Bingeworthy: 5 epic TV couples who are worth the commitment

We love a good “House of Cards” binge as much as the next TV fan, but sometimes high stakes political dramas or action-packed fantasy shows lack a little something that makes a binge watch truly swoon-worthy: A central romance.

Most series can get away with making romance a small part of their weekly subplot, but others manage to create couples so inspiring they become the best thing about the show. We’ve singled out five such couples whose epic romances truly make their shows worth an immediate rewatch.

RELATED: From Stydia to Bellarke, these TV relationships give us hope for 2017

Summer & Seth – ‘The O.C.’

Time commitment: 4 Seasons, 92 episodes = 3 days, 20 hours
Why it’s worth your time: “The O.C.” rewrote the rules of teen drama and rebooted the whole genre: Outsiders, unlikely friendships and loyalties, drama among the one percent and a kickin’ soundtrack.
You’ll love this show if you liked: “Beverly Hills, 90210” “Gossip Girl” “One Tree Hill”
You might not like this show if: You prefer suspense and explosions to school dances and relationship woes.
The one episode you cannot miss: “Rainy Day Women” (Season 2, episode 14)
Where to binge it: Hulu

Clarke & Lexa – ‘The 100’

Time commitment: 4 Seasons, 45 episodes = 1 day, 21 hours
Why it’s worth your time: Amidst various radiation threats, wars, and post-apocalyptic politics, the characters of “The 100” pull you in and make you care deeply about their fates in a seriously dangerous, high-stakes world. It’s got some of the best character/world-building on TV.
You’ll love this show if you liked: “Battlestar Galactica,” “The Last Ship,” “Under the Dome”
You might not like this show if: Sci-fi isn’t exactly your thing. Between villainous artificial intelligence systems and radiation snake monsters, this show asks you to accept a lot of odd things.
The one episode you cannot miss: “Blood Must Have Blood, Part Two” (Season 2, episode 16)
Where to binge it: Netflix

Pacey & Joey – ‘Dawson’s Creek’

Time commitment: 6 Seasons, 128 episodes = 5 days, 8 hours
Why it’s worth your time: “Dawson’s Creek” was an iconic ’90s show that will hook you from the first episode to the last. If you easily fall in love with deeply flawed characters, this show is definitely the one for you.
You’ll love this show if you liked: “Felicity,” “Everwood,” “Beverly Hills, 90210”
You might not like this show if: You hate love triangles. “Dawson’s Creek” is riddled with this device, and you won’t escape any of them until the final episode of the series.
The one episode you cannot miss: “The Long Goodbye” (Season 5, episode 4)
Where to binge it: Hulu

Meredith & Derek – ‘Grey’s Anatomy’

Time commitment: 12 Seasons, 269 episodes = 11 days, 16 hours
Why it’s worth your time: Who doesn’t love a sexy hospital drama? Besides the daily life-or-death stakes that come with being a surgeon, you get to watch lifelong bonds forming between these doctors — from day one of their internships all the way up to becoming surgical chiefs.
You’ll love this show if you liked: “E.R.,” “Brothers & Sisters,” “Scandal”
You might not like this show if: You hate endless breakup/makeup cycles between characters. Trying to figure out who’s sleeping with who and who dated who’s ex is nearly impossible on “Grey’s Anatomy.”
The one episode you cannot miss: “Losing My Religion” (Season 2, episode 27)
Where to binge it: Netflix or Hulu.

Ross & Rachel – ‘Friends’

Time commitment: 10 Seasons, 236 episodes = 5 days, 1 hour
Why it’s worth your time: Most sitcoms are don’t make for good binges, given their short time frame and repetitive plotlines, but “Friends” is an exception. The show never seemed to run out of fresh storylines or hilarious jokes.
You’ll love this show if you liked: “Will & Grace” “How I Met Your Mother,” “That ’70s Show”
You might not like this show if: Will-they/won’t-they romances aren’t really your thing. Along with the jokes and shenanigans these characters get into, they also have very cyclical romances.
The one episode you cannot miss: “The One Where No One is Ready” (Season 3, episode 2)
Where to binge it: Netflix

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