All: Each show's Definitive Couples

[juniorz1]

Of the shows I've watched long term:

SB:

1. Cruz & Eden

2. Mason & Julia

3. CC & Sophia

4. Keith & Gina

5. Lionel & Augusta

DAYS:

1. Bo & Hope

2. John & Marlena

3. Doug & Julie

4. Steve & Kayla

5. Tom & Alice

AW:

1. Mac & Rachel

2. Steve & Alice

3. Ryan & Vicky

4. Carl & Rachel

5. Jake & Paulina

SUN:

1. Ben & Meg

2. Gregory & Olivia

3. Ricardo & Gabi

4. Antonio & Gabi

5. Cole & Olivia

AMC:

1. Greg & Jenny

2. Tad & Dixie

3. Jessie & Angie

4. Cliff & Nina

5. Adam & Brooke

Y&R:

1. Victor & Nikki

2. Victor & Ashley

3. Danny & Cricket

4. Neil & Dru

5. Nick & Sharon

ATWT:

1. Holden & Lily

2. Bob & Kim

3. Jack & Carly

4. Tom & Margo

5. Hal & Barbara

B&B:

1. Ridge & Brooke

2. Eric & Stephanie

3. Ridge & Caroline

4. Thorne & Brooke

5. Ridge & Taylor

LOVING:

1. Trucker & Trisha

2. Alex & Ava

3. Jack & Stacey

4. Cabot & Isabelle

5. Steve & Trisha

[LoyaltoAMC]

AMC: Tad & Dixie, Greg & Jenny, Phil & Tara, Cliff & Nina, Chuck & Donna

Chuck & Donna were a toss-up with Adam & Brooke. I went with C&D because ultimately they were more popular. They were extremely popular in the mid to late 70s through the early 80s. I don't think any of Erica's romances warranted top-5 placement. Her best was Dimitri IMO. His character and family were fleshed out. Erica and Jack obviously have longevity on their side, but he always just seemed to exist for Erica, without having much of his own life.

[aMLCproduction]

What does it meean?

I would not consider maggie and Victor a coupke yet on Days. i don't think they should be on the list at all since they are a newer couple and their story has not been writtten. Now mickey and Maggie yes not Victor though

U should also added John and marlena, Carrie and Austin On Days, Jack and jenn

TO CardD2

Vivky and Grant really?

Wouldn't Vicky and Ryan be better?

[quartermainefan]

I would agree. Greg and Jenny just were more iconic than pretty much all their other couples combined, and Cliff and Nina were next.

[soapfan770]

For me its easy--the couple had quite the longevity, a good what 28 years with just about almost all the portrayals making a spark having chemistry with the other. Not to mention the couple continued to drive story with history from previous castings still used.

[Khan]

Exactly. Technically speaking, Scott Holmes and Ellen Dolan are the definitive "Tom" and "Margo," b/c they were in the roles the longest. However, it's been my experience that most fans (of AS THE WORLD TURNS, and of Tom & Margo) have great things to say about Margaret Colin, Justin Deas, Gregg Marx and Hillary B(ailey) Smith, as well. (Arguably, the only missteps, casting-wise, were Jason Kincaid and Glynnis O'Connor - and I hesitate to count O'Connor as a misstep since I believe she stepped into the role during a very awkward time in the show's history when she didn't have the support BTS that she probably needed.)

Furthermore, Tom & Margo managed to remain interesting and "root-able" despite not only some questionable story decisions during the last fifteen years of ATWT's run, but also during less showy, more "domestic" dramas, such as Lien's arrival and Margo's rape and HIV scare, after starting out in the far-flung and ridiculous "Mr. Big" story. Not every couple who began as a couple during the run-and-gun-heavy early and mid-'80's survived that kind of transition, IMO.

[Khan]

Agree. Characters such as Erica, Opal, Phoebe and Tad notwithstanding, ask most longtime AMC fans what they remembered/loved/missed the most, and they'll tell you either Greg and Jenny, or Cliff and Nina. After them, though, would have to come Jesse and Angie, since it was a freaking HUGE deal BITD to have a popular AA couple on the front-burner; then, Phil and Tara, since their love story was AMC's very first; then, Tad and Dixie, who (IMO) came to define much of AMC throughout the '90's and also involved at least one character (Tad) who already had a significant following, due to his days as "Tad the Cad."

But if we were to expand the list to, say, ten couples? I'd also include (in no particular order): Noah & Julia, Tad & Hillary, Chuck & Donna, Nico & Cecily (yes, folks, they had a following, lol), and maybe Mateo & Hayley.

[darraholic]

My Top 10 for DAYS:

1. Bo & Hope

2. Doug & Julie

3. John & Marlena

4. Tom & Alice

5. Roman & Marlena

6. Steve & Kayla

7. Jack & Jennifer

8. Bill & Laura

9. Shane & Kimberly

10. Mickey & Maggie

[SFK]

You Took The Words Right Out Of My Mouth

[Mr. Vixen]

It means "Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth"

[LoyaltoAMC]

If you want to go top 10, here's my AMC list...mix of popularity, longevity, and originality:

Tad & Dixie

Greg & Jenny

Jesse & Angie

Cliff & Nina

Palmer & Daisy

Joe & Ruth

Phoebe & Langley

Chuck & Donna

Brooke & Adam

Phil & Tara

[Paul Raven]

AW

Bill & Missy

Steve & Alice

Mac & Rachel

Catlin & Sally

Cass & Frankie

Y&R

Snapper & Chris

Lance & Lorie

Victor & Nikki

Danny & Cricket

Jill & Katherine

SFT

Sam & Jo

Liza & Steve

Liza & Travis

Patti & Len

Scott & Kathy

[Max]

AW (in order of importance):

1. Mac & Rachel

2. Steve & Alice

3. Cass & Felicia (while not a romantic couple, their relationship had a huge impact on the show)

4. John & Pat (surprised nobody else mentioned this)

5. Carl & Rachel

I'm surprised that for ATWT's listings, only one person mentioned Bob & Lisa. Along with Jeff & Penny, it was the Bob/Lisa pairing that resulted in ATWT's massive popularity. In fact, I'd say that Bob & Lisa were an even more important couple than Bob & Kim.

[Khan]

Actually, Max, I would argue that it was more Lisa alone, and all the chaos she was creating for the Hugheses, that led to ATWT's popularity - although, certainly, you couldn't have had that w/o her eloping with Bob and having his child.

[P.J.]

Re: Tom and Margo---I don't credit their "together" status, I think the recasts hurt them (good grief, Scott Holmes' PMS rants drove me nuts), and I don't really see them as integral to ATWT (anymore than I would see Eric and Stephanie as some intrinsic couple). Yes, Adam's paternity was one of ATWT's signature stories, but that's different.

It's kind of the same situation with Lisa. There's no denying Lisa's impact on ATWT's early years. And maybe if I remembered more of her with Grant, I'd think differently. But Lisa hadn't really had a serious love interest in thirty years--Earl flitted in and out of town and Eduardo was on for probably all of a year.