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19 Fictional Couples That Are High-Key Toxic And We Need To Stop Pretending They're Not

If you think Romeo and Juliet is the greatest love story of all time...I got news for ya, bud.

Hannah Marder
by Hannah Marder

BuzzFeed Staff

Recently, Reddit user u/Dragonball_Z137 asked, "What are some fictional couples everybody loves that are actually toxic?" and people had a lot to say!

The CW

Here are some of the couples they nominated!

1. Jessie and Jane on Breaking Bad

the couple sitting in bed together
Lewis Jacobs / AMC / courtesy everett collection

"She just treated him like a casual, short-term hookup until she realized he had money. Then all of a sudden she started making plans for both of them and saying 'we' instead of 'I' for everything. I love the actress, so I think the first time I watched, I just kind of overlooked that part."

—u/Diligent_Ad6759

"Jessie drew her back into drugs. It was a doomed relationship from the start."

—u/Snoo74401

Here's an example of Jane manipulating Jesse for money.

Jane tells her dad she'll go to rehab the next day, then he leaves and jesse asks if it's true, and jane says if they had enough money nobody could make them do anything
AMC

2. Big and Carrie on Sex and the City

Big and Carrie pressing their foreheads together
Craig Blankenhorn/Warner Bros. / courtesy Everett Collection

"Total shit show. They are supposed to represent 'real' relationships not being perfect but I could never marry a man who continually viewed me as an option."

—u/ShesSoPeachy78

"He only wanted to have a good time with her but she fell so hard for him. She was so desperate trying to catch his attention and make him love her, but it was obvious that he didn't want a serious relationship. Even at the end of the series, I believe that his words 'Carrie, you're the one' were quite forced since he had always wanted to have her in the palm of his hand."

—u/spacebootz11

Let's not forget when Big refused to show up to his wedding with Carrie!

Big tells Carrie he can't do this over the phone, and carrie says "oh my god...he's not coming"
Warner Bros. Pictures

3. Also, Miranda and Steve from Sex and the City

Steve and Miranda holding each other
Craig Blankenhorn/Warner Bros. / courtesy Everett Collection

"Steve stepped out of his marriage in the movie; they made it a big deal. Miranda stepped out on her marriage in the revival, and it was just glossed over. It was more about 'Are you gay now?' Then IDK, having an AFFAIR."

—u/TonySoprano100

Here's Miranda leaving Steve and expecting the entire world to be happy for her.

Steve says he wants her to be happy but doesn't know who else is out there for her, and Miranda says she's met someone
HBO

4. Robin and Ted from How I Met Your Mother

Robin looking at Ted
Eric McCandless / CBS / Courtesy Everett Collection

"Holy shit, Ted's obsession with her being 'the one' and it continuing subconsciously throughout the entire show, along with Robin being confused about her relationships, it was painful to watch especially combined with the shit they pulled in the ending? Too much."

—u/badbyemp3

Here's one of many examples of Ted being obsessed with Robin and thinking that's true love.

after Ted is told he's crazy for being hung up on robin for 8 years, ted says that's love, and that love means caring about someone beyond all rationality and wanting them to have everything they want even if it destroys you
CBS

5. Ethel and Fred on I Love Lucy

Ethel and Fred
Courtesy Everett Collection

"I get it, the older married couple that hates each other was supposed to be funny back then. But you watch it now and wonder how they even got together in the first place. And apparently, the actors really did dislike each other in real life, so I guess that came through on the show."

—u/PurpleDreamer28

Here's them being toxic AF!

Ethel asks Lucy if fred is her date, and says "he's no dream. he's a nightmare"
CBS

6. Ezra and Aria on Pretty Little Liars

Eike Schroter / ABC Family / Courtesy: Everett Collection

"Ezra was literally her teacher."

—u/Bikinigirlout

"That really is all that needs to be said. But even if he wasn't her teacher, he literally entered their relationship via deception in order to use her. Whyyyyy did they keep pitching that terrible pairing as #endgame to impressionable teens?"

—u/Morella_xx

Oh, lord. I'll never get over the whole teacher thing...

in "Pretty Little Liars," Ezra tells Aria he's her teacher, and she says she knows it's not just her, and he feels like this is right for them too
Freeform

...But I have to agree with u/Morella_xx. Him knowing her identity (and age) from the start and getting close to her to write a book about Ali was somehow worse.

Aria says Ezra knew Ali, and Ezra said he met her in college but didn't know her age and Aria accuses him of killing her — Ezra says he never hurt her and that he's writing a true crime book about her, which is why he applied to teach at Rosewood
Freeform

7. Anastasia Steele and Christian Grey from 50 Shades of Grey

Christian holding Ana's face
Chuck Zlotnick/Focus Features / courtesy Everett Collection

"Seriously, they are awful and their relationship is a toxic mess. I didn't make it 100 pages into that book without gagging."

—u/Revolutionary-Yak-47

"And the BDSM community almost as a whole agrees that it’s a horrible horrible representation of BDSM."

