'I Love You and I Like You'

This week I went through the four DVD sets of "Parks & Recreation," my favorite show on TV. There's so much I adore about the show, the relationships at the top of that list. I've written in the past about how much I dislike the will-they-or-won't-they plots on TV shows, but I've been 100-percent pro Leslie and Ben throughout their story arc on "Parks & Rec." They're one of my top TV couples.

My favorite thing about Leslie and Ben is that they really like each other. It should be a given that two people in a couple would actually like each other, but in TV and movies that seems to be the exception and not the rule. I didn't watch "Everybody Loves Raymond" because I couldn't stand the sniping and put downs. I walked out of "Before Midnight" because the constant picking got me.

Why is it so rare for pop culture couples to like each other?

Sadly, in real life, I've known a number of couples who don't seem to like each other either. I don't get it. Why be with someone who you think is stupid? Why spend your time with a person who's every action drives you crazy? Why link your life to a person you don't respect?

Having never been married, I'll admit I'm probably a little naïve about the inner workings of a long-term relationship. I do understand that, like all human relationships, romantic relationships have ups and downs, but even on the worst day, I want to believe that like will keep everything afloat.

For every negative example in pop culture and in life, I know of so many more real and fictional couples that love each other, are devoted to one another and, above all, really like each other. That's what I want. I want to be with someone who I think is the coolest guy on the planet, someone who I think is smart and talented and decent and good-hearted, someone I like and love.