16 TV Love Triangles That Ended With the Wrong Choice: ‘Friends,’ ‘Gilmore Girls’ & More
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In both television and film, nothing is more swoon-worthy than getting caught up in the riffraff of not only one lover but two. And while we can only hope our favorite characters will make the right choice, let’s face it: they often don’t. And who can blame them? What makes a good TV character is their flaws, our ability to relate to them, and their predictable patterns. (Though sometimes we’re screaming, “Why did she have to choose him?!”)
While it can’t stop us from pulling out our hair, yelling at the screen, or (at its most dire) stepping away from the show entirely, we hope this list offers a respite for the frustrated viewers like ourselves who know that our favorite couples were dealt a bad hand.
Read more below to agree (or disagree) with our top TV love triangles that ended the wrong way.
Gilmore Girls: Jess, Rory Logan
Who ended up together: Rory and Logan
Who should’ve ended up together: Rory and Jess
Rory (Alexis Bledel) and Jess (Milo Ventimiglia) may be one of the biggest love triangle mishandlings on TV to date. Brought together inexplicably by their love of literature and their mutual admiration for one another (talk about twin flames), these two had undeniable chemistry from day one, when Jess first entered the show in Season 2, despite Rory being in a relationship with Dean (Jared Padalecki). For reasons that could take up an entire article in and of itself, Dean was quickly out of the running as the series progressed, and Rory and Jess’ timelines never quite matched up again. Enter Logan (Matt Czuchry) in Season 5, and Rory embarked on her next long-term relationship. While Logan had the means and the time to be a sufficient boyfriend for Rory’s time at Yale, he ultimately proved to be less than a good influence on the aspiring journalist. It was only Jess, time and time again, that held Rory to the standards he knew she should be aspiring to (amounting to perhaps one of the most iconic lines of the show, delivered by Jess: “Why would you drop out of Yale?”) Endlessly and needlessly supportive throughout, Jess and Rory may be one of the rare TV instances of being mutually each other’s one that got away. —Katie Song
Modern Family: Andy, Haley, Dylan
Who ended up together: Haley and Dylan
Who should’ve ended up together: Haley and Andy
Dylan (Reid Ewing) may have been Haley’s (Sarah Hyland) first love, but if we’re looking at match made in heaven pairings, her truest love was Andy (Adam DeVine). Hired as a manny by Haley’s grandfather, the duo entered a will-they-won’t-they dynamic, but eventually they made things work, becoming more closely involved in the show’s seventh season. Sadly, the show forced them apart, leaving them both a little lovelorn. Although they went their separate ways, there’s always been that nagging feeling of what could have been. As if their undeniable chemistry needed to be proven anymore, Hyland and DeVine reunited onscreen for Peacock’s short-lived Pitch Perfect spinoff series Bumper in Berlin, in which they played romantic interests once more. —Meaghan Darwish
Sex and the City: Big, Carrie, Aidan
Who ended up together: Carrie and Big
Who should’ve ended up together: Carrie and Aidan
With the exception of Carrie’s (Sarah Jessica Parker) rare opportunity as a character to get a second chance in the spinoff series And Just Like That, Carrie ending things with Aidan (John Corbett) to marry Big (Chris Noth) was one of the biggest “what was she thinking?” moments of the show—of which there are many. Instead of settling down with her consistent, loving, and faithful furniture designer boyfriend, she opted for the toxic, noncommittal, ego-driven Mr. Big. Their ups and downs as a couple were too many to count, whereas Aidan only offered a steady shoulder to cry on throughout their relationship. Even when Carrie had another chance to make things right after cheating on Aidan with Big, not only did Aidan take her back, but he wanted to marry her. And what did she do instead of securing herself a perfect relationship once and for all? She strung him along and denied him his proposal in the end. All of that’s to say, Carrie made a big mistake. It’s as simple as that. —Katie Song
The OC: Anna, Seth, Summer
Who ended up together: Seth and Summer
Who should’ve ended up together: Seth and Anna
Seth Cohen (Adam Brody) simply couldn’t shake the thought that Summer Roberts (Rachel Bilson) was his one and only dream girl, even when Anna Stern (Samaire Armstrong) came along and showed him what his other half could actually be like. Unlike Summer, who lived to insult “Cohen” for his nerdy tendencies, Anna had similar interests and a good attitude to match. At the same time, she wasn’t any shrinking violet; she had a strong personality and passion and wasn’t afraid to stand up for herself without being rude. The fact that Summer was able to sabotage them by casting them as brother and sister types was a real shame. Seth and Anna could’ve been endgame, and if the show ever gets revived, the Seth and Summer divorce announcement will be inevitable because they’re going to get tired of each other, guaranteed. —Amanda Bell
Degrassi: The Next Generation: Spinner, Emma, Sean
Who ended up together: Emma and Spinner
Who should’ve ended up together: Emma and Sean
