Nothing stirs up as much passion as our favorite Days of Our Lives couples.
Almost since the premiere episode in 1965, we’ve rooted for our favorites to get together despite the odds against them, hated the characters that got in their way, and had intense arguments with those fans who liked our favorites better with someone else.
Although the heyday for couples was in the 1980s (aka the Golden Age of Supercouples), there are strong couples in every era, making it hard to decide which are truly the best.
The top couples withstand the test of time, fulfill the promise of true love, and help us feel that there’s someone out there for everybody.
How Couples Were Ranked
Personal Opinion and Fan Popularity Both Mattered
Some couples have achieved legendary status, but that doesn’t mean everyone likes them all — I was never a fan of Brady and Kristen, for example, who lots of people love.
To be one of Days of Our Lives’ best couples, a pairing had to be popular enough that lots of people talked about, argued about, and loved them.
Some couples are nearly universally loved, which pushes them closer to the top of the list. However, some classic couples were not included because there would be no room for newer couples if I focused exclusively on the golden era.
Some of the best couples also lost points for annoying storylines, such as unnecessary or aggravating love triangles or too many splits for the sake of drama.
#17: Johnny and Chanel
Carson Boatman and Raven Bowens
The two are adorable together. Raven Bowens lights up any scene she’s in, and it’s twice as true when Chanel and Johnny spend time together.
These two are among Days of Our Lives’ best couples because they’ve been tested by problems that only happen in Salem, such as Johnny being possessed by the Devil, who forced him to reject Chanel in favor of Gabi.
Their storyline involving Chanel carrying a baby who potentially had serious birth defects was realistic and well done, though I wish it hadn’t ended in miscarriage.
The couple also gets bonus points for bisexual representation, though I could have done without that silly love triangle in which Chanel couldn’t decide between Johnny and his twin sister.
#16: Sarah And Xander
Linsey Godfrey and Paul Tefler
I wouldn’t have guessed that these two would become one of Days of Our Lives’ best couples when they first got together.
They fit the tired TV trope of the good girl/bad boy perfectly, and it didn’t help that Sarah used to use this baby voice when she talked to Xander, which got on my last nerve.
Ever since Sarah became a mother and finally admitted the baby was Xander’s, the two have become an endearing couple.
The vicious cycle of Xander doing something horrible and Sarah swearing never to talk to him again until he begged her enough times for forgiveness is gone, and they’ve settled into being a loving, stable couple who would do anything for each other.
#15: Sonny and Will
Zach Tinker And Chandler Massey
Sonny and Will were the first male-male couple to tie the knot in American daytime television. Ironically, both characters were played by different actors at the time: Freddie Smith originated the role of Sonny, and Guy Wilson had temporarily taken over for Chandler Massey just a week before!
Anyway, their groundbreaking LGBTQ+ representation on TV is part of what makes them such a fabulous couple.
Sonny comes from the troublemaking Kiriakis family, and Will is a Brady/Horton baby. Yet Sonny is the level-headed one, while Will tends to be impulsive and isn’t above dirty tricks to get what he wants.
Leo Stark’s interference has marred their relationship. There have been too many stories about Leo trying to force Sonny to be with him instead, and that silly plot where the guys thought they killed Leo is best forgotten.
#14: Holly and Tate
Ashley Puzemis and Leo Howard
Holly and Tate are the latest starcrossed lovers on Days of Our Lives.
Their story got off to a rocky start, with Tate being blamed for Holly’s overdose.
Both Holly and Tate’s parents forbid them to be together after Holly took a couple of weeks, admitting that the drugs were hers and that Tate had nothing to do with why she lapsed into a coma.
This story has gone somewhat over the top now that Tate is hiding out in the Horton Cabin while his friend takes his place at the swanky lacrosse camp Brady enrolled him in to keep him far away from Holly.
Still, these two have a great first-love vibe, and their determination to be together despite adult disapproval offers a ton of promise for their future.
#13: Shawn and Belle
Brandon Beemer and Martha Madison
Shawn and Belle could have been closer to the top of the list of Days of Our Lives’ best couples.
These two are high school sweethearts whose parents have been best friends their entire lives. They’ve weathered a lot of storms, many of which were caused by Jan Spears’ obsessive love story when it came to Shawn.
Unfortunately, Shawn and Belle also have been stuck in a love triangle with Philip since forever. This was fine when they were all in high school, but it wore out its welcome a long time ago.
Every time Shawn and Belle are on screen, Belle sleeps with Philip, causing her marriage to fall apart. It’s predictable and boring, and this couple deserves a better story than that.
