A modern TV series that most accurately depicts the romantic life course of the typical/mainstream/average American (modern or contemporary; set in 2000 or later) from the first understanding (teenage?) till their first marriage.

29 comments

  3. None of them really. TV is for entertainment. Would it really be entertaining for you to watch an exact representation of the life you live every single day? Nah, it would be boring. You watch TV and movies for drama and excitement. Watching two 19-year-olds sitting around for 4 hours in a dorm room watching The Bachelor wouldn’t exactly be a thrilling TV show.

  4. Normal life does not make for engaging television and so it doesn’t exist there.

  5. >modern, 2010 and older in time period

    This doesn’t exist.

    I’d say that How I Met Your Mother came sort of close in 2005, except of course with many jokes and exaggerations.

    But in America today, this is the post-pandemic era *and* the #MeToo era. Our television shows can’t be accurate about what dating and relationships are like, and honestly most of us aren’t even sure what they’re like anymore – everything is in such a state of flux.

  6. I once ate a rare 72 oz steak to get back at my vegetarian ex girlfriend in the most petty way possible.

  8. Can’t think most shows that would, none of them accurately for your average person. There is so many people in America too, a lot to cover that would miss the romantic life of some section of people here.

    It is TV after-all, it isn’t supposed to be exactly like real-life, as people rather watch a fantasy with only a bit of similarities to relate to.

  9. There’s isn’t a great one, but if I had to give an answer – The course of That 70’s Show depicts a few good relationships and a few VERY bad ones.

    And Boy Meets World does a pretty good job of showing some American relationship dynamics.

    But these are both fictional series that are not intending to show true relationships.

  10. One couple I know we’re high school sweethearts. Another were the most promiscuous people I think I’ve ever met. plenty started dating without really knowing the other person, others were friends, then decided to date after.

    Beyond the generalization that the vast majority of people will go on at least one date in their teens and 20s, there’s no rhyme or reason to it, and definitely not one that would work for tv

  11. You’d be looking for a documentary, and I’m not sure they make documentaries on things that mundane.

  14. Idk that there is really an answer. It’s hard to think of any show that is all encompassing, just because 1) real life is more mundane 2) there is no one universal experience 3) tv is exaggerated for entertainment.

  15. A.) None. Too many boring or cringe moments.

    B.) Depends largely on where you live and your status. Some schools have a lot of sex and drugs some don’t.

  16. I know it’s controversial and people hate Lena Dunham and whatever blah blah, but *Girls* was the most accurate depiction of millennial social life and sex/dating I’ve ever seen.

  17. This sort of question gets asked frequently, not specifically about romance but just questions of the form “which movie/tv show has the most typical Americans doing X”.

    It’s like asking what’s the typical lifecycle of a flowering plant? How do you even find what’s typical? A tulip is different from a rose, which is different from a dandelion, which is different from a marigold, which is different from a giant corpse flower. There’s simply too much variation in different dimensions for an average to be meaningful.

  18. Honestly, for 20-30 y/o’s. I feel like friends did a pretty decent job. Especially the Rachel and Ross break-up episode.

  19. What is it about people outside of the America’s that makes people not understand TV shows are not meant to be realistic? Is there a forcefield or something?

  21. I don’t watch those kinds of shows, but I disagree with most people commenting. Or not that I disagree, but they’re shitty answers. Everyone knows there’s not one standard lifestyle that most of us share, and everyone knows TV is exaggerated. But you’re looking for something that is a typical, common experience. It doesn’t have to match what most Americans experience; it just has to be common

    Some shows mentioned: Friends, Boy Meets Girl, Dawson’s Creek, Girls. I’m sure all of these depict pretty common romantic experiences for Americans in general. Of course it may not even represent 1/3 of Americans’ experiences, and of course events are exaggerated. But that doesn’t mean these shows don’t reflect American dating, which is what you’re looking for

  22. Not very average, but Soon By You is a very accurate mockery of the dating experience in its target subculture.

  23. None. It’s all just TV it’s not meant to be reality and even reality shows aren’t really reality

  25. The best representation of American home life on TV was the series ‘Parenthood’. It follows the lives of about five or six different families as they couple up, break up, get married, have kids, etc. Several of the families are married, several are single, and there are multiple generations involved. The show is always lively, well written, well acted, and perfectly suited to binge watching. Both my wife and I loved every minute of it and were so sorry when it ended. You get to know and like the people involved. It’s about a decade old so not super contemporary. Enjoy!

  28. idk about romantic but i will die on the hill that the situations shown in degrassi are similar to many teenage experiences, especially the more non-talked about ones, now…all of that probably wouldnt happen in one high school but ive even had some of those things happen to me and my friends – teen mom shows accurate romantic situations too (unfortunately, accurate in the US means divorce or splitting up)

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