Emma (Miriam McDonald) and Sean (Daniel Clark) were each other’s first love during their early years on Degrassi: The Next Generation. Who could forget when they went on their first date back in Season 1? Oh, the precious Polaroid! Despite the forces that kept them apart, they always found their way back to each other. Sean didn’t have the best life at home, but his heart was genuine. He was willing to give his life to save Emma during the school shooting. When Sean decided to enter the army, he wanted to spend his last day at home with Emma and her family. Like with their first date, Emma and Sean took a photo to remember that moment. Emma went on to marry Spinner (Shane Kippel), but Emma and Sean deserved to end up together. From the moment they went on that first date as youngsters, their hearts belonged to each other. Emma should have waited for him. —Avery Thompson
Awkward: Jake, Jenna, Matty
Who ended up together: Jenna and Matty
Who should’ve ended up together: Jenna and Jake
When it comes to MTV’s 2010s series, it feels like Jenna Hamilton (Ashley Rickards) was always meant to be with Matty McKibben (Beau Mirchoff). But when the love-triangle between herself, Matty, and Jake Rosati (Brett Davern) was in full bloom, the choice was clear. Jake was the nice guy, and ultimately probably would have caused her less grief. But if things were so easy there would have been no story to tell, hence her endgame with Matty. —Meaghan Darwish
How I Met Your Mother: Robin, Barney, Ted
Who ended up together: Ted and Robin
Who should’ve ended up together: Barney and Robin
Sure, How I Met Your Mother started with Ted (Josh Radnor) and Robin’s (Cobie Smulders) meeting and first date, then later gave them a try, and I can see how it made sense for it to come full circle with their finale reunion. But that would be if the rest of the series didn’t then spend time making us fall in love with Robin and Barney’s (Neil Patrick Harris) relationship—the entire final season was dedicated to their wedding weekend! But no, they get divorced and Barney reverts back to his old ways. What made it worse? I liked the Mother, Tracy (Cristin Milioti), and her with Ted, only she died and their kids encouraged their father to go to Aunt Robin. So yes, it was about how Ted met their mother, but that became secondary to how Ted ended up back with the woman who was not their mother.
And while Robin and Barney’s relationship wasn’t perfect (and I do have issues with all the manipulation of the elaborate play Barney used leading up to the proposal), it felt like it built up in a way that they could have stayed together and been happy. Instead, it was a finale that honestly made it impossible for me to rewatch any of the series. This is one show where it may have been better for all three to end up alone or with strangers rather than what we got. —Meredith Jacobs
Lost: Jack, Kate, Sawyer
Who ended up together: Kate and Jack
Who should’ve ended up together: Kate and Sawyer
It’s not terribly surprising that Lost‘s Kate (Evangeline Lilly) was put off by Sawyer (Josh Hollway) in the first season of the survival drama because he behaved like a selfish brute. But once she saw his act for what it was — an act — she developed genuine feelings for him, especially when they were stuck in captivity together for so long. Meanwhile, her relationship with Jack (Matthew Fox) was more one of convenience and strategy, which is why they couldn’t hack it in the real world together. Sawyer wasn’t perfect, but it was the imperfections that made him perfect for an equally imperfect person like Kate. —Amanda Bell
Greek: Cappie, Casey, Evan
Who ended up together: Cappie and Casey
Who should’ve ended up together: Casey and Evan
I’ll admit that the first time I watched Greek as a teenager (when Freeform was called ABC Family) I was a hardcore Cappie (Scott Michael Foster) fan. He was fun, romantic, and a total goofball. Everything a 16-year-old wants. As I’ve gotten older, Cappie’s immaturity and overall Peter Pan vibes has become a total turnoff. Cappie was a fun fling, but was he the right guy for Casey (Spencer Grammer)? In my wiser years, Evan (Jake McDorman) has emerged as the top contender for Casey’s heart. Yes, Evan and Casey both made mistakes— it’s college! —but they pushed each other and were ultimately a better match. Grammer and McDorman’s chemistry was magnetic long after Casey and Evan split. I truly don’t think Casey and Evan ever got over the other. They deserved another chance to make it work, and if she’d chosen Evan over Cappie, I can guarantee you they would have lasted longer. —Avery Thompson
Friends: Ross, Rachel, Joey
Who ended up together: Rachel and Ross
Who should’ve ended up together: Rachel and Joey
Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) and Ross (David Schwimmer), the ultimate will-they-won’t-they of ‘90s sitcom television. Spoiler alert: they did. But that doesn’t mean we have to be happy about it. Save for a few, Rachel and Ross may have been one of the most toxic couples on TV that actually ended up together, child and all. Joey (Matt LeBlanc), on the other hand, was Rachel’s perfect match all along. Their relationship, though short-lived, was built on friendship. He let her goof around and be silly; he considered her feelings before his own when he realized he was catching feelings for her; he even got her her first job in fashion. While Ross and Rachel were busy squabbling throughout the entirety of the show, Joey was a rock for Rachel: he was consistent, he was available to her when she needed him to be, and he always knew how to put a smile on her face. Team Joey all the way. Oh, and Ross and Rachel were most definitely not on a break. —Katie Song
Scandal: Fitz, Olivia, Jake
Who ended up together: None of them!
