ABOUT ME & MY OTP FAVE SHIPS:

In my ideal world Marlon Brando/Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn/Katharine Hepburn would have fallen madly in love and married, living happily ever after; alas that is but a dream.

When it comes to couples I ship, I forego what would be deemed the most realistic, logical pairing and simply go with the most kismet pairing or simply the one best suited for the book/show in question (after all this is fiction, not reality). More aptly, I look at what character pairing best achieves the branding of the show, or the ultimate ending the author intended to portray. I love literature, film, fashion and travel, so I love stories that allow you do go to different places and provides an opportunity to truly escape.

My fave fictional couples of all time are based on the fact that I somehow have developed an addiction for fictional couples where the feisty, witty, fashionable, determined girl meets her match in the confident, arrogant, elegant and equally smart man. BUT this would explain why I love, I mean absolutely adore Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice more than any other book written, and my top 5 favourite fictional couples are first and foremost Elizabeth Bennet & William Darcy, then [Gone With the Wind] Rhett Butler & Scarlett O'Hara, [All my Children] Leo Du Pres & Greenlee Smythe, [Gossip Girl] Blair Waldorf & Chuck Bass, and last but not least, Tracy Lord & C.K Dextor Haven [The Philadelphia Story]. I also love similar story-line couples where the 'best friend' or the 'other guy' may be the logical candidate, but this couple has a magnetism (chemistry), a connection, a friendship that is so different and a pull so strong that they keep coming back to each other: Robyn & Barney [How I met Your Mother, Pacey & Joey [Dawson's Creek, and Mr. Big and Carrie [Sex in the City]. Even though I did really enjoy Aiden and Carrie. The GG idea being if two people are meant to be they will eventually make their way back to one another - soul-mates.

I also love and adore many other couples:

The 'you annoy me but with friendship I grow to love you story line' couples: Emma's Mr. Knightely & Emma, Harry Potter's Hermoine Granger & Ron Weasley, and Anne of Green Gables' Anne Shirley & Gilbert Blythe. Or frenenemies/ rivals turned friends turned lovers: Logan Echolls and Veronica Mars, the appeal of Dan Humphrey and Blair Waldorf (although I still prefer them as just best friends, I understand the love of this pairing).

The 'partners in crime, dynamic duos': [NCIS] Tony/Ziva, McGee/Abby [Castle] Beckett/Castle, [Bones] Brennan/Booth, Arastoo/Camille, Angela/Hodgins, [SUITS] Mike/Rachel, [Dark Angel] Max/Logan, [Silk Stalkings] Rita/Chris, [X-Files] Mulder/Scully, [Remington Steele] Remington/Laura, [Moonlighting] Maddie/David.

The 'opposites attract' (geek meets popular girl/boy, 'kind, smart, girl next door meets loner bad boy/player type' etc.), the 'unexpected pairings that just work' couples: [O.C.] Seth/Summer, Ryan/Taylor, [Gossip Girl] Jenny/Nate/Vanessa, Serena/Dan, [Melissa and Joey] Melissa/Joey, Glee's Puck/Quinn, [Hart of Dixie] Zoe/Wade, [Vampire Diaries] Caroline/Klaus, [Deception] Julian/Joanna, [Beauty and the Beast] Vincent/Catherine, [90210] Liam/Annie, [Friends] Monica/Chandler, [Gilmore Girls] Rory/Jess, Luke/Lorelai, Rory/Tristin, [Pretty Little Liars] Hanna/Caleb, Spenser/Toby, Aria/Ezra, Jason/Aria. These couples always have a really interesting relationship, filled with twists and turns, obstacles and ordeals, but in the end it is the idea of being the ying to someone's yang that just continues to add to their appeal.

The 'will they, won't they' couple, they break up but can they get back together: [Glee] Mercedes/Sam, [Vampire Diaries] Bonnie/Jeremy, [90210] Navid/Adrianna,
[Arrow] Arrow/Laurel, [Hart of Dixie] Levon/Lemon, and other now minor pairings (Stephan/Elena), (Serena/Nate) and (Zoe/George).

The 'chemistry so intense, it sizzles' couples: [One Tree Hill] Booke/Lucas, [Grey's Anatomy] Mark/Lexie, and [Dallas] John Ross/Pamela, and[Vampire Diaries] Elena/Damon-even though I really love Stephan/Elena. Not saying this is all they had/have, but it is part of their appeal for may viewers, because they had chemistry in spades and an emotional connection that seems unending.

The 'family centred, wholesome couple, meant to be husband and wife' (which make up my other top faves): [The Cosby Show] Clair/Heathcliff, [How I Met Your Mother] Lily/Marshall, [Modern Family] Claire/Phil, [Happy Endings] Brad/Jane, [The Office] Jim/Pam. Even this type of couple with extra sizzle: [The Nanny] Fran/Max, and [Dr. Quinn] Micheala & Sully.

All these couples can/may fit in many different categories or fill many different overlapping story-lines, nevertheless they make for interesting & dynamic pairs, in my opinion.

Above all else I love pairs that seem destined for each other (and overcome all odds despite the fact that the writing of characters or the authentic characterization, uh hem, Gossip Girl, get sacrificed for dramatic overtures).

Superseding my ships is my love for friendships: [The Nanny] Fran/Niles, [M.A.S.H] Hawkeye/Trapper, [Boy Meets World] Corey/Sean, [Hawaii Five-O] Steve and Danno, [NCIS] Everyone, [Happy Endings] Everyone, [How I met your Mother] The gang, [Gossip Girl] NJBC, Serena/Blair, Nate/Chuck, Dan/Blair, Dan/Nate, Chuck/Dan (Oh how I loved Duck), [Big Bang Theory] Everyone and [FRIENDS] Chandler/Joey, Phoebe and Everyone.

THANK YOU! I thank all the fantastic authors on this forum, as your writing provides me with great enjoyment in what is generally a rather mundane day. Keep writing, your devoted reader, Rita777.