Happy, functional relationships, please

Cafe Society
#1

Alright, guys. I need some inspiration. Could someone give me a few examples in movies, literature, comics, or whatall else of people in happy, functioning relationships? I mean, maybe it’s watching Serenity, again, that did it for me, but I’m really sick of seeing either people in relationships where one or the both of them die horribly, or are unhappy, bad for each other, or otherwise fucking each other over. I’m of the opinion that there are people/characters out there (gay, straight, bi, mono, poly, or whatall else) who have good, ongoing relationships. I mean, Joss Whedon probably doesn’t write them, but yeah.

Anyone?
Thankee big-big,
–CiaTH

#2

The first one that springs to mind is Marge and Norm Gunderson from Fargo.

#3

Just asked Mrs. Fresh, and she came up with Angela and David from Caffeine. Days before the wedding, Angela finds out that David is a transvestite, but she loves him and decides to accept him for who he is (as long as she wears the wedding dress).

On edit: Martin and Lorna from Lethal Weapon. She’s the only character in the series Riggs absolutely does not mess with. And how could I forget Danny Glover and his wife in the series. Great couple.

#4

Dan and Roseanne Connor of Roseanne were very happy with one another for years. Their relationship actually reminded me a lot of my own marriage, which, coming up on 20 years, is very, very happy.

#5

Fetchund’s thoughts: The Bill Cosby show. The Waltons. Eight is Enough.

In the meantime, I’m trying hard to remember the name of a show from the early 80s or so. It involved a married couple solving mysteries. They were rich and had a older male housekeeper/cook. I can see the actors but can’t come up with their names. Aarrgh!

#6

Nick and Nora Charles from the Thin Man series (not the current movie) seemed pretty happy, though they were constantly quipping at each other.

#7

Hart to Hart?

#8

JustThinkin’, was it McMillan & Wife? It starred Susan Saint James and Rock Hudson.

Morticia and Gomez Addams were very happy, as were Lily and Herman Munster.

#9

Not only were they happy, they were cool!

Most of the couples in the funny papers seem pretty happy.

#10

Coach Taylor and his wife on Friday Night Lights. They have arguments and issues, but they are realistic ones, and they are clearly presented as two people who deeply love each other. But real people, not Huxtables.

Also, Swedgin and Wu on Deadwood :slight_smile:

#11

Mr. and Mrs. Sin…together since 1972, still laughing, joking, holding hands…arguing about politics. :slight_smile:

#12

Frank and Shirley Gilroy were married for 11 happy years on the popular Australian soap opera A Country Practice. They managed very well even though she was a hippy free spirit and he was a stolid country policeman.

Mind you, reading one line episode summaries of ten years worth of ACP to confirm how long they were married has now done my brain in; it’s amazing anyone survived to be married that long with the number of murders and accidental deaths in the small town the show was set in.

#13

How about Juno’s parents? I thought they were very realistic. And happy.

#14

Jim and Pam from The Office seem to be doing pretty well so far, contrary to usual sitcom contrivances.

#15

Helen and Will Girardi (Mary Steenburgen and Joe Mantegna) on “Joan of Arcadia” had a lovely, warm marriage. They were my favorite characters on the show. :slight_smile:

#16

Marshall & Lily on How I Met Your Mother
Ellie & Captain Awesome on Chuck

#17

I always liked Ferris and Sloane in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.

#18

…and perpetually drunk!

That relationship always seemed half a step from turning the corner to Days of Wine and Roses. Not that that ever stopped them from being entertaining, of course ;).

#19

One of my favorite moments from that series was when Roseanne said something like, “I just want to crawl in a hot tub and slit my wrists” and Dan replied, “I’ll get some fresh towels.”

Alice and Ralph Kramden seem realistic…always fighting, but always making up.

#20

TV Tropes’ “Happily Married” entry seems pretty germane.

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