New Delhi: Sitcoms breathe life into many romances and some the couples in these show become our definition of love. These relationships teach us to have trust, confidence, comfort, honesty and most of all love, love and love. There are examples of famous love stories in real life and reel life and maybe the reel couples don’t make it to a beautiful end, these reel couples do. Shows like 'The Big Bang Theory', 'F.R.I.E.N.D.S', 'The Office' etc. aren’t just comedies but models of great love stories. Here are 9 love lessons sitcoms have taught us.
Relationships aren’t always equal: Monica and Chandler from the TV show 'F.R.I.E.N.D.S.' have been a fan favourite forever now. These two were rather different and came with their own challenges. Monica helped Chandler with his fear of commitment and Chandler loved maintaining the uptight Monica. Their relationship wasn’t about one-uping each other or asking to have a 50-50 partnership, but a relationship where there was understanding, acceptance and a space to grow. Their love is about marrying or being with your best friend, who knows you more than you do and loves going that extra mile to take your hand towards a happy life.
Soulmates aren’t born but made: Amy and Sheldon from 'The Big Bang Theory' are the soulmate couple. Their love took a long time to garner and nurture. Sheldon, who wasn’t interested in finding a lover or believed in dating websites, found Amy through a dating site setup by Raj and Howard. From being his Friend who is a girl, to his girlfriend to making him comfortable in physical intimacy to leaving him for a little while so that he learns her value and then doing long distance to being engaged and then married to winning a Nobel Prize for their work collaboration on Super Asymmetry, Amy and Sheldon has gone through all kinds of hardships and romances in their relationship. They gave their relationship all they could and ended up with this beautiful conjugation.
Having different interests is a boon not a bane: Jake and Amy from the detective comedy 'Brooklyn nine-nine' are the goofiest most adorable couple of all. Their love story with that enemies to lovers trope gives us all the feels. The relationship between Jake and Amy starts as a friendly rivalry and later develops into one that is based on respect for one another. They were poles apart. On one side Amy was a overachieving goody two shoes, whereas Jake was witty, fun-loving and a bit immature, but serious about his job. The two are fond of each other's flaws, such as his crude 'frat boy' humour and her obsessive need for order and discipline. They compliment each other as well as peanut butter and jelly.
Love demands courage: Lily and Marshall from 'How I Met Your Mother' are mostly considered the cringe couple. They experienced love at their initial meeting. They pursued a relationship, leading to an engagement, yet Lily ended it to prioritize her artistic passions in San Francisco. Following a three-month separation, they reunited in New York, ultimately getting engaged again and subsequently married. Even after All the problems and breakups their love soldered through. Marshall loved her enough to her go and pursue her dreams and Lily loved him enough to know that she can do both, love him and have a career. Their courage to beat all odds and be there for each other is refreshing and to some a little difficult to look digest. Their love is shown as that one couple who’s madly frenzied into the relationship and it’s smallest quips. All love demands is courage to follow your heart and do what it takes.
Loving Yourself first: Rajesh Koothrapali From 'The Big Bang Theory' is the greatest example of how a character grows into learning to love themselves. There is no lasting relationship in Raj’s life including his relationship with Lucy, Emily, Emily Sweeny, Claire and Anu. All his relationship failures taught him innumerable lessons about how his needs to be there for himself first. The storyline even though ends with Raj having no love interest and him leaving Anu as he doesn’t wish to uproot his life. We learn that his hopeless romantic lifestyle isn’t a problem but his strength. He is talented and someone who is comfortable with both his masculinity and feminine side. Raj makes you understand the significance of self love and asks you to demand an exit when your relationships come in the way of your self respect and self love.
Waiting for the right one is worth it: Jim and Pam from 'The Office' have a beloved and strong relationship. Their slow burn romance from friends to lovers to a married couple is full of playful pranks and heartfelt moments. Pam was initially with her long term fiancé Roy. But as the relationship was moving forward, she realized her feelings for Jim grew and complicated her relationship with Roy. Jim fell for Pam the day he met her as he says "Plan A was marrying her a long time ago. Pretty much the day I met her.” He couldn’t help but wait for her to feel the same, he knew they belonged together. This might not be a lesson in waiting around for people to love you back but a lesson that the right people will love you and be patient for you. Their love was kind of imperfectly perfect. As Pam said "When you're a kid, you assume your parents are soulmates. My kids are gonna be right about that." They were the it couple. You learn that it isn’t about being 100% compatible but about love each other fully and patiently.
Love the quirks: Phoebe Buffay And Mike Hanigan From 'F.R.I.E.N.D.S.' the musical couple of the sitcoms or might we say Princess Consuela Banana Hammock and Crap Bag have the quirkiest romance. They love each other’s weird habits, their love for music and their respect for each other. From Mike standing up for Phoebe to his family to Phoebe loving Mike beyond his imagination and her showing him a beautiful life after his divorce, they have a love that is based on mutual respect and acceptance of each other with all the good and bag and weird. Mike enjoyed Phoebe’s little eccentricities and she gave him a chance to be truly himself and not some sad sack. Love does that to you, it teaches you to be open and have a little fun.
It doesn’t have to make sense to others: Jay and Gloria From 'The Modern Family', are the couple that’s questioned the most. Their age gap, Claire’s claim that Gloria’s a “Gold Digger” or Gloria and Jay having their own kids and lives, were all in the way of their love; But surpassing all this, their love soared. Initially following the “Second Wife Trope” Gloria is shown in a bad light But as the show progresses, we realize that Jay and Gloria are incredibly compatible and in love. The Character of Gloria is shown as kind of a “Bimbo” but soon everyone realizes that she is intelligent and quick as a cat. Her love for Jay isn’t a charade and even if people claim that it is unusual their love is beautiful. You might not think the best of it, and maybe even raise questions but it doesn’t have to make sense to you, as it makes sense to them. Love learns to be in different forms but that doesn’t diminish it’s light.
Love changes you in beautiful ways: Howard and Bernadette from 'The Big Bang Theory' are the epitome of what love can do for you when you work for them. Howard was initially shown as a rather creepy guy who had a shadowed life of a mamma’s boy. Bernadette, a strong girl who understood her value and somehow was weirdly attracted to Howard, made Howard a better man. From having unrealistic expectations to marry someone like Halley Berry to understanding that Bernadette is the love of his life and best girl for him Howard grew immensely. He became extremely responsible, a great father and someone who worked to keep his family happy. Their love teaches us that love makes us grow and get better for ourselves.
Love hath changed many. It’ll always be special and there is no fixed pattern to fall in love, but everyone can do with some lessons in loving others and yourself. Just don’t give up on your happiness, that’s the most thing in life.