Which Couple Took Over Your Television?
TV brought us a lot of incredible stories, least of all romantic ones. From devoted marriages to breakthrough stories of self-discovery, we’ve been lucky enough to see love blossom on the small screen—but not every couple has a happy ending. Join us as we go through the best and worst TV couples of all time.
1. Gomez and Morticia, The Addams Family
Okay, well, if we’re going to talk about power duos, we have to talk about Morticia and Gomez. They have the ultimate marriage, they’re the ultimate couple, and they made us believe in love—especially one filled with so much passion and playfulness.
2. Jim and Pam, The Office
We won’t lie: these two did persistently shady things before finally taking the plunge with each other. But their bond was pretty much ground zero for the classic friends-to-lovers trope we all crave on television. As far as receptionists go, Pam’s was hardly the worst to happen in that office!
Kristin Dos Santos from Los Angeles, California, United States on Wikimedia
3. Cory and Topanga, Boy Meets World
Is there anything sweeter than high school sweethearts becoming college grad newlyweds? It’s what we all dreamed of at that age, and Cory and Topanga were single-handedly responsible for making us believe in that kind of love. They weren’t without their ups and downs, but overcoming them together is what mattered most.
4. Dan and Roseanne, Roseanne
The best thing about Dan and Roseanne (aside from matching names) is just how realistic their relationship was. Sure, they threw jabs at each other, and sure, they bickered now and then, but their love was so obvious that they became the quintessential face of an average marriage. Who doesn’t want a husband they can goof around with?
5. Jack and Rebecca, This is Us
This heartbreaking series was filled with devoted couples, but if we had to pick just one, no one tops Jack and Rebecca. While not without their problems, this swoon-worthy pair scaled every mountain together, and we couldn’t help but tear up at their story—and then full-blown sob by the end.
6. David and Patrick, Schitt's Creek
This show seemed simple on the surface, but it also had one of the most revolutionary love stories this side of Canadian television. We not only joined Patrick on his deeply personal journey of self-discovery, we also watched David realize he’s worthy of real love (all while wearing incredible sweaters).
7. Jake and Amy, Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Say what you want about Brooklyn Nine-Nine. Oh, it’s a little too cutesy. Ah, there’s too much schtick. Well, you know what there wasn’t enough of? The adorable relationship between Jake and Amy! Give us more of these polar opposites who supported, loved, and respected each other in ways that lit up the screen.
8. Leslie and Ben, Parks and Recreation
We’ve already covered the friends-to-lovers trope, but enemies-to-lovers is just as titillating. Leslie really wasn’t playing around when Ben first came on the scene, but that energy soon twisted into one of the sweetest romances on the show.
Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America on Wikimedia
9. Mickey and Ian, Shameless
These guys weren’t without their problems, but what could we expect in the face of homophobia? Mickey and Ian overcame a lot to stay together and support each other, and they were honestly one of the best parts about the series.
Uploaded to Commons RanZag, image self taken on Wikimedia
10. Ross and Rachel, Friends
Ross and Rachel’s story is so interesting. They started as a couple we all rooted for, and eventually became a burned-out flame. Though some fans stuck with them until the end, we’re still fuming about Rachel’s decision to abandon her dream for…Ross.
There’s a lot of TV out there, which means a lot of not-so-love stories, too. Let’s dive into some cringeworthy couples no one really rooted for.
1. Jamie and Cersei, Game of Thrones
Yeah, this is an easy one. In addition to being brother and sister, they also had a pretty toxic relationship (not that being in love would’ve made it better). They manipulated each other, they obviously weren’t a good “couple,” and they were the only reason for Jaime’s inexplicable departure.
2. Andy and Erin, The Office
We needed another "will they, won't they?" romance after Jim and Pam. Audiences had to wait a while, but we eventually saw Erin and Andy slowly flirting in what could have been a cute pair. Instead, we got several reminders of Andy’s controlling, immature behavior. No wonder his parents stripped his name.
3. Meredith and Derek, Grey’s Anatomy
We all know that Grey’s Anatomy was just a soap opera in a hospital, but that doesn’t mean we had to root for messy romances. Originally peddled as a good couple, this pairing quickly soured and fans of the series soon realized how mismatched these two actually were.
4. Harvey and Donna, Suits
As much as we love a good friends-to-lovers story, this one was on the back burner a little too long. Funnily enough, their romance actually soured their relationship; they became something they weren’t and then tried to force it down our throats as a good thing. Go back to being friends!
5. Dean and Rory, Gilmore Girls
Dean and Rory never made a good couple, and things only got worse during her messy speed run for the worst decisions ever. Lies, drama, immaturity…that so-called relationship was never meant to be, but we were subjected to an encore anyway.
6. Ted and Robin, How I Met Your Mother
Well, that’s one way to let down your fans. After years of Ted droning on and on about that stupid umbrella, we finally saw his wife—only for her to immediately get sick and pass. Off Ted went, blue horn in hand as he delivered the biggest cop-out in sitcom history.
7. Aria and Ezra, Pretty Little Liars
It’s hard to believe that people rooted for this. First of all, gross. Second of all, there’s a massive power imbalance. Thirdly, even if it was age-appropriate, it was still insane. It’s never good to see that much deceit and questionable behavior, let alone when the guy’s a predator.
8. Alex and Piper, Orange is the New Black
Can you still be codependent when one partner gets the other thrown in jail? Apparently, you can. To make matters even more confusing, neither one of them had much issue with all the lying and cheating and backstabbing. Whatever they were supposed to be, we only saw them as a problem.
9. Ray and Debra, Everybody Loves Raymond
This marriage wasn’t ever presented as being on the brink of divorce—but it should have been. Between Ray’s weaponized incompetence, insufferable family, and raging immaturity, Debra was straight-up abusive during arguments. It never ends for Raymond? The madness never ended for audiences!
Presidio of Monterey on Wikimedia
10. Rachel and Joey, Friends
You know a show’s jumped the shark when they start tossing random pairs at the wall to see what sticks. This didn’t. It was a gloopy mess that fell onto the floor and left us wondering who thought it was a good idea. Their mishaps weren’t even funny…they were just awkward reminders of a shoehorned romance.
