At TV Insider, we love to love, and that’s why, to celebrate it (pop culture, adding TV, movies, music, and books), we’re launching a new segment of our site called Swooon.
Swooon will be your go-to for all things romance, such as on-screen relationships in your favorite dramas (adding how-tos), comedies, reality shows, and genre shows. From the afterlife to the future, we will stay. It will keep you updated on all the developments, the existing situation, milestones in the couples’ history, and what we might see happen one day, adding who might join.
And what better way to kick off that launch than by taking a look at the 30 sexiest TV shows of all time?We’ve included the ones you’d expect (Outlander, Sex and the City, Bridgerton), the ones beyond (Charlie’s Angels, Dallas) and some that might surprise you (9-1-1: Lone Star, The Thorn Birds). Scroll down to see what’s on our list and where they’re ranked.
Dedicating their time to saving lives doesn’t stop those doctors and nurses from loving each other. Memorably, it’s a trauma that leads to a kiss between George Clooney’s Doug and Julianna Margulies’ Carol. In fact, it’s in the emergency room, before Grey’s Anatomy. , which the staff falls in love with in the hospital (as well as in the empty exam rooms and living room). And throughout its 15 seasons, there are many relationships, including one of the most productive of the ’90s with Doug and Carol and one that ends in heartbreak with Mark (Anthony Edwards) and Elizabeth (Alex Kingston). There’s something we love about those characters’ determination toward their patients and their love lives. Relationships are a major component of why the drama was ranked. So it tops our list of the 90 most productive exhibitions of the ’90s. —Meredith Jacobs
Red Shoe Diaries is a risqué erotic anthology of the 1992 Showtime television movie of the same name. The series featured the sexual awakening of many women, who also recount their experiences. The exhibit itself focuses heavily on nudity and sexy music and sets the popular for various softcore nightly showings to air on television networks. Topics of unconditional relationships and taboo topics such as lesbian affairs attracted audiences to the channel. Fun fact: Despite its female-centric perspective, men’s frontal nudity was too hot for Showtime. —Isaac Rouse
There’s a character in season 2 named Hot Priest (Andrew Scott). Of course, that exhibit is on that list! Fleabag (Phoebe Waller-Bridge) is unapologetic for much of her life, so it’s no surprise when she says she needs to sleep with a priest. What makes those two characters sexier than they already are in the “kneeling” scene?The fact that Hot Priest can tell when he’s breaking the fourth wall and talking to the audience. There’s something sexy about someone knowing any other user that way. —Meredith Jacobs
Things don’t just heat up with the paintings in this exhibition, whether it’s fighting fires or dealing with an erupting volcano. Relationships are just as engaging (and exciting) after hours. That’s true whether it’s a lasting reconciliation (Jim Parrack’s Judd). and Sierra McClain’s Grace), an attempt at reconciliation (Rob Lowe’s Owen and Lisa Edelstein’s Gwyn), or one we’ve noticed moving from first assembly to marriage (Ronen T. K. through Rubinstein and Carlos through Rafael Silva). No one can believe that the Tarlo family has connected, in their home, to their bedroom. . . while a chimney burned without their knowing it, under and around them. And no one loves so sweetly and unabashedly as Judd and Grace. —Meredith Jacobs
Did you think Fleabag was the first show to see a priest succumb to his desires?ABC’s miniseries, The Thorn Birds, did just that some 40 years ago with the story of Father Ralph (Richard Chamberlain) and Meggie Cleary (Rachel Ward). Although some facets of this sprawling epic also triumphed with today’s audiences, as the two men met when Meggie was still a child (which is indeed not great), it is years later in the story that, despite everything, they give in to a mutual attraction. . . Given the show’s launch in 1983, Father Ralph and Meggie’s dramatic entanglement set the sexy bar for the exhibitions that followed. —Meaghan Darwish
When Beth (Christina Hendricks), Ruby (Retta) and Annie (Mae Whitman), housewives and friends from the suburbs, find themselves in a difficult money situation, they rob a grocery store. But what starts as a small task becomes a big task. They are challenged when the women are informed that some of the money they stole belonged to a dangerous crime lord named Rio (Manny Montana). When he goes to them at his business, he and Beth begin a harmful, obscene adventure that drives much of the delightfully entertaining series. —Meaghan Darwish
This series follows the quotes and paintings of scholars William Masters (Michael Sheen) and Virginia Johnson (Lizzy Caplan) as they explore human sexualities at Washington State University in St. John’s. John’s. Starting in 1956, the series ran for thirteen years. For 4 seasons. Loosely based on real-life sex therapists, this series presented a gripping and semi-fictional account of the sensitive subject of sex in a society that did not dare to explore it. The lewd chemistry that develops between the co-investigators, the gripping adventure that begins, and the way the series delves into the lives of its patients who seek out sex acts to spice up their lives while learning more about themselves. With a few unresolved stories, the series was equally risky, entertaining, and informative. —Ennica Jacob
