Top 10 Most Over the Top Sex Scenes in TV History

“Buffy the Vampire Slayer” (1997-2003)
There’s something to be said about a “will they or won’t they?” dynamic, and sometimes it’s just best to let shipping be shipping. A certain contingent of fans wanted Buffy and Spike to get together on “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” but when they finally did, the results were so explosive that it caused collateral damage! The pair engage in an argument, back and forth, until their passions eventually explode into a scene that, quite literally, brings the house down. Buffy and Spike’s fun time is so intense that an abandoned house gets shaken to its foundation thanks to all of the activity.

“Moonlighting” (1985-89)
Speaking of “will they or won’t they,” “Moonlighting” is the textbook example of how getting a couple of characters together can ruin a show. Fans thrilled at the witty repartee of Cybill Shepherd and Bruce Willis over the course of two seasons, but after their characters finally hooked up in the third, “Moonlighting” began its slow, but inevitable decline. That said, the scene when David and Maddie finally do the deed admittedly does feel earned, rising up from physical argument to… well, getting physical. The musical accompaniment is “Be My Baby” by the Ronettes, and it underlines how long these characters have secretly wanted what’s going down. Sure, it’s not graphic by today’s standards, but the romance was hot stuff back in the late ‘80s.

“Shameless” (2011-21)
The American version of the infamous U.K. series “Shameless” did a great job at carrying over all of the sexual goings-on between the Gallagher family and the show’s various cast of characters. Heck, the very first episode of “Shameless” USA features a graphically realistic tryst between Emmy Rossum’s Fiona Gallagher and a good samaritan named Steve. The sequence revels in how awkward and uncoordinated even the best hookup can be, and both actors lean into not having a lot of hang-ups or vanity with regards to how the act looks on screen. It’s a smart move in the end, because the scene ends up being both over-the-top… as well as pretty steamy, if we’re being honest.

“The Great” (2020-23)
This fictional and satirical take on the life of Catherine the Great takes delight in showcasing some sexual gymnastics between Catherine, her husband Peter… and her lover Leo. Although Catherine initially finds more satisfying encounters with Leo, Nicholas Hoult’s Peter the III of Russia does his erotic homework… and wants to prove it to Elle Fanning’s Catherine. Enter a scene where Peter pleasures lead Catherine in a manner that juxtaposes the pair’s marital activities against the carnal excursions with Leo. It’s the sort of hot stuff that’s easy to find on streaming services like Hulu, but “The Great” still manages to stand out from the pack.

“The Americans” (2013-18)
Sex on basic cable can traditionally only go so far, and this went double back in the mid 2010s. Yet, that didn’t stop “The Americans” from pushing buttons and boundaries with this daring sequence from its second season. Let’s face it: NO child wants to walk in on their parents doing it, but the position in which real-life couple Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys are in is quite graphic, particularly by cable standards. Then again, “The Americans” was a show that featured an enthusiastic car scene in the very first episode, so fans probably knew what to expect: an eyeful.

“Westworld” (2016-22)
We’re thinking that the sex between Maeve and Hector here on this episode of “Westworld” just HAD to be phenomenal. How else could those characters explain continuing to carry on while the area around them is ON FREAKING FIRE? We get that Maeve knows that they’re both cybernetic hosts who will just reset whenever they die anyway, but that explanation’s no fun. We’d much rather imagine the feelings she and Hector have for one another, burning hotter than the flames that threaten to engulf nearly everything around them in that tent.

“Jessica Jones” (2015-19)
The Marvel Cinematic Universe isn’t exactly a place where sex scenes are commonplace. Thankfully, some of Marvel’s Netflix shows picked up some of that sexy slack, such as the scene between Jessica Jones and Luke Cage in this third episode. The pair’s on-screen coupling is aggressive, action-packed, and enthusiastic, where neither participant feels slighted with regards to the camera gaze. It provides tonal shifts and subverted expectations from typical Marvel fare. Meanwhile, a Decider article from 2015 further analyzed the relationship as it progressed with regards to their emotional vulnerability: as the sex scenes become more, well “super,” so too do Cage and Jones become closer as a pair.

“American Horror Story” (2011-)
The title of our entry just sort of says it all, right? After all, when you nab Lady Freakin’ Gaga to star in “American Horror Story,” you just gotta go over the top with her season! “Hotel” ticked all of the hot and spooky boxes with this scene featuring Gaga and her co-star, Matt Bomer. The pair engage in some coitus with another couple, only for the scene to get really dark when Bomer’s and Gaga’s characters murder their new partners in graphic fashion. On one hand, it’s par for the course for “American Horror Story” to mix sex and death in this fashion. But then again, the execution goes for broke, and Gaga sells it to the MAX.

“Girls” (2012-17)
Sex, by its very nature, is comedy. Very few of us look good doing it, which is why Hollywood scenes fulfill such an important fantasy. Then, there’s shows like “Girls,” which arguably depicts sex at its most realistic. Sure, Marnie and Desi are a good-looking couple, but there’s nothing flattering about the position they’re in while fornicating in their kitchen. It’s a scene that immediately got fans talking, and it’s explicit enough that we can’t really go into too heavy a description without YouTube flagging us. That said, fans of “Girls” know exactly what we’re talking about…

“Bridgerton” (2020-)
Mileage may vary with regards to period costume dramas, but there’s no denying the “did you see that” talking points “Bridgerton” brought to practically every water cooler. Phoebe Dynevor’s Lady Daphne losing her virginity in grand fashion? Check. Daphne and Regé-Jean Page’s Simon Basset’s palatial escapades throughout a fancy, schmancy British manor? Double check. It’s the sort of sex scene that’s borderline comedic with how over-the-top it is, including an infamous climax with Daphne atop a ladder and Simon, ahem, “down below.” Kinda makes you want to rip your bodice just thinking about it, doesn’t it?