Luke Newton as Colin Bridgerton and Nicola Coughlan as Penelope Featherington in "Bridgerton" season three.
Liam Daniel/Netflix
"Bridgerton" season three focuses on a friends-to-lovers romance.
The trope is popular and has been used in several movies and TV shows.
Here are 11 great movies and TV series for those craving more.
"Bridgerton" season three adopts the friends-to-lovers trope as it returns with another tear-jerking, fun love story.
All three seasons of the hit Netflix show use a different romantic arc for the main love story.
Daphne (Phoebe Dynevor) and Simon's (Regé-Jean Page) story utilized the fake-dating trope in season one. Season two features the enemies-to-lovers trope with fan-favorite characters Anthony (Jonathan Bailey) and Kate (Simone Ashley).
With Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton) and Penelope Featherington's (Nicola Coughlan) love story in season three, the series focuses on friends-to-lovers, specifically childhood friends who later fall for each other. You've probably seen plenty before.
Here are 9 of the best TV shows and movies featuring the trope.
Warning spoilers for "Bridgerton" season 3, part one.
"One Day" is one of the best friends-to-lovers series of 2024.
"One Day."
Ludovic Robert/Netflix
Netflix stole the world's hearts with another English romance series, that one based on David Nicholls' "One Day."
The TV miniseries follows two Brits, Dexter Mayhew (Leo Woodall) and Emma Morley (Ambika Mod), who meet on the last day of university and decide to preserve their friendship instead of date.
The series spans 20 years of their relationship, each episode set in a different year. Though "One Day" is more tragic than "Bridgerton" season three, it does follow a similar transition from platonic to romantic.
"One Day" is available to stream on Netflix.
"Dawson's Creek" has a friends-to-lovers story that's messy but ends happily.
Katie Holmes as Joey and Joshua Jackson as Pacey in "Dawson's Creek."
Columbia TriStar International Television / Courtesy of Getty Images
"Dawson's Creek," which inspired a wave of teen dramas such as "The O.C.," "Gossip Girl" and "Riverdale," is worth watching for the friends-to-lovers story between Joey Potter (Katie Holmes) and Pacey Witter (Joshua Jackson).
The two teens, who live in a small fictional coastal town, begin the series in a love/hate relationship, with their only connection being their friendship with Dawson Leery (James Van Der Beek). However, they realize they truly care for each other as time passes.
Joey and Pacey's love story is messier than Colin and Penelope's since there are a lot of breakups and dating other people, but they reach a happy conclusion.
All six "Dawson's Creek" seasons are available to stream on Prime Video or Hulu.
The "New Girl" friends-to-lovers story begins partway through the show.
Fox / New Girl
"New Girl" features a true friends-to-lovers arc where we see Nick (Jake Johnson) and Jess (Zooey Deschanel) bond as friends long before they ever admit to any attraction. In the pilot, Jess moves into an apartment with Nick and his two male friends, which leads to numerous hijinks.
Their love story doesn't begin until season two when they admit they are attracted to each other and have their first kiss. Nick's and Jess's relationship also has many ups and downs, but at their best, they are two characters who feel real comfort in each other's presence.
All seven "New Girl" seasons are available to stream on Hulu.
"The Summer I Turned Pretty" has a childhood friends-to-lovers arc.
Christopher Briney, Gavin Casalegno, and Lola Tung on "The Summer I Turned Pretty" season two.
Both are book adaptations. Both feature a female lead character, Penelope and Belly Conklin (Lola Tung), who has had a long-standing crush on a male lead, Colin and Conrad Fisher (Christopher Briney). However, in "The Summer I Turned Pretty," Belly has two romantic choices.
In the series, Belly spends every summer at Cousins Beach with her family and the Fisher family, bonding with the two sons Conrad and Jeremiah (Gavin Casalegno). After turning 16, Belly finds herself in a love triangle between both brothers, leading to messy drama.
The first two seasons of "The Summer I Turned Pretty" are available to stream on Prime Video.
"The Office" has one of TV's most popular friends-to-lovers relationships
Jim (John Krasinski) and Pam (Jenna Fischer) in "The Office."
The Office / NBC
Jim (John Krasinski) and Pam (Jenna Fischer) are one of the most iconic friends-to-lovers TV duos. The pair became close friends after working together at the Dunder Mifflin Paper Company, the show's main location.
Jim falls for Pam first. But just like with Penelope and Colin, it takes Pam some time to realize her feelings for Jim. "The Office" has a lot of funny gags, but this saccharine love story is also one of its best moments.
All nine "The Office" seasons are available to stream on Peacock.
"Love & Basketball" is a love story told over several years.
Quincy McCall (Omar Epps) and Monica Wright (Sanaa Lathan) in "Love & Basketball" (2000).
40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks
"Love & Basketball" is a 13-year love story told in four sections. The rom-com begins in 1981 when two children, Monica (Sanaa Lathan) and Quincy (Omar Epps), bond over their shared love of basketball. However, life gets in their way, stopping them from getting together.
If you're looking for a realistic depiction of a friends-to-lovers arc, "Love & Basketball" is the one to watch.
"Love & Basketball" is available to stream on Paramount+.
"13 Going on 30" is a rom-com classic.
Jenna Rink (Jennifer Garner) and Matt Flamhaff (Mark Ruffalo) in "13 Going on 30."
Sony Pictures Releasing
"13 Going on 30" is a fantastic story about the dangers of wanting to grow up too quickly, how popularity does not provide happiness, and the importance of being grateful for your life.
The classic rom-com also has a beautiful love story between the two leads, Jenna Rink (Jennifer Garner) and Matt Flamhaff (Mark Ruffalo). The pair are childhood friends, and Matt harbors a secret crush on Jenna. When Jenna accidentally wishes herself into the future, she reconnects with an older Matt and rebuilds their friendship. Garner and Ruffalo have great chemistry in the movie.
"13 Going on 30" is available to rent on Prime Video or AppleTV+.
"Always Be Maybe" follows another childhood friend duo who realize their feelings later in life.
Marcus Kim (Randall Park) and Sasha Tran (Ali Wong) in "Always Be Maybe."
Netflix
In "Always Be Maybe," Marcus Kim (Randall Park) and Sasha Tran (Ali Wong) are childhood friends who grew up next door to each other. However, their friendship breaks up after they have sex.
Similar to Colin and Penelope in "Bridgerton" season three, the physical interaction causes an awkward wedge between them.
The movie follows the duo 16 years after their friendship breakup. They've both moved on and found other people, but they realize the spark is still there as they reunite.
"Always Be Maybe" is available to stream on Netflix.
"My Best Friend's Wedding" involves a character trying to stop an engagement.
Julianne Potter (Julia Roberts) and Michael O'Neal (Dermot Mulroney) in "My Best Friend's Wedding."
TriStar Pictures
In "Bridgerton" season three, Colin tries to stop Penelope from marrying another person after realizing he is in love with her.
In "My Best Friend's Wedding," Jules Potter (Julia Roberts) does the same after finding out she loves her best friend, Michael O'Neal (Dermot Mulroney), four days before his wedding. This movie is a messy but honest interpretation of the friends-to-lovers arc.
"My Best Friend's Wedding" is available to stream on Starz.