—u/hatsnatcher23

Here's Christian being creepy and controlling (outside of sex and before Ana had even signed the contract!!) as usual.

christian says the rules stand and ana asks what happens if she breaks them. he says there'll be consequences
Universal Pictures

8. Pam Anderson and Tommy Lee in Pam & Tommy (yes, I know they're not fictional, but we're talking about the fictionalized portrayal of them in the show)

Pam and Tommy sitting together
Erin Simkin / Hulu / Courtesy Everett Collection

"It’s supposed to be based on reality, but the reality is Tommy Lee went to jail for beating Pam Anderson — WHILE SHE WAS HOLDING THEIR INFANT SON. The show really romanticizes their relationship, and considering how it ended, it’s pretty twisted."

—u/I_Heart_Squids

"I’m starting to see people romanticize Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee while watching Pam & Tommy. This makes me so angry and upset. That marriage did not end well and overall Pamela just deserves better, period."

—u/untitledmanuscript

Pam asks Tommy if he understands what this is doing to her, and he says yeah because he's on the tape too, and she says "not like me you're not" and tommy calls that bullshit
Hulu

9. Bella and Edward in Twilight

Bella and Edward standing together
Summit Entertainment

"It’s not healthy for your boyfriend to break into your house and watch you sleep!"

—u/mother_of_angelpuffs

"I know you have to suspend some reality when reading fiction (depending on the genre) to fully delve into the piece, but a century-old man (internally) being insanely attracted to a teenager is weird. Especially as they’re from such different time periods. Plus he’s an old otherworldly being who is supposedly well traveled, cultured, educated, etc. And on top of that, I’m supposed to believe this old, non-human being is a virgin and super concerned with Bella’s soul going to hell if she has sex before marriage??? It was just too much reality for me to suspend, lol."

—u/Visual_Zucchini8490

edward tells bella he likes watching her sleep because it's fascinating to him
Summit Entertainment

10. Allie and Noah in The Notebook

Allie and Noah kissing in the rain
New Line / courtesy Everett Collection

"She slapped him, he yelled at her, [they] fought all the time [then] kissed and made up...Weird that people thought they had a healthy and beautiful relationship."

—[deleted]

"After she said no the first time, he threatened suicide to get a date out of her...It seems cute when it’s Ryan Gosling being handsome and charming, but picture the kind of guy who would really do something like that… creepy and manipulative."

—u/Snowbank_Lake

Here's Noah threatening suicide to get Allie to go out with him.

Noah threatening to let himself fall and die from the ferris wheel as he forces Allie to say she'll go out with him
New Line Cinema

11. Ross and Rachel on Friends

Ross and Rachel about to kiss
Robert Isenberg / Warner Bros. / Courtesy: Everett Collection

"He was terribly insecure and jealous, while half of the time she barely even seemed to like him, much less love him. She knew he loved her more than she loved him and she took advantage of that fact by treating him like crap much of the time. I didn't see most of those issues back when the show was still on the air, so I used to root for them as a couple. In hindsight though, they were awful together. He was always hopelessly in love with her, but looking back, I don't understand what traits he liked about her other than her physical appearance. I don't know what she saw in him at all, other than the fact that he worshipped her."

–u/Harleye

"It was infuriating to watch them end up together in the end, even though literally none of the reasons why they didn’t work out had changed."

—u/Laleena_

Here's Ross not trusting Rachel and overall being insecure.

Ross says he's tired of having a relationship with Rachel's answering machine and then asks if this is about Mark. Rachel says she can't keep having this fight
NBC

12. Joker and Harley in basically any Batman/DC show or movie

DC Universe / Courtesy Everett Collection

"I love both of them to death, but Jesus Christ is the Joker toxic."

—u/Ironman4234Exe

"So many of my teenage cousins post pictures of them on Facebook talking about 'relationship goals.' Meanwhile I’m like, 'HE THREW HER OUT A SKYSCRAPER WINDOW!'”

—u/Blu-ginger

Here's Joker pushing Harley out a window.

on batman: the animated series, joker pushes harley out the window and tells her not to call him "puddin.'" harley lies injured on the ground saying it's her fault for not getting the joke
Fox Kids

13. Chuck and Blair on Gossip Girl

Chuck and Blair at an auction
Giovanni Rufino / The CW / Courtesy Everett Collection

"I think the appeal of Chuck in a suit and Blair being a b*tch but also quite entertaining appealed on the character levels. Also, the fact that they went through all those trials and tribulations for all the seasons, it sort of felt like, 'Well, they have to end together, right?' Except no, they don't. First episode alone, Chuck tried to sexually assault not one but two girls. He 'sold' Blair to his Uncle Jack. He actively treated her badly, let her and their friends think he was dead so he could shack up in France with some oui oui lady, and was just an all around icky guy. He even assaulted her and punched a window when she tried to break up with him (4x20). I 100% believe the finale was just the writers trying to do some fan service because everyone hated Dair so much (which I very much did not) and make everything seem peachy keen. It was NOT!"

