BEST ‘LOVE’ SERIES
“I Love Lucy” (CBS, 1951-57)
How could any list of shows with “love” in the title not start with one of television’s most enduring classics? As friends Fred and Ethel Mertz (William Frawley, Vivian Vance) often looked on, zany Lucy Ricardo (Lucille Ball) often befuddled her nightclub star husband, Ricky (Desi Arnaz, Ball’s then-spouse).
“Love of Life” (CBS, 1951-80)
Back when soap operas ruled the afternoon airwaves, this saga dealt with the good and not-so-nice forces in a community, with Christopher Reeve among the drama’s most famous alumni.
“Love, American Style” (ABC, 1969-74)
Each episode of this anthology usually consisted of several romantic comedy vignettes, one of the stories particularly memorable since it also served as the pilot for “Happy Days.”
“Bridget Loves Bernie” (CBS, 1972-73)
Though old-fashioned in many ways, the charm of the cast of this comedy about an interfaith marriage – including title stars Meredith Baxter and David Birney, who actually married in real life – went a long way.
“The Love Boat” (ABC, 1977-87)
“Love, exciting and new ... . ” So sang Jack Jones (and, in the final season, Dionne Warwick) in welcoming viewers and guest “passengers” aboard the Pacific Princess, which set sail with a “crew” led by Gavin MacLeod as the captain.
“Love, Sidney” (NBC, 1981-83)
A great showcase for Tony Randall’s talents, this comedy cast him as a New Yorker who provided shelter and “family” for a single mother and her daughter (Swoosie Kurtz, Kaleena Kiff).
“Joanie Loves Chachi” (ABC, 1982-83)
Erin Moran and Scott Baio carried their “Happy Days” roles into this spinoff.
“Anything but Love” (ABC, 1989-92)
Moderating his stand-up-comedy persona, Richard Lewis proved a good match for Jamie Lee Curtis in the saga of magazine colleagues whose relationship was just platonic ... until Season 3.
“Everybody Loves Raymond” (CBS, 19962005)
When David Letterman was celebrated at the Kennedy Center Honors, Ray Romano touchingly told how Letterman put him under contract to develop a show for him, resulting in this slow-starting but ultimately long-running sitcom about a sportswriter and his often too-close family.
“Big Love” (HBO, 2006-11)
Arguably the most controversial series yet to use “Love” in its name, this drama cast Bill Paxton as a polygamist and Jeanne Tripplehorn, Ginnifer Goodwin and Chloe Sevigny as his wives.
“Love” (Netflix, 2016-18)
Gillian Jacobs and series co-creator Paul Rust were painfully perfect as decidedly imperfect people whose budding relationship is riddled with missteps.
“Love Life” (HBO Max, 2020-present)
Anna Kendrick helped the streaming service lift off with this anthology tracing the entirety of one person’s ... well, love life.