I might need to attend a Shippers Anonymous meeting
May 4, 2014 3:26 PM   Subscribe

I need some new TV to watch, and I'm in a schmoopy mood. I've got a hankering for some old-fashioned Will-They-or-Won't-They romance. Please introduce me to the next Mulder and Scully or Beckett and Castle.

I generally like sci-fi, action and mysteries (procedurals ok), so a new show with a little flirty romantic spice sprinkled on top would be perfect. I watch a fair amount of British TV, so recommendations from there or other non-US sources would be great, as would any older television series you think I might have missed. I'm generally looking for a good show with a bonus cute couple, rather than a show all about a couple and their romantic drama. Couples who aren't the lead characters, who are potential but not yet together, or people who just flirt madly and stare longingly at each other but never really do anything about it will also work. Thanks all!
posted by backwards compatible to Media & Arts (39 answers total) 22 users marked this as a favorite
 
any older television series you think I might have missed.

Moonlighting?
posted by radwolf76 at 3:30 PM on May 4, 2014 [6 favorites]


The Artful Detective has some saucy flirting that builds up over several seasons. And although he's very bad at it, Doc Martin also might suit this!
posted by jetlagaddict at 3:30 PM on May 4, 2014


Gilmore Girls?
And yes, Doc Martin.
posted by wintersweet at 3:31 PM on May 4, 2014 [1 favorite]


I just finished watching Season One of Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries and there's a lot of tension between Miss Fisher and her police contact. (She does get around on her own, as well, so this show may not be for you if sexually active women are not your cuppa.)

The show is Australian, based on a series of mystery novels set in the 20s. I enjoyed the show overall but I love Miss Fisher (and also her clothes, which I want to steal). S1 is on Netflix; DVDs of S2 are coming out in the US in May.
posted by immlass at 3:31 PM on May 4, 2014 [4 favorites]


Josh Lyman and Donna Moss.
posted by timsteil at 3:32 PM on May 4, 2014 [1 favorite]


The Mentalist might qualify? Still ongoing, in its sixth season (with three left to go for the season finale).

Do beware spoilers in the synopsis if you look it up on Wikipedia.

And on preview, seconding timsteil's recommendation of The West Wing.
posted by sailoreagle at 3:35 PM on May 4, 2014


Bones (forensic bone scientist procedural) and Scandal (political drama) are both shows I enjoy that have this. Bones has a larger back catalog, and I think is a better show. I think it has a lot of similarities to Castle. Scandal has the relationship a bit more central but still not the point of the show.
posted by Night_owl at 3:40 PM on May 4, 2014 [1 favorite]


It's not non-US, but maybe consider Haven, a supernatural drama on Syfy. The main character is an awesome FBI special agent named Audrey Parker, who comes to a strange little town called Haven which, she discovers, is being visited by a recurring supernatural affliction. She ends up partnered (on the force) with a local cop, and makes a good friend of a local smuggler, and the growth of the relationships among them as the mystery/supernatural plot develops is enjoyable to watch.
posted by theatro at 3:41 PM on May 4, 2014 [4 favorites]


Have you seen "The Hour"? The first 2 seasons are available on Amazon Instant Video and it is one of the best TV series I've ever come across. It has some of the most acclaimed British actors in it including Ben Wishaw and Anna Chancellor. Ben Wishaw is in love with one of the female characters and she is in love with him, but they never do anything about it. Something always seems to get in the way. I highly recommend it.
posted by manderin at 3:44 PM on May 4, 2014 [4 favorites]


You need Farscape in your life!
posted by Lemmy Caution at 3:47 PM on May 4, 2014 [3 favorites]


BBC Robin Hood, all the time. I think it's the only show I ever recommend here, but that's because it's the best and fulfills all your TV needs.
posted by goodbyewaffles at 3:49 PM on May 4, 2014 [1 favorite]


Indeed, you need Farscape. John Crichton and Aeryn Sun are my all-time favorite television partners, and the development of the relationship goes far beyond "will-they/won't-they".
posted by suelac at 3:58 PM on May 4, 2014


...sci-fi, action and mysteries...

...a good show with a bonus cute couple...