—u/foreveruncleeeaaan

Here's Chuck admitting he manipulated Blair into essentially selling her body to Chuck's uncle.

Blair says she would've done anything if he asked, but Chuck says that wouldn't have worked because Jack would've known they were working together
The CW

14. Cam and Mitch on Modern Family

Cam and Mitch getting married
Peter 'Hopper' Stone / ABC / Courtesy: Everett Collection

"Cam always seemed to be knocking Mitch down pegs, and it was alright to laugh at Mitch, but when Cam got laughed at he got all upset and emotional."

—u/sunnysideupegghead

"Cam was so manipulative…every time when things didn’t go his way he made a big big scene. I felt sorry for Mitchell, because he was his own person as well."

—u/Simonedv

Mitchell says years ago cam invented a breakup that never happened to their friends so he could see how much support he could count on in the event of the real thing - then we see cam crying with friends
ABC

15. Angel and Buffy on Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Angel and Buffy holding each other
20th Century Fox / Courtesy Everett Collection

"Buffy and Spike was really unhealthy, but Buffy and Angel was downright creepy."

—u/Acatinmylap

"Angel would have been to old to be dating a 16-year-old when he was turned. He *had* to have been late twenties early thirties, and I know 'blah Victorian times blah blah socially acceptable then' It was also socially acceptable to dump your poo pot on the street."

—u/MarshmallowFloofs85

Here's Angel seeing Buffy for the first time when she was 15.

Angel watching Buffy through a window when she was 15
The WB

Afterwards, he's teased about how he wants to help her 'cause she's pretty. A 15-year-old!!! 

16. Romeo and Juliet in the various adaptations of Romeo and Juliet

Romeo and Juliet getting married
20th Century Fox Film Corp. All rights reserved.

"People need to stop using Romeo and Juliet as the stereotypical teen romance. He was 17. She was 13. It lasted three days and six people died."

—u/Ravingrook

"People misinterpret it. It's not a love story; it's a tragedy. Now, in our modern vocabulary, a tragedy is a story with a sad ending, but back then, and dating back to ancient Greek theater, a tragedy is a specific story structure. Like how we say mystery, and you automatically know that a crime will be committed by someone, you don't know who, and the story will follow the main character figuring that out, with the audience.

A tragedy back then was a story structure where someone's decision, or series of decisions, leads to the awful ending (Hamlet, Oedipus). Romeo and Juliet isn't a love story, it's a criticism of teenage impulsivity. The whole point is that every decision they made made the situation worse, leading to the climactic double suicide ending."

—u/Beast_of_Bladenboro

Here's Romeo taking poison over Juliet's "death"...then realizing he majorly effed up.

Romeo takes the poison then realizes juliet is alive
20th Century Fox

17. Sam and Freddie on iCarly

Sam and Freddie kissing
Nickelodeon

"Sam only ever loved Freddie because she thought he was cute when he fell off his bike and started screaming in pain and blood was coming out of his ear. They also never stopped fighting even when they were dating. I just think that they made a horrible couple and would have been both better off with someone else."

—u/VisitSecure

"And Sam constantly physically abused Freddie."

—u/Historical-Meal-5525


carly asks sam why she didn't tell her about sam and freddie kissing. freddie walks in and sam says "you spoke of it!" and attacks him
Nickelodeon

18. Beck and Jade on Victorious

Jade and beck sitting next to each other
Nickelodeon

"Beck always treated Jade as if all she [existed to him as] was just someone who was aggressive and someone he liked to make out with. He was totally chill kissing other girls in front of her, going out with other girls even though he had a girlfriend, and when Jade got all upset about it, he just told her that she was 'overreacting' and didn’t even apologize. I get why Jade was always jealous 'cause...Why wouldn’t she be?? Imagine seeing your SO kissing or going out with other people! Wouldn’t you be at least a little upset?"

—u/VisitSecure

Here's them arguing, as they always did.

Beck says he wants a girlfriend who he doesn't get in shouting matches with, and Jade says she'd like a boyfriend girls don't stare at, and Beck says that's not his fault
Nickelodeon

19. And finally, Rory and everyone on Gilmore Girls

Rory in a Year In the Life
Saeed Adyani / Netflix / courtesy Everett Collection

"Literally all of Rory's relationships in Gilmore Girls, I'm pretty sure she cheats on every single one of her relationships and also had an affair with a married guy. They kinda glamorize and glorify cheating in that show and it really turned me off from it."

—u/SameStrawberry0

Here's Rory after sleeping with Dean when he was MARRIED.

Rory and Dean kiss, then later Lorelai reminds her Dean is married and Rory says "he's my dean" and Lorelai says "he's not your dean; he's lindsay's dean"
The WB

And let's not forget the way she treated Paul.

jess and rory ask about each other's dating lives in the gilmore girls revival, and rory writes down "break up with p" on a post-it note
Netflix

What TV, movie, and book couples that people love do you think are toxic or wouldn't last in the real world? Let us know in the comments below!

Submissions have been edited for length/clarity.

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