Chloe and Philip
Nadia Bjorlin and Jay Kenneth Johnson/John Paul Lavoisier
Most of the reason Chloe and Philip are one of Days of Our Lives’ best couples is their high school romance, which was a pitch-perfect modern fairy tale.
Chloe was the new girl in town the other kids picked on because she wore thick glasses and dressed in all black. Mean girls called her Ghoul Girl, and it seemed unlikely that a popular kid like Philip would be interested in her.
At first, he wasn’t. He asked her to the Last Blast Dance to win a bet, but the joke was on him because at the dance, Chloe took off her black coat to reveal a beautiful dress that made her the envy of the bullies who usually picked on her for her appearance.
Unfortunately, as adults, they had the same problem as Belle and Shawn: an eternal love triangle that few fans enjoy. Philip and Brady’s rivalry for Chloe hit a new low when Philip faked his death and framed Brady for “killing” him.
#11: Roman and Marlena
Wayne Northrop and Deidre Hall
Marlena’s been happily married to John for years, but before there was any John, she was deeply in love with Roman. Some fans would love for them to reunite, but unfortunately, that is a ship that will never sail again.
Ironically, their love story began the same way Marlena’s daughter Sami’s would with Rafe: Roman was hired to protect Marlena when she was being threatened by the Salem Strangler in 1982, but the two quickly fell for each other.
They were married in 1983, but unfortunately, they didn’t have much time together before Stefano shot Roman, seemingly fatally.
These two are not together today because the mystery man who came to Salem, whom Marlena thought was her beloved Roman, turned out to be John Black.
They are still one of Days of Our Lives’ best couples because of the love they shared and their ability to rebuild a friendship despite Marlena cheating on Roman with John.
#10: JJ and Paige
Casey Moss and True O’Brien
JJ and Paige’s once-promising love story took an unnecessary turn before being tragically cut short by Paige’s unnecessary death.
Originally, JJ and Paige were a sweet love story similar to Holly and Tate.
JJ had gotten himself into serious legal trouble acting out after his father’s death, and Paige was an innocent, somewhat naive young woman who saw the best in everyone.
Things took a silly turn when Paige’s mother, the evil Eve Donovan, slept with JJ when he was drunk, leading to a disgusting affair that no one wanted to see.
Sadly, just as JJ and Paige were getting things back on track, Paige was murdered by the Necktie Killer, something that needs to be undone ASAP so that these two can continue their love story.
#9: Roman and Kate
Josh Taylor and Lauren Koslow
Roman and Kate seem like an unlikely match, which is what makes them one of Days of Our Lives’ best couples.
Strait-laced, by-the-book Roman should never be able to be in a relationship with Kate, who is the kind of diva who isn’t above breaking the law to get her way. Yet love is in the air for these two.
Nowadays, Kate reins in her worst impulses because she knows Roman wouldn’t approve, but she’d do anything for the people she loves, and in the past, she’s committed murder and covered up other serious crimes.
These two are a second-chance romance, as they got together years ago, but it was cut short by Kate’s belief that Roman was murdered during the Salem Stalker storyline in 2008.
#8: John and Marlena
Drake Hogestyn and Deidre Hall
John and Marlena have been through a lot. Their relationship began when John came to town covered in bandages and without any memories of his past, leading Marlena to think he was Roman.
Worse still, Marlena often became a target of violence.
The kind of villains we love even though we’d never hang out with them became obsessed with Marlena, kidnapping her and sometimes faking her death to stop John from finding her, and John has been abducted and nearly killed by them, too.
The constant cycle of Marlena getting kidnapped and John having to rescue her got old after a while, which is why this couple is only number eight on our list of Days of Our Lives’ best couples.
#7: Sami and Lucas
Alison Sweeney and Bryan Datillo
Sami and Lucas were one of Days of Our Lives’ best couples, but the writers ruined them.
After Kate pushed Lucas and Nicole together, Sami bounced from man to man, and Lucas fell hard for women who always left him for someone else.
The couple tried reuniting several times, but recently, Days of Our Lives ended Sami and Lucas for good with a ridiculous story about Lucas having Sami kidnapped to keep her away from EJ.
It’s a shame the writers went this way, because Lucas is the only one who can get through to Hurricane Sami and vice versa, proving they are meant to be together.
#6: Tony And Anna
Thaao Penghlis and Leanne Hunley
Tony and Anna‘s love is so strong that Anna refused to let go of Tony when she thought he was dead.
Although her insistence on carrying his urn around with her was played for laughs, it also demonstrated how much she missed him.
