Top 10 Most Satisfying TV Breakups
#10: Dan Humphrey & Blair Waldorf
“Gossip Girl” (2007-12)
Top 10 Blair Waldorf Quotes to Live By
There are arguments on both sides of this pairing. They did, oddly, have a lot in common, but really they just felt like a filler couple. This was just about the last combination of the main characters that we hadn't seen together yet. It was kind of fun to see their hatred for each other develop into something more. They had common interests in culture, and had a way of always showing up for each other. But if we’re all being honest with ourselves, whether or not you liked Dan and Blair together, we all knew that Chuck was the guy she would end up with. Even Nate couldn’t compete. So when she left Dan it was really like everything falling back into its rightful place.
#9: Ted Mosby & Robin Scherbatsky
“How I Met Your Mother” (2005-14)
Top 10 Most Shocking TV Couple Breakups
Ted said it himself, they had an expiration date. There’s no denying that Ted and Robin had a lot of chemistry. They were good together for a while. But it was shown time and time again that they simply weren't right for each other. They wanted different things out of life, and they disagreed on a lot of major issues. Though they obviously did love each other while they were together, it was very obvious that in the long run they wouldn't have worked. It was best that they ended while they could still be friends. Let’s just agree to ignore the finale, shall we?
#8: Steven Carson & Carly Shay
“iCarly” (2007-12)
Top 10 Saddest Steven Universe Moments
Many of the break ups on this list consist of people who just weren’t a good fit relationship-wise, but the destruction of this relationship is one we take particular joy in. When Carly started dating Steve it seemed like sustaining a long term relationship might be tricky with Steve having to split his time between Seattle and Hollywood as a result of his parents’ divorce. But he is initially sweet and charming enough to make it worth the effort. Until Carly discovers that Steve is also dating Tori Vega from “Victorious.” So they do the logical thing. Team up to humiliate him live on iCarly and dump him for the whole world to see. And it was glorious.
#7: Rumple & Belle
“Once Upon a Time” (2011-18)
Oh man, this one was a long time coming. It takes a strong woman to see the man in the monster. But watching Belle forgive Rumple again and again was beginning to become tiresome. Rumple finally goes way too far though, and Belle is left with no choice but to banish him from Storybrooke. When she finally casts him out, we see a whole other kind of strength in her, and it is nothing short of totally badass. This moment was as unexpected as it was amazing. To see Belle finally draw the line on Rumple’s behavior and stand up for herself and her friends was simultaneously heartbreaking and triumphant.
#6: Preston Burke & Cristina Yang
“Grey’s Anatomy” (2005-)
Preston Burke may have been a great doctor, but he was a terrible boyfriend. He said it himself that he never really loved Cristina for who she was, but instead tried to form her into the person he thought that she should be. Cristina deserved better than that. Breaking up with her on their wedding day and then leaving her to deal with the wreckage on her own was a crappy way to end things. That said, it was sure better than the unhappy life Cristina would have had if they had gone through with the marriage. Unfortunately, Cristina moved on with another jerk. Owen Hunt was never good enough for her, which he proved when he cheated.
#5: Roy Anderson & Pam Beesly
“The Office” (2005-13)
Top 20 Most Satisfying Deaths of Cartoon Characters
Roy was awful to Pam. He belittled her. He never listened to her. He was completely insensitive to her feelings. He was violent. Need we go on? And besides she and Jim belonged together anyway. Part of what was so great about when Pam called off their wedding wasn’t just that she got out of a bad relationship, but it marked the moment when Pam finally started sticking up for herself. It opened up a new side to her character, one that showed us she knew her worth and wasn’t afraid to speak her mind. Roy was just holding Pam back from being the person she was always meant to be.
#4: Dawson Leery & Joey Potter
“Dawson’s Creek” (1998-2003)
Top 10 Times Dawson Was the WORST on Dawson's Creek
Joey was right from the very beginning: Everything would change between her and Dawson. They were great as best friends, but they were bad for each other as a couple. Dawson was immature and selfish, and expected everything to be just as simple as it always had been...except with benefits. Meanwhile, Joey had been in love with Dawson for so long that she somehow became lost when she finally got him. Their first breakup was super emotional and really hard to sit through. After watching them go back and forth a few times though, it was a relief to see the both of them move on at last when Joey and Pacey got together.
#3: Dean Forester & Rory Gilmore
“Gilmore Girls” (2000-07)
Top 10 Times Dean Was the Worst on Gilmore Girls
Dean started out as a dream boyfriend. Unfortunately, he gradually became jealous and possessive in a way that was hard to ignore. It wasn't completely unwarranted, but all of his behavior to try to keep Rory is exactly what ended up pushing her away. All in all it was pretty obvious that they weren't endgame. It was good while it lasted, but ultimately it was for the best that things ended while they could still preserve their friendship. While we’re talking about Gilmore Girls, we have to throw a shout out to Lorelai and Christopher. Who thought that was a good idea in the first place?
#2: Jon Snow & Daenerys Targaryen
“Game of Thrones” (2011-19)
Top 10 Badass Daenerys Targaryen Moments
Many of the breakups on this list were pretty dramatic, but none of them hold a candle to this one. Jon and Dany initially came together as allies to fight against a common enemy, before they developed a romantic relationship. Little did they know, they were actually related by blood. Incest is a pretty good reason to break things off, but, although it deterred Jon, it is not actually the thing that ended them. It was more like irreconcilable differences. Whether you watched the whole show or not you’ve probably heard about Daenerys’ conquest by way of dragon, and Jon’s...disagreement with her tactics. Which he resolves in resolute fashion. However you feel about the finale, we can all agree that murder is a pretty definitive way to end a relationship.
Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
The Joker & Harley Quinn, “ Harley Quinn” (2019-)
Adding Insult to Injury
Mako & Korra, “The Legend of Korra” (2012-14)
Double Breakup
Harvey Specter & His Therapist, “Suits” (2011-19)
Setting Things Right
Seeley Booth & Hannah Burley, “Bones” (2005-17)
Make Way For Bones
Clark Kent & Lana Lang, “Smallville” (2001-11)
Expected but Still Sad
#1: Joey Tribbiani & Rachel Green
“Friends” (1994-2004)
Top 10 Joey Tribbiani Acting Roles from Friends
Even the actors on the show thought this relationship was just wrong. It's not like Ross owned Rachel or anything, but everyone knew it was supposed to be them together in the end. The whole thing between Joey and Rachel was just yet another wrench to throw into the gears to keep Ross and Rachel apart. Except this one wasn’t as funny as the whole “18 pages” debacle. Joey and Rachel were always amazing as friends, but in a relationship they were an odd pairing. Thankfully things didn’t last too long between them, and they restored their platonic status before any irreparable damage was done to the friend group.
