Hello, fellow romantics! Today, we’re delving into an important aspect of pop-culture that everyone can relate to, TV couples! If you’re someone who’s in love with love, then you’ll know just how transformative on-screen relationships can be in shaping our own values and beliefs about love. TV couples have become a staple of television shows over the years, with their ups, downs, and dramatic gestures captivating viewers for decades. But how have they evolved over time?

Join us as we take a trip down memory lane and explore the changing ways TV couples have been depicted on our screens.

1950s - Early Television

During the 1950s, television became increasingly popular but was still in its early days. In their depictions of romantic relationships, networks were restricted by societal norms of the time, leading to a significant lack of diversity in characters. Couples were typically depicted as monogamous, heterosexual, and white, with traditional gender roles being upheld. The main goal of marriages was to have children. Shows like ‘I Love Lucy’ paved the way for the portrayal of suburban life, and audiences became familiar with the trope of the bickering spouse.

Black and white image of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz in 'I Love Lucy'

1960s - Sexual Revolution

The 1960s saw a shift in societal values, with the sexual revolution emerging and challenging traditional beliefs about sex, gender roles, and marriage. Depictions of love began to explore more progressive themes, such as interracial relationships, divorce, and premarital sex. The rise of counter-culture shows like ‘The Dick Van Dyke Show’ explored the marriage of a feminist wife and a husband who embraced the changing attitudes towards men’s gender roles. The show also tackled issues such as infidelity and therapy.

Color image of Dick Van Dyke and Mary Tyler Moore in 'The Dick Van Dyke Show'

1970s - Feminism and Blended Families

In the 1970s, feminism gained momentum, and more women entered the workforce, which led to greater independence. Television couples were no longer bound by traditional gender roles, and shows started depicting husbands as more supportive. Television shows also began to explore non-traditional families, such as single-parent households, divorced families, and blended families, giving more diversity to character relationships. Shows like ‘The Brady Bunch’ and ‘Mary Tyler Moore’ demonstrated how blended families could work together.

Color image of The Brady Bunch family in front of their house

1980s - Career-Oriented Women

The 1980s continued to push the boundaries of conventional gender roles, with shows such as ‘Murphy Brown,’ which explored the life of a successful career woman in journalism. The show challenged the idea that women had to choose between their careers or their families. Alongside this, the 80s saw some iconic romantic dramas, like ‘Beauty and the Beast,’ ‘Moonlighting,’ and ‘Cheers.’ The decade’s sitcoms placed a greater emphasis on sex, with shows such as ‘Three’s Company’ portraying more sexually explicit subject matter.

Color image of Candice Bergen in 'Murphy Brown'

1990s - Changing Ideals of Love

The 90s saw broader representation of minority groups, including interracial and same-sex couples. Cult classics such as ‘Friends’ and ‘Seinfeld’ embraced a new, more complex generation of characters, often featuring a rotating cast of partners to provide larger storylines. Shows like ‘The X-Files’ and ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ offered romantic tension as a side story, allowing the viewer to root for their favourite pairings without interrupting larger plots.

Color image of Ross and Rachel from 'Friends'

2000s - Modern Love and Technology

By the 2000s, technology and the internet had changed the way people dated and found partners. Shows like ‘Sex and the City’ and ‘How I Met Your Mother’ became iconic, with their explorations of modern love and new online dating tools. With shows like ‘Grey’s Anatomy,’ ‘Desperate Housewives,’ and ‘One Tree Hill,’ which filmed in high-definition, TV couples became more dynamic and nuanced, showing the complexities of relationships between characters on our screens.

Color image of Sarah Jessica Parker and Chris Noth in 'Sex and the City'

Conclusion

There you have it - a brief history of TV couples through the decades! Over time, television has become a powerful medium for exploring different love stories, romances, and sexualities. Today, TV couples continue to evolve and reflect the changes in societal norms and values. As viewers, we get to experience more diversity and complexity in how love is portrayed on our screens. So, grab some popcorn and settle down for some love-filled escapism!

Color image of a TV couple cuddled up on the sofa