Top 20 Best TV Boyfriends

Not many love-at-first-sight moments begin with a character getting punched. But that’s how Eric falls for Donna. Unlike his male friends, Eric is interested in one girl and one girl alone. Sure, he and Donna break up a few times, but he never stops caring for her. As the resident nice guy, Eric’s failings come down due to immaturity, never maliciousness. And when he messes up, he goes out of his way to win Donna back. He supports her ambitions and respects her as a confident, independent woman. When it comes to the boyfriend department, you can’t go wrong with good old “Foreplay.”

From the moment he sees her, Niles’ world revolves around Daphne. Calling him head over heels is an understatement — we’d say his heart and soul belong to her. He might be unlucky in love, Niles’ feelings for Daphne are as pure as it gets. He’s willing to step back even if it means losing her. Niles sees the best in Daphne when she might not see it herself. It isn’t just Daphne either. His marriage to Maris didn’t work out, but Niles tried to keep it afloat. He doesn’t give up on his relationships without a fight. Word of advice: If you’ve got a Niles Crane in your life, don’t ever let go.

Leonard is not immune to love at first sight. Hit by a cupid’s arrow the second he lays eyes on his neighbor Penny, Leonard even predicts their future together. Leonard is a man who just wants to make his partner happy, no matter what. If that includes getting his pants stolen by her angry ex-boyfriend, then so be it. He does trip and stumble on occasion, but Leonard is usually the first to apologize and accept responsibility. Whether it’s “Star Trek” conventions, impromptu prom nights, or busting a move during karaoke, there’d never be a dull moment with Leonard as your boyfriend.

Some of the best relationships happen by accident. Patrick doesn’t expect to fall in love when he meets David, but it turns out to be all he’s ever wanted. In a series full of charming storylines, he and David embark on a romance that will melt your heart. He accepts David for all his flaws and imperfections, encouraging his partner to embrace their love as he does. With Patrick by his side, David can reach his full potential. The show matures under his influence, as Patrick and David arguably become the A-couple of the series until its conclusion. Big-hearted and kind, Patrick brings perfect balance to the wackiness of Schitt’s Creek.

Cory represents growing up to many viewers in the ‘90s. One of the character’s defining traits is his love for Topanga. Enchanted by her at a young age, he wants nothing more than to spend his life with her. He doesn’t always do right by Topanga, but this is part of becoming the best man he can be for her. As the audience surrogate, Cory teaches viewers to learn from their mistakes. And by the sequel series “Girl Meets World,” our young Cory has graduated from loving boyfriend to loving father and husband.

Who doesn’t like watching the hero get the girl? Ever since childhood, Barry harbors a long-standing crush on Iris. Although it’s a while before they’re together, his feelings for Iris are entirely unselfish. He’ll choose a life of suffering if it means his significant other is happy. In contrast with some other Arrowverse romances, Barry doesn’t look past Iris nor does he ever want to. He may have superpowers, but his true strength comes from feeling loved and wanting to give love in return. Barry’s relatability is one of his best qualities. In addition to being the fastest man alive, Barry might qualify as the sweetest man in the Arrowverse.

Try as he might, we can’t buy Dawson as the “nice guy” he thinks he is. On the contrary, designated “bad boy” Pacey is the more desirable partner. Unlike Dawson, who spends a good amount of time emotionally manipulating Joey, Pacey genuinely cares about her. He’s a bit rough around the edges, but Pacey has a pure heart underneath. Where Dawson holds his relationships for granted, Pacey evolves because of his love for Joey. Willing to be the man Joey wants him to be, Pacey proves why you don’t judge a book by its cover.

Initially meek and nervous, Rory proves his love for Amy in more ways than one. Dying and resurrecting multiple times? Check. Traveling across space and time to rescue his wife and child? Check. Punching Hitler? Yup, Rory’s done it all. Amy’s infatuation with the Doctor dissipates once she sees Rory’s unflinching loyalty and deep capacity for love. It doesn’t matter which world they’re on or what period in time they’re trapped in — Amy knows Rory will always be there for her. After all, how does anyone compete against a man who guards his love interest for nearly 2,000 years?

It’s hard to imagine Nathan as anything other than a jerk when the series begins. But as his relationship with Haley grows, it’s incredible to see how much he changes. The younger Scott sibling transforms into a caring, well-mannered person who prioritizes his family before himself. Maybe he just needed the right person to bring it out of him, as Nathan genuinely cherishes being Haley’s other half. Even with several obstacles in their way, his main priority is to hold on to their relationship. Nathan is the kind of guy who shows that love doesn’t weigh you down, it only makes you stronger. If nothing else, it’s hard to resist someone who doles out an absolutely swoon-worthy vow-renewal speech like he does.

It might seem like Jake is always trying to rile Amy up, he ends up always trying to make her smile. Initially considering her a rival, Jake can’t help but develop major feelings for his coworker. The audience probably saw their will-they-won’t-they match coming, but we still loved watching it happen. Through his relationship with Amy, we see Jake as the warm and affectionate man he really is. Jake’s happy-go-lucky nature complements his sensitivity. His unexpected gentleness is exactly what Amy needs. Having the personality of a Grade-A class clown also helps, as Amy never has any shortage of laughter.

