18 TV Ships That Sent Us Swooning in 2021
Did at least one of our favorite TV ‘ships meet a tragic end in 2021? Yes, it did. But still, there was plenty to love about the love on our screens this past year.
That’s why we’re focusing on the positive right now. After all, there are plenty of couples that are still going strong (like on 9-1-1, NCIS: Los Angeles, and The Flash). And there were quite a few weddings (like on DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, Wynonna Earp, and Chicago P.D.). Plus, some shows saw couples go from “will they/won’t they” to “yes, finally, they have” (like New Amsterdam and The Resident).
So let’s celebrate those relationships. Scroll down to see the ships we adored this year on TV. (Note: To be eligible, new episodes had to air in 2021 and the couple had to be together, so, sorry, Evil fans, but that finale kiss doesn’t make the cut, and Outlander‘s fifth season ended in 2020.)
Bobby & Athena, 9-1-1
Were we worried that Captain Bobby Nash (Peter Krause) and Sergeant Athena Grant (Angela Bassett) may be heading for a separation given the obstacles they faced in Season 4? Not really, we had a feeling they’d get past it. What we really loved was Athena donning firefighter gear and going into a burning building to save her husband from a sniper.
T.K. & Carlos, 9-1-1: Lone Star
Not only did firefighter-turned-paramedic T.K. Strand (Ronen Rubinstein) and police officer Carlos Reyes (Rafael Silva) move in together during the second season of the 9-1-1 spinoff, but fans also saw their parents meet and things really heat up between them (albeit while their house was on fire).
Jay & Hailey, Chicago P.D.
We’ll be honest: We were worried about what would happen with Detective Jay Halstead (Jesse Lee Soffer) and Detective Hailey Upton (Tracy Spiridakos) after she proposed while keeping the fact she shot Roy to save Sergeant Hank Voight (Jason Beghe). But after the two were honest with each other — about what happened and the subsequent blackmail from the FBI’s North — they ended 2021 by eloping!
Sara & Ava, DC's Legends of Tomorrow
After Sara (Caity Lotz) was abducted by aliens just as she was going to propose to Ava (Jes Macallan), the couple not only reunited but also maturely handled the former becoming a human-alien hybrid. Plus, they got engaged and married (co-captains forever!) in the sixth season (and had as much of a honeymoon as they could while stuck in the past in the seventh).
Barry & Iris, The Flash
After starting off the year separated with Iris West-Allen (Candice Patton) trapped in the Mirrorverse, she and Barry Allen (Grant Gustin) reunited, were joined by their future kids, fought together in the speedster war, and renewed their vows to end the seventh season. And not even a Reverse Flashpoint could erase their love.
Parker & Hardison, Leverage: Redemption
Our only complaint? We didn’t get too much of our favorite Thief and Hacker due to Aldis Hodge’s availability. But after watching them dance around and with each other for most of the original run (2008-2012 on TNT), we loved to see them going strong in the revival. Parker (Beth Riesgraf) and Hardison’s (Hodge) relationship has evolved into something that is mature, still very much them, and, like the series, still so much fun. (And there were pretzels!)
Lucifer & Chloe, Lucifer
The final season wasn’t an easy one for Lucifer (Tom Ellis) and Chloe (Lauren German) as he figured out if he wanted to take over as God (he didn’t), their future daughter time-traveled and told them he left them (he became hell’s therapist), and the detective realized the LAPD was where she belonged. But with a heartbreaking goodbye (during which we saw them kissing on his throne) and a reunion we absolutely loved after she died of old age, they eventually got to be together.
George & Nick, Nancy Drew
We love when a couple is mature about a major step or decision in a relationship — and that’s what we got from George (Leah Lewis) and Nick (Tunji Kasim) as the CW drama approached the end of 2021. After a sweet proposal in front of her friends and family, the two decided to elope after George finds out she’s not going to be dying soon. However, she then realized she couldn’t go through with it while at the courthouse, and instead, now fans have another proposal, when they’re ready, to (hopefully) look forward to.
