and Corey Monteith
20:30dated in real life.
20:31Sadly,
20:32Monteith's sudden death
20:33brought an abrupt
20:34and tragic end
20:35to this ill-fated
20:36TV relationship.
20:37Though we may not have gotten
20:38to see the fairytale ending
20:39we all wanted for Finchel,
20:41this couple will forever
20:42be immortalized
20:43in the hearts of fans.
20:45I couldn't make you happy,
20:47make your dreams come true.
20:49Make your dreams come true.
20:53Nothing that I wouldn't do.
20:59Go to the ends of the Earth
21:02for you.
21:043. Damon and Elena
21:06The Vampire Diaries
21:07Of the many couples
21:08on The Vampire Diaries,
21:09Damon and Elena
21:10are the undisputed
21:11fan favorite.
21:12In fact,
21:13in an E! News showdown,
21:15they were actually voted
21:16the number one TV couple
21:17of all time,
21:18beating out many other pairs
21:19from shows with
21:20passionate fandoms.
21:21You want a love
21:22that consumes you.
21:25You want passion
21:27and adventure
21:29and even a little danger.
21:31It's been a very,
21:32very long road
21:33for Delaina,
21:34having experienced
21:35countless roadblocks,
21:36ups and downs
21:37over the course
21:38of their relationship.
21:39Vampire romance
21:40always has that dark
21:41and dangerous quality
21:42that makes it so enticing,
21:43but even by vampire standards,
21:45Damon and Elena's
21:46is a love story
21:47for the ages.
22:072. Chuck and Blair
22:08Gossip Girl
22:09In a stark departure
22:10from the Gossip Girl books,
22:12Chuck and Blair
22:13became the most rooted
22:14for couple in this
22:15dramatic series set
22:16on New York's
22:17Upper East Side.
22:18From their steamy
22:19initial hookup
22:20to their happily
22:21ever after,
22:22this somewhat
22:23dysfunctional couple
22:24gave fans plenty of intrigue.
22:43While Serena and Dan
22:44may have been
22:45the slightly more wholesome
22:46and predictable
22:47couple to ship,
22:48Chuck and Blair
22:49were all about the excitement,
22:50the drama,
22:51and of course,
22:52the breakups and makeups.
22:53Needless to say,
22:54viewers just couldn't
22:55get enough of them.
23:13Before we unveil
23:14our top pick,
23:15here are a few
23:16honorable mentions.
23:20This pairing
23:21kickstarted another
23:22iconic love triangle
23:23for the series.
23:33An on-again,
23:34off-again couple
23:35that puts Ross and Rachel
23:36to shame.
23:45I don't know if...
23:48if we should be together.
23:51I mean,
23:52look how easy it was
23:53for someone to come
23:54into our lives,
23:55come between us.
23:56Lindsay and Nick.
23:57Freaks and geeks.
23:58A young romance
23:59that reminds many
24:00of their first heartbreak.
24:02No hard feelings, right?
24:05Right.
24:08Alright, well,
24:09I'm gonna go, um...
24:12practice, or...
24:13I'll see you on Monday.
24:14John B. and Sarah.
24:16Outer Banks.
24:17A romance
24:18that neither can quit.
24:19I don't want him back.
24:32Sometimes some things
24:33just turn bad to me.
24:34Toby and Spencer.
24:35Pretty little liars.
24:37What's a love story
24:38without a little danger?
24:39Okay.
24:40I know that it was
24:41my idea to wait,
24:43but right now,
24:44I'm just completely
24:45forgetting why.
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25:08Buffy Summers
25:09has major relationships
25:10with two reformed vampires
25:11throughout the run of the show.
25:13Although fans are split
25:14on which one they like more,
25:16we've got to give this title
25:17to the more iconic
25:18of the two pairings,
25:19Buffy and Angel.
25:21I love you.
25:23I try not to,
25:24but I can't stop.
25:26Me too.
25:29I can't either.
25:30Long before other vampire romances
25:32hit the teen drama TV scene,
25:34these two were playing out
25:35the inevitable dramas
25:37that occur when one member
25:38of a couple is undead.
25:40Their love wasn't meant to be,
25:42but for the seasons
25:43they were together,
25:44our 90s hearts
25:45couldn't get enough.
25:46I'm not going to say goodbye.
25:58When we get through this,
26:00I'm just going to go.
26:05You don't understand.
26:06Which teen TV couple
26:07still leaves you swooning?
26:09Let us know in the comments.
26:13You'll remember
26:14after I put some clothes on.
26:16Do you agree with our picks?
26:18Check out this other recent clip
26:19from Ms. Mojo.
26:20And be sure to subscribe
26:21and ring the bell
26:22to be notified
26:23about our latest videos.