We’ve officially made it through the first round of voting in Autostraddle’s March Madness contest. Between the four regions — Baby Gays, International, DRAMA and Sci-Fi/Fantasy — we had nearly 8,000 votes cast in our search for the best on-screen first kiss.
In the International region, two UK soaps, Coronation Street and Emmerdale, pulled off big upsets, with Kate and Rana and Charity and Vanessa prevailing over their higher ranked opponents. I’m less surprised by their success — both those couples are better than their first kisses showcased — than I am about Wentworth going out in the first round. Don’t get me wrong, I love Mercedes and Barbara from Perdona Nuestros Pecados, but the Bridget and Franky lore is the stuff of legends and I was shocked to see them bow out so early.
In the Baby Gays region, things broke almost as expected…which isn’t a surprise given how formidable the top half of that region is. There’s been an abundance of quality, high profile, coming-of-age stories on television so it was going to be difficult, if not impossible for shows like Mary Kills People or Malhação to break through.
I got lots of feedback in the comments and on social media about how it pained so many to see Sara and Ava opposite Nicole and Waverly in the first round of the Sci-Fi/Fantasy region…and I get it: my all-time favorite ‘ship ended up in an impossible first round match-up. But while it may have been a painful choice, an overwhelming majority of you chose the women of Wynonna Earp to move forward. It felt like a win to see Gotham ousted by The Librarians in the first round. I took it as proof that we value substantive, female-driven stories, however short, over longer stories, focused on the male gaze.
In the DRAMA region, the 6/11 battle went down to the wire, with Stef and Lena eeking out the win over Luisa and Rose in the closest contest of the first round. Thankfully, though, Jane the Virgin won’t go unrepresented in the second round: as Petra and JR’s first kiss earned them an easy win over Ali and Syd from Transparent. I’m a little surprised that Nova and Chantal’s win was so decisive, given how fervent soap fandoms can be, but I suppose when the picture of the first on-screen kiss involves Rutina Wesley in her underwear, it’s not really a fair fight.
But if you thought the choices in round one were hard, wait until you check out some of the match-ups for round two: Kat and Adena or Ruby and Sapphire? Kelly and Yorkie or Alex and Maggie? Piper and Alex or Callie and Arizona? It only gets harder from here. If you need a refresher about the remaining shows, or if you want to toss yourself down a rabbit hole of lesbian kiss videos, then check out my earlier write-ups: Baby Gays, International, DRAMA and Sci-Fi/Fantasy.
Voting for every round will be open for two days only! Voting in this round will close on Thursday, March 29 at 3PM EST. Soon thereafter, we’ll update the bracket, set the new match-ups and you can vote for all your faves all over again.
The Baby Gays
Camila and Jocelyn, East Los High vs. Tilda and Odessa, Into the Badlands
Karolina and Nico, Marvel’s Runaways vs. Kate and Emaline, Everything Sucks
Ruby and Sapphire, Steven Universe vs. Adena and Kat, The Bold Type
Laura and Aubrey, Casual vs. Elena and Syd, One Day at a Time
Sci-Fi/Fantasy Babes
Kelly and Yorkie, Black Mirror: San Junipero vs. Alex and Maggie, Supergirl
Camille and Amanda, Stitchers vs. Cassandra and Estrella, The Librarians
Nicole and Waverly, Wynonna Earp vs. Alice and Robin, Once Upon a Time
Cosima and Delphine, Orphan Black vs. Freya and Keelin, The Originals
International Faves
Maria and Daniela, Ingobernable vs. Sara and Carlota, Cable Girls/Las Chicas Del Cable
Charity and Vanessa, Emmerdale vs. Florencia (“Flor”) and Jazmin, Las Estrellas
Amelia and Violet, Harlots vs. Susana and Cátia, Jogo Duplo
Mercedes/Mechita and Barbara, Perdona Nuestros vs. Kate and Rana, Coronation Street
Drama Faves
Piper and Alex, Orange is the New Black vs. Callie and Arizona, Grey’s Anatomy
Valencia and Beth, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend vs. Petra and Jane “JR” Ramos, Jane the Virgin
Lena and Stef, The Fosters vs. Izzy and Stella, StartUp
Nova and Chantal, Queen Sugar vs. Izzy and Emma, You Me Her
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Camila and Jocelyn – East Los High
Karolina and Nico – Marvel’s Runaways (My #1 pick)
Ruby and Sapphire – Steven Universe
Elena and Syd – One Day at a Time
Stef and Lena – The Fosters
Petra and Jane “JR” Ramos – Jane the Virgin
Kelly and Yorkie – Black Mirror
Nicole and Waverly – Wynonna Earp
Cassandra and Estrella – The Librarians
Cosima and Delphine – Orphan Black
Oh, I see. Now you’re FORCING me to pick a side in some brackets. Very Well.