Kensi & Deeks, NCIS: Los Angeles
Special Agent Kensi Blye (Daniela Ruah) and Investigator Marty Deeks’ (Eric Christian Olsen) to having kids has been a seasons-long one — and one we’ve enjoyed watching play out. Now, they’re looking to adopt, and we particularly enjoy that they are also discussing the realities of becoming parents with their jobs.
Max & Helen, New Amsterdam
Not only did the NBC medical drama get Dr. Max Goodwin (Ryan Eggold) and Dr. Helen Sharpe (Freema Agyeman) together in a season-ending, running-through-the-streets moment that we loved (to watch over and over again), but we got to see every moment of their first night together (including fight and declaration of love), and they ended 2021 with joy (albeit joy that took them to London).
Conrad & Nic, The Resident
Since we’re still devastated by “The Long and Winding Road,” we’re going to focus on the positive for Dr. Conrad Hawkins (Matt Czuchry) and nurse practitioner Nic Nevin (Emily VanCamp). We absolutely adored their wedding and vows, and they welcomed baby GiGi into the world. And as heartbreaking as Nic’s exit was, it was as powerful an episode as it was because we saw how much she and Conrad loved each other.
Kit & Bell, The Resident
How much did we love Dr. Randolph Bell (Bruce Greenwood) trying to ask out Dr. Kit Voss (Jane Leeves), then backtracking, then her asking him and his look down when she took his arm after? (A lot.) They were adorable before the time jump (and trying to make that dinner date happen) and are still now after it as Chastain’s power couple.
Clay & Stella, SEAL Team
Bravo’s Clay Spenser (Max Thieriot) had us worried in the Season 4 finale that he was going to break up with Stella Baxter (Alona Tal) — only to propose! They then got married, and in Season 5, their family has grown. Their baby may have still been in the hospital last we saw, but we have faith everything’s going to be OK. Plus, we’re really enjoying seeing Clay figure out how to balance the team and home life. (Like Stella, we think he’s doing better than he thinks he is.)
Maya & Carina, Station 19
Both firefighter Maya Bishop (Danielle Savre) and Dr. Carina DeLuca (Stefania Spampinato) deserved some happiness after the tough year they’ve had — including the former losing her command, and the latter losing her brother — and they got that, with their wedding and decision to have a baby.
Waverly & Nicole, Wynonna Earp
Waverly Earp (Dominique Provost-Chalkley) may have gone dark angel in the series’ penultimate episode, but her fiancée, Sheriff Nicole Haught (Katherine Barrell), took their decision to spend their lives together a step further by pledging to become the angel’s shield (with a mark on her neck more permanent than rings). And the series finale featured their wedding (with lovely, perfect vows) and ended with the couple, happy to be together at the homestead.
Wynonna & Doc, Wynonna Earp
Wynonna (Melanie Scrofano) and Doc Holliday (Tim Rozon) may have had one of the messiest relationships on TV, but we have to admit we absolutely loved her chasing him down in the series finale as he was leaving town, shooting out his tires, and going with him — and the tease that they’d reunite with their daughter, Alice.
Beth & Rip, Yellowstone
Considering how much is unstable for the Duttons in Season 4, it’s such a pleasure to watch Beth (Kelly Reilly) and Rip’s (Cole Hauser) relationship be so steady. They’re both alive and planning their wedding, they’ve taken in Carter (Finn Little) — which hasn’t been easy — and Beth is happy (and not just because Rip doesn’t need much closet space), which we love to see.
Zoey & Max, Zoey's Extraordinary Christmas
The journey to getting to see Zoey (Jane Levy) and Max (Skylar Astin) together and happy was as much a whirlwind as their relationship (thanks to Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist‘s cancellation and The Roku Channel’s save with the movie). But we loved Max hearing Zoey sing a heart song in the Playlist finale and their “Time After Time” duet in Christmas even as he lost his ability.
