Gerri and Roman, Succession (2018)
From the pilot episode, many fans believed it was Tom and Greg who would be the show’s ‘will they, won’t they?’ and while there is a place for them on this list, it is the taboo and unofficial relationship shared by these two that first comes to my mind. The couple were always an unusual pairing, with the airy Roman being younger and subordinate to the older and rational Gerri. Though they shared a few… memorable intimate scenes, as a couple they never quite were.
the friendship between the troubled Laura and her best friend Donna also proves deeply compelling
Laura and Donna, Twin Peaks (1990)
Though the show featured one of the earliest positive depictions of a transgender woman, there weren’t any explicitly queer relationships throughout its run. Many fans point to the closeness of Cooper and Truman as the couple that should have been but never was. However, the friendship between the troubled Laura and her best friend Donna also proves deeply compelling. As Laura’s best friend, Donna was one of the few people Laura shared a non-destructive bond with. In the show’s pilot, the detectives come across a tape of the two dancing in the woods. The moment is extremely touching as it is the first time viewers see Laura alive and one of the few times throughout the entire series she is seen happy. Despite the comfort and intimacy of their friendship, Laura kept many secrets from Donna. Perhaps if the two had gotten into a romantic relationship, this would have changed. Alas, ‘90s TV may not have been ready for the canon lesbianism of the show’s core character.