A purebred English werewolf with a heart of gold, Mason Greybeck was Alex Russo’s primary love interest from season three onward. As a couple, the unconventional duo got into their fair share of adventures and while Mason’s wolfish tendencies had a penchant for causing trouble, Alex continued to love and support him. It doesn’t seem like it would be hard! After all, werewolves are known for their intense loyalty and protective nature. Tack on an abundance of British charm and you have one TV boyfriend we definitely wish was real!

He may be a bad boy, but he’s still a fantastic boyfriend! For seven seasons Rosewood’s resident rogue toyed with Hanna’s heart while simultaneously helping her and the rest of the “liars” deduce who the mysterious “A” was. Despite the endless waves of drama that Hanna inflicted on him, Caleb always stood by her side. Hell, he even took a bullet for her. Is there anything hotter than that? Caleb may not be as sweet or as funny as some of the other guys on this list, but that doesn’t mean he has nothing to offer. In fact, many people would trade all the jokes in the world for a man as committed as him!

Played to perfection by the late Cory Monteith, Finn Hudson was as likeable a character as you could find on a show that was absolutely filled with them. He underwent one of “Glee’s” most dramatic character arcs and in the process learned to be a better boyfriend and a better person. Early on, he shows his devotion to Quinn when he promises to stick with her regardless of whether or not her unborn child belongs to him and cements his loyalty legacy when he protects Rachel from Brody in season four despite the two being broken up. Oh, and he can sing too. Nuff said.

Damon might be some fans’ favorite, but a good love interest he is not. In contrast to his brother’s tendency to self-destruct, Stefan is far more in tune with his emotions. Stefan represents the battle between vampirism and humanity. His relationships with Elena and Caroline portray his willingness to give love a chance. He struggles with his monstrous instincts, but his heart tends to triumph in the end. Stefan becomes Caroline’s emotional rock, remaining the one person she can turn to. Their chemistry blossoms into a love that’s true in every sense of the word.

Nick may be a boy trapped in a man’s body, but that doesn’t do a thing to diminish his boyfriend appeal. As Jess’ boyfriend, Nick can at times be a little hard to pin down. He’s clearly still trying to balance his partying lifestyle with the strains of being in a committed relationship. With that being said, Nick always ends up putting Jess first: caring for her when she’s sick, making her laugh when she’s upset and serving as her trusted companion for all seven of the show’s seasons. He may be a little rough around the edges, but he’s all heart on the inside.

For most guys, working five feet away from their girlfriend isn’t an ideal scenario, but as he proved throughout his time on “The Office,” Big Tuna is not like the other nine to fivers. In fact, he’s a boyfriend extraordinaire. For Jim, Pam isn’t just his girlfriend- she’s his everything. He needs her close by at all times in order to feel comfortable. Not in a weird stalker kind of way, but in an “I sincerely love the crap out of you” kind of way. He’ll do anything for her and never fails to cheer her up when she’s feeling down. He’s thoughtful, caring, patient and handsome. So pretty much the total package!

Chandler and Monica’s relationship is one of the best in TV history, but long before he was making her happy he was doing it for a host of other women. Okay, it wasn’t that many, but Chandler was always a good boyfriend, whether it was with Kathy or everyone’s favorite loudmouth Janice. He may not have been the sexiest boyfriend, but what he lacked in superficial qualities he more than made up for with his compassion, sense of humor and loyalty. Chandler always managed to go above and beyond for his lady friends and this has unsurprisingly led to him being regarded as one of TV’s best bf’s.

When it comes to Carrie Bradshaw’s primary love interests, Aidan Shaw is Mr. Big’s polar opposite in almost every conceivable way… which naturally makes him the ideal boyfriend. Aidan is a considerate, emotional and there for Carrie when she needs it most. He isn’t likely to be out on the town every night of the week. Instead he’s the kind of guy who’d like nothing more than to cuddle up with you on the sofa with a good movie playing in the background. He’s also good with his hands, which can be useful in all sorts of situations. Just sayin’.

“Parks and Rec” featured not one, but two incredible boyfriends. And while Andy Dwyer’s heart and charisma are tough to match, we think that Ben was the real hero of the show. He stood by Leslie through thick and thin and was man enough to put his own romantic plans aside so that she could pursue her political dreams. That’s something very few real-life dudes would even consider! Of course, selflessness is far from Ben’s only admirable trait. He’s also funny, down to earth and always ready to mix things up in the bedroom. If only he was real…

Marshall Eriksen is a god amongst men when it comes to pleasing his life partner Lily. He’s gotten into fights for her, cut off his hair for her, even served as a nude model for her! He puts his childhood dream of being an environmental lawyer on hold just so that he can support her in the way that she deserves. He even goes out of his way to mend Lily’s relationship with her estranged, admittedly crappy father. In the words of Vanilla Thunder himself, “I'm a good boyfriend in my sleep. I can rock a killer foot rub with one hand and brew a kick-ass pot of chamomile in the other.” Boom!

Which TV boyfriend makes you weak in the knees? Let us know in the comments.