15 Toxic TV Friendships We Wouldn’t Wish On Our Worst Enemies

Some television friendships are built on loyalty, shared secrets, and showing up when things get difficult. Others involve sleeping with your best friend’s boyfriend, sabotaging their career, or casually ruining their life over brunch. Somehow, those are often the friendships we find most entertaining. TV writers have given us plenty of duos who spend more time plotting against each other than actually enjoying each other’s company. They might call themselves best friends, but their behavior suggests a very different arrangement. A few even manage to stay close after betrayals that would end most real relationships immediately. Here are 15 toxic TV friendships that make having no friends sound surprisingly peaceful.

Blair Waldorf and Serena van der Woodsen, Gossip Girl

Serena slept with Blair’s boyfriend, while Blair publicly weaponized Serena’s secrets against her. Their friendship practically ran on jealousy, revenge, and expensive apologies.

Maddy Perez and Cassie Howard, Euphoria

Cassie secretly started seeing Maddy’s ex-boyfriend Nate, turning years of friendship into a spectacular betrayal that neither girl handled particularly quietly.

Hannah Horvath and Marnie Michaels, Girls

Marnie once dragged Hannah into a birthday karaoke performance she explicitly didn’t want, a fitting example of their endless competition and spectacularly poor boundaries.

BoJack Horseman and Todd Chavez, BoJack Horseman

BoJack deliberately sabotaged Todd’s rock opera by reigniting his video game obsession, all because he didn’t want his roommate moving out.

Tom Wambsgans and Cousin Greg, Succession

Tom regularly humiliates, threatens, and manipulates Greg, who keeps accepting the abuse because being close to power apparently outweighs having any self-respect.

Shauna Shipman and Jackie Taylor, Yellowjackets

Shauna secretly slept with Jackie’s boyfriend Jeff, a betrayal that eventually helped destroy their friendship during an already disastrous wilderness ordeal.

Alison DiLaurentis and Her Friends, Pretty Little Liars

Alison collected her friends’ secrets and used them to control the group, treating blackmail and intimidation as perfectly ordinary ways to maintain popularity.

Olivia Mossbacher and Paula, The White Lotus

Olivia treated Paula like a fashionable accessory, while Paula involved Olivia’s family in a disastrous theft scheme during their supposedly relaxing Hawaiian vacation.

Rachel Berry and Santana Lopez, Glee

Rachel couldn’t handle Santana becoming her Broadway understudy, and their friendship quickly collapsed into accusations, arguments, and another fight over who deserved the spotlight.

Ted Mosby and Barney Stinson, How I Met Your Mother

Barney constantly pushed Ted into ridiculous situations, then slept with his ex-girlfriend Robin and actually searched for a loophole in his precious Bro Code.

Dennis Reynolds and Mac, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia

Dennis enjoys controlling the people around him, and Mac’s desperate need for his approval gives him an almost unlimited supply of opportunities.

Bart Simpson and Milhouse Van Houten, The Simpsons

Bart routinely drags Milhouse into trouble, takes advantage of his gullibility, and somehow expects him to show up for the next terrible idea.

Daria Morgendorffer and Jane Lane, Daria

Daria kissed Jane’s boyfriend Tom, nearly destroying the one friendship that had consistently made high school tolerable for both of them.

Effy Stonem and Pandora Moon, Skins

Effy brought chaos to Pandora’s carefully planned party, while Pandora later slept with Cook, turning their already uneven friendship into another complicated mess.

Fleabag and Boo, Fleabag

Fleabag betrayed her closest friend by sleeping with Boo’s boyfriend, a secret that became central to the guilt she carried throughout the series.