Great TV Marriages

Connie Britton and Kyle Chandler in Friday Night Lights

Have you been watching The Gifted? I have. One of the things I notice each week is the great marriage between Amy Acker and Stephen Moyer as the parents of two ‘gifted’ teens in this sci fi drama. I haven’t thought much about great TV marriages since Friday Night Lights  with Connie Britton and Kyle Chandler ended. It’s time to look at a few newer marriage examples.

The Gifted

Amy Acker and Stephen Moyer in The Gifted

I was afraid before The Gifted began that the adults in the story would be largely ignored in favor of the mutant magic razzmatazz from the younger cast members, including the children of Amy Acker’s and Stephen Moyer’s characters.

It hasn’t been that way. The parents are a strong part of the story. The chemistry between Acker and Moyer is terrific. They are a loving couple concerned about each other and about their children. They are affectionate and have an obvious sex life. When they disagree, it’s with respect.

I really only watch The Gifted because Amy Acker stars. I’m very relieved that she’s half of a strong marriage that holds up even when the whole world is overturned by the discovery that her two children have mutant powers.

Role models matter.

Madam Secretary

Téa Leoni and Tim Daly in Madam Secretary

Téa Leoni and Tim Daly in Madam Secretary save the world every week. But they also find time to have plenty of bedroom talk and share a bed. I’ve noticed their wonderful marriage since the show began but it really hit me when I looked at them through their eldest daughter Stevie’s (Wallis Currie-Wood) eyes.

In Madam Secretary, Stevie has been engaged for a while to an English dude. The engagement wasn’t going well, but Stevie intended to stick with it. At home, there was talk about painting the kitchen and choosing paint colors. Stevie comes home while her parents are painting the kitchen. Painting it themselves. They are having such a great time together doing this mundane task. It’s obvious they are still in love after many years of marriage.

Stevie looks at them as if she’s never seen them before – these two people who love each other so deeply that she’s been blessed to take for granted as her parents. It makes her realize what a marriage should be. It makes her realize what she doesn’t have with her finance. So she breaks up with him.

Role models matter.

The Fosters

Teri Polo and Sherri Saum in The Fosters

Teri Polo and Sherri Saum in The Fosters have 5 teenage children. Even one teenager in a house is enough to make everyone insane. They have 5. All 5 of them do stupid teenage stuff all the time.

You could say they have a lot of strains on their relationship. But they stick together. They argue, they keep secrets, they aren’t perfect. But they work it out, they love each other, and they stay together.

They do it for their kids, but they do it for each other. They are committed to each other. Their love is obvious. They are strong together.

Role models matter.

There are so many shows I don’t watch. Are there other good marriages out there I haven’t mentioned? I’ve only seen one or two episodes of Blackish – would it qualify?

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