# Happy, functional relationships, please **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 14, 2008, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-functional-relationships-please/467973 "2008-10-14T23:59:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![JustThinkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@JustThinkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JustThinkin)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2008, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-functional-relationships-please/467973/21 "2008-10-15T11:27:10Z")
> [@mrpayday](#): > > Hart to Hart? That’s the one! (Geez, I hate my peri-menopausal brain.) ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2008, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-functional-relationships-please/467973/22 "2008-10-15T11:54:15Z")
Shelley and Holling on _Northern Exposure_, and Turk and Carla on _Scrubs._ ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2008, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-functional-relationships-please/467973/23 "2008-10-15T12:10:45Z")
> [@MaxTheVool](#): > > Also, Swedgin and Wu on Deadwood 🙂 I thought it was a nice touch that Wu had spent so much time hanging around/dealing with Al Swearengen and his mates that he thought “Cocksucker” was the English word for another person. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![cher3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@cher3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cher3)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2008, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-functional-relationships-please/467973/24 "2008-10-15T17:08:10Z")
Precious Ramotswe and her husband Mr. JLB Matekone from _The No. 1 Ladies Dectective Agency_ series ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2008, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-functional-relationships-please/467973/25 "2008-10-15T17:14:17Z")
Zoe & Wash from Firefly. I will leave it to others to curse Whedon for ruining it. Sick bastard that he is. ---
**Author:** ![Atomicflea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/58956e/32.png) [@Atomicflea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atomicflea)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2008, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-functional-relationships-please/467973/26 "2008-10-15T17:15:28Z")
Elyse and Steven Keaton! I used to want a marriage like that, and I pretty much have it now. ---
**Author:** ![Rube\_E.Tewesday](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f0a364/32.png) [@Rube\_E.Tewesday](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rube_E.Tewesday)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2008, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-functional-relationships-please/467973/27 "2008-10-15T17:41:18Z")
Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin, if you leave aside the early unpleasantness about Diana Villiers that so nearly led to bloodshed. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/74df32/32.png) [@The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Devil_s_Grandmother)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2008, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-functional-relationships-please/467973/28 "2008-10-15T18:59:39Z")
> [@Equipoise](#): > > Morticia and Gomez Addams were very happy, as were Lily and Herman Munster. I wanted to mention the Adamses, but also because they were good, understanding parents. The parents on \*Happy Days \*seemed content and well-suited for each other. Probably only because they were such tiny parts, but Fred’s parents on \*Angel \*seemed happy, and accepting of their daughter’s strange choices. I’m sure Joss would have killed them in some unpleasant manner if they’d been more regular characters. ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2008, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-functional-relationships-please/467973/29 "2008-10-15T19:39:51Z")
Frank Furillo and Joyce Davenport on _Hill Street Blues_. Charles and Caroline Ingalls on _Little House on the Prairie_. Niles and Daphne on \*Frasier \*(once they finally got together). Darrin and Samantha (mostly) on _Bewitched_. Mike and Carol Brady on _The Brady Bunch_. Tim and Jill on _Home Improvement_. ---
**Author:** ![Sr\_Siete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6de8d8/32.png) [@Sr\_Siete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sr_Siete)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2008, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-functional-relationships-please/467973/30 "2008-10-15T19:51:43Z")
> [@MaxTheVool](#): > > Also, Swedgin and Wu on Deadwood 🙂 Hang dai, Wu, hang dai. ---
**Author:** ![zamboniracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9a140/32.png) [@zamboniracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zamboniracer)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2008, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-functional-relationships-please/467973/31 "2008-10-15T19:55:32Z")
Bob Newhart had two excellent TV marriages: Bob & Emily Hartley on “The Bob Newhart Show” and Dick & Joanna Loudon on “Newhart” (Unboxed spoiler: not counting for the fact that the Loudons were a figment of Bob Hartley’s imagination. 🙂 ) ---
**Author:** ![The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/74df32/32.png) [@The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Devil_s_Grandmother)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2008, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-functional-relationships-please/467973/32 "2008-10-16T00:41:29Z")
I only wathed the first couple of seasons, but Marge and Homer of \*The Simpsons \*seemed to be fairly happy in their marriage. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2008, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-functional-relationships-please/467973/33 "2008-10-16T12:34:25Z")
George Burns and Gracie Allen Rob and Laura Petrie ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2008, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-functional-relationships-please/467973/34 "2008-10-16T15:00:15Z")
Paul & Jaime Buchman on “Mad About You.” Friends had a few, including Jack & Judy Geller, Carol & Susan, and Phoebe & Mike. ---
**Author:** ![phall0106](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/phall0106/32/5934_2.png) [@phall0106](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phall0106)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2008, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-functional-relationships-please/467973/35 "2008-10-16T15:47:43Z")
I like the relationship between Det. Eve Dallas and her husband, Roarke, in JD Robb’s “Death by” series. Stop laughing at me. I LIKE their relationship. ---
**Author:** ![stargazer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb8c5e/32.png) [@stargazer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stargazer)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2008, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-functional-relationships-please/467973/36 "2008-10-16T16:39:44Z")
Jed & Abby Bartlet in The West Wing. I mean, for the most part. Tempestuous sometimes, sure, but you got the impression that they loved sparring with each other, and loved the making up even more. ---
**Author:** ![Risha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/5fc32e/32.png) [@Risha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Risha)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2008, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-functional-relationships-please/467973/37 "2008-10-16T16:43:04Z")
Victorian couple James Asher, Oxford linguistics professor and retired spy, and Lydia, his much younger, well-to-do, doctor and medical researcher wife, from [Those That Hunt The Night](http://www.amazon.com/Those-Hunt-Night-Barbara-Hambly/dp/0345361326). ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2008, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-functional-relationships-please/467973/38 "2008-10-16T18:47:15Z")
Statler & Waldorf, from The Muppet Show. Okay, that’s not confirmed. ---
**Author:** ![Lissla\_Lissar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8491ac/32.png) [@Lissla\_Lissar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissla_Lissar)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2008, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-functional-relationships-please/467973/39 "2008-10-16T19:37:24Z")
Claire and Jamie Fraser from the _Outlander_ series. Also Briana and Roger MacKenzie, same series. Okay, they’ve got tumultuous problems, but their marriages are extremely happy. The author has commented that what she’s interested in isn’t the beginning romance, but what keeps love going for the years after. Sam and Sybil Vimes from the Discworld. Shevek and Takver from _The Dispossessed_. Not exactly fictional, but Charles and Caroline Ingalls from _Little House_. Anne and Gilbert Blythe from the _Anne_ series. Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes from the Mary Russell series. John and Lila Ames from _Gilead_ and _Home_. ---
**Author:** ![darkgoddess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a183cd/32.png) [@darkgoddess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/darkgoddess)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2008, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-functional-relationships-please/467973/40 "2008-10-16T20:23:17Z")
Mary Beth & Harvey Lacey of “Cagney & Lacey” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-functional-relationships-please/467973.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-functional-relationships-please/467973.md?page=3)