‘Yellowstone’s Beth & Rip and 10 More of TV’s Best Ride-or-Die Couples
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No relationship faces more drama than a TV relationship. Obstacles meet a couple every few episodes, or else the dramatic push of the show dries up, and there isn’t anything worth watching. There are only a few TV matchups that can claim that “one-true-pairing” (OTP for the uninitiated) title because it takes real grit and commitment to show up for one another season after season.
There are countless TV relationships that get our shipping hearts pitter-pattering, but this list is about a select league of couples that we know would go to the ends of the Earth for each other – and in some cases, we mean that literally.
We love celebrating love here, and the couples on this list are next level. Some of them have faced death and made it back to the living just to be with their true love. Some have redefined the word soulmate to mean something that we could only dream of. These couples have endgame in the bag, and we bow down to their holy levels of relationship goals status.
These are 11 TV ride-or-die couples we know wouldn’t let anything stand between them and the object of their heart’s desire. Let us know in the comments below if any others should make the list!
Beth & Rip, Yellowstone
It can sound hyperbolic to say that Beth (Kelly Reilly) and Rip (Cole Hauser) would do anything for each other, but it’s true. Beth and Rip took their time getting together, but once they did, they unlocked the keys to each other’s hearts. Rip is able to get past the landmine Beth has put up around herself and bring her light out of the darkness. She’s given him the family unit he’s always wanted and a love he never thought he deserved. They’ve bonded over their shared trauma and stayed wholly loyal to each other. Beth and Rip aren’t afraid to be honest with each other. When Rip calls her out, she listens (and Beth rarely listens to anything but her whole gut). They’ll risk everything to protect one another, and they’re not afraid to get blood on their hands. They’ll choose each other every single time, and that’s the definition of ride-or-die.
Louis & Lestat, Interview With the Vampire
Guess what? Being soulmates doesn’t mean the relationship isn’t toxic sometimes! Louis (Jacob Anderson) and Lestat (Sam Reid) have had their fair amount of issues — dropping your beloved from thousands of feet in the air is not cool, Lestat — but Season 2 of Interview with the Vampire proved that at the end of the day, no one is going to be there for either of these lovesick vamps like they are for each other. They’ve experienced too much, and no one truly gets the pain they’ve felt except for their other half. While we are so curious to hear Lestat’s take on their sordid love affair in Season 3, the first two seasons of the show revealed that come death, trial, or other lovers, Louis and Lestat will always find each other in the end.
Maya & Carina, Station 19
On the opposite end of the spectrum, Maya (Danielle Savre) and Carina (Stefania Spampinato) from Station 19 showcase the trauma and drama you can get through when you learn to communicate effectively. When these two first started hooking up, Maya had no idea how to be part of a functional family unit. When the series ended, Maya and Carina were in a committed, loving marriage, and welcoming children into a more compassionate and stable home than either of them had ever known. The theme of this couple is growth, and we know after everything they fought through they are never going to let each other go.
Damon & Elena, The Vampire Diaries
There were multiple The Vampire Diaries couple contenders for this list (Klaroline, you will always be famous), but if we are honest with ourselves, none of them ride as hard for each other as Damon (Ian Somerhalder) and Elena (Nina Dobrev). They are another couple that survived death (okay, more like an intense supernatural coma) to reunite and solidify themselves as the endgame couple. It’s kind of crazy to think they made a relationship work through Elena becoming a vampire, Damon essentially being evil, and so many close calls that would have been lights out if it wasn’t for Bonnie’s (Kat Graham) magical abilities. Even when these two were at each other’s throats, you couldn’t deny the passionate love between them. There’s definitely some toxic moments in there, but these two were meant for each other and found a way to be together – which can’t be said for most of the other couples in this universe.
Mel & Jack, Virgin River
You might sneak a peek at Virgin River‘s idyllic landscapes and think it’s just a show about people solving small-town medical emergencies. That is primarily what the show is about, but it also has a heaping of serious drama like drug dealers, masked gunmen, and hiding dead bodies. Jack (Martin Henderson) and Mel (Alexandra Breckenridge) have managed to stick together through so many surreal predicaments, including a sudden pregnancy and subsequent miscarriage. Neither of them were expecting to fall in love with each other, but from the moment they met, it was apparent there was a real connection there. The caliber of a ride-or-die couple is not just about the fireworks when things are going great though, it is about how they handle themselves when things are going wrong. Every time the world turns against Mel and Jack, they turn to each other and come out stronger for it.
