BEST CHEMISTRY

Dan Stevens and Michelle Dockery, Downton Abbey

Even though the second season of the smash Downton Abbey moved the period piece more firmly into soap-opera territory — is that disfigured soldier a presumed-dead cousin, or a clever imposter? — the pull of the show's central relationship between Lady Mary (Michelle Dockery) and Cousin Matthew (Dan Stevens) stayed as strong as ever. Sure, she's a snob and he's a drip, and they were both engaged to other people, and they're sort of related, but those are minor details in the face of true love. And realism isn't welcome here: in the world of the show, it's simply a fact that they're meant for each other. This doesn't feel forced, thanks to Dockery and Stevens, who had a sparkling rapport from the very start.

Runners-up: Amy Poehler and Adam Scott, Parks and Recreation; Nathan Fillion and Stana Katic, Castle; Katharine McPhee and Jack Davenport, Smash; Alexandra Breckenridge and Dylan McDermott, American Horror Story

 

LEAST PLAUSIBLE COUPLE

Aziz Ansari and Rashida Jones, Parks and Recreation

It's not surprising that Ann Perkins (Rashida Jones) has dated a good portion of the male cast of Parks and Recreation; she's capable, she's funny, and she's cute as a button. But while we bought the idea that she would go out on a date or two with swagger-obsessed Tom Haverford (Aziz Ansari), we were relieved to see her break it off. Again. And again. (Dear God, why won't it stick?) It's not that we don't like Tom, but as far as romance goes, this relationship felt dead from the start. Ann's deadpan normalcy in the face of Tom's aggressive baller personality feels more like the tolerance an older sister has for an annoying baby brother.

Runners-up: Vincent Kartheiser and Alexis Bledel, Mad Men; Carice van Houten and Stephen Dillane, Game of Thrones

TRAGIC-EST LOVE STORY

Taissa Farmiga and Evan Peters, American Horror Story

She, an angsty teen who dressed like the love child of Annie Hall and Stevie Nicks. He, the ghost of a school-shooter who put on a rubber S&M suit and raped her mother. It sounds like a romance that shouldn't work... and it didn't. But before its unhappy ending, the saga of Violet Harmon and Tate Langdon on American Horror Story worked far better than it had any right to. Before we found out the extent of Tate's crimes — and before we found out that Violet was actually dead for half of the season — these two were like any other classic teen couple: alienated from their peers and their parents, hoping they'd found one person who could really understand them. Together, they tried to work through Tate's issues, but in the end, his violent nature caught up with both of them. Too bad they're stuck in that house together for all eternity.

Runners-up: Jon Hamm and Jessica Pare’s love slowly dying, Mad Men, Michael Pitt and Aleksa Palladino, Boardwalk Empire

BIGGEST LOSS OF SEX APPEAL

Entire cast, Glee

If there's one thing you can't fault Glee for — and there might be literally only one thing — it's picking an attractive cast. From the teachers to the twenty-something "high-school students," the actors who sang their way into our living rooms every week were certainly easy on the eyes. Even when many of us wanted to give up on the show, Naya Rivera or Darren Criss or Heather Morris or Chord Overstreet lured us back in with their pretty, pretty faces. But the third season of the Fox smash reached such levels of inanity that even beautiful people dancing around in tight clothes couldn't keep us watching. We hope the talented cast moves on to bigger and better things, but for now, their stock has plummeted.

Runner-up: Michael C. Hall, Dexter

 

BIGGEST GAIN OF SEX APPEAL

Rutina Wesley, True Blood

In general, True Blood has lost most of its sex appeal; you can tell that things have gotten bad when the biggest player left in town is Sheriff Andy. But this past season, Rutina Wesley's Tara Thornton joined the ranks of the undead, and it turned out to be a great look for her. Tara had always been kind of a pain, the sort of long-suffering-sidekick character who whines incessantly about the stupid shit she puts up with in the name of friendship. But as soon as she became a vampire, her petulant streak vanished and was replaced by funny, out-and-out bitchiness. This improvement also came with a wardrobe upgrade.

Runners-up: Claire Danes, Homeland; Jessica Pare, Mad Men; Andrew Lincoln, The Walking Dead; James Van Der Beek for his depiction of himself as a depraved horndog on Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23

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