Beverly Hills 90210 laid the groundwork for countless other teen dramas, setting the tone for the biggest school romance of the 1990s. The series then took the formula of various soap operas like All My Children and reintroduced them to younger generations but with a new twist. She tackled sensitive topics, such as sex, assault, homophobia, animal rights, alcoholism, drug abuse, domestic violence, eating disorders, racism, and more. And the topics discussed above have been tackled with too much mastery for a product of their time. It also redefined what a difficult couple, doomed relationships, love triangles, and the best couples looked like through the lens of young people. —Isaac Rouse
Sense8 was perhaps Netflix’s strangest and most ambitious show. Directed by Lana and Lilly Wachowski, the series follows 8 psychically connected strangers. Because of their connection and the way the series visually showed their shared experiences, the series features several. When one of the 8 has sex, so do the others. This produces electric, queer, beautiful, and exclusive sex scenes in the serious scene. It’s a profoundly sexy sci-fi pleasure. —Lea Williams
Elite is a deliciously soapy teen drama. In the culture of shows like Gossip Girl and 90210, kids played by good-looking adults lead dramatic adult lives. Like children’s dramas of the past, the cast of Elite changes as it progresses, with new characters and with them new dramas. However, this Spanish series is afraid to kill off its characters. Of course, there are love triangles, such as Marina, Samuel, and Nano (Samual and Nano are brothers!) and love foursomes, such as Ivan’s, Patrick’s, Ivan’s father (!) and Patrick’s dual sister (!!). There are murders, intrigues, and, of course, lots of sex. Season 8 is on the way, and in fact, it will be just as curvy, intense, and sexy as the last 7 seasons. —Lea Williams
Based on the 2009 film of the same name, The Girlfriend Experience is about the world of high-end escorts. Each season follows other characters as they navigate the intense, sexy, and dark world of sex work. It’s also a political thriller: Season 1 uncovers corruption at a prestigious law firm and follows a woman who participates in the witness coverage show, Season 2 is set during the midterm elections in the United States, and Season 3 explores the world of tech startups. Through each of the new stories, she stays true to her roots and examines each of those overarching aspects through the lens of sex work. It’s ambitious, mesmerizing, and sexy. —Léa Williams
Mad Men was an exploration of masculinity and femininity in 1960s America: how they expressed themselves and whether other people could simply break through those suffocating molds. The advertising giants of Don Draper’s (Jon Hamm) world peddled an old-fashioned American life, but behind the curtain of their old-fashioned products lurked a hedonistic culture of debauchery in the workplace, where other people drank all day, smoked in the office, and slept with co-workers. Often, in this drama of the perfect era, sensuality was the focal point. -Kelli Boyle
Just as Beverly Hills showcased the nondescript lives of the prosperous citizens of 90210, Gossip Girl does the same for Manhattan’s Lower East Side. Narrated through a mysterious but cruel blogger voiced by Kristen Bell, the drama follows the daily lives of wealthy teenagers as they live their scandalous lives as New York City’s elite. It also shows how the best students in school betray themselves to gain advantages from everyone. This includes deceiving others, sleeping together when they shouldn’t, fighting to be noticed, lying to people, soliciting unwanted sex, and spreading rumors about those mishaps all over the web for the world to see and judge. —Isaac Rouse
With characters nicknamed McDreamy (Patrick Dempsey’s Derek) and McSteamy (Eric Dane’s Mark), how is it possible that this screen isn’t on this list?There were connections all over the hospital and even in an ambulance outside. Doctors’ private relationships are simply “Like (if not more) vital than medical cases, and yes, there have been many crossovers between the two. No matter how much the staff has changed, it’s still a constant. It might also be the only medical drama that can have “ghost sex,” due to Izzy’s (Katherine Heigl) cancer and Denny’s (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) hallucinations. —Meredith Jacobs
You can get lost if you remain a spy for too long. That’s what happened to Jennings’ circle of relatives on FX’s The American. Philip (Matthew Rhys) and Elizabeth (Keri Russell) are two KGB spies in an arranged marriage, posing as Americans. in the suburbs of Washington, D. C. , shortly after Ronald Reagan’s presidency. Although they are both fighting for their country, they begin to expand their feelings, not only for their new country but also for everyone else. Yet, in the midst of this, we see those sexy spies of this sex as a weapon, and those moments are a clever balance between marriage and espionage. —Isaac Rouse
