Let's Be Honest Here: 10 Iconic TV Couples With Zero Chemistry
Love is blind, and sometimes, so are casting directors.
Dawson and Joey, Dawson's Creek
Despite the fact that Dawson (James Van Der Beek) and Joey's (Katie Holmes) romance is considered the centerpiece of this '90s teen drama, their supposed burning love was more of a lukewarm soup. The emotion seemed forced, as if they were more siblings than soulmates. They might've spent an inordinate amount of time on that idyllic creek, but their boat of romance never truly set sail. No wonder the series ended with Joey choosing Pacey (Joshua Jackson), Dawson's best friend, over him.
Bill and Sookie, True Blood
Their relationship might have been the heartbeat of HBO's supernatural drama True Blood, but Bill (Stephen Moyer) and Sookie's (Anna Paquin) romance seemed as lifeless as the vampires populating the show. The dialogue between them was stiff and lacked the passion one would expect from a telepathic waitress entangled with a centuries-old vampire. Their on-screen dynamic felt more forced than fateful, making their repeated attempts to be together feel more wearisome than endearing.
Though True Blood earned a 70% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, viewers might agree that the chemistry between the leads didn't contribute to that score – which is ironic, really, considering Moyer and Paquin are now married and as in love as ever.
Ted and Robin, How I Met Your Mother
Viewers spent nine seasons hearing about how Ted (Josh Radnor) met his children's mother, only for the finale to serve up a head-spinning plot twist: Ted ending up with Robin (Cobie Smulders). The friends-with-occasional-benefits relationship between the two had always felt forced and slightly off-kilter, compared to the electric bond between Marshall (Jason Segel) and Lily (Alyson Hannigan).
The show's producers might have intended a grand romantic reveal, but viewers were left feeling that they'd been at the receiving end of a poorly-executed magic trick. How I Met Your Mother has a 83% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, though one might argue that the lingering love for this sitcom is more about the humor than the romance.
Rachel and Joey, Friends
The creators of Friends had a knack for creating beloved TV couples – Ross and Rachel, Monica and Chandler. But then, out of the blue, they paired off Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) and Joey (Matt LeBlanc). This relationship felt like an afterthought, a rushed attempt to create drama in the show's later seasons.
Despite the actors' best efforts, their romantic scenes felt awkward and uncomfortable, as if they were just as surprised by the plot twist as the audience. This stumble didn't stop Friends from reaching an impressive 88% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, but it's clear that this mismatched coupling isn't what fans remember fondly.
Carrie and Aidan, Sex and the City
The saga of Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker) and Mr. Big (Chris Noth) was the pulsating heartbeat of Sex and the City. Then, along came Aidan (John Corbett), Carrie's polar opposite, and their romance was like trying to mix oil and water. Despite their repeated attempts tomake it work, their relationship was fraught with tension and an overwhelming sense of incompatibility. Carrie's metropolitan tastes versus Aidan's country charm? It was a battle of opposites that just didn't attract.
Despite these on-screen misfires, Sex and the City remains iconic, but Carrie and Aidan? That's a cosmopolitan that left viewers with a sour aftertaste, and we can only brace ourselves for what's to come in And Just Like That season 2 when Aidan inevitably returns.
Oliver and Laurel, Arrow
The love story between Oliver (Stephen Amell) and Laurel (Katie Cassidy) was supposedly at the heart of the DC Comics series Arrow. However, their chemistry was so lacking that it made Oliver's island imprisonment seem like a romantic getaway. Their stilted conversations and melodramatic arguments lacked the passion and genuine emotion that are the hallmarks of an enduring love story. They were more like sparring partners than soulmates. One would be hard-pressed to find many fans lamenting the demise of Oliver and Laurel's romance.
Leonard and Penny, The Big Bang Theory
This romance between a physicist and a waitress was always more of a hypothesis than a theory. Leonard (Johnny Galecki) and Penny's (Kaley Cuoco) relationship was a study in opposites attracting – in theory. However, their interactions were often cringe-inducing and their romantic scenes had the passion of a damp squib.
The constant back-and-forth between them was more tiresome than tantalizing. Despite this, The Big Bang Theory boasts an audience score of 81% on Rotten Tomatoes, proving that its appeal lies in the humor and the charm of the ensemble cast, rather than this mismatched love story.
Nate and Vanessa, Gossip Girl
This Upper East Side drama was known for its enthralling love triangles and scintillating romances. However, the pairing of Nate (Chace Crawford) and Vanessa (Jessica Szohr) was like a dull detour on a scenic route. Their scenes together lacked spark and their romantic chemistry was as believable as the teenagers' unlimited budgets. Their relationship ended as abruptly as it started, leaving viewers wondering why it happened at all. Safe to say, Nate and Vanessa's forgettable fling didn't contribute much to the show's popularity.
Fiona and Sean, Shameless
In a show filled with chaotic and unconventional relationships, Fiona (Emmy Rossum) and Sean's (Dermot Mulroney) pairing was particularly uninspiring. Their relationship was supposedly a mature and stable contrast to Fiona's past romances, but their interactions often felt forced and emotionless. Their break-up – delivered via a voicemail message – was a fittingly anticlimactic end to a lackluster romance. Despite this, Shameless has a 91% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes, proving that its gritty realism and black humor are its real draws, not the romantic misadventures of its lead.
Ryan and Marissa, The OC
This was a couple that viewers were meant to root for, the troubled rich girl and the boy from the wrong side of the tracks. Yet Ryan (Ben McKenzie) and Marissa's (Mischa Barton) relationship was more of a soap opera than a love story. Their endless cycle of break-ups and make-ups made viewers dizzy rather than dizzyingly romantic. The best thing about their relationship? The day it finally ended.