Who doesn’t love a good ship?
Every year we have to sit down and decide which relationships blew us away with their chemistry and genuine love for one another. And while some of these couples will look familiar from years past, some newbies also snuck on the list.
It was a good year for love in 2022, with numerous couples reminding us what it means to have that loving feeling.
Check out our list of the best romances of 2022, and let us know if your favorites made the cut!
Michael Guerin & Alex Manes – Roswell, New Mexico (The CW)
Roswell, New Mexico may be over, but Malex lives forever.
After many ups and downs throughout the series, the beloved couple spent much of the final season of the CW alien adventure apart, but that didn’t stop their love from blossoming.
With Alex on the verge of death, the two reunited and pledged their love, and then with a bit of magic, Alex recovered in time for the two to get married in front of their close-knit, found family.
We will miss that delicious brand of chemistry Michael Vlamis and Tyler Blackburn gave us for four seasons, but we did get a wonderful ending for one of television’s most beautiful couples. They never looked away, and we were blessed to see their connection play out over the series’ run.
Bobby Nash & Athena Grant – 9-1-1 (FOX)
Not only are Bobby and Athena one of the best dynamic duos out there, but they have one of the best romances around.
Bathena is the top of all 9-1-1 relationships. A solid pairing built upon mutual respect and love for one another. They’re a team, above all else, who have weathered the storms and come out the other side as better people and have continued to grow within their union.
They are the blueprint because they show us what it means to be in love with your best friend and how to grow your partnership over the years. Bathena is a beautiful pairing we’ve been so lucky to see grow from the beginning of the series to now.
Nina & Sam – The Resort (Peacock)
Some pairings burst out of the gate with such enthusiasm that it’s hard not to be swept away with them.
Nina and Sam meet on vacation (and what’s hotter than a vacation tryst?) as lost souls looking to fill a void in their life.
Once they intersect, their mutual passion quickly accelerates into a whirlwind that epitomizes young, foolish lovers.
The best thing plot-wise about this story is that they’re never really thinking more than five seconds ahead because they’re so in the moment.
T.K. & Carlos – 9-1-1: Lone Star (FOX)
Fans of Tarlos on the first responder series went through a roller coaster during 9-1-1: Lone Star Season 3, as did T.K. and Carlos.
The season opened with the couple broken up, but another near-death experience for T.K. brought him and Carlos together again.
They got a new place, went through T.K.’s mom dying, and the two getting drugged by a psycho, but in the end, all that mattered was the two of them.
The season ended with Tarlos finally getting engaged, and fans everywhere rejoiced, proving that nothing can get in the way of true love, and there is much more of that coming in the new year.
Lissa Dragomir & Christian Ozera – Vampire Academy (Peacock)
While Rose and Dimitri were the couple to root for in the books, in the show, Christian and Lissa take center stage as the star-crossed lover to root for.
He’s an outcast, and she’s got the powers of a saint. They are married, but he’s a monk now, and she’s on the run.
They keep coming together only to be torn apart by circumstance, but they are so sweet with each other, and we just want them to be happy.
Kit Voss & Randolph Bell – The Resident (FOX)
Kit and Bell are effortlessly one of the greatest parts of The Resident, and we’ll shout it from the rooftops if necessary.
There’s a reason that they saved the marital union of these two universally beloved characters until the momentous 100th episode.
These two are so impossibly in love, deliver on the underrated and underrepresented late-in-life love story, and have become the backbone and epitome of #Goals within the show.
Bruce Greenwood and Jane Leeves’ chemistry is unmatched.
Midge & Lenny — The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Prime Video)
It finally happened! Midge and Lenny finally gave in to the attraction smoldering between them from day 1.
The “blue things in a blue room” scene perfectly blended romance and sexiness.
Beyond that, they earn a spot on the list because they inspire each other to reign in their self-destructive tendencies and do better as people and comics.
Arman Morales & Thony De La Rosa -The Cleaning Lady (FOX)
Arman and Thony were the reason to watch The Cleaning Lady Season 1.
They had chemistry from the minute he asked her to work for her, and it only heightened as her son became sicker, and Arman stepped in to help.
Their initial embrace and dance in Mexico were so sexy. However, in The Cleaning Lady Season 2, they both suffered traumas, and their relationship became more of a comfort.
Arman would still risk his life for Thony and looked so proud of what she learned. They could rule the mob world.
The Russells – The Gilded Age (HBO)
Bertha and George Russell are THE power couple of 1882 NYC, but their wealth cannot open the doors to society Bertha dreams of entering. And while George doesn’t crave acceptance the way Bertha does, he supports his wife’s plans and aspirations and will not tolerate disrespect.
When the ladies running the charity bazaar deliberately snub her offer to host the event in her home for free, choosing to use an inferior and expensive hotel space instead, George’s wrath is a glory to behold.
He single-handedly buys out every stall at the bazaar within an hour of its opening, shutting it down while guaranteeing it raises more money than ever.
