10 Love Triangles In TV Shows That Were Actually Done Right - Screen Rant

Summary

• Love triangles can enhance a show if they have complex dynamics and chemistry between the characters.
• Some love triangles are predictable and can drag on for too long, losing audience interest.
• Love triangles can add drama and keep viewers engaged until the show's end, especially if the outcome is unexpected.

Love triangles are a common plot device on television, but they are rarely utilized to the show's advantage. Too often, series introduce a love triangle as a way to add drama to the main couple's relationship, but instead, it dumbs down the characters involved and makes the show less appealing. A love triangle is meant to keep viewers on the edge of their seats, unsure about who will turn out to be the endgame couple, but often it quickly becomes obvious who is the third wheel that will be up and gone by the end of the season at the very latest.

However, some shows manage to take the clichéd concept of a love triangle and turn it into the plot-driving force and the subject of many fan debates years later. For instance, How I Met Your Mother's controversial ending resolved the love triangle between Ted, Robin, and Barney that kept the series going for nine seasons, but no one could predict how the finale would turn out before it aired. There aren't many truly legendary love triangles that have amazing chemistry between the parties involved or provide a unique angle to the story. That said, How I Met Your Mother isn't the only show that has done its love triangle right.

RELATED: How I Met Your Mother: Why Robin Should Have Been With Both Barney & Ted (& Why She Was Right To Choose)

10 Stefan, Elena, Damon

The Vampire Diaries

The Vampire Diaries

Cast

Nina Dobrev, Ian Somerhalder, Steven R. McQueen, Paul Wesley, Kat Graham, Michael Trevino, Michael Malarkey, Zach Roerig, Candice King, Matthew Davis

The Vampire Diaries' most distinctive feature was Elena's relationships with both Stefan and Damon. Even though Elena and Stefan had amazing chemistry and seemed perfect for each other, it became obvious that they weren't going to last as soon as Damon stepped through the door to Elena's heart. Still, the core differences between the characters were what made the love triangle work — Elena and Stefan were too similar, but Elena and Damon were too different, so it was unclear who would be the endgame couple for quite a while. When Elena chose Damon over Stefan, it seemed like there was never any other way afterward.

9 Roy, Pam, Jim

The Office

The Office

Cast

Mindy Kaling, Jenna Fischer, Kate Flannery, Ed Helms, Craig Robinson, Paul Lieberstein, Ellie Kemper, B.J. Novak, Angela Kinsey, Oscar Nunez, Rainn Wilson, Brian Baumgartner, Phyllis Smith, Leslie David Baker, Creed Bratton, Steve Carell, John Krasinski

The Office had a different dynamic going: Pam and Roy were clearly wrong for each other, while Pam and Jim were the sweetest pair of coworkers from the start. However, both Jim and Pam were too passive to change anything by making some grand romantic gesture, and watching them silently suffer was as frustrating as it was compelling. Luckily, in season 2, episode 10, "Christmas Party," Jim finally decided to start working toward gaining Pam's affections and gave her the iconic teapot, filled with memories. Jim's teapot note to Pam effectively ended the love triangle, and the timing couldn't be better on The Office's part.

8 Michael, Jane, Rafael

Jane The Virgin

Jane the Virgin

Cast

Gina Rodriguez, Andrea Navedo, Justin Baldoni, Ivonne Coll, Brett Dier, Jaime Camil

Jane the Virgin's love triangle between Michael, Jane, and Rafael was fascinating to watch because both men were genuinely good people who wanted nothing but the best for Jane, and she had a complicated history with both. Just when the love triangle was getting resolved, Jane the Virgin took a page out of a telenovela handbook and killed off Michael in season 3, episode 10, "Chapter Fifty-Four," only to revive him in the season 4 finale, "Chapter Eighty-One." To make matters worse, Jane's now-alive husband didn't have any memory of her, and she was ready to move on with Rafael. This show's love triangle was exemplary.

7 Angel, Buffy, Spike

Buffy The Vampire Slayer

Buffy The Vampire Slayer

Cast

Sarah Michelle Gellar, Nicholas Brendon, Alyson Hannigan, Charisma Carpenter, Dan Rubin, David Boreanaz, Seth Green, James Marsters

Buffy the Vampire Slayer had two of the best love interests on '90s television, and they were both head over heels for Buffy. Angel and Spike were essentially two sides of the same coin, and somehow they both seemed wrong and right for Buffy at the same time. This love triangle wasn't the primary focus of the series, but it amped up the drama in Buffy's personal life, as she questioned her morals as a vampire slayer. The most beautiful thing about the trio's dynamic was that Buffy didn't end up with either Angel or Spike, and the three of them simply went their separate ways.

