Looking on the internet deeply has found these results:

there is a couple of things is the most popular phrase on the web.

there are a couple of things 13,770,000 results on the web	there is a couple of things 14,260,000 results on the web More popular!
Some examples and use cases from the internet:	Some examples and use cases from the internet:
Lafferty, there are a couple of things I want you to do for me when I'm gone. There are a couple of things going on right now that I want to bring to your attention. Well, OK, there are a couple of things. Listen, there are a couple of things about kids you have to remember. There are a couple of things you can do. There are a couple of things that need to be cleared up. Sergeant, going over the transcript of that man's trial there are a couple of things l don't get. There are a couple of things I need to go over with you.	It doesn't look like this phrase is very popular! The search could not find any examples on the internet.

there are a couple of things

13,770,000 results on the web

there is a couple of things

14,260,000 results on the web

More popular!

Lafferty, there are a couple of things I want you to do for me when I'm gone.
There are a couple of things going on right now that I want to bring to your attention.
Well, OK, there are a couple of things.
Listen, there are a couple of things about kids you have to remember.
There are a couple of things you can do.
There are a couple of things that need to be cleared up.
Sergeant, going over the transcript of that man's trial there are a couple of things l don't get.
There are a couple of things I need to go over with you.

It doesn't look like this phrase is very popular! The search could not find any examples on the internet.