15 Television Couples That Are Actually Super Messed Up in Retrospect

What fictional characters go through is, as expected, far removed from what happens in reality. This is due to a show needing drama, stakes and a continued source of conflict in order to last many seasons, and oddly enough, it works. Until you give the show a rewatch.

Now, viewing these couples again, we start to have second thoughts. In some cases, we overlooked obvious power imbalances involving teachers, bosses, or massive age gaps. Other couples simply spent years emotionally destroying each other while the show insisted they were meant to be together. These are the TV couples that we don’t think work anymore.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Buffy and Angel

At the time, Buffy and Angel were treated like an epic supernatural romance. In retrospect, the relationship involves a centuries-old vampire emotionally bonding with a high school student, which feels considerably stranger watching it today.

Pretty Little Liars, Aria and Ezra

What the show framed as a passionate forbidden romance now reads deeply uncomfortable to many viewers. Ezra was Aria’s English teacher when their relationship began, creating a massive power imbalance the series rarely treated seriously enough.

Friends, Ross and Rachel

Ross and Rachel became one of television’s defining couples, but revisiting the relationship reveals nonstop jealousy, manipulation, and exhausting breakups. Their inability to communicate normally somehow fueled an entire decade of sitcom storytelling.

How I Met Your Mother, Ted and Robin

The series repeatedly insisted Ted and Robin were destined for each other despite years of evidence suggesting otherwise. By the finale, many viewers felt the relationship ignored both characters’ growth simply to force the original ending.

Twin Peaks, Audrey and Agent Cooper

Audrey Horne openly flirted with Agent Cooper throughout Twin Peaks while still a teenager in high school. Although Cooper resisted the relationship, the show still played portions of the dynamic with surprising romantic energy.

Gossip Girl, Chuck and Blair

Chuck and Blair became fan favorites despite a relationship filled with manipulation, emotional cruelty, and betrayal. Some storylines involving Chuck’s behavior feel especially uncomfortable in retrospect given how romantically the series framed the couple overall.

Riverdale, Archie and Ms. Grundy

The first season of Riverdale treated Archie’s relationship with his teacher Ms. Grundy as scandalous drama rather than predatory abuse. Modern audiences were especially disturbed by how the show initially romanticized the situation.

That ’70s Show, Jackie and Kelso

Jackie and Kelso were presented as a chaotic but lovable sitcom couple, yet their relationship constantly involved cheating, manipulation, and emotional immaturity. Rewatching the series makes their nonstop dysfunction much harder to ignore.

The Office, Michael and Jan

Michael and Jan’s relationship gradually transformed into one of television’s most uncomfortable romances. Between emotional manipulation, explosive arguments, and total instability, the dynamic often felt more disturbing than comedic during later episodes.

Sex and the City, Carrie and Big

Carrie and Big defined much of Sex and the City, but revisiting the relationship highlights years of dishonesty, emotional games, and commitment issues. Many viewers now question why the series treated them as an aspirational romance.

Gilmore Girls, Paris and Asher Fleming

Paris dating much older Yale professor Asher Fleming was played surprisingly casually within Gilmore Girls. In retrospect, the relationship’s age gap and academic power imbalance make the storyline far more uncomfortable than the show seemed to realize.

Dawson’s Creek, Pacey and Tamara

Pacey’s affair with his adult teacher Tamara was presented as mature and exciting during early episodes. Today, many viewers see the storyline very differently given the obvious legal and ethical problems surrounding the relationship.

One Tree Hill, Brooke and Felix

Brooke and Felix were framed as a dramatic teen romance, but Felix’s controlling behavior and repeated manipulation made the relationship deeply unpleasant. Even longtime fans often consider him one of the show’s most disliked love interests.

Grey’s Anatomy, Meredith and Derek

Meredith and Derek became one of television’s biggest couples, yet the relationship regularly involved workplace favoritism, emotional manipulation, and poor communication. Derek especially gets viewed much more critically by modern audiences during rewatches.

House, House and Cuddy

Fans spent years wanting House and Cuddy together, but the actual relationship quickly became toxic and unstable. The storyline eventually escalated so badly that House literally drove a car through Cuddy’s dining room wall.