Anyway back to the subject of today's lesson. My all time favorite kisses from the wonderful world of television drama. This is only my incredibly biased opinion of course. I don't want to create some kind of shipping war. CHILL!
In the hopes of creating some manor of suspense I will begin with number 10 and work my way down.
10. Kurt and Dave Karofsky - Glee, Never Been Kissed (02.06)
The only reason this is at number 10 is because it's so incredibly new... I mean it only aired last week but it was so shocking and so fabulous I couldn't not put it in here (excuse the double negative).
With an episode title like "Never Been Kissed" some form of smooching is to be expected. But when I signed on I didn't not expect the kiss to come from homophobic jock and general jerk-ass Dave Karofsky.
But we know what homophobia really means.
It's not all that innovative - macho high-school is really hiding a dark secret, Buffy anyone? But it's the context that it's placed that makes it so awesome.
Kurt has just been serenaded by Harry Potter (with help from a choir of hotties) and dammit if he is not going to stand up for himself. He certainly stands up for himself - only to be cut down to size once again when instead of beating the crap of him Karofsky plants one on him right there in the mens locker room. I literally squealed.
Of course it ends up being sad because there is no way Karofsky's coming out any time soon and Kurts first kiss wasn't with the boy he's crushing on. Yet still for bullied gays everywhere - yay!
9. Mal and Inara - Firefly, Our Mrs. Reynolds (01.06)
Yes there does always have to be one Joss on here... but there's a reason for that... he does good. I could have gone with quite a few different first kisses within Joss's worlds. Buffy/Angel being the most obvious but new favorites Echo and Paul and getting up there. The reason I chose this one is because it's just so perfect for the characters.Mal and Inara clearly have the whole will they won't they Taming of the Shrew thing going on. But they are both so stubborn that there is no what either of them is going to give in to the other and admit that they love each other. Therefore to get them to actually kiss, well that takes some skill but a life or death situation will usually do the trick it's even better if somehow you can kiss them without the other person knowing.
Poor Inara thinks she's got away with it too, but alas that would be too easy for Joss. Turns out Mal ingested poison from the last girl he kissed (yes I just said that) which transfers to Inara when she kisses him.
This kiss is even more perfect because it teases a relationship upgrade that is never going to happen because well the show got canceled (it still hurts to talk about) and well it's Joss did we really want them to get together - no good can come from that.
8. Rory and Jess - Gilmore Girls, I Can't Get Started (02.22)
Some might say I should have gone with Lorelai and Luke's first kiss, but as much as I fan girl squealed when that happened there is something about the innocence of this kiss that makes it special. I guess I have to come clean - and am and always have been on board the HMAS Rory and Jess. Sure Dean was sweet (at least in the beginning) and I guess Logan was amusing some of the time... but no one suited Rory quite like Jess did.
Way before Logan made her steal a boat Jess showed us that Rory really was a bad ass at heart. I should mention that she has a boyfriend at the time of this kiss a boyfriend she continues to date long after this kiss even though it's clear to anyone with eyes that she fancies the pants of Jess.
The best part about this kiss is that it really seems to capture the confusion of adolescence. Rory really has no idea what she's doing and the fact that she runs away well I guess it reminds me of being young again and having no control over your hormones (or me now for that matter).
7. Rose and The Doctor - Doctor Who, New Earth (02.01)
I'm gonna ruffle a couple of feathers with this one, but I don't care. I call it as I see it.
Even if you're not a fan of the Romantic subtext in Russell T. Davies new series of Doctor who you have to see the awesomeness of this kiss. Try to place it in contest. It's before The Doctor kissed everyone of his companions every season. This is the one that set the trend. Well I guess technically the Bad Wolf kiss did but that was different. I'm referring to Rose's first kiss with the tenth Doctor - not the Doctor in general.
Some might pass this kiss of as out of their control. Rose is possessed by Cassandra at the time, so technically she doesn't have control of her actions. But it's clear that there is a hell of a lot of pent up sexual tension between these too. If only by the Doctor's reaction. He's not shocked when she kisses him... I'm just saying, don't shoot me.
This kiss is great because it gives the viewers what they really want without affecting the "No sex for the Doctor" rules. It's kind of ruined a bit by the fact that every season seems to find a new crazy way for the Doctor to kiss his companion. Although the make out session between the Doctor and Amy Pond in Season 5 ran a close second if only because Amy Pond finally had the guts to do what we've all wanted to forever.
6. Pacey and Joey - Dawson's Creek, Cinderella Story (03.17)
All I can say is THANK GOD they exhausted the Dawson/Joey romance by the end of season two because the UST between them was nadda. Also it paved way for the best coupling of the entire series.
Pacey and Joey will always be close to my heart because it was the TV show I grew up with, the relationship I rooted for most of all.
By now you must have realised... I'm kind of a fan of the Slap, Slap Kiss moments and this definitely follows trend. Unlike some of the previous examples this one doesn't come out of nowhere. Joey and Pacey have always fought, which, if television has taught us, means that they will hook up at some stage. Then they have been spending a lot of time together, both just out of serious relationships. Dawson even asked Pacey to look after Joey - that's basically giving his blessing (even if he does go back on it later). So we knew this was going to happen, they just made us wait a bloody long time (17 episodes long) to see it.
The anticipation that made it exciting and the fact that it didn't disappoint made it one of my all time favorite first kisses.
