TV Land’s Younger is a series that thrives on complicated relationships. The show stars Sutton Foster as Liza Miller, a 40-year-old woman in the midst of a divorce, who desires a new career. When no one will hire Liza because of her age and resume gap, she pretends to be 26 years old. In the process, she meets the greatest friends, loves, and challenges of her life.
Liza’s relationships are a central fixture of the series, but they aren’t the only ones that get attention. Some of those couples have had much more success than others.
Kelsey & Thad
There is no question that Kelsey’s relationship with Thad is the least successful one on the series, not to mention the worst in general. Thad and Kelsey both cheat on each other, but Kelsey has the potential to be a genuinely good person. Thad doesn’t seem to share that potential.
Kelsey settles for Thad after he proposes to her, but things go south quickly. Liza receives a troubling video of Thad cheating, he gets some dirt on her real life, and Kelsey is none the wiser until Thad is killed in a freak accident while talking to Liza. Even if Thad had lived for more seasons of the show, the relationship wasn’t likely to get better.
Charles & Radha
Charles Brooks develops feelings for Liza early on, even though she is his employee and she’s only 26 (or so she says). In an effort to combat the urge to be with Liza, Charles dates a socialite named Radha.
She is treated kind of like a prop during her time on the series, always on Charles’ arm for various work functions. Radha senses Charles’ attraction to Liza, so she starts being rude to Liza whenever she sees her. When Charles must choose between Radha and Liza, Radha quickly gets the boot.
Lauren & Max
Lauren Heller is Kelsey’s best friend, and Younger works in a way that allows Lauren’s character arc to shine almost as much as others’ journeys. The savvy PR professional is attracted to all genders, but she is a little surprised to find herself intrigued by an old childhood friend, Max.
Max is a medical intern who looks like the perfect guy. It turns out that he’s a bit obnoxious once he moves in with Lauren and her family–so much so that Kelsey feels like she no longer has a place at the Heller home. While fans enjoyed seeing Lauren so happy with Max, that honeymoon phase faded.
Josh & Clare
There are a lot of rebound romances on Younger, and Josh and Clare’s is one of them. When he can’t get over Liza, Josh tries everything he can to move on. A beautiful Irish woman named Clare isn’t enough to clear Josh’s head, though.
An elaborate wedding and a beautiful baby aren’t enough to keep these two together, either. Josh and Clare both love their daughter Gemma, but they agree to divorce and co-parent. It will be interesting to see what their interactions are like in the seventh season.
Lauren & Maggie
Maggie and Lauren lead very different lives on Younger. Maggie is a Brooklyn artist with years of wisdom and a relaxed demeanor, and Lauren is a hyper, young New Yorker who still has a long way to go in the world. In the early days of Younger, Lauren worships Maggie and calls her a goddess.
It turns out that Maggie is attracted to Lauren, too. Lauren is seen frequently at Maggie’s loft apartment, and for a while, it seems like the two really have something. At the same time, they want different things and might be better as friends.
Kelsey & Shane
Zane is one giant foil to Kelsey, both personally and professionally. She is known to mix business with pleasure, but so is Zane. He goes back and forth from being Kelsey’s competition to being her co-worker, and he is capable of bringing out her strengths.
At the same time, Kelsey and Zane can never really trust each other. Both of them are so obsessed with getting ahead that they’ll do whatever it takes to take down any obstacles–including each other.
Maggie & Malkie
Maggie and Malkie go through some ups and downs in their relationship. The women are close in age and can relate to one another on many levels, but Maggie finds excuses not to commit. Namely, she feels uncomfortable embracing Malkie’s Jewish culture and group of girlfriends.
The rollercoaster Malkie and Maggie go on is interesting. They part ways, they’re reunited, Maggie paints Malkie a mural to express her desire to commit, and then things stall when Malkie wants to have children.
Josh & Liza
Josh and Liza’s story isn’t over, but as of season six, they are not together. Their relationship took many different forms. When they met and began dating, Josh was completely in the dark about Liza’s real identity.
The truth caused a big rift between the two, but they patched it up. Unfortunately, they couldn’t stand a chance against Liza’s mounting feelings for Charles. Liza and Josh have had successful moments, but a lot of things have gone wrong, too.
Charles & Liza
Charles and Liza also have phases in their relationship. Like Josh, Charles dates Liza before he knows who she really is. This is entirely inappropriate, given their work positions, but also romantic at the same time.
Once again, like with Josh, everything is messed up when the truth comes out. Still, Charles and Liza find their way back together, and they’re even better afterward. As fans wait for season seven, Charles’ proposal still hangs in the air.
Diana & Enzo
Diana Trout has been unlucky in love, even by Younger’s standards. She has a flop of a relationship with a man named Richard, but everything brightens for Diana when Enzo comes into her life. She is immediately attracted to the handsome plumber, as he is to her.
They start dating and encounter a number of challenges, like their different places in the workforce, their ideas of the future, and Enzo’s family (especially his mother). Enzo and Diana make it through all those difficulties and end season six with an exquisite wedding to symbolize their happiness and commitment.