Who should’ve ended up together: Olivia and Fitz
Were you really watching Scandal if you didn’t pick sides when it came to Olivia Pope’s (Kerry Washington) onscreen romances? Whether you were Team Jake (Scott Foley) or Team Fitz (Tony Goldwyn), there were plenty of pros and cons for each option. The show ended with an unclear cliffhanger about Olivia’s ultimate choice. While Fitz does return to Washington and seeks out Olivia, it’s all open to interpretation whether or not they get back together. In this unanswered love triangle, we’re rooting for Fitz, because no matter what hardships Olitz faced, they always managed to find their way back to one another. Meanwhile, Jake was always a tad shady, often pulling different moves behind Olivia’s back, whether for her own good or not. In the end, Olivia should have made a decision and lived out her happy ending with Fitz. —Meaghan Darwish
Never Have I Ever: Devi, Ben, Paxton
Who ended up together: Devi and Ben
Who should’ve ended up together: Devi and Paxton
While some could chalk up Devi’s (Maitreyi Ramakrishnan) obsession with Paxton (Darren Barnet) as shallow, I think their pairing marked the start of something actually quite beautiful: two unlikely people finding a meaningful connection with one another. Over the course of the show, Devi rose the ranks of her high school, battling issues with self-confidence, anger, and ambition. In a way, Paxton represented and provided those facets of coming into oneself that the two could have really grown together in, while still tackling high school from completely different ends of the spectrum—that being athletics and academics. Ben (Jaren Lewison), on the other hand, was very much a part of Devi’s world, often battling it out in the classroom. While sweet and caring, Ben couldn’t open up Devi’s worldview in the way that Paxton could. And maybe I’m just rooting for the nerdy girl to finally end up with the cool guy in school, but is that a crime? —Katie Song
True Blood: Eric, Sookie, Bill
Who ended up together: None of them!
Who should’ve ended up together: Sookie and Bill
This ending was not well received by fans. After seven seasons worth of supernaturally high-stakes love affairs with the vampires Bill (Stephen Moyer) and Eric (Alexander Skarsgard) and the werewolf Alcide (Joe Manganiello), half-fairy Sookie (Anna Paquin) didn’t end up with any of them. The series ended with her living a normal life without any night-crawling boyfriends to impede her peace and married to a mystery man whose name we never learn and face we never see. While she was living the life Bill dreamed for her, to opt out of the love triangle entirely and have Sookie end up with someone viewers didn’t get to know was a disappointing ending for a show so centered around its forbidden loves. Even with Bill’s illness in the end, Sookie and Bill were obviously the show’s main romance and their ending could have been much more satisfying. —Kelli Boyle
The Office: Dwight, Angela, Andy
Who ended up together: Angela and Dwight
Who should’ve ended up together: Angela and Andy
As someone who believes in opposites attract, I couldn’t be a bigger supporter of the (in)famous coupling of The Office’s Angela (Angela Kinsey) and Andy (Ed Helms), the former being the office grinch and the latter being…well, the opposite. While the a cappella Ivy League alum couldn’t be less emotionally prepared for a real relationship, especially when the two get engaged in Season 4, Andy was undeniably more patient and supportive of his beau than Dwight (Rainn Wilson). For that, Andy often brought out the good in Angela, which the audience quite rarely got to see. On the other hand, Dwight hated Angela’s cats, was often a bad listener, and toxically never really ended their relationship. While Dwight and Angela’s relationship timeline made for undeniably great TV, Angela and Andy would have made a much more wholesome, level-headed couple should they have given each other a little more time. —Katie Song
Gossip Girl: Nate, Serena, Dan
Who ended up together: Serena and Dan
Who should’ve ended up together: Serena and Nate
Nate (Chace Crawford) never loved anyone more than he loved Serena (Blake Lively). But more importantly, Dan (Penn Badgley). Was. Gossip. Girl. I truly don’t think any more explanation is necessary. —Katie Song
One Tree Hill: Jake, Peyton, Lucas
Who ended up together: Peyton and Lucas
Who should’ve ended up together: Peyton and Jake
There’s no denying that the stars aligned for Lucas (Chad Michael Murray) and Peyton (Hilarie Burton Morgan) from the moment Peyton nearly hit Lucas with her car in One Tree Hill’s pilot episode. They had endgame written all over them, but their relationship was just messy from the get-go. (Never forget their motel room makeout while he was still with Brooke.) In her teen years, Peyton was always on edge whenever Lucas came up. Everything was always so hard. But when Jake (Bryan Greenburg) entered the picture as a romantic interest for Peyton, One Tree Hill showed fans a refreshing alternative to Leyton’s highs and lows. Yes, Jake had extra responsibilities with baby Jenny, and Peyton didn’t ultimately want to be a teen stepmom, but Peyton was content around him. Jake helped heal her after so much loss in her life and never played games with her heart. One Tree Hill should have fully explored a love triangle between Jake, Peyton, and Lucas. If Peyton had chosen Jake, she could have avoided that period of time when she and Brooke were on the outs. Jake could (and should) have been such a contender for Peyton, and he could have won if it had been a fair fight. —Avery Thompson
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