I'm thoroughly convinced that 90% + of screenwriters have never seen, let alone had, a healthy functioning relationship and couldn't write one if there lives depended on it. What are the exceptions?
Gomez and Morticia Addams. Totally devoted to each other, appreciate each other's hobbies, able to disagree without fighting, absolutely dote over their kids and support their interests without hovering.
:this:
100% honestly - they’re a fantastic couple and more people need to aim to be like them.
Bob and Linda Belcher. Healthiest marriage in the history of American television.
One of my favorite moments was when the kids were trying to convince them to get a dog and they drew a picture where Bob had a 2nd wife and described her in detail, Bob isn't super into it mostly thinking about the financial implications but Linda immediately says "Oh I like her, she sounds nice"
That showed just how strong their relationship really is to me, they may not be poly but they could be and their relationship would still be rock solid
I love that that shows vibes are just wholesome and silly and doesn't try to be anything else.
healthy relationships are for real life. i want my tv people to be the most neurotic and toxic fuckups imaginable.
I’m thoroughly convinced that 90% + of screenwriters have never seen, let alone had, a healthy functioning relationship
well yes, they're screenwriters, you know
all my favorite movie romances end in death tho so ig i dont have any reccs
Hal and Lois from Malcolm in the middle mostly fit this, they are just a little bit toxic, as a treat
Hal and Lois are a healthy amount of toxic. No I'm not parasocially attached, you are.
Castlevania, despite some of the creators being creeps, has a good one with Sypha and Belmont. It's established off-screen and you simply see them interact as a couple that works closely together.
You don't see the courtship at all and there's little eroticism. I don't know if lacking that excludes it from being considered romantic.
But I like the relationship where they clearly care about each other and I'm certain the romance would be believable if they showed it in-scene. It is odd however how Belmont has a foul mouth but won't say something explicit to Sypha when they're alone.
The other romantic relationships in the series are also established off-screen for the most part. You see couples talking to each other in bed and stuff, but there aren't too many declarations of love or discussion on their relationship, but I think the lack of dialogue around that could be excused by it being 1474.
Guy and Diane at the end of Bojack horseman come to mind. Guy might be the least toxic character in that whole show.
I remember my wife and I liking that Jason Bateman comedy Game Night because the main couple was actually cute together rather than dysfunctional and at each other’s throats. It’s funny that that stood out so much that I still remember it like 4 years later
Ben Sisko and Cassidy Yates on Deep Space 9. They have their ups and downs of trying to make it work despite him being the divine admin of a space mall and she as a freighter captain (with a little smuggling as a treat), but there's a mutual respect and understanding between them. It takes them a while to get on the same page about getting married and the only shitty thing the writers did was have him disappear into another plane of existence after she got pregnant.
Runner up goes to Miles and Keiko O'Brien. They've been through some real shit but they love each other and their kids and want the other to be happy in their jobs even if it sometimes it means they're apart for a while. Like Ben and Cassidy, you get to see their relationship grow and evolve with all its ups and downs.
and the only shitty thing the writers did was have him disappear into another plane of existence after she got pregnant.
Avery Brooks supposedly made them change the lines to make it less bad an it's still kinda bad.
shame we never got a DS9 movie.
Cassidy Yates
Isaac and Dr. Claire Finn (same actress as Yates) on The Orville are heartwarming, even with the struggles before they make peace with themselves and each other.
I remember Gus and Wally from Mission Hill being pretty standout but it's been quite some time and I haven't rewatched it forever. Of course it was canceled in only 13 episodes.
I actually just started rewatching that last night. It definitely holds up.
