I am a little embarrassed to admit where the idea for this article came from. A few months ago I found Saved by the Bell in syndication on a new TV channel, which of course I promptly ordered for nostalgia’s sake. Flash forward to a few weeks ago, where I had a dream I was IN the cast of the show—yes, I totally need help, or at least to not watch TV before bed. But the dream got me thinking about all the awesome couples in the ’90s, and I wanted to share my favorite couples.
Saved by the Bell: Preppy little Zack wanted cheerleader Kelly right from the get-go and she happily strung him on for ages before starting to date him. Then she went and developed feelings for her college-aged manager, breaking poor Zack’s heart. Weirdly enough, Zack and the rest of the gang caught Kelly’s new boyfriend cheating on her in a nightclub. Resulting in Kelly all alone. Years later, Zack and Kelly got married. I’d love to see a reunion, but one of the hold-outs is Screech. He’s no longer close to any of the cast, which is lucky for them, considering he had a leaked porno. *Shudders in horror*
Beverly Hills 90210: Brenda and Dylan were THE couple of the ’90s. Bad boy Dylan and Midwestern good girl Brenda had a hot-and-heavy romance. Over time Brenda got jaded, and Dylan ended up with her best friend Kelly. But the romance between Dylan and Brenda couldn’t be replicated with Kelly. In the end, neither girl ended up with Dylan. Even more confusing, Kelly and Brandon almost got married and were going to visit Dylan and Brenda in London before they broke up, resulting in Kelly with Dylan. Talk about keeping it in the family?
Felicity: Felicity was kind of (okay, she totally was) a stalker. She fell in love with Ben in high school, even though he barely knew who she was. She ended up applying to the same university in hopes they would somehow start a relationship. Go figure, her plan worked. They were together on and off for awhile. It all went to hell when Felicity cut her hair—okay, so it didn’t, but the haircut was a result of the breakup!
Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Of course I have to mention Buffy and Angel. The vampire slayer falls for the vampire, what the hell? But how could she not, he was beautiful and he wanted her even though she killed his peoples! Though I wasn’t a big fan of the show (at the time) I remember their relationship well. Sadly, Angel broke up with Buffy because he had a dream that haunted him. He told her they couldn’t be together because of the things he couldn’t give her. Did I mention he dumped her at her PROM! How awful! *side note* Sarah Michelle Gellar couldn’t stop crying during the breakup scene and the set had to be closed for half an hour so she could recover. Talk about taking it hard?
Friends: Ross and Rachel, the romance that happened, stopped happening, happened again, stopped happening, happened, resulting in a baby. Whoa. Are you as confused as I am? By the end, Rachel and Ross had a one-night stand that resulted in Rachel becoming pregnant and Joey wanting to marry her. Yeah, totally confusing. Rachel decides to move to France for a job, Ross realizes he loves her and rushes with Phobe to the airport only to see that plane has left. When he gets home there is a voicemail on his machine from Rachel, who got off the plane because she loved him. All together now…awwww.
Honorable Mentions:
David Silver and Donna Martin (Beverly Hills 90210): He totally stuck it out and waited until she was ready to lose her virginity
Carrie and Doug (King of Queens): One of my all time favorite couples. They’re hilarious, and tried soo hard for a baby!
Miranda and Steve (Sex and the City): They were the least likely couple of any TV show, but so damned good together!
Rebecca and Uncle Jesse (Full House): She worked as a reporter; he really did nothing but play in a band for 90% of the show. But they were such a loving couple and made so many sacrifices to be together. I mean, what woman wants to move into a house with three kids and two other men?
Tell me, who were your favorite ’90s TV couples?
Natasha Carty reviews Paranormal Romance and Urban Fantasy on her website Wicked Little Pixie and lives in Toronto, Canada, with her cat, Seamus.
