Biggest sitcom couples of the '90s – then and now

“We were on a break” certainly sums up this iconic Friends couple to a “T”. The definitive “will-they-won’t-they” romance, Ross (David Schwimmer) and Rachel’s (Jennifer Aniston) dynamic kept us hooked for a decade (and beyond), and while it was always super frustrating when they weren’t together, it made it all the more worth it when they finally got together for good in the series finale. 

Jen and David delighted us all when they, alongside the rest of the gang, reunited for the Friends: The Reunion special in 2021, but more recently gave us the best Super Bowl commercial in ages. For the 2024 Uber Eats commercial, they joined the likes of Victoria and David Beckham, where Jen hilariously pretended not to recognise her former Friends flame.

The ultimate dysfunctional couple, Al (Ed O’Neill) and Peggy Bundy (Katey Sagal) from Married…with Children might not have won our hearts with their fairytale romance, but their constant bickering and outrageous scheming made for hilarious TV. When Al wasn’t lounging on the sofa and Peggy on another shopping spree, the couple were always at each other’s throats – and strangely, fans couldn’t get enough.

Ed O’Neill, now best known for his role as Jay Pritchett on Modern Family, re-united with Sons of Anarchy star Katey Sagal in 2014 for her Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony – but we won’t have to wait too much longer to see them together again. A one-night-only Married cast reunion is set to take place on January 28, 2026, with both actors expected to attend.

Through six seasons and endless cries of “Mr. Sheffield!”, endearingly eccentric nanny Fran Fine (Fran Drescher) and the refined Maxwell Sheffield (Charles Shaughnessy) had us hooked with their banter and slow-burn tension. The duo remains one of TV’s quintessential “opposites attract” pairing, and their endlessly teased “will-they-won’t-they” dynamic finally came to a head with their engagement in season five, which left viewers ecstatic.  

Fans have been eagerly clamouring for a The Nanny revival since the cast reunited for a virtual table read in 2020; while the pair have been busy, with Charles’ role on General Hospital (2021–2023) and Fran earning her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Charles posted them together at lunch on his Instagram with the cheeky caption, “Getting the Band back together….?”. Don’t leave us hanging!

The most enviable high-school romance of our teen years, Boy Meets World’s Topanga (Danielle Fishel) and Cory (Ben Savage) grew from an awkward crush into young-adult soulmates over the course of the show. Under the watchful (and exasperated) eye of Mr. Feeny, fans followed the couple all the way from teenage missteps to their eventual wedding in the series finale, completing one of the sweetest romantic arcs in sitcom history.

Since reuniting in the Disney Channel sequel Girl Meets World (2014–2017), Danielle has gone on to compete on Dancing with the Stars and also co-hosts the Pod Meets World rewatch podcast. Speaking to Variety in 2023, she revealed that Ben has “kind of disappeared from our lives”, choosing to take a step back from his showbiz past.

From ruling Bayside High to that devastating breakup, Zack (Mark-Paul Gosselaar) and Kelly’s (Tiffani Thiessen) love story on Saved by the Bell had us tuning in every week to watch their flirtations, schemes, and drama unfold. From high school sweethearts to their eventual marriage in Saved by the Bell: Wedding in Las Vegas (1994), Zack and Kelly were the undisputed heart of this classic show.

Fans were overjoyed when the couple reunited on-screen – and in character – in the 2020 Saved by the Bell revival, which revealed that the pair were not only still together, but parents to son Mac. Though the reboot was sadly cancelled, Tiffani revealed to People in 2025 that "text chains are always happening" with her fellow Bell alumni, so never say never to the possibility of another reunion.

“Jackie and Kelso” vs “Jackie and Hyde” was the ultimate ‘90s dilemma – while Michael Kelso (Ashton Kutcher) was Jackie’s (Mila Kunis) first love, fans were left shocked when an unexpected romance between Jackie and Steven Hyde (Danny Masterson) emerged later in the series. The show wrapped with the latter couple together, though the debate still raged on in living rooms worldwide.

While it may not have been happily ever after for Jackie and Hyde in Point Place, Ashton and Mila famously began dating in 2012 after reuniting, and became one of Hollywood’s most beloved offscreen couples. In yet another shock twist, the Netflix sequel That ‘90s Show (2023) also revealed that Jackie and Kelso had rekindled their romance, welcomed a son, and were remarrying for a second time.

The defining “nerd meets cool girl” saga of ‘90s TV, Steve Urkel (Jaleel White) spent years pursuing the perpetually exasperated Laura Winslow (Kellie Shanygne Williams) with his trademark suspenders and wildly inventive gadgets. A slow-burn that lasted nearly the entire decade, the couple finally became official in season nine, giving viewers the sweet payoff they’d been rooting for all along.

Despite past public tensions between Jaleel and some of the Family Matters cast and crew, his co-stars gushed over him at ‘90s Con in 2023, with Kellie revealing the two still talk often. Darius McCrary, who played Eddie Winslow, also hinted to fans at a previous con not to rule out a revival, as “the possibilities are endless today” – leaving the door open to fans to potentially see this iconic couple on-screen again.

For eleven seasons, Niles Crane (David Hyde Pierce) pining over Daphne Moon (Jane Leeves) became a TV staple, with only Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammer) picking up on his brother’s unrequited love. In a chaotic twist, Daphne ended up leaving her fiancé at the altar to be with Niles after his eventual confession, a move we were all waiting for and seriously couldn’t believe was finally happening.

While the happy couple were noticeably absent from the Frasier revival (2023), this was a deliberate choice by Jane and David, who were busy with big projects like The Resident and HBO’s Julia, respectively. The actors did delight fans when they joined the 2020 cast reunion on Stars In The House, so we’re anxiously awaiting another project featuring these two in the near future.