There can be something so beautiful about the possibility of living (if you forget about drinking blood, as well as everything that comes with being a vampire). Add an eye-catching cast (as is often the case with CW screens). ), the characters are paired left and right, and it’s the ultimate recipe for a delicious display and franchise. The romance takes on a higher average level in the original series than in any of the spin-offs. And it’s not just with the central love triangle formed by Elena (Nina Dobrev), Stefan (Paul Wesley) and Damon (Ian Somerhalder). Though it ends in the heartbreak of Caroline (Candice King) and Bonnie (Kat Graham), their travels have many sparks along the way. —Meredith Jacobs
Who knew Texas oil families were so obscene?Although the series follows the marriage of Bobby Ewing (Patrick Duffy) and Pamela Barnes (Victoria Principal), whose families hate each other, the series is best known for its portrayal of murky oil. tycoons and former cliffhangers. However, the series is also known for showing small-town affairs, affairs, momentary wives, and illegitimate children. Dallas was so popular that it still holds the record for the second-most-watched TV show after the series finale. . And rightly so, as it was one of the first exhibits to cover the full gamut of romances, passions, fights, catfights, gunfights, and much more we’ve come to expect from soap operas. —Isaac Rouse
Shonda Rhimes knows a thing or two about sexy shows, so it’s no surprise that Shondaland’s first main scripted task with Netflix has Ton getting other people talking. The Regency-era dress drama is a huge streaming hit narrated through living legend Julie Andrews, who reveals secrets like Lady Whistledown, the eyes and ears of London society at the center of it all. Romance abounds in the main stories that revolve around Bridgerton children. While Season 1 fits between Daphne Bridgerton (Phoebe Dynevor) and the fiery and lumbering Duke of Hastings Simon (Regé-Jean Page), the main story of season two between Anthony Bridgerton (Jonathan Bailey) and Kate Sharma (Simone Ashley) revolved around their enemies. Relationships with lovers are full of contained desires. Mix in Queen Charlotte: An offshoot of Bridgerton Story and you’ve got a very sexy set of stories. —Meaghan Darwish
The Hulu limited series that explores the emotional and physical dates between studious Marianne (Daisy Edgar-Jones) and the worried Connell (Paul Mescal) temporarily caught viewers’ attention amid the lockdowns of 2020. Based on the novel by Sally Rooney, the faithful adaptation has helped make Edgar Jones and Mescal A-list stars and TV favorites. Their gripping on-screen entanglements take place from Marianne and Connell’s best school years to their time at Trinity University. While Normal People has its emotionally devastating moments, it also gave rise to the fascination of Connell’s Undeniable Silver Chain, which proves that a character can be both unhappy and sexy. —Meaghan Darwish
Season five may not be many fans’ choice for the most productive anthology series, but no one can deny the searing sex appeal of Lady Gaga’s vampire countess. Not even Angela Bassett could; The two legends shared a passionate sex scene in episode 3 that was soon forgotten, and the episode features a guest star appearance through Naomi Campbell, who even gives a great impression of dying bloodily (and being resurrected through the haunted hotel). filled to the brim with Gaga’s gory sex scenes, such as Finn Wittrock’s Countess and Tristan making love in a coffin-shaped bathtub. And, of course, there’s the biggest AHS sex scene of all time: the iconic blood, in which she and Matt Bomer make a foursome with a human partner. These violent pleasures meet violent endings. -Kelli Boyle
From the dramatic plot twists to the fabulous hair, makeup, and costumes of their characters, soap operas are made to be sexy. And Desperate Housewives turned soap operas into prime-time gold. The outlandish plot was grounded in truth through perfect acting. of the 4 protagonists – Teri Hatcher, Eva Longoria, Marcia Cross and Felicity Huffman – who understood that the project was to deliver a ridiculously unreal story with a ridiculously unreal story. And my intelligence, did they seem smart in doing so? The camp dial (Bree Van de) was raised to 100, even as the series couldn’t completely avoid taking itself too seriously. Without the women of Wysteria Lane, later ABC hits like Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal and How to Get Away with Nothing could exist. —Kelli Boyle
Who doesn’t know the iconic and dreamy trio that makes up Charlie’s Angels?Released in 1976, Kate Jackson, Farrah Fawcett and Jaclyn Smith solved crimes, kicked each other and looked smart doing it for five seasons. Based in Los Angeles, the trio responded to the invisible Charlie expressed through John Forsythe, who recruited the women after their talents were undermined after proving themselves at the police academy. The exhibition was the best form of escapism by providing instances that require a bit of action, infiltrating with gusto. and show “girl power. ” The only thing that makes this exhibit so sexy is the presentation of liberated women, independent and intelligent women who showed their strength and beauty. —Ennica Jacob
