From Pride & Prejudice to Heated Rivalry: 10 must-watch shows and movies that perfected yearning

Who can forget the iconic line, “I burn for you”, delivered expertly by Regé-Jean Page’s Simon to Daphne Bridgerton? Each season of Netflix’s hit period drama introduces a new couple destined to pine for one another, from Anthony’s enemies-to-lovers desire for Kate to Colin and Penelope’s friends-to-lovers romance and Benedict and Sophie’s forbidden love story.

While Heated Rivalry begins with plenty of steam (yes, the characters connect early on), nothing quite compares to the ache of the moments when Shane and Ilya can’t be together. Forced to steal hidden glances and fleeting touches in public, the series perfects the slow burn by charting a blossoming, closeted relationship over eight years.

One of the most devastating yearning tropes is the will-they-won’t-they romance that begins in youth and stretches across a lifetime. Past Lives follows Nora and Hae Sung, childhood friends in South Korea who are separated when Nora’s family moves to Canada. Over 24 years, their connection evolves from quiet longing to an emotionally charged reunion in New York.

Another “right person, wrong time” slow burn is found in One Day, originally penned by David Nicholls and adapted into both a film and TV series. The story revisits Emma and Dex on the same day each year for two decades, charting a push-and-pull relationship defined by missed moments and aching near-misses.

For period-drama pining, The Buccaneers delivers in spades. Set in 1870s high society, the series follows a group of young American women travelling to England in search of husbands. At its heart is a love triangle between Nan, Theo and Guy, fuelled by rigid class divides and secret declarations, including Guy’s swoon-worthy confession: “I am desperately in love with you. And I have been since the first second I set eyes on you.”

Adapted from Sally Rooney’s novel, Normal People follows the intertwined lives of Marianne and Connell as they drift in and out of each other’s orbit. Defined by intense chemistry and painful miscommunication, their relationship is the embodiment of “what if”. Missed chances, quiet longing and Connell’s chain make this a modern yearning classic.

Childhood best friends Alex and Rosie are never quite on the same page, despite their silent longing for one another. Separated by a transatlantic move, an accidental pregnancy and relationships with the wrong people, their yearning lives in missed opportunities and heartfelt letters exchanged over the years.

The show that gripped the internet with pained looks and emotional miscommunication, The Summer I Turned Pretty centres on the Belly, Conrad and Jeremiah love triangle. What begins as a childhood crush turns into a years-long ache as Belly navigates first love, heartbreak and the pull between the Fisher brothers.

Starring the brilliant Jonathan Bailey and Matt Bomer, this heartbreaking series follows the decades-long secret romance between Hawk and Tim. Set against the McCarthy-era political landscape, their forbidden relationship is defined by danger, sacrifice and a lifetime of loving one another from a distance.

Home to one of the most viral romance scenes of all time, Pride & Prejudice remains the gold standard of yearning. Jane Austen’s beloved story follows Elizabeth Bennet (Keira Knightley) and the emotionally repressed Mr Darcy (Matthew Macfadyen) in an enemies-to-lovers tale filled with restraint, longing and one unforgettable hand flex.