Top 10 Hottest Couples in Period TV Shows

“Fellow Travelers” (2023)
If you google ‘right person, wrong time’, this is the couple that shows up. Tim and Hawk fall in love during the tumultuous McCarthy era, smack dab in the middle of the lavender scare. Any ordinary melodrama would have them risking their lives to declare their love. However, “Fellow Travelers” keeps it real, even if it breaks our hearts. Sure, there are enough swoon-worthy and downright erotic moments to liven up their romance. However, an inherent power imbalance, the threat of being exposed, and the risk of being hunted down for who they love casts a dark shadow on our characters. Nevertheless, it wouldn’t be fair to call their relationship toxic. They were simply failed by the times.

“Gran Hotel” (2011-13)
Set in a quaint fictional Spanish town in the early 20th century, this love story hits all the right spots for fans of classics. The action unfolds in the eponymous hotel, where our hero, a working-class man, sets out to find his missing sister. In a “Titanic”-esque turn of events, he catches the eye of Alicia, daughter of the hotel owner, who’s engaged to the manager. Alongside their sizzling romance runs a vein of mystery as the secrets of the establishment come to light. “Gran Hotel” does a fantastic job of evoking an enigmatic ambiance, which makes Julio and Alicia’s partnership even more exciting.

“North & South” (2004)
If the title of the show didn’t already make it obvious enough, this is a tested and true tale of enemies to lovers. Margaret comes from the sweet sweet south and is disillusioned by the cold north, where John lives. She harbors all sorts of prejudices against him until each one is shed, gently but surely. Unfortunately, love is far from just a personal affair. There are issues of social standing, class divide, and disapproving families standing in their way. Still, John and Margaret persevere until they find the perfect middle ground, making us shed a million tears along the way.

“Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story” (2023)
We never knew we needed this as much as we did until we got it. The prequel to the “Bridgerton” series gives its Queen a worthy romance of her own and it is truly royal. Our heroine is Charlotte, who’s far from impressed about being spoken for, even if it’s the King of England she’s marrying. Once she meets King George, equal parts charming and visually pleasing, she has a quick change of heart. While their physical chemistry is effervescent and colorful, it is how they stick by each other during tough times that makes this show memorable. She’s an unwavering pillar of support for him as he struggles with his mental health and ultimately becomes his saving grace. Can they get any cuter?

“The Artful Dodger” (2023-)
The fiery tension of an age-appropriate teacher-student dynamic melts into a gentle romance for this couple. Jack Dawkins is a crafty pickpocket-turned-speedy surgeon in the land down under. He’s got showmanship going for him but formal education, not so much. Lady Belle, an infinitely more well-read upper-class woman, wants to follow in Jack’s footsteps. The only problem is, she’ll have to tackle the patriarchy while he takes a lesson in feminism. Jack grills her to no end until they’re on equal footing and she’s got banter for days. At the same time, the two understand each other like no one else can. Theirs is a courtship of mutual respect and adoration and it’ll leave you wanting more.

“The Great” (2020-23)
To kill or not to kill, that is the question. These two straddle the line between love and hate with comical dedication. Catherine wants to reform Russia and enlighten her subjects whereas Peter has baser desires. One moment, she wants to end him for good, the next, she’s seeking him out for pleasure. At the same time, Peter starts to indulge in intellectual activities to earn Catherine’s interest, even if it’s wildly out of character for him. They spend most of the episodes figuring out their feelings. While they rarely get to a clearly defined conclusion, glimpses of their affections constantly peek through. Catherine and Peter’s relationship is far from perfect – he does cheat on her with her mother – but it is explosive indeed.

“Bridgerton” (2020-)
This duo is the poster child of yearning. When Anthony, the ninth Viscount Bridgerton, starts looking for a wife to settle down with, Edwina Sharma appears to be the perfect match. However, deep down in his heart, his emotions are stirring for her elder sister, Kate. A forbidden romance blooms against all odds, leaving them endlessly pining for each other. When together, they can’t keep their hands to themselves. When apart, they exchange the sultriest glances from across the room. Finally, they can’t take it anymore and reveal their feelings, although it was never much of a secret to most discerning eyes around them anyway. We’re looking at you, Daphne!

“Poldark” (2015-19)
If you’re looking for an idyllic romance where two people only have eyes for each other, this is not the show for you. Ross meets Demelza when she’s very young and he hires her as a maid. When she’s older, she pursues him romantically but he’s haunted by the memories of his once-beloved Elizabeth. Before those feelings are resolved, Ross and Demelza rush into marriage. Immediately, it is frowned upon and Demelza is denounced as a social climber. Thrust into high society, she realizes she has much inner work to do, which becomes evident when she steps out on Ross. However, what matters at the end of the day is how they always find their way back and choose each other.

“Downton Abbey” (2010-15)
Character development is the name of the game for this relationship. When Matthew first meets Mary, she has no plans of getting off her high horse. Even though she’s not going to inherit her family estate, she still has the arrogance of aristocracy. Naturally, she’s constantly at odds with the middle-class chap, Crawley. He, however, is utterly smitten with her. They strike up a genuine friendship, which slowly transforms into much more. Thus starts their sweeping romance that goes on to endure war, love triangles, and even the Spanish influenza … but apparently not a car crash. Too soon?

“Outlander” (2014-)
This show lasted over a decade, all thanks to its indomitable central romance. When Claire unwittingly travels back in time, the only way she can survive is through a marriage of convenience to Jamie. Yes, she was technically cheating on her actual husband but he wasn’t a saint either. As time goes by, Claire grows attached to Jamie, realizing he’s the love of her life. She decides to stand by him, come hell or high water, and can't move on when she goes back to her original life. As fate would have it, they wind up back together and are determined to hold on to each other forever. If Claire and Jamie can make their relationship work, your partner can at least text you back.

Which of these couples are peak relationship goals? Let us know in the comments!

[b]a-lar-CONE: https://forvo.com/search/Alarc%C3%B3n/