Network TV has long been a space for romance to bloom, but in recent years, a new trend has made it nearly impossible to root for the couples seen on screen. While network TV has always had its fair share of romance, for decades there were slow-building relationships what viewers could grow with. As the shows aged, so did the relationships.
The agony of a will-they-won't-they dynamic, the temptation of a couple who shouldn't go there and does anyway, and the anticipation of a first kiss after years of yearning has been standard for network TV, even if it's growing in the background of a show that's squarely not a romance at all. Even so, the dynamics have shifted as network TV has changed.
With network TV changing in more facets than ever, viewers have been watching as the medium has been shifting into a whole new direction when it comes to romance. While there are shows dedicated to relationships and family dynamics, the way they're being written in the modern era has sadly changed what viewers should come to expect from network TV romance.
Network TV Romances Have Been Struggling To Play The Long Game
Some Of The Best Relationships Came With A Wait
Jonah and Amy in Superstore season 4, 'Lovebirds', talking to someone
For the majority of the time that network TV has been on the air, romance has been one of the elements of the stories told on screen
While there are some shows that have successfully navigated a slow burn in recent years, like Superstore's Amy Sosa (America Ferrera) and Jonah Simms (Ben Feldman), others have struggled to allow their characters to build up to a romantic relationship. The Rookie's Tim Bradford (Eric Winter) and Lucy Chen (Melissa O'Neil), for example, stand out as an example of a slow build without much payoff.
Tim and Lucy's dynamic while they were off-limits, as he was her training officer and superior, was fun, flirty, and full of opportunities. The pair were able to toe the line of romance, but by the time the couple finally got to a place where they were prepared to shift gears, the series dropped the ball with a fan-favorite romantic pairing.
Network TV Relationships Should Be Allowed To Draw Things Out
Watching A Story Evolve Is Half Of The Fun
Eric Winter as Tim Bradford and Melissa O'Neil as Lucy Chen in The Rookie season 5, episode 20
Cutting the tension off without much payoff, The Rookie is just one of several shows that hasn't drawn things out successfully. Network TV has developed a habit of pulling their punches, moving too quickly from story beat to story beat without giving the characters time to gather themselves, reflect, and forge ahead. While this quickened pace works for some stories, it's rarely a recipe for romantic success.
Network TV has, unfortunately, lost the art of the long game in a way that's struggled to allow viewers to connect with their stories successfully. Even shows like Abbott Elementary, which has been praised and absolutely deserves it, allowed Gregory Eddie (Tyler James Williams) and Janine Teagues (Quinta Brunson) to get together within a handful of seasons despite slow burn beginnings.
The art of the slow burn can be complicated, and in a lot of ways pushes back against the conventions of modern television, but is very much worth learning to reel viewers in. For network TV, which relies on viewers being genuinely intrigued and ready to tune in at a scheduled time, being able to draw things out with a high level of interest should be a no-brainer.