Tony is a Dimera and thus has not always been on the straight and narrow, though in recent years, he has been the “good” Dimera who doesn’t want anything to do with his family’s legacy of mob-like behavior.
Tony finds some of Anna’s eccentricity and wild ideas amusing, which is one reason he is the perfect partner for her.
The two have often had to watch out for Andre, Tony’s identical cousin (later retconned to be his brother) who is always up to no good and sometimes pretends to be Tony for nefarious purposes.
Although these two are one of Days of Our Lives’ best couples, they sadly are unlikely to appear again, as Thaao Penghlis recently said that he has retired from the soap after appearing on and off for over 40 years.
#5: Justin and Adrienne
Wally Kurth and Judi Evans
Nowadays, Justin is married to Bonnie Lockhart, an Adrienne look-alike who has been retconned to act just like Adrienne but don’t be fooled.
Justin and Adrienne’s original love story was more similar to Young Royals than anything on Days of Our Lives because the Kiriakises are the closest thing to Salem royalty.
Meanwhile, Adrienne came from an impoverished family where her father routinely abused her and her mother.
Victor disapproved of his son’s involvement with someone he thought was lower class, but Justin refused to listen.
Eventually, they won the old man over and went on to have four children, only two of whom had returned to Salem.
Sadly, Adrienne was killed in a car accident during the infamous time jump story. Later, con artist Bonnie Lockhart changed her ways and married Justin, which is annoying because she is not Adrienne and should not be treated like she is.
#5: Jack and Jennifer
Matthew Ashford and Melissa Reeves/Cady McClain
When I was little, I adored goofy Jack and serious, down-to-earth Jennifer. They were both journalists, and I wanted to be like them when I grew up.
Jack had a dark past — he raped Kayla in the first story on daytime to ever acknowledge that a wife had a right to say no to having sex with her husband.
While Days of Our Lives’ social messaging around sexual assault needs some work, Jack’s slow transformation from villain to a decent guy who was worthy of Jennifer’s love despite what he did to her future sister-in-law worked.
Jennifer was patient and accepting and helped Jack to accept himself, past and all, though he never quite believed he deserved her love.
That unique dynamic made them one of Days of Our Lives’ best couples despite shakier writing for them in recent years.
#3: Steve and Kayla
Stephen Nichols and Mary Beth Evans
Steve and Kayla have been lovers for over 30 years, and still have the same sparks they did when they were young.
Their love story was one of a guy from the wrong side of the tracks falling hard for one of Salem’s top citizens. I
t’s easy to forget that Steve was once a thug who did Victor Kirakis’ dirty work because his love story with Kayla changed him.
Steve and Kayla have many beautiful, iconic moments in their love story.
Harper Deveraux nearly derailed their wedding, but the moment that took my breath away was when Kayla, who was struggling with selective mutism, regained her voice just in time to say she loved Steve during the ceremony.
They are sadly underused nowadays, but when they do share the screen, their love for each other and off-the-charts chemistry shine through.
#2: Doug and Julie
Bill Hayes and Susan Seaforth Hayes
Doug and Julie were married both on and off-screen for 50 years. While Bill Hayes passed away in January 2024, Doug’s on-screen death has not yet aired, though a tribute will air in November.
This couple will always be special to me because they reminded me of my grandparents.
Doug’s soft-spoken, gentle manner perfectly complemented Julie’s larger-than-life, take-charge personality.
The two were the next generation’s version of Tom and Alice, playing the role of grandparents to the entire town.
Their status as town elders makes it easy to forget that Julie was in competition with her mother for Doug’s affection and became her half-sister Hope’s stepmother after their mother died.
#1: Tom and Alice
MacDonald Carey and Frances Reid
There would be no Days of Our Lives without the couple that started it all.
When the series began, Tom and Alice Horton were happily married with adult children, and the early episodes revolved around them adjusting to having an empty nest while supporting their wayward granddaughter Julie and maintaining their relationships with their kids.
They set the standard for their family, and their marriage remained as strong decades after it began as the day they said their vows. Many episodes involved their children and grandchildren paying tribute to them.
The couple was so important that an entire episode was dedicated to newly-made flashbacks telling the story of how they met and started a life together, and every Christmas episode ends with a shot of their ornaments hanging together from the Horton Christmas tree.
Over to you, Days of Our Lives fanatics.
Hit the comments to tell us your favorite pairings and why you think they’re among Days of Our Lives’ best couples.
Days of Our Lives streams exclusively on Peacock. New episodes drop on weekday mornings at 6/5c.