5. Ross and Rachel - Friends, The One Where Ross Finds Out (02.07)
I know, I know... It's a major cliche. But there's a reason why this kiss makes everyone list. Think back to a time before we had been watching Ross and Rachel break-up and make-up for 10 years to the point where we just want to glue them together. It was a simpler innocent time. Before the phrase "we were on a break" was even uttered. A time when all we wanted was for these to love birds to tell each other what everyone knew - they were meant to be.
It's perfect. Ross has loved Rachel since high school, but Rachel was too bitchy and stuck up to notice that is until he gets himself a girlfriend. There is nothing like jealously to wake the heart up. It's played perfectly as well, funny yet somehow heartwarming at the same time. This kiss won an Emmy for christ sake! That's got to count for something. It was one of those rare moments that the TV show gave the audience exactly what they wanted and people still kept on watching (even after the third break-up). I don't care how many times I see it, it still makes my heart go giddy up.
4. Chuck and Blair - Gossip Girl, Victor, Victrola (01.07)
I don't think any list about television romances could be complete without Chuck and Blair anymore. They are the people you hate to love... I mean seriously they are horrible people and they have all the money in the world yet you can't help but root for them. Originally the beta couple for the series, behind Serena and Dan the soon took over Mr and Mrs Boring to become one of the most fascinating duos on television today. There is nothing more wonderful then seeing two people who think that they can control everything fall in love. Because it's the one thing you cannot control.
Despite the fact that I love this romance (to the extent that I sometimes fast forward the other storyline just to get to the bits about them) this kiss is on here because of the way aesthetics. This kiss is about lust, and desperation but what makes it stand out is the fact that it's still manages to be sweet. Everything from the way Blair slides towards chuck to the way he asked "You Sure" it's just about the sweetest desperate, late night, revenge hook up ever.
Like or leave it, it certainly sets up what's to come in the tempestuous will they wont they relationship that follows.
3. Sookie and Eric - True Blood, I Smell a Rat (03.10)
Two words - TEAM ERIC!
Bias admitted, this kiss is hot. Don't even deny it. Even you Bill shippers out there can see the URST between these two. But I mean honestly - who wouldn't have URST with Eric. Well mine would be resolved pretty quickly but you get that. Before you say it - yet they did kiss before, and it was hot as well, but that was a dream sequence so it doesn't really count as their first kiss.
But that's not the reason this kiss is here. This kiss is number 3 in my list because Sookie has more passion, love and tension in this one Kiss with Eric than she had in her entire relationship with Bill.
It's another case of we knew it was coming, it's been coming since they first met even if you haven't read the books you can see that. Whether or not you wanted it to happen... it was going too so many a Truebie held their breath as Eric FINALLY went for it. Sookie tries to resist, but her hearts clearly not in it. Any kiss that can cause this much pleasure and pain within the fan base is something exceptional and worth recognition.
I can't wait for next season - if you've read the books you'll know what I'm talking about.
2. Elisabeth and Mr Darcy - Pride and Prejudice BBC, Episode 6 (01.06)
Pride and Prejudice is one of the greatest love stories ever told (just behind Romeo and Juliet) as well as the reason I have such unrealistic expectation of men. So many different versions to choose from - but really only one choice. It's probably best known for the bit with the lake but this kiss is a perfect climax.
It's all about delayed gratification. It takes 6 whole hours to get to this kiss, and it's well worth the wait. It's not as sexy as some of the others mentioned, it's pretty simplistic as whole really but it's love. This is the only example on this list that's a happily ever after kiss. Mainly because it's a period piece, so you can have a happily ever after kiss sort of realistically. But you can feel the love.
It's kind of makes you want to slap your boy friend just because he never looks at you the way Mr Darcy is looking at Elisabeth. He's not just lusting after her, although there is that, he's in love with her and just happy to finally have her.
I adore the fact that for a couple that is always fighting - their first kiss is not a Slap, Slap Kiss. It's just romantic and hugely satisfying to watch.
AND FINALLY... Drum roll please.
1. Veronica and Logan - Veronica Mars, Weapons of Class Destruction (01.18)
The best kiss you never even knew you wanted.
Sure they yelled at each other, and I guess you could say that a couple of episodes before they were starting to get some kind of connection. But mostly that connection was not hating each other... It had nowhere near progressed to the point of possible hook up. In fact any possible flirtation between the two of them had been forgotten for the whole episode leading up to this point. Even if I liked Logan better, I pretty much thought Duncan or possibly Weaval would be the love interest.
Logan had just attempted to save Veronica's life... even if it turns out she wasn't in danger after all, so I guess a kiss of gratitude is kind of understood. This kiss differs from a simple, thank you for saving my life/thank god we're alive kiss because it continues. Veronica kisses Logan, a shocking move even she doesn't understand - you can see from her face. It would be understandable to expect the kiss to be forgotten or kept secret, similar to Rory and Jess's kiss above. It might have been a starting point for the will they won't they plot that would follow, an added aspect of awkward that could be played off. But one move changes all this.
Instead of standing there stupefied, Logan grabs Veronica and kisses her back. This time there is no doubt of the implications. They both want it... bad. It ends, again like Rory and Jess, with Veronica fleeing the scene. But unlike Rory and Jess, these two don't mess about. There's no point denying their feelings now. Shown best of course through one of their famous lingering stares. I swear these two do a meaningful look like no one else. In fact their meaningful looks are the only reason the final ever episode is so easy to read.
In the words of the writers - it was always Veronica and Logan.
Well that's that. You've read the novel now watch the movie... here.
You know you love me, xoxo
