These are people's all-time favourite will-they-won't-they TV romances

When it comes to TV romances, plot requirements mean love usually cannot run smooth. This means many of our favourite long-running programmes have a tempestuous/on-off romance at their centres, usually stopping and starting several times throughout a series' run, and delaying fans' gratification until the very end.

It can be torturous for us viewers who are deeply invested in the characters, but that prolonged romantic pay-off is a big part of the fun too.

Earlier this week, writer Alanna Bennett invited Twitter users to discuss the will-they-won't-they TV romances that really delivered for fans.

Here are some of ones that people replied with - and a few more that we really love. [Disclaimer: We've warned you there are spoilers below, if you continue to read and you're yet to see the programme you've only got yourself to blame.]  

Ross and Rachel, Friends

This iconic - and iconically turbulent - love story dragged on for TEN YEARS, with Ross (David Schwimmer) pining for Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) throughout the first series, them (eventually) getting together in the second, breaking up in the third, and then staying on and off (and, erm, having a child) right up until they declared their eternal love for one another in the final moments of the very last episode.

However, by that point, lots of fans might have been more invested in Monica and Chandler's love story (on a related note, we won't even talk about the controversial attempt to pair off Joey and Rachel).

Will-they-won't-they pay-off rating: 9/10

Lorelai and Luke, Gilmore Girls

This long-delayed hook up was particularly protracted for fans. For almost four seasons, we watched the outrageous flirtation between diner owner Luke (Scott Patterson) and quippy caffeine fiend Lorelai (Lauren Graham) before he confessed his true feelings for her. They then got together, broke up, and then hinted at a reunion in the final episode of the first run of the show. 

Thankfully, in 2016 a Netflix revival arrived and we FINALLY received an update on their relationship status.

Will-they-won't-they pay-off rating: 8/10

Tim and Dawn/Jim and Pam, The Office

The beating heart of the British version of The Office, was the workplace flirtation between Tim (Martin Freeman) and Dawn (Lucy Davis). This was beautifully resolved after two seasons in a Christmas special that also served as a close to the series. The mere memory of Dawn, sitting in the taxi on the way to the airport, opening her Secret Santa gift of an art set from Tim, before returning to the office party to kiss him, is enough to bring a tear to the eye.

The US adaptation had Jim (John Krasinski) and Pam (Jenna Fischer) get together at the end of the third series, and, rather impressively, mostly managed to keep the magic alive for a further five seasons as we watched the couple move from dating, to marriage and children, to a traumatising late-run relationship crisis, and onto a well-earned happy ending.

Will-they-won't-they pay-off rating: Tim and Dawn, 10/10

Will-they-won't-they pay-off rating: Jim and Pam, 9/10

Mulder and Scully, The X-Files

Who even truly knows where these two stand in the will-they-won't-they stakes any more?! The FBI paranormal investigators have been on-and-off for the 25 YEARS of the series, movies and recent TV revival of The X-Files. The latest update, according to the current 11th series, reveals they are back together (even with random fake-out deaths).

Will-they-won't-they pay-off rating: 7/10

Alicia and Will, The Good Wife

Oh man. This one is still raw, even two years after the series went off the air. Fans could tell from the off that Alicia (Julianna Margulies) and Will (Josh Charles) were clearly crazy about each other, and that the will-they-won't-they spark between them would be an agonising exercise in delayed gratification. Yes, we saw them briefly happy together in the third series. But nobody could have seen a twist coming in the fifth series that would, let's just say, forever change the relationship between Alicia and Will, and result in eternal heartbreak for Good Wife fans.

Will-they-won't-they pay-off rating: 1/10

Will-they-won't-they utter heartbreak pay-off rating: 10/10

Nessa and Smithy, Gavin & Stacey

Fans didn't have too long to wait to see some kind of pay-off for the will-they-won't-they anti-romance between Nessa (Ruth Jones) and Smithy (James Corden): it formed the crux of the last run of episodes in the third and final series. 

However, even though Smithy successfully stopped Nessa's marriage to Dave Coaches, we still didn't get any definite sense of whether they actually got together as a couple. The last ever shot of the pair with Gavin and Stacey on the beach in Barry didn't offer any conclusive proof.

Will-they-won't-they pay-off rating: 6/10

Meredith and McDreamy, Grey's Anatomy

Yeesh, this one's another heartbreaker for fans. The love affair between Meredith (Ellen Pompeo) and Derek 'McDreamy' Shepherd (Patrick Dempsey) started in the very first episode, and endured what feels like thousands of life and death bumps over the course of a decade, before the couple found wedded bliss. And then something happened in the 11th series that, much like The Good Wife, made a happily ever after pay-off all the more unlikely.

Will-they-won't-they pay-off rating: 3/10

Buffy and Angel/Buffy and Spike, Buffy The Vampire Slayer

Any kind of relationship between a human vampire slayer and a vampire (albeit one with a soul) was going to have its challenges. And boy, did the on/off romance between Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) and Angel (David Boreanaz) put fans through the ringer in the early years.

Then Buffy and slayer-killer Spike (James Marsters) tortured viewers even more with a very different kind of will-they-won't-they/can-they-can't-they, hot and heavy twist.

Will-they-won't-they pay-off rating: Buffy and Angel, 9/10*

Will-they-won't-they pay-off rating: Buffy and Spike, 8/10**

*Feel free to argue about this

**See above

Carrie and Big, Sex and the City

They were on and off for six years, before getting together at the end of the TV run. Then the plot of the first movie (released 10 years ago this month) revolved around their wedding, before the second movie was...well, the less said about the movie sequel, the better. It's enough to know that Carrie and Big were still together at the end.

Will-they-won't-they pay-off rating: 7/10 (docked a point for the second movie)

Daphne and Niles, Frasier

This will-they-won't-they storyline between effete fusspot Niles (David Hyde Pierce) and daffy Mancunian Daphne (Jane Leeves) was expertly drawn out over the first six seasons of Frasier's 11-year-run, before the couple were eventually paired up. It was a sweet pay-off for sure, but some fans might argue that the show lost a bit of its magic once it didn't have Niles' relentless - some might say creepy - infatuation driving the B-plot of the series. 

Will-they-won't-they pay-off rating: 8/10 

Josh and Donna, The West Wing

The attraction between White House deputy chief of staff Josh (Bradley Whitford) and his assistant Donna (Janel Maloney) remained unconsummated until the latter part of the final season of the political drama. And even when they started sleeping together, there was a strong element of will-they-won't-they at play in the resolution of their relationship.

Will-they-won't-they pay-off rating: 9/10

And finally, while this isn't strictly on topic, we're big fans of this platonic will-they-won't-they pay-off suggested by one Twitter user: Andy and Red at the end of The Shawshank Redemption.

Let's whisper it together: Zihuatanejo.

Will-they-won't-they friendship pay-off rating: 10/10

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