From the sweeping moors of Wuthering Heights to the neon-lit bars of Normal People , from the will-they-won’t-they tension of Moonlighting to the epic, universe-spanning love of Outlander , one element has remained the undisputed champion of audience engagement: .

: The initial, often unusual encounter between characters that establishes their chemistry.

No discussion of romantic storylines is complete without acknowledging the "tropes." While literary critics often sneer at tropes as clichés, readers seek them out like comfort food. Tropes are promises.