Charlie & Vaggie (Hazbin Hotel)
This one may not ring any bells for a few of you, and we urge you to fix that as soon as possible. Hazbin Hotel is one of the most underrated gems on Prime Video, and at the center of this musical adult animation is Charlie, the daughter of Satan, and her girlfriend Vaggie. The latter of whom is literally risking everything to support Charlie in setting up a hotel that would help the ambitious souls of Hell reform themselves in hopes of scoring a ticket to Heaven. We don’t want to spoil the specific obstacle between these two, but we can say that it is other-worldly, and these two show that sometimes love really is enough to conquer all. They create a whole new meaning for loyalty and putting each other first. We think they could take over the world, or at least Hell.
Pacey & Joey, Dawson's Creek
This one is for the millennials in our readership. Yes, Pacey (Joshua Jackson) and Joey (Katie Holmes) did have one of the most horrific high school breakups of all time (every TV couple has ups and downs), but they define the ultimate teen TV romance. Pacey kissed her first, and then he counted to ten before doing it again just in case she wanted to stop him! Everyone thought that Joey would eventually end up with Dawson (James Van Der Beek), but the Dawson’s Creek team subverted expectations and declared that Pacey and Joey had the real romantic connection to survive years in Capeside and the verbose temper tantrums of the friend circle at the center of this show. Pacey Witter set the bar for fictional TV boyfriends, and we sleep easy at night knowing that he was the one to end up with his soulmate.
Spencer & Olivia, All American
This is another couple that has definitely had their ups and downs, but as we said in our All American couples ranking, Spencer (Daniel Ezra) and Olivia (Samantha Logan) have that forever kind of love. They’ve been each other’s #1 fans for so long, even when that meant having to take time apart so they could reach their individual dreams. They embody the fact that real love takes sacrifice and compromise, but when you know who your person is, you’ll do anything to see them win. We know these two can handle any hurdle that is thrown at them because we’ve already seen them tackle so many from long distance to sobriety and making it to the NFL.
Scott & Alison, Teen Wolf
A show about werewolves and evil creatures stalking teenagers and their cursed lacrosse team is very silly, and there are a lot of things to laugh about when it comes to Teen Wolf, but this show took teen romance so seriously. Scott (Tyler Posey) and Allison (Crystal Reed) had one of the most mature teenage relationships ever depicted on TV. They were head-over-heels in love but dealing with the fact that Scott was a werewolf and Alison was descendant from a long line of Olympic-tier werewolf hunters. In the show, their Romeo and Juliet circumstances led to them taking an extended romantic break that didn’t end before Alison was murdered, but the movie gave these two a second chance at love. While a lot of fans have valid issues with the movie, giving Scott and Allison their much-deserved second shot at love was such a delicious treat. How many TV couples can say they overcame ten years of being dead to be together? It’s such a rare feat and an automatic pass to this hall of fame.
Hughie & Annie, The Boys
Do you know how hard it must be to maintain a functional relationship in the world of The Boys? A normal relationship would implode over trying to get all of the blood stains out of the clothes that Hughie (Jack Quaid) and Annie (Erin Moriarty) have had ruined by their various vigilante adventures. The recent Season 4 finale saw Hughie and Annie navigate their way through a shapeshifter invading their relationship, and while things looked very dark for the power couple in the moment, they managed to talk it out and proved that their love was triumphant over all, including evil Vought minions. This was really heartwarming to see, especially after Hughie went super toxic masculinity in Season 3. It was a real sign of growth though, and proof that if these two can stay alive in the impending war against Homelander (Antony Starr), they are destined to make it in the long run.
Georgia & Paul, Ginny & Georgia
This couple has the most questionable status when it comes to their endgame potential. There are many people rooting for Georgia (Brianne Howey) and Joe (Raymond Ablack) to get together, but Georgia and Paul (Scott Porter) have already been through the wringer. She told him about all of her crimes, including her attempted murders, and Paul still agreed to marry Georgia. It’s true love! Season 3 of this Netflix drama will see if the newlyweds can handle Georgia being accused of murder (and being super guilty), but if they could make it through all of Georgia’s past misdeeds and still show up for each other, then they will have solidified their eternal ride-or-die status. They are taking the “for better or worse” part of their vows seriously, and we love to see it.
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