While they don’t always agree, they respect each other’s opinions, and their trust in their relationship is absolute. They show that a marriage built on a true partnership between equals can weather any calamity, scandal, or crisis.
Nick Nelson & Charlie Spring – Heartstopper (Netflix)
It’s so easy to fall in love with Nick and Charlie, two teenagers figuring out who they are while trying to survive the perils of high school.
Charlie never expects Nick, his crush, to reciprocate his feelings. Especially since he, and the entire school, assume athletic Nick is heterosexual. But Nick is trying to figure out his own sexuality while his friendship with Charlie begins turning into something more.
This budding romance has so much earnest innocence, charm, and pure heart that it’s almost impossible not to fall in love with Nick, Charlie, and most of their friends.
Based on a series of graphic novels, Charlie and Nick’s relationship will leave you grinning, teary-eyed, and longing to see more.
Ava & Beatrice – Warrior Nun (Netflix)
This relationship was successfully manifested in the hearts of Warrior Nun fans everywhere. Beatrice started off as Ava’s reluctant protector after Ava was gifted the responsibility of the halo.
Beatrice felt like her chances of finding true love were out of reach due to the pressures of her calling.
Meanwhile, Ava was too preoccupied with the growing holy war and her past flirtation with JC. However, over time and bonding, a growing flirtation grew between Beatrice and Ava, radiating chemistry that couldn’t be ignored from their early days of quippy retorts to recent late-night bar dances.
Luckily, the ‘ship came to fruition by the end of Warrior Nun Season 2, with the long-awaited kiss that sealed their true love and what could’ve been had the show not been unfairly canceled.
Anthony & Kate – Bridgerton (Netflix)
The slow burn enemies-to-lovers trope has been done ad nauseum, but Bridgerton made it smolder again!
Kate (Simone Ashley) and Anthony (Jonathan Bailey) were both dutiful older siblings making sacrifices for their families, doing what was expected of them, and shirking the possibility of romance.
They denied their feelings for each other for most of the season, with Anthony courting Kate’s younger sister. It was well worth the wait when they finally succumbed to their uncontrollable passion!
Rick & Michonne – The Walking Dead (AMC)
They were off-screen for a long time, and the little teaser for their upcoming spinoff was enough to highlight there is still a strong connection between them.
With a six-episode limited series on the horizon, they have a lot to work through as they reunite, take down the bad guys, and attempt to return home.
They have such a long and storied history that they have to prevail, and sending messages to one another while in different locations is cool for such a post-apocalyptic franchise.
Jimmy & Jessica — NCIS (CBS)
Medical examiner Jimmy Palmer and Agent Jessica Knight are the latest odd couple on this long-running procedural.
Sure, romantic relationships get short shrift on NCIS. But at least Jimmy and Jessica outed themselves in the early stages of their relationship. “Tiva,” then Torres and Emily, were just season after season of “will they or won’t they?”, which quickly got old. And don’t even get us going on Gibbs’ many false starts.
At least now, viewers will get to see a relationship slowly bloom.
Wilhelm & Simon – Young Royals (Netflix)
These two have grown so much as people and as a couple.
Their love, which began at first sight, has seen its share of troubles on account of Wilhelm being a prince and Simon being of a different class economically.
After everything they face, they seem to be pulled to each other and are always able to find common ground and understand each other. After hitting rough waters, 2022 has seen them come back to each other stronger than before.
Their story is an epic one that tears down institutions.
Lucy Chen & Tim Bradford – The Rookie (ABC)
You simply cannot have a best relationship list without Chenford, and they delivered us a full-course meal and left no crumbs in 2022.
Their first kiss, which they practiced for undercover work, was STEAMY. And that undercover stint kicked open the door to full-blown, overt Chenford.
Their chemistry crackled when they nearly crossed the line, and then they finally broke up with their respective partners and agreed to make a go at something together.
Janine & Gregory – Abbott Elementary (ABC)
Janine and Gregory are the type of slow burn that hurts so good.
They should teach a masterclass on it. There is something so wholesome about them, and Tyler James Williams serves up romantic male lead face like nobody’s business.
Viewers were delighted when there was some forward movement with the ship during the fall finale with a sexy after-hours dance.
Mel & Harry – The Equalizer (CBS)
Air Force sniper meets hacker, and somehow they just click. As Robyn McCall’s backup, they’re a powerhouse team, with Mel providing in-the-field support and Harry handling all the computer and surveillance details.
However, it’s as a married couple that they really shine. Harry had to pretend to be dead for years after faking his death to evade the authorities he’d pissed off. That made married life challenging to say the least.
The fact that he used his time in the cellar to periodically mess with the credit rating of the man who got away with assaulting Mel is only the first quirky phase of his love language.
They are a couple who understand the world is a dangerous and corrupt place and value the relationship they’ve found with each other.
Together, they balance each other’s impulses and make space for the other’s needs. They don’t always agree, but they’re always loyal to each other, and the success of their endeavors is built on that trust.
Did we capture your favorite ‘ships?
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Whitney Evans is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow her on Twitter.