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If you haven’t caught up with the second-to-last episode of St. Denis Medical Season 2, consider this your urgent prescription to do so! While I might not be a medical professional, I’m certain that the episode titled “Here a Righteous Woman Comes” is exactly the kind of remedy fans have been yearning for. Why, you ask? Because the moment that hopeless romantics like myself have eagerly anticipated since the show’s debut on NBC in November 2024 has finally happened. Yes, that moment. And no, this is not a false alarm!
In Episode 17 of Season 2, Joyce (played by Wendi McLendon-Covey) and Alex (Allison Tolman) held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the hospital’s new birthing center. When things inevitably spiraled into chaos, they enlisted Matt (Mekki Leeper) and Serena (Kahyun Kim) to pose as an expectant couple and boost the hospital’s reputation. That beloved fake dating trope? It’s back in full swing!
Serena donned a silicone baby bump, Matt affectionately called her “pumpkin,” and they convincingly played the role of a deeply enamored couple—an assignment that turned out to be surprisingly easy for them. They concocted charming backstories, including a meet-cute at a Vanessa Carlton cover band concert, casually wrapped their arms around each other, exchanged endearing compliments, and posed for photos effortlessly. Everything was sailing smoothly until the photographer requested a kiss, at which point they both balked and firmly declined.
In that shared moment of refusal, you might be surprised to hear I felt an overwhelming sense of joy. Though I was eager for these two friends/colleagues/potential soulmates to finally lock lips, I wanted their first kiss to be a genuine expression of emotion, born from their own decisions. Matt and Serena’s refusal to follow through for a frivolous photo op confirmed that they desired the same!
As the episode drew to a close, St. Denis Medical‘s documentary team captured footage in the—brace yourself!—parking lot. At night. (My heart, reminiscent of Casino Night, skipped a beat!) As Serena made her way to her car solo, Matt pursued her with a simple, “Hey!” They exchanged beaming smiles, barely able to contain their glee at just being near each other, and engaged in some top-tier flirtatious banter.
“You had our baby!” Matt joked, noticing that Serena’s silicone bump was gone. “Yeah. I forgot to text you,” she replied without missing a beat. “Oh man, I wanted to be there,” Matt whined before the two broke out in giggles. Bravely acknowledging their awkwardness earlier, Matt noted how weird the event photographer was, and Serena agreed he was obsessed with them kissing. In an impressive, jaw-droppingly smooth moment, Matt said, “I know, it’s like back off, dude. We’re not gonna kiss just cause you’re yelling at us… I mean, when we kiss it’ll be cause we want to.” AHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
His words hung in the air for a moment as Serena processed them. “Right…when we kiss,” she slowly echoed, and AT LONG LAST MATTY BOY MADE HIS MOVE! He took charge, walked towards Serena, and the two kissed in the parking lot while I looked on crying like a baby! After several seconds of sweet, tender smooching, Matt stepped back, looked at Serena, and the end credits rolled.
The swoon-worthy TV scene followed a gorgeous will-they-won’t-they slow-burn that featured unrequited crushes, complex timing, daily meaningful moments, and the crucial development of a friendship. Two seasons and 35-episodes deep, St. Denis hit the sweet spot of TV’s greatest sitcom first kisses.
New Girl’s Nick and Jess held out 39 episodes, The Mindy Project‘s Mindy and Danny made it 38 episodes, Superstore‘s Amy and Jonah lasted 33, and Abbott Elementary‘s Janine and Gregory shared a smooch that made us swoon in Episode 28. The Office‘s Jim and Pam also shared their iconic Season 2 finale kiss 28 episodes into the series. Like St. Denis, that kiss came with seconds in the episode to spare. And though the Dunder Mifflin colleagues locked lips in the office, Jim made his move in the parking lot after work, just like Matty. The after-hours setting, creative camera-work, and soft lighting upped the ante and elevated the intimacy and romance in both scenes. But unlike The Office, St. Denis Medical still has its Season 2 finale left, which means fans thankfully won’t have to wait in suspense until Season 3 to see the aftermath of the show-altering scene.
From Day 1, Matt has said Serena is the girl of his dreams, and though Serena’s feelings for him took a bit longer to catch up, before their kiss, she admitted, “That’s the best guy I know.” From lighthearted laughs to more emotional beats, Matt and Serena’s lovability is a testament to St. Denis‘ writing as well as Leeper and Kim’s palpable chemistry and charming performances. It’s also encouraging to see the stars appreciate how much fans care about their characters and understand the importance of Matt and Serena taking this crucial step. (Kim creatively prefaced the kiss with an iconic Instagram tease set to Taylor Swift’s “Ruin the Friendship.” I mean, what more could we ask for?!)
Without a central romance, St. Denis Medical would still be a ridiculously funny comfort watch. But creators Eric Ledgin and Justin Spitzer know the power of a successful slow-burn and saw Matt and Serena’s potential from the start.
“In an effort to avoid feeling cookie-cutter in any way, we really didn’t want it to be like, ‘Here’s the central will-they-won’t-they,’” Ledgin told DECIDER ahead of Season 1’s premiere. “We have a plan for it, and I hope that we are unfolding it at a pace that is fun for people to watch.”
The pace? Perfection. Fun to watch? An understatement. And we can’t wait to see what else the show has in store for this delightful ship.
New episodes of St. Denis Medical Season 2 premiere Mondays on NBC.