And showrunners certainly count on viewers tuning in every episode/season/year, hoping to finally see it happen.
Alas, sometimes the anticipation is exactly what makes the kiss that much sweeter.
Here are our favorite long-awaited kisses in TV history.
Scott Patterson and Lauren Graham on ‘Gilmore Girls’; Nathan Fillion and Stana Katic on ‘Castle’; Ian Somerhalder and Nina Dobrev on ‘The Vampire Diaries’.Credit:Warner Bros; Adam Taylor/ABC via Getty; The CW
But Ollie wasn’t quite done with the other women in his life.
Plus, he had this idea that he couldn’t be the Arrowandbe with Felicity.
When she handed the receipts to Ben, he kissed her.
Emily Deschanel and David Boreanaz on ‘Bones’.FOX
Leslie immediately kissed him right back, thus officially launching the show’s public service power couple.
And after those two locked lips twice in season 3, Elena admitted her heart was still with Stefan.
But the feeling isn’t mutual.
Stephen Amell and Emily Bett Rickards on ‘Arrow’.The CW
(Some of which he was probably right about.)
After all, they’d been wanting to do this for four seasons by then.S.H.
This inspired Donna to plant a kiss on her boss.
Amy Poehler and Adam Scott on ‘Parks and Recreation’.NBC
Their chemistry was undeniable from day one, even to the folks within Stars Hollow.
And yet, somehow the show found a way to stretch out their love story for four seasons.
The two got together following a victory for the Santos campaign, celebrating the good news with a smooch.
Ian Somerhalder and Nina Dobrev on ‘The Vampire Diaries’.The CW
But it took the show seven seasons before the couple locked lips for the first time.
For 12 seasons (12!)
they built the relationship between Elliot Stabler (Christopher Meloni) and Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay).
Dylan O’Brien and Holland Roden on ‘Teen Wolf’.MTV
Yes, Elliot was married for some of it, but not all of it!
Those two would do anything to save each other, and they often did.
We’re still waiting, Dick Wolf.S.H.
Nathan Fillion and Stana Katic on ‘Castle’.Adam Taylor/ABC via Getty Images
The pair got engaged and sealed their eternal bond with a kiss that had fans squealing with delight.
But over the course of season 1, Maeve, too, started to develop feelings for Otis.
She couldn’t not kiss him after that!S.H.
Anna Paquin and Alexander Skarsgård on ‘True Blood’.HBO
Nestor Carbonell and Vera Farmiga on ‘Bates Motel’.A&E
Sarah Rafferty and Gabriel Macht on ‘Suits’.USA Network
Danai Gurira and Andrew Lincoln on ‘The Walking Dead’.AMC
Lauren Graham and Scott Patterson on ‘Gilmore Girls’.The WB
Rob Morrow and Janine Turner on ‘Northern Exposure’.CBS via Getty Images
Winona Ryder and David Harbour on ‘Stranger Things’.Netflix
Lisa Edelstein and Hugh Laurie on ‘House’.FOX
Sarah Michelle Gellar and James Marsters on ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’.UPN
David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson on ‘The X-Files’.FOX
Janel Moloney and Bradley Whitford on ‘The West Wing’.NBC
David Hyde Pierce and Jane Leeves on ‘Frasier’.NBC
Christopher Meloni and Mariska Hargitay on ‘Law & Order: Special Victims Unit’.Virginia Sherwood/NBC
Phyllis Logan and Jim Carter on ‘Downton Abbey’.ITV
Emma Mackey and Asa Butterfield on ‘Sex Education’.Netflix
