The world of TV is fickle: it's not just limited to your favorite TV series being canceled. It extends to adorable couples who never got to have their happy ever after. Time and time again, TV shows have scrapped our favorite ships via death, leaving the show, or worse, an inability to understand what they've created is perfect and does not need to be changed to fit a stuffy storyline written in season one.
Over the years, fans have come to appreciate relationships that aren't advertised but make more sense because of similarities and chemistry. Unfortunately, every time fans have emotionally invested themselves in the couple, the production has pushed them apart, devastating viewers and rupturing exquisite pairings.
Joey and Rachel, 'FRIENDS' (1994 - 2004)
Contrary to public opinion, Joey (Matt LeBlanc) was a better partner for Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) than Ross (David Schwimmer) or any of her other love interests. He was passionate, kind, and understanding. He supported her when she was pregnant with Emma and loved her like his own. Even when Ross acted out of line, he was patient and amicable. That is not to say Joey was timid. As was evident in the way he was protective of the girls. He would've fought for them but instead chose what Rachel wanted.
The chemistry between them was palpable, and many FRIENDS fans realized that it would have been acceptable to drop the long-term Roschel arc if Joey and Rachel could make it work.
Emily and Maya, 'Pretty Little Liars' (2010 - 2017)
Among all of Emily's (Shay Mitchell) love interests, Maya (Bianca Lawson) was the best match for her. They met in the first episode of Pretty Little Liars and immediately hit it off. They were less problematic than any of Emily's other relationships. Maya motivated and challenged Emily to achieve her best and pushed her out of her comfort zone.
Unfortunately, Maya was killed off early in the show without letting them explore their chemistry further. TV shows hold a horrible history of killing off LGBTQ+ characters, and fans were devastated when the same happened to Emily.
Klaus and Caroline, 'The Vampire Diaries' (2009 - 2017)
The Vampire Diaries was loaded to the brim with heartwarming friendships and relationships. But one of the most endgame worthy of them was Klaroline. Unlike most enemies to lovers couples, Klaus (Joseph Morgan) and Caroline (Candice King) brought out the best in each other instead of the worst. They found solace in each other and were each other's true love until the final season of The Originals, a spinoff of The Vampire Diaries, blew them up.
After years of buildup, Caroline was finally brought over to The Originals to finish her storyline with Klaus, but cruel be thy producer, because they were growing closer all season long, only to see Klaus die without sharing a final kiss with Caroline. It was pointless heartbreak for loyal fans and a waste of terrific chemistry.
Barney and Robin, 'How I Met Your Mother' (2005 - 2014)
One of the most devastating separations of all time happened in the final season of How I Met Your Mother. Barney (Neil Patrick Harris) fell for his wingwoman, Robin (Coby Smulders), who was also the woman his best friend was hopelessly in love with. Despite their differences, Barney and Robin made a beautiful pair and would go on to become one of the most coveted couples on TV.
Even non-fans agree that Ted (Josh Radnor) and Robin were not a perfect ship, and if the production were so sure they would not give Barney and Robin a happy ending, they shouldn't have spent all those years building up crazy tension. You don't spend an entire season planning a couple's wedding only to have them break up the next day.
Nate and Serena, 'Gossip Girl' (2007 - 2012)
At the show's beginning, Nate (Chace Crawford) and Serena (Blake Lively) had just ended their affair, which usually isn't a good start to any relationship. However, Gossip Girl kept hinting at a possible relationship between the two with occasional passionate making out and fleeting moments of dating before they broke up.
Shortly after, Serena got back with Dan (Penn Badgley) and stayed with him at the end, which was a shame because they were highly toxic. But, on the other hand, Nate brought out the best in Serena and made her a better person. Even if he was too good for her, he was the only person who genuinely loved her, and their ending up together made so much sense.
Elijah and Hayley, 'The Originals' (2013 - 2017)
Hayley (Phoebe Tonkin) and Elijah (Daniel Gillies) had one of those relationships you knew you would quickly get attached to. From the moment he set eyes on her, Elijah swore to protect Hayley and her unborn child with his life, and that was when fans fell in love with them. The couple went through countless obstacles, and even when they were apart, it was evident they loved each other deeply.
All hope of them ending up together was shattered when Hayley was killed, and worse of all? Elijah didn't remember her. But when he got his memories back...oh boy, here come the waterworks.
Jess and Rory, 'Gilmore Girls' (2000 - 2007)
Rory (Alexis Bledel) and Jess (Milo Ventimiglia) were made for each other. They understood each other. Their shared love of books, banter, and Luke connection was exceptional. And out of all Rory's boyfriends in Gilmore Girls, Jess was the best. He motivated, encouraged, and pushed her to pursue what she loved. He helped her fly, and she left him behind.
Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life was the perfect chance to make Rory and Jess end up together and finally redeem her character, but the showrunners chose not to go along with it. In the end, maybe he was too good for her.
Andy and Erin, 'The Office' (2005 - 2013)
Andy (Ed Helms) and Erin (Ellie Kemper) were undeniably one of the best couples on The Office, maybe even better than Michael/Holly and Jim/Pam. They struggled through real problems and came out stronger each time. When Andy was introduced in season 3, he was portrayed as a corporate bootlicker with serious anger issues, but he went into therapy after a rather disastrous incident of punching a hole through a wall.
When Michael (Steve Carell) left, and Jim (John Krasinski) and Pam (Jenna Fischer) were living happily ever after, the show needed a new horrible boss, and to recover their losses (in ratings anyway), Andy gets promoted and regresses to his pre-growth era, rupturing his beautiful bond with Erin.
Ted and Alexis, 'Schitt’s Creek' (2015 - 2020)
When Ted (Dustin Milligan) and Alexis (Annie Murphy) initially got together, they didn't seem like a great match. When they finally did get together again, they were wiser, better individuals. Alexis didn't see him as a credit card for her stay in Schitt's Creek, and Ted reflected on his expectations of her and corrected his timeline. They finally had everything coming together. Against her nature of being the one people have to acquiesce with, Alexis even decided to move to Galapagos with Ted.
But the producers thought better of giving them a deserved happy ever after, and Alexis opened a PR firm instead while Ted got a permanent job offer. While both steps were significant advances in their career fronts, they witnessed the end of an epic relationship.
Ryan and Jessica, 'New Girl' (2011 - 2018)
Probably the most underrated relationship on TV would be Ryan (Julian Morris) and Jessica (Zooey Deschanel) from New Girl. While sometimes the long-term arc makes up for all the ruined relationships, Nick (Jake Johnson) and Jess did not make up for the hype. They were polar opposites, and while they were not highly toxic, their low moments were hard to let pass. Ryan and Jess, on the other hand, had a pure and beautiful relationship.
When she realized her true feelings for Ryan and went back to his house groveling after she propositioned him to "get it out of their systems," Jess knew there was something special between them. But despite a great season, Ryan was unnecessarily sent to Wellington to give way to Nick and Jess, ruining a perfect relationship.