5 First Kisses That Sealed the Deal
Alias: Sydney and Vaughn
Season 2, Episode 13: For the episode that aired right after 2003’s Super Bowl, creator J.J. Abrams decided to blow up the show’s central conceit: Sydney Bristow (Jennifer Garner) as a double agent for the CIA and the nefarious SD-6. The CIA took SD-6 and its sinister sister agencies down, and when Syd and Vaughn (Michael Vartan, still in combat gear) run across the wreckage of SD-6 toward each other and finally, finally act on a season and a half of unrequited sexual tension, sparks literally fly. (You can see Jennifer Garner flinch when a nearby live wire pops.)
Veronica Mars: Veronica and Logan
Season 1, Episode 18: Take Kristen Bell and Jason Dohring’s crackling chemistry, add in the element of surprise, the perfect backing track (“Momentary Thing” by Something Happens), and some swooping camerawork, and you’ve got yourself one hell of a momentary thing. Fun fact: In addition to Jonathan Taylor Thomas, this episode features future TV stars Max Greenfield (New Girl), Theo Rossi (Sons of Anarchy), and Michael McMillian (True Blood).
The Office: Jim and Pam
They didn’t actually get together until the end of Season 3, but Jim’s (John Krasinski) confession of love to the betrothed Pam (Jenna Fischer), followed by Pam’s gut-wrenching rejection, followed by Jim’s interrupting Pam’s panicked phone call to her mom with a kiss Pam very much did not reject, was enough to sustain many a shipper through the intervening 12 months.
Lost: Sawyer and Juliet
Season 5, Episode 8: This is the first kiss the audience saw, remarkable precisely because it's so unremarkable: It's a domestic tableau, a morning routine just before two partners part for the day. What it means, though, is that Sawyer (Josh Holloway) and Juliet (Elizabeth Mitchell) have found love and stability. It also sets the stage for one of the greatest romantic TV reunions, in Season 6, when the two meet in the sideways world.
Glee: Kurt and Blaine
Season 2, Episode 16: Kurt's (Chris Colfer) unrequited crush on Blaine (Darren Criss) broke hearts for about 15 episodes, which made Blaine's decision to recognize the perfection of the person right in front of him all the more satisfying. The after-kiss reactions are what make this so affecting, though: Kurt on the verge of tears, Blaine looking like a tremendous weight has been lifted from his shoulders.
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