Seth Cohen and Summer Roberts were the fun, and unlikely pairing in The O.C. While Ryan and Marissa may have been the initial romantic draw, Seth and Summer’s growing relationship kept The O.C. developing a more fun dynamic between the resident nerd and his crush on the popular girl. Seth and Summer won the audience’s hearts as their unexpected connection continued to grow, and as different as they may have been, they also brought out the best in each other. Although Seth and Summer’s romance begins in season one, they have many ups and downs.
But, if Seth and Summer were a favorite couple, then plenty of other couples would have given a similar dynamic or energy. Teen Wolf’s Stiles and Lydia exhibit plenty of similarities, from Stiles and Seth’s long-time crush on their respective female counterparts to how they bond through their friends’ relationships. Brooklyn Nine-Nine is also one to exhibit the goofy but kind-hearted Jake Peralta with the more serious Amy Santiago. While not every couple is precisely the same, some aspects have made plenty of these couples beloved by fans, especially those that may have latched on to The O.C.’s Seth and Summer.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
Teen Wolf: Stiles And Lydia
MGM Domestic Television Distribution
Seth and Summer do not start interacting until after Ryan and Marissa meet. As Seth and Summer are each of their closest friends, the foursome begins getting to know each other, and it finally gives Seth the opportunity he has always wanted to get Summer to notice him. For Stiles and Lydia, it is nearly an identical pattern. Although Stiles has had feelings for Lydia for years, Lydia never sees him until she befriends Allison. Allison and Scott’s budding romance means Lydia and Stiles are getting closer. However, Stiles and Lydia are far more of a slow-burn romance than Seth and Summer ever were.
Stiles and Lydia’s relationship slowly transforms from Lydia ignoring Stiles’ admiration for her to an honest friendship forged in the face of dangerous and life-threatening supernatural activities. Over time, their friendship continues to hold undertones of romantic feelings, but even their first kiss in season three connects them as emotional tethers rather than a romantic couple. Lydia and Stiles finally get together in season six, giving their relationship far more build-up and development before they got together than Seth and Summer received.
The Vampire Diaries: Klaus And Caroline
Warner Brothers Television Distribution
In all of Caroline’s dynamics, she is the more bubbly character, with Tyler, Stefan, and Klaus each representing the darker side of things. Although Caroline did end up with Stefan, she always had a connection to Klaus and even solidified their undefined relationship before Klaus sacrificed himself. Caroline and Klaus were a relationship that never quite came to be. However, they grew to understand each other very well, quicker and easier than most others. It also did not hurt that Klaus recognized and acknowledged his growing feelings for Caroline a while before she admitted to reciprocating them.
Brooklyn 99: Jake And Amy
Fox
Brooklyn Nine-Nine’s Jake Peralta is the goofy and nerdy side of the relationship. However, that did not mean that Amy could not also dive into her more childlike behavior. Jake realizes his feelings for Amy in season one. However, Jake and Amy’s relationship does not head in a romantic direction until the end of season two and the beginning of season three. Jake and Amy’s back-and-forth banter is a vital part of the series and exists at the show’s heart.
The Good Place: Eleanor And Chidi
NBCUniversal Television Distribution
Although Chidi may be the book nerd in this couple, Eleanor and Chidi’s relationship shows their personalities and backstories are highly different. Chidi is obsessed with being a good person but can never decide to save his life. Not making a decision ended up being part of the cause of his death. In contrast, Eleanor can make many decisions; they are mostly the wrong ones. When they meet, Eleanor and Chidi can not be more different. But, as time passes, and they are forced to spend time together, their relationship develops as they come to appreciate their differences and work better because of them.
The Big Bang Theory: Leonard And Penny
CBS
Leonard is a dual nerd through comic books and academics when they meet. Meanwhile, Penny is far more interested in the entertainment industry and a hopeful future as an actress. As the series continues, that does not change much. Penny is forced to learn more about science, given how all her new friends work in the field. Meanwhile, Leonard grows to understand a world outside the one he has always lived in. Leonard and Penny do not always have it easy. But they discover more about each other’s worlds and find connections to them. Leonard and Penny have a similar on-again-off-again approach, along with the will they-won’t they that hangs in the air before they get together.
The Office: Jim And Pam
Jim has had a crush on Pam for a while, even though she is engaged. Although Jim does not try to break up her relationship, his feelings for Pam are clear, and he can not help but find ways to flirt and joke around with her. Unfortunately, it takes Pam a bit longer to recognize she reciprocates those feelings, as she is mainly focused on her boyfriend. But when they do get together, it is a long-time coming. Jim and Pam’s romance hits bumps in the road, but their relationship delivers a solid goofy, and fun approach.
The Good Place: Jason And Janet
NBC
While Jason may not have had a crush on Janet for years, he grows a connection to her as the one not-a-girl to accept him entirely as he is without being mean to him. While Janet is not human, she discovers a more extensive range of human emotions through her connection to Jason. It is certainly unexpected when Jason and Janet decide to get married, and not initially where it was expected The Good Place would be going. However, as unlikely as it may have been, the relationship still manages to be fun throughout each season.
Legacies: Lizzie And M.G.
M.G. knew from the beginning that he had a crush on Lizzie for a while. M.G. spends most of the first season trying to woo Lizzie, only to be ignored. Nevertheless, M.G. sees the best in Lizzie even when others do not. He tries to help Lizzie and be her friend even though he feels much more. For Lizzie, however, it takes a while longer. Although Lizzie becomes aware of M.G.’s feelings, it takes her far longer to reciprocate them.
Once Lizzie does reciprocate M.G.’s feelings, things get complicated again, and their relationship gets pushed until they are both in a better place and can fully accept their feelings. Lizzie and M.G. play a far more extended version of Seth and Summer’s back and forth. Summer goes through a brief arc of uncertainty about if Seth will continue to reciprocate her feelings, but it does not last as long as waiting it out to see if M.G. and Lizzie will get together.
One Tree Hill: Nathan and Haley
At first, it seemed that Haley and Nathan would be an improbable pairing. But, their paths brought them together in season one, and although they faced plenty of ups and downs, the duo came out the other side stronger in every scenario they were placed in. Although Nathan and Hayley certainly go beyond the average teenage couple, such as getting married while still in high school, their relationship rests at the show’s core as one of its steadiest relationships.
MCU: Peter And M.J.
Sony Pictures Releasing
Although the MCU’s Peter Parker has not had a crush on M.J. for years, he exhibits quirky behavior toward M.J. throughout Spider-Man: Far From Home. Peter’s feelings for M.J. are a refreshing addition to the MCU as a teen love story while having a new approach to the Peter Parker romance from previous Spider-Man iterations. M.J. is not just a love interest sitting on the sidelines. She participates in helping Peter and even figures out Peter is Spider-Man without him having to tell her. M.J.’s darker humor is an excellent balance to Peter’s high energy.
