Because of fans’ tendency to gravitate towards slow-burn ships, television writers do everything they can to drag out their central romance. This often involves establishing a strong foundation of friendship beforehand or starting the show with one of the characters in another relationship.
One of the reasons why some slow-burn romances are deemed the best is because the writers constantly find ways to satisfy viewers without actually giving them what they want (and the circumstances of a first kiss is a common tool). Ships will lock lips in an unconventional situation, which can be a little underwhelming and disappointing. But when a couple finally kisses in the right context, it’s usually well worth the wait.
Jim And Pam (The Office)
![10 TV Ships Who Had Two First Kisses](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/The-Office-Jim-Pam-Dundies-Kiss-e1562765238980.jpg)
It happened so quickly that Jim and Pam’s first kiss was a “blink and you’ll miss it” situation. It was easily disregarded by the show, and there are plenty of viewers that don’t even remember it happened. In fact, the only person who definitely remembers the moment is Jim.
It’s unclear whether Pam was just acting silly when she kissed Jim, or if it the alcohol gave her the courage to do what she really wanted. Regardless, it’s never properly addressed, and their first sober kiss happens when they’re alone in the office.
Booth And Brennan (Bones)
![Booth and Brennan kiss in a flashback in Bones.](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Booth-and-Brennan-Kiss.jpg)
What exactly counts as Booth and Brennan’s first kiss is up in the air because of the order in which the audience learned of certain events. The first kiss viewers see on Bones is the result of Caroline’s blackmail, and Brennan kisses Booth under the mistletoe to get something from her.
There’s a lot of significance to this scene, as it was clear that both Booth and Brennan were affected by the brief kiss they shared. Seasons later, viewers discover through a flashback that Booth and Brennan had actually kissed long before the show even started. It highlighted their incredible chemistry and made viewers even more confused about why they weren’t together.
Chidi And Eleanor (The Good Place)
![Chidi and Eleanor in The Good Place season 4](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Chidi-and-Eleanor-in-The-Good-Place-season-4.jpg)
In actuality, Chidi and Eleanor had tons of first kisses in The Good Place. Every time Michael’s experiment went wrong, he would reset the experiment and erase everyone’s memories. They were stuck in an endless loop for hundreds of years and had no idea about it. The characters’ first kiss in the present timeline happened when Team Cockroach went before the judge to get into the real Good Place.
One of the best parts of being a Cheleanor shipper is getting to watch their first kiss play out in an endless amount of ways. They fell for each other in every universe they ended up in, which is further proof that Chidi and Eleanor are soulmates. No one can argue that they aren’t meant to be.
Jake And Amy (Brooklyn Nine-Nine)
![Jake and Amy kiss in Brooklyn Nine-Nine.](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Johnny-And-Dora-Brooklyn-nine-nine-Jake-and-Amy.jpg)
Fake-dating is one of many ways television puts a couple together, without actually putting them together. Jake and Amy had multiple kisses while they were undercover as a couple, but they didn’t kiss for real until the end of the season 2 finale.
Amy was clearly startled when Jake first kissed her to prevent them from blowing their cover. It was clear from both of their reactions that nothing was ever going to be the same for them again. It causes Jake and Amy’s feelings for each other to resurface, and their kiss in the Brooklyn Nine-Nine season 2 finale was what caused their romance to finally get off the ground.
Barry And Iris (The Flash)
![Barry and Iris kiss on Earth 2 in The Flash.](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/The-Flash-Barry-Iris-Kiss-Earth-2.jpg)
Thanks to Barry’s superspeed, he and Iris are another couple with several first kisses. There are multiple different worlds in The Flash, and even on Earth 2, he and Iris find each other. The first time Barry and Iris kissed on-screen, Barry circled the world so fast that he turned back time.
The original catalyst of the kiss no longer existed, but that’s what made Barry and Iris’s relationship all the more special. No matter what was happening around them, Iris’s feelings for Barry weren’t something that could just go away. Her love for him existed in every timeline, and it would always come out eventually.
Stiles And Lydia (Teen Wolf)
![Stiles and Lydia kiss in Teen Wolf.](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Stiles-and-Lydia-First-Kiss.jpg)
Stiles and Lydia’s first kiss in Teen Wolf didn’t happen under ideal circumstances. However, it still managed to be the best kiss in the show’s history. When Stiles is suffering from a panic attack, Lydia tries to figure out a way to help him. When all else fails, she grabs his face and kisses him, surprising the audience and Stiles, himself.
Stiles and Lydia’s kiss wasn’t mentioned again until Teen Wolf season 6 when Stiles and Lydia were separated on different planes. As Lydia recalled the memory, it was revealed it was the catalyst of Lydia falling in love with Stiles. Stiles and Lydia’s first real kiss happened the moment they were reunited with each other. This kiss marked the start of Stiles and Lydia’s relationship and confirmed that Stydia was the endgame couple.
Melissa And Joey (Melissa & Joey)
![Mel accidentally kisses Joey goodbye in Melissa & Joey.](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Melissa-and-Joey-Kiss.jpg)
When Joey moves out of Mel’s house in Melissa & Joey, Mel accidentally kisses Joey before rushing out of his new place. Joey was shocked over what Mel did, but Mel tries to play it off like it was just a normal way to say goodbye.
The series spent a lot of time toying with Mel and Joe’s will they/won’t they relationship, so their second kiss could be written off just as easily as the first was. It only happened because they were under the influence of what Joe’s family called a “love potion,” but it is what made them finally get a grip and stop denying their feelings for each other.
Sam And Freddie (iCarly)
![Sam and Freddie kiss on the balcony in iCarly.](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Sam-Freddie-First-Kiss.jpg)
Although iCarly was targeted towards children, the chemistry between Sam and Freddie was appreciated by all. Their hatred for each other was no joke, and they put other hate to love relationships to shame. When Sam and Freddie initially kiss, they agree to do it only to get their first kiss out of the way.
They promise never to speak of it again, and when Carly finds out what happened, they assure her that it was not in a romantic context. It’s difficult to pinpoint exactly when it happened, or if it was always there buried, but Sam falls in love with Freddie. When she kisses him for real, there’s nothing platonic about it. Fans started calling the pair, “Seddie,” and it was their second kiss that started them down a romantic road.
Damon And Elena (The Vampire Diaries)
![Elena kisses Damon when he's dying in The Vampire Diaries.](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Damon-Elena-First-Kiss.jpg)
The love triangle between Elena, Stefan, and Damon was the most controversial aspects of the entire show. Elena and Stefan had the initial romance, while Elena’s feelings for Damon were drawn out and developed over time. It was never a secret that Damon was head over heels for Elena, and she was well aware of how he felt about her.
When Damon is on his death bed, Elena kisses him to give him a moment of happiness before he dies. Of course, Damon lives, and Elena attributes the moment to her saying goodbye. Damon ends up kissing her for real in The Vampire Diaries season 3, and unlike the first time, they’re both able to reciprocate. Both kisses were sweet, but the first didn’t prove that Elena had romantic feelings for him.
Jonah And Amy (Superstore)
![Amy and Jonah kiss during a tornado.](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Tornado-Kiss.jpg)
Jonah and Amy actually had two kisses in Superstore that they wrote off before their first real one. The first happened when they were in the middle of a tornado and thought they were going to die. The second time they kissed, they were only acting like they wanted to in order to get everyone to stop teasing them.
Jonah and Amy’s third kiss is the first one that they acknowledge means something, and it’s Superstore’s best kiss in the entire show. It’s true what they say about the third time being the charm. If this kiss never happened, there’s no saying whether Jonah and Amy would have ever gotten together.