Fun
Frisky
Nostalgic
Intense
Adventurous
Choked Up
Curious
Romantic
Weird
As the year comes to a close and we round up our favorite things, it’s impossible to say goodbye without including some of the most enviable smooches of the year. From sensual encounters to totally adorable pecks, there have been some seriously enviable embraces on both big and small screens. Romantic series and top-notch dramas included some smooches that made us blush, and we’re still thinking about them with 2018 on the horizon.
While it’s hard to narrow it down to just 10, we found a way to hone in on the top kisses from television and film from 2017. We’ve got action-packed encounters, steamy smooches, and totally marvelous make-out sessions to boot. Who needs sweaty sex scenes when you have some (relatively) safe-for-work smooches to appreciate? Here are our 10 favorite kisses of this year.
Mother, May I?, 'The Only Living Boy in New York'
Is it wrong to consider a son making out with his father’s mistress totally hot? Not if that mistress is Kate Beckinsale, right? As Johanna, she comes between Thomas (Callum Turner) and his father Ethan (Pierce Brosnan) in a love triangle much more complicated than anyone realizes. But Thomas’ surprise kiss, just steps away from where the two are attending a very fancy wedding, kicks off their forbidden relationship, and it only gets steamier (and more messed up) from there. – Lea Palmieri
Strange Magic, 'Crazy Ex-Girlfriend'
In the world of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, talking about Harry Potter is a total aphrodisiac. Rebecca (Rachel Bloom) and Nathaniel’s (Scott Michael Foster) relationship started out rocky and then got raunchy, and with a little help from the Santa Ana winds and a broken elevator (and the “child wizard book”) the two totally made out. Oops number one: he’s her boss. Oops number two: um, she was totally engaged to Josh (Vincent Rodriguez III) at the time. Oops number three: we’re not even kind of ashamed at how hot we found this moment to be. – Lea Palmieri
Sensual Healing, 'Riverdale'
This sultry spit swap between Archie and Veronica was as steamy as it gets… mostly because it took place during a piping hot shower. Riverdale‘s favorite musical couple performed a naked shower duet during the show’s Season 2 premiere. Was it hot? Sure. Was it weird? Oh you bet your secret supply of Jingle Jangle it was weird. The shower sex took place moments after Archie finished washing his dad’s dried blood off his insanely sculpted body. Although, to be fair, Riverdale is the town with pep, so I guess traditional rules don’t apply.
Seeing Red, 'Atomic Blonde'
Charlize Theron’s Lorraine may get around a little over the course of Atomic Blonde, but what might very well be her steamiest encounter happens with French agent Delphine (Sophia Boutella). A simple bar kiss leads to something much, much more – but it’s likely not what you’re expecting. Between the sexy mood lighting and the total passion at play, this kiss is totally unforgettable.
Never Never Gonna Give You Up, 'Baby Driver'
The romance of Baby (Ansel Elgort) and Debora (Lily James) is one that’s sweet as can be, but things get thrown into jeopardy when Baby gets in too deep with the wrong crowd and is forced to go on the run. Right before they make a mad dash and book it in an attempt to get away from it all, Baby grabs Debora and gives her one of the most intense embraces in recent memory. Their future may be in question, but this kiss is the kind of encounter that stays with you for a looooong time.
Romantic Reflections, 'Legion'
Though Noah Hawley‘s X-Men drama is technically a superhero show, it’s better defined as a trippy romance. David Haller’s (Dan Stevens) horrific stay at a mental asylum takes a turn for the better once he meets Syd (Rachel Keller), a anxious and skittish woman who refuses to be touched. However, love always finds a way. By positioning their window reflection juuuuust right, David was finally able to kiss the unexpected love of his life. It certainly wasn’t the steamiest kiss of the year, but it was definitely one of the most romantic. – Kayla Cobb
Super Smooch, 'Wonder Woman'
Wonder Woman AKA Diana (Gal Gadot) may be inexperienced when it comes to getting down with men, but that doesn’t stop her from having one of the sweetest smooches of the year with dreamboat Steve (Chris Pine). After rescuing a fair amount of people, Diana and Steve dance and share some tender moments in the snow, and eventually end up in bed together. When they fiiiinally kiss, it’s like we can breathe again – it’s about damn time. You could have cut this sexual tension with a Godkiller sword.
A Vacation From My Vacation, 'Difficult People'
Perhaps one of the steamiest and unexpected kisses of the year, the passionate makeout sesh between Billy (Billy Eichner) and Todd (John Cho) floored us in more ways than one. As our own Lea Palmieri wrote earlier this year, watching Billy meet his match in someone just as bitchy as he is was more than satisfying – it was damn near perfect. The contentious back-and-forth that led up to the smooch only made it more hot when it finally happened, and all that impassioned hand use and total build-up of tension somehow made it even better. (Plus, you know, we’re always happy to see more John Cho whenever we can.)
The Big Kiss, 'The Big Sick'
There are a lot of memorably romantic moments that happen between Emily (Zoe Kazan) and Kumail (Kumail Nanjiani) in The Big Sick, but watching them fall in love at the beginning of the film, pre-Emily’s coma, is enough to give you the warm-and-fuzzies. The duo watching movies together and falling asleep on Kumail’s admittedly unromantic mattress-on-the-floor situation feels honest and warm – and the chemistry between Kazan and Nanjiani doesn’t hurt, either.
Hallway Heat, 'The Handmaid's Tale'
There are some SERIOUSLY steamy encounters between Nick (Max Minghella) and Offred (Elisabeth Moss) that happen over the course of The Handmaid’s Tale‘s first season, but one of the most memorable moments comes when Nick kisses Offred tenderly in the hallway, despite their chances of being discovered. There’s a meaningful connection here, one that doesn’t care whether or not they’re seen – because in this hellscape, they need each other. And that’s more important than any radical regulations being imposed on them. (And… come on, it’s hot as hell.)