6 Dean, Rory, Jess, Logan

Gilmore Girls

Gilmore Girls

Cast

Lauren Graham, Scott Patterson, Sean Gunn, Keiko Agena, Matt Czuchry, Alexis Bledel, Yanic Truesdale, Kelly Bishop, Melissa McCarthy, Edward Herrmann, Liza Weil, Jared Padalecki, Milo Ventimiglia

Gilmore Girls may have been a series about a mother-daughter relationship between Lorelai and Rory, but Rory's love square completely stole the show. Even so many years and one revival later, there is still no consensus regarding who Rory should have been with in the end. Rory and Dean's relationship timeline was complicated, but he was her first love. Then Jess swept Rory off her feet, remaining the most positive influence in her life. Later on, Logan swooped in and became Rory's most realistic boyfriend. Rory was lucky to have three such great men love her, and Gilmore Girls could never have been so memorable without this love square.

5 Quinn, Finn, Rachel

Glee

Glee

Cast

Dianna Agron, Chris Colfer, Jessalyn Gilsig, Jane Lynch, Jayma Mays, Kevin McHale, Lea Michele, Cory Monteith, Matthew Morrison, Amber Riley

Glee was a rather chaotic product of its time, and none of its characters made any sense. Still, the initial love triangle between Quinn, Finn, and Rachel was quite relatable since all three acted very teenager-like in the sense that they were dumb as a doorknob when it came to dealing with their feelings toward the person they presumably cared about. The love triangle was fun while it lasted, and it was satisfying to see Quinn moving on with her life without Finn, although the same couldn't be said about Rachel getting what she wanted — in this case, Finn — which only worsened her entitlement later on.

4 Mr. Big, Carrie, Aidan

Sex And The City

Sex and the City

Cast

Kim Cattrall, Cynthia Nixon, Sarah Jessica Parker, Kristin Davis

Sex and the City's main character, Carrie Bradshaw, could never choose the right man for herself, which she proved time and time again in her on-and-off relationships with both caring Aidan and narcissistic Big. Even though Carrie didn't pick the right guy in the end, the love triangle between her, Aidan, and Big was electric. Seeing Carrie choose Big over Aidan each and every time was heartbreaking, and yet the story was too captivating to give up on it. However, And Just Like That... might have fixed Sex and the City's divisive finale by seemingly setting up Carrie and Aidan for a successful future at last.

3 Steve, Nancy, Jonathan

Stranger Things

Stranger Things

Cast

Finn Wolfhard, Joe Keery, Jamie Campbell Bower, Brett Gelman, Caleb McLaughlin, Maya Hawke, David Harbour, Matthew Modine, Priah Ferguson, Gaten Matarazzo, Winona Ryder, Charlie Heaton, Sadie Sink, Millie Bobby Brown, Joseph Quinn, Dacre Montgomery, Natalia Dyer, Noah Schnapp

Stranger Things' best love triangle wasn't supposed to last as long as it has, as the creators wanted to kill off Steve Harrington in season 1. Thanks to Joe Keery's chemistry with his co-stars and the energy he brought to the character, the show gained one of its most prominent trios — Steve, Nancy, and Jonathan. This love triangle evolved in a surprising way because it diverted from the stereotypical course of events, namely the woman dumping the bully and ending up with the outsider, by redeeming Steve. While Nancy is currently dating Jonathan, season 4 did hint at the possibility of Nancy and Steve getting back together.

2 Ted, Robin, Barney

How I Met Your Mother

How I Met Your Mother

Cast

Josh Radnor, Jason Segel, Cobie Smulders, Neil Patrick Harris, Alyson Hannigan, Bob Saget

How I Met Your Mother was a rollercoaster of explosive emotions, and the love triangle between Ted, Robin, and Barney was at the epicenter. No matter how hated How I Met Your Mother's ending might be, there is no denying that the show knew how to build up the drama. Ted and Robin were already the will-they-won't-they couple of the series when Robin and Barney suddenly slept together in season 3, episode 16, "Sandcastles in the Sand," introducing a completely new direction that the show might take. The love triangle kept viewers on their toes up until the shocking finale, and that was challenging to pull off.

1 Dan, Piper, Leo

Charmed

Charmed

Cast

Holly Marie Combs, Alyssa Milano, Rose McGowan

Charmed took a simple love triangle, where one man was the safer, duller choice, and the other was the more desirable, out-of-reach one, and put a new spin on it by placing the characters into the context of magical duties. Leo and Piper tried to be together, but Leo's Whitelighter responsibilities made it hard for them, so Piper thought that dating Dan would be easier, but this time, it was her witch duties that interfered. Piper and Leo were obviously the endgame couple, despite all the obstacles they were faced with, but Dan's appearance provided a nice distraction along the way.

Adblock test (Why?)

https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiOWh0dHBzOi8vc2NyZWVucmFudC5jb20vYmVzdC10di1sb3ZlLXRyaWFuZ2xlcy1zaG93cy1nb29kL9IBAA?oc=5

2023-11-25 15:20:00Z

Bagikan Berita Ini