Warehouse 13.
posted by desjardins at 4:00 PM on May 4, 2014 [3 favorites]


I was going to say Bones. Along those lines . . . Crossing Jordan.
posted by Sassyfras at 4:03 PM on May 4, 2014


Northern Exposure.
posted by LynnDee at 4:04 PM on May 4, 2014 [4 favorites]


Have you seen the BBC Musketeers yet? The will-they-or-won't-they gets solved pretty quickly with two of the leads, but there are (of course) complications, and Aramis is sort of a revolving door of will-they-or-won't-they. It's a very lighthearted, fun show all around, with lots of good action.
posted by WidgetAlley at 4:06 PM on May 4, 2014


Have you seen Fringe? It has a similar-ish feel to X-Files.
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 4:16 PM on May 4, 2014 [2 favorites]


The Good Wife. Four seasons free on Amazon Video if you have Prime. It's procedural-ish and has so much will-they-or-won't-they tension between so many potential couples.
posted by Bentobox Humperdinck at 4:19 PM on May 4, 2014 [1 favorite]


Bones and Chuck. (FWIW, Chuck has a really silly premise, but I really enjoy it.)
posted by radioamy at 4:21 PM on May 4, 2014


Chuck is my current guilty pleasure. Not sayin it's a great show but ... it's pretty great.
posted by Lorin at 4:23 PM on May 4, 2014


Check out old episodes of Remington Steele if you like Castle. HOO BOY, a lot of my romantic preferences in life were shaped by that show.
posted by jenfullmoon at 5:40 PM on May 4, 2014


The first few seasons of Lost had good shipping with Kate and Jack and Kate and Sawyer. I think they were called Jate and Skate in the online forums about the show.

Don't watch past the middle of the third season or so though. What a waste of time.
posted by sockermom at 5:46 PM on May 4, 2014


Echoing immlass re: the sexy tension between the title character and the police detective in Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries (and I covet that wardrobe as well, plus the house set). I watched Series 1 on Netflix, too, and coughed up a nominal subscription fee to watch Series 2 online at acorn.tv (which has both seasons).
posted by Iris Gambol at 6:09 PM on May 4, 2014


Eureka, too, if you missed it.
posted by wintersweet at 6:09 PM on May 4, 2014 [1 favorite]


Response by poster: Thank you all so much - so many good shows to choose from!
posted by backwards compatible at 6:23 PM on May 4, 2014


Arrow is a great action show (based on DC's Green Arrow) and there's lots of will they won't they stuff going on between Oliver and his old flame Laurel and/or his nerdy cute IT girl Felicity, depending on your preferences.
posted by katyggls at 7:20 PM on May 4, 2014


Sports Night might work. It's Aaron Sorkin's show from before West Wing.
posted by LobsterMitten at 7:27 PM on May 4, 2014 [1 favorite]


Luther.
posted by you're a kitty! at 7:49 PM on May 4, 2014


Blue Murder
posted by JenMarie at 8:07 PM on May 4, 2014


Coming back to say Covert Affairs! Annie and, ahem, spoilers, someone else whom you will doubtless identify very quickly, have a long multi-season slow-build romance arc, but there are also lots of fun side hookups for Annie on the way.
posted by WidgetAlley at 8:31 PM on May 4, 2014


Remington Steele
posted by misozaki at 8:55 PM on May 4, 2014


Primeval.
posted by LiverOdor at 9:47 PM on May 4, 2014


If it's an older show, do you care how the show ended? And to clarify, you want heterosexual couples, yes?

Ideas and nth-ing:
Leverage
Wonderfalls
Farscape
Fringe
Babylon 5
Remington Steele
Scarecrow and Mrs. King
Remember WENN
Psych
Chuck
Stargate SG-1 (and some of Stargate Atlantis)
Forever Knight (...depending on how you answer the first question above)
The Invisible Man
Spaced
Crossing Jordan
Bones
Warehouse 13
Eureka
possibly the first two seasons of Sliders
Star Trek: TNG
Covert Affairs
posted by wiskunde at 10:16 PM on May 4, 2014 [1 favorite]


Dave and Lisa on NewsRadio don't play the Sam and Diane act for long (in fact, my understanding is that the shows creators deliberately wanted to take the whole Sam and Diane thing in a different direction), but after they get together, they have to play it super cool because no one at work can know. Plus, Maura Tierney & Dave Foley? Totally cute! And the show is still pretty funny, even after 20 (!!!) years.
posted by Conrad Cornelius o'Donald o'Dell at 10:28 PM on May 4, 2014 [2 favorites]


If you're up for some late 80s/early 90s British cheese then have a look at Lovejoy.
posted by shelleycat at 1:45 AM on May 5, 2014


Sleepy Hollow. Previously.
posted by editorgrrl at 8:14 AM on May 5, 2014


Nthing Eureka.
posted by rtha at 9:11 AM on May 5, 2014


The Office, both the British and American versions. Not SciFi or a mystery, but it meets the other criteria.
posted by cnc at 9:29 AM on May 5, 2014


Oh my god I read this thread like four times looking for my own purposes and didn't notice that nobody had mentioned Veronica Mars. So... Veronica Mars.
posted by Sequence at 7:38 PM on May 5, 2014


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