AOL TV's Top 10 Most Memorable Kisses in TV History

[JamesG]

A kiss is still a kiss, as the old song goes, but many of the most memorable TV kisses packed a much bigger punch than your standard smooch.

Some were unlikely, a few were unexpected, and a couple were delayed for years, boosting both sexual tension and viewer frustration. Just in time for Valentine's Day, here are 10 pop culture lip-locks for the ages.



10. Luke and Lorelei on Gilmore Girls

Yes, it was hard to believe that two such intelligent people as Lorelei Gilmore and Luke Danes would take so long to realize they were made for each other, but sometimes TV shows keep couples apart for reasons that have more to do with ratings than common sense.

Sadly, the departure of series creator Amy Sherman-Palladino, prior to Gilmore Girls' final season, deprived this couple of the send-off they deserved.





9. Spike and Buffy on Buffy, the Vampire Slayer

Buffy Summers could not have been more repulsed when Spike confessed his love, especially after he already tried to kill her several times.

But when he risked his life to save her sister Dawn, she realized that there was genuine affection beneath his cocky swagger, and they shared their first (non-magically-induced) kiss.

Our favorite Buffy/Spike kiss, though, is the one from our favorite Buffy episode of all time, the musical 'Once More With Feeling.'





8. Marcia and Davy Jones on The Brady Bunch

After a series of schemes worthy of Lucy Ricardo, Marcia Brady finally got Davy Jones to sing at her prom, after the singer pays an unexpected visit to her home.

This was the most innocent kiss on our list -- just two pecks on the cheek -- but for anyone who grew up with the Bradys it was a touchstone moment.





7. Sam and Diane on Cheers

It was the quintessential "opposites attract" scenario, as the verbal sparring between ex-jock lothario Sam Malone and brainy barmaid Diane Chambers finally culminated in a kiss that left both parties as embarrassed as they were turned on.





6. Sawyer and Kate on LOST

Before their was Twilight's Team Edward and Team Jacob, there was the divided LOST fan community of Team Jack and Team Sawyer, as both competed for the affections of gorgeous fugitive Kate Austin.

Of course, now that a parallel timeline has created two Kates, maybe a choice is no longer required.





5. Jim and Pam on The Office

The transition from friendship to romance can be awkward, especially at Dunder-Mifflin, where awkward moments are a company specialty.

Jim and Pam married in season 6 of The Office but their romance began back in season two, when Jim kissed the office receptionist he pined for in the touching episode 'Casino Night'.





4. Luke and Laura on General Hospital

Daytime drama's most watched episode featured the marriage of Lucas Lorenzo Spencer to Laura Baldwin Webber in November of 1981.

After surviving obstacles ranging from a jealous ex-husband and a mob hit to a mad scientist's scheme to freeze the world, the couple had more than earned their fairy tale wedding and a happy ending.

This being the soaps, though, that happiness wouldn't last long.





3. Hawkeye and Margaret on M*A*S*H

Mutual loathing is not a healthy starting point for any relationship, but over the course of 11 seasons Dr. Hawkeye Pierce and nurse Margaret Houlihan gradually developed a shared respect that occasionally erupted into something more.

In the series' landmark final episode, 'Goodbye, Farewell and Amen,' the two said goodbye the only way they could -- with the longest kiss in TV history.





2. Ross and Rachel on Friends

Ten seasons of Friends produced several memorable moments in the on-again, off-again relationship between Ross and Rachel.

But none was more heartfelt than when Rachel discovered how long Ross had cared for her, thanks to a long-forgotten prom video.

The kiss that followed implied that these two were destined to be together.





1. Captain Kirk and Lt. Uhura on Star Trek

Captain Kirk was one of the 23rd century's most notorious skirt-chasers, but he never put the moves on Uhura, his comely communications officer.

Their one and only kiss, still the most famous from any Star Trek series, happened while both were under alien mind control in the 1968 episode 'Plato's Stepchildren.'

This was television's first interracial kiss, though not everyone was turned on -- the episode was not shown in much of the American south, and was banned in England for almost 25 years.

http://insidetv.aol.com/2010/02/10/greatest-tv-kisses/

[Chocoholic]

I'd have included Joe and Helen's kiss after the pork chop fight they had.

Helen- "What happened?" Joe- "I don't know. One minute, we were slapping each other with meat. The next, it got weird."

[Gemini_89]

Saved By The Bell.

I thought that Zack & Jessie's kiss was memorable (They were rehearsing for a Play but that kiss was steeeeamy for a show that is geared towards kids.)

Zack & Lisa's was memorable too because they were one of the first interracial TEEN couples.

[mets82]

I think Ross and Rachel kiss was the kiss just because you waited so long and the show was one of the top rated show at the time.

[installLSC]

I'll assume it wasn't included because of its jokey/nonromantic nature, but Sammy Davis Jr. kissing Archie on "All in the Family" is more famous than all of these put together.