Sara and Carlota – Cable Girls/Las Chicas Del Cable
Amelia and Violet – Harlots
Florencia (“Flor”) and Jazmin – Las Estrellas
Kate and Rana – Coronation Street
Piper and Alex, Orange is the New Black
Izzy and Emma, You Me Her
Both Franky & Bridget AND Luisa & Rose are out??? I’m devastated :(
I would have taken Luisa & Rose all the way if I could have. In their stead I will be happy with either Callie/Arizona, JR/Petra, or Kelly/Yorkie in the final two.
I just let out a wounded animal noise at my desk… some of these are really tough!
I’m going to have to abstain from the whole round because of Adena & Kat vs Ruby & Sapphire.
No, typing ‘Sapph’ has swayed me.
My Laughy Sapphy
MADNESS, INDEED
Oooooh I love this.
Listen, I am in no way an official voice or anything, but if Callie and Arizona don’t figure out a way to pull this out, I may have fling myself from space!
Also, I am SO EXCITED THAT NOVA AND CHANTAL MADE IT TO ROUND TWO!!!!!!!
AND PETRA AND JR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
There is a lot of good happening here.
(I still miss Annalise and Eve ?)
Annalise and Eve could have been a contender
I am shocked (and happy) Nova and Chantal made it to Round two!
Stef and Le-na * clap clap clap clap clap *
Stef and Le-na * clap clap clap clap clap *
No, it’s Kara and Lena!
Proud of Stef and Lena for winning the closest contest of the first round! As the great philosopher Dominic Toretto would say “It don’t matter if you win by an inch or a mile. Winning’s winning”
This is torture already! I don’t have a lot of faves, but the few I do seem to have been pitted against one another! D:
Also, the picture showing up for Sci-Fi couple Freya and Keelin from The Originals is NOT actually them. Might matter for those referring to pictures as reminders… :)
@blamaramadd Thanks for the heads up, Beth. It should be fixed shortly.
Thanks! So fast! You all are the best :)
That picture is not Freya and Keelin…
That was my fault. I apologize. I brought over the pick of the wrong couple from the previous round’s bracket. It’s fixed now!
Haha Heather I guess female queer couples are not like straight white males on teen shows. Female queer couples are definitely not interchangeable.
@iamamisfit1 Got it swapped out. Thanks for the notice.
Cool cool cool!
My poor, sweet baby gay Violet!
Ever since it was announced that Jessica Capshaw was ousted from Greys, I have been on a trip down memory lane re-watching all the old Calzona before Shonda and Co. ruined them. So as much as I love Piper and Alex, they will be together when the show comes back so my nostalgia heart is voting for that surprise kiss in a bar bathroom.
I can’t believe I had to vote against kana but barcedes is life
Kadena, all the way!!!
Well, the only easy one was #1 vs. #9 in the Drama region. I hate Piper sooooo much…
Madness led to YouTube again, led to new pairs (Petra and JR! Avalance!), led to old pairs (hey, Lost Girl), led to Fanfiction and now I’m reading Addison/Izzie again. Madness, indeed. I am not complaining.
Addison/Izzie is a THING??!? I don’t see it, but that doesn’t mean I won’t track it down to read it.
Oh, you’re in for a treat, there’s a lot to find!!!
Ahhh I watch very very few of these shows but have been clicking through to vote for the ones I watch and see the pretty girls kissing and therefore it is VERY UNFAIR that the two CW shows with new bisexual characters that I watch are up against each other right now. Ouch. Too late to add in Cheryl and Toni? I love the CW…
Flor and Jazmin all the wsy baby!!