This earthy and sexy exhibit focuses on the workers of the Mississippi Delta strip club at a club called The Pynk. Adapted from Katori Hall’s play Pussy Valley, which depicts the sounds, power, and appeal of the club. The acrobatic dancers, blue fluorescent lights, and the silvery sky create the best setting to be the center of conversations. The series tackles colorism, domestic violence, gender fluidity, the business of Christianity, and sexual issues while showcasing the strength of the Black women who make up the artists of this club. P-Valley does a wonderful job of also showing the importance of incorporating strong characters from the LGBTQ network and their importance to black culture and dance culture. With comedic beats and heated storylines, this exhibit leaves you craving more of everything. The Pynk has to be offered in the sexiest way possible. —Ennica Jacob
As if the name wasn’t appealing enough, the premise of a Washington intermediary having a secret affair with the married president of the United States works. Kerry Washington shines as the “gladiator” Olivia Pope, whose favorite mix of snacks and drinks is a sexy pairing of red wine and popcorn. While solving other people’s problems, Olivia’s stolen moments with President Fitz (Tony Goldwyn) raise the stakes of her tightrope ride. Things get especially appealing when Jake Ballard (Scott Foley), an agent with a dark past, crosses paths with Olivia and hits her in the middle of an incredibly addictive love triangle. —Meaghan Darwish
Once again, Showtime explored the world of lesbians with The L Word in 2004. At a time when fully learned lesbian characters were rare, The L World fully embraced its liberties on television. Suddenly, television went from having no genuine representation to having steamy sex in swimming pools and raw, enforceable relationships. Despite the countless cartoons that preceded the series, this series followed the lives of a veritable lesbian organization, their friends, relatives, circle of relatives, and lovers in their modern West Hollywood home. The L Word would go on to become Showtime’s most popular series at the time. —Isaac Rouse
Louis de Pointe du Lac, by Jacob Anderson, said it perfectly: “Let yourself be seduced through history. Just watch the pilot of this AMC adaptation of Anne Rice’s literary vintage and temporarily discover how easy it is to be seduced through Sam Reid’s Lestat de Lioncourt. and her vampire partner (and what’s sexier than the 1994 film edition that criminally excludes the book’s main romance). The blending of Lestat’s hypnotic elocution with Louis’ elegant air makes it highly unlikely to look away from this tainted love, even as he delves into the depths of their poisonous and immortal life together, as well as the consequences of their separation. Their carnal preference for blood is only overcome through their preference for each other. His co-star Eric Bogosian described him as more productive when talking about the vampires’ never-ending appeal in storytelling: “I mean, it’s hot. “The wild fanbase formed after just seven episodes of this lavish series would agree. -Kelli Boyle
The raunchy Netflix series (now canceled) featured frontal nudity of male and female leads throughout its two seasons. While this isn’t unusual in other series like Game of Thrones, Sex/Life was filmed to look like soft. The rest of the narrative felt like a soap opera, offering a country layer to Billie’s (Sarah Shahi) struggles to make her sex life satisfying while stuck in the suburbs. The dissertation on which it is based, four chapters on four men by B. B. Easton, is also a direct look at female sexuality: how it is repressed and how to let it out. -Kelli Boyle
In fact, HBO dramas will be remembered for the blood, vampires, love triangles, and, of course, the sex scenes. And it’s not just about Sookie’s (Anna Paquin) love life, with Bill (Stephen Moyer), Eric (Alexander Skarsgard) or others. . . That heats up the screen. Sex is everywhere, from humans to vampires to other supernatural creatures. And it can be sweet, passionate, bloody, angry, and/or memorable (perhaps in a bad way). We’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Sookie and Bill in the cemetery. —Meredith Jacobs
It’s there in the name. The HBO comedy-drama revolutionized the way women in their 30s and older are portrayed on screen. There’s never been a more sexual character on TV than Samantha Jones, Kim Cattranl’s sexual intent (she’ll check anything once) and the way she’s portrayed. he used his character as a conduit for a much-needed episode about HIV testing and turned Samantha into not only a sex symbol, but also a progressive. This series made women embrace their sexuality as the norm on television, paving the way for many of the exhibits on this list. -Kelli Boyle
Drawn from the pages of Diana Gabaldon’s gripping novels, Claire (Caitriona Balfe) and Jamie Fraser (Sam Heughan) set the screen ablaze with their fast-paced chemistry in this romance that stands the test of time. Though facing life-and-death issues, the former World War II combat nurse and the Highlander warrior are best known for their passionate embraces. Whether it’s the show’s iconic first season installment, “The Wedding,” or her epic 20-year reunion with “A. “Malcolm, Claire, and Jamie can teach other TV characters a thing or two about what it means to be sexy. —Meaghan Darwish
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