The following article contains spoilers.
Over the course of television history, we have been treated to some iconic couples that have put their stamp on the medium. From Lucy and Ricky Ricardo of I Love Lucy to Homer and Marge Simpson of The Simpsons, we have had a litany of couples that we have rooted for week after week, and can all agree that they were always meant for each other.
Then there are the couples that are so divisive, we still argue about them to this day. Whether it’s a questionable age gap between two star-crossed lovers or the toxicity of a relationship, the following couples are widely considered among the most debated and talked-about in TV history.
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Rory Gilmore & Jess Mariano
‘Gilmore Girls’ (2000–2007)
At its heart, Gilmore Girls was always about the relationships that sprouted up in Stars Hollow. One relationship that always seemed inevitable was the pairing of Rory Gilmore (Alexis Bledel) and Jess Mariano (Milo Ventimiglia). It seemed like fate, didn’t it? However, these two were totally not right for each other, and their pairing was controversial among Gilmore Girls‘ fanbase.
One of the major reasons why Rory and Jess were never good for each other was that Jess is the perfect example of a person not ready for a relationship. His troubled history as a rebellious teen blended into his relationship with Rory. Heck, the relationship began on a bad note, with Rory cheating on Dean with Jess, and we all know relationships that begin on a bad note usually end on a bad note. Yes, Rory and Jess are essentially an endgame relationship in Gilmore Girls, but there’s a divide as to how good this pairing really was.
7
Dawson Leery & Joey Potter
‘Dawson’s Creek’ (1998–2003)
When you talk about great teen dramas, you simply can’t leave out Dawson’s Creek. Much like Gilmore Girls, Dawson’s Creek was all about the “shipping” culture, and one of the most famous (and divisive) of the series was Joey Potter (Katie Holmes) and Dawson Leery (James Van Der Beek). Yes, this was the central pairing in Dawson’s Creek, and many fans loved these two as a couple.
However, one can understand why everyone doesn’t exactly feel this way. A lot of fans were rooting for Pacey Witter (Joshua Jackson) to get with Joey, as he was, in some ways, a hopeless romantic. So, when Joey and Dawson got together, there was a divide in the fanbase. Some were happy to see these two get together, while others were not. It’s a debate that still rages today.
6
Ted Mosby & Robin Scherbatsky
‘How I Met Your Mother’ (2005–2014)
There’s no question that CBS’s How I Met Your Mother was one of the network’s strongest series, with its backend storytelling of how Ted Mosby (Josh Radnor) met his future wife and mother to his children. From the start, many fans wanted Robin Scherbatsky (Cobie Smulders) to be “The Mother.” The two dated in the earlier seasons, but viewers were sad to see it come to an end.
What makes this pairing so divisive, however, is what happens in the highly controversial series finale, when Ted confesses to Robin that he still loves her. While the writing on How I Met Your Mother was often on point, they could have done a better job with how they handled Ted and Robin’s relationship. Instead, this pairing became a point of contention among the fanbase, as some really didn’t like the mess with the actual mother, Barney Stinson (Neil Patrick Harris), and Robin.
5
Aria Montgomery & Ezra Fitz
‘Pretty Little Liars’ (2010–2017)
The pairing of Pretty Little Liars‘ Aria Montgomery (Lucy Hale) and Ezra Fitz (Ian Harding) was controversial in a lot of ways. On the surface, Aria and Ezra were a couple that were always going to be the end goal of one of TV’s most popular mystery shows.
No matter how cute Aria and Ezra were, however, viewers couldn’t ignore the elephant in the room. Ezra, although fresh out of college when the series started, was an adult. Aria was a teen girl. The teacher/student relationship was, and still is, very controversial and divisive. While some see the pairing as an example of how a relationship could work in the Pretty Little Liars’ universe, others saw it for what it was: highly inappropriate, especially for an audience geared toward teens and young adults.
4
Dexter & Debra Morgan
‘Dexter’ (2006–2013)
One can honestly ask how someone could fall in love with a serial killer such as Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall). The answer, apparently, was to create a love interest with his adoptive sister, Debra Morgan (Jennifer Carpenter). The pairing of Dexter and Debra was, for lack of a better word, an odd match and quite divisive.
Fans didn’t really understand why Dexter would want to get with his adoptive sister. Yes, they’re not genetically attached, but still, the pairing was really weird and quite unsettling. The fanbase remains split on Debra and Dexter’s “family affair,” but the pairing is consistently regarded as one of the most uncomfortable and widely criticized relationships in TV history.
3
Jon Snow & Daenerys Targaryen
‘Game of Thrones’ (2011–2019)
Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) and Jon Snow (Kit Harington) were one of the weirdest and most controversial couples in modern TV history. It wasn’t always divisive, though. In the beginning, a lot of people were excited to see these two express feelings for each other.
However, once it became clear that these two were related to each other, the idea of these two becoming a perfect couple quickly faded. You’ll still have some Game of Thrones fans who will absolutely cape for Jon and Targaryen, and that’s fine. However, you have others that will be a bit weirded out by the rushed nature of how these two got together, especially towards GoT‘s controversial final season.
2
Beck Oliver & Jade West
‘Victorious’ (2010–2013)
Ah, Beck Oliver (Avan Jogia) and Jade West (Elizabeth Gillies), a couple that seemed like a match made in toxicity. This was the longest-running relationship on the hit Nickelodeon teen sitcom Victorious, but it was no less divisive. The toxic nature of Jade and Beck’s relationship made fans want to pair Beck with someone else. Notably, Tori Vega (Victoria Justice), the show’s central character.
There was a split among fans about whether Beck needed to keep Jade or dump her for Tori. It didn’t help matters that the writers often flirted with Tori and Beck getting together, even during the brief time he and Jade were broken up. To this day, fans still debate whether Tori would have been a much better fit for Beck.
1
Elena Gilbert & Damon Salvatore
‘The Vampire Diaries’ (2009–2017)
When The Vampire Diaries first premiered, it seemed like a sure bet that Elena Gilbert (Nina Dobrev) and Stefan Salvatore (Paul Wesley) would be the series’ showcase relationship. So, imagine the shock and disappointment of some fans when it turned out that Elana and Stefan’s brother, Damon (Ian Somerhalder), wound up as The Vampire Diaries‘ long-running couple.
Elena and Damon are still a hot topic among fans of TVD. There is a hardcore segment of the fandom that wanted Elena and Stefan to be together, while the other side, while initially shocked, came to like the pairing. While Elena and Damon had strong chemistry and passionate moments, many still view the relationship as a controversial shift that disrupted the series’ original emotional core.
