19 Short-Lived Teen Drama Couples That Were Way Better Than The Main Ones

    Emily and Maya > Emily and anyone else on Pretty Little Liars.

    by
    Kelly Martinez
    by Kelly Martinez

    BuzzFeed Staff

    ,
    Hannah Marder
    by Hannah Marder

    BuzzFeed Staff

    Sometimes the ~main~ pairing of a TV show is truly *chef's kiss.*

    Logan and Veronica from "Veronica Mars"
    UPN

    But there are other times when a short-lived relationship is just as good as the character's "main" pairing. In fact, sometimes the minor pairing is actually way better than the endgame ship.

    The CW

    Teen dramas are no exception to this! Here are 19 short-lived teen drama couples that, in our humble opinion, actually outsold the main relationships:

    🚨 Spoilers ahead!! 🚨

    1. First, Emily and Maya on Pretty Little Liars:

    Maya and Emily in the photo booth together
    Freeform

    Maya was so much better for Emily than either Paige or Alison, and I'm still really upset that the writers killed her off. They made each other really happy and were so genuine and healthy together. Their relationship deserved a fair shot.

    2. Klaus and Caroline on The Vampire Diaries:

    The CW

    Klaus and Caroline were 100,000 times better than Tyler and Caroline. They had way more chemistry, plus Klaus was able to put aside his feud with Tyler in the end for Caroline, while Tyler was not.

    3. Clarke and Lexa on The 100:

    Cate Cameron/The CW / courtesy Everett Collection

    Clarke and Lexa had such a strong bond and we feel like they both challenged and pushed each other in the best way. I know a lot of people shipped Clarke with Bellamy, but we never felt the ~spark~ between them.

    4. Jeremy and Anna on The Vampire Diaries:

    The CW

    Are we the only ones who didn't like Bonnie and Jeremy? Partially because Bonnie deserved better, partially because they just had a huge difference in maturity. Anna and Jeremy were a better match, and it was clear they had a stronger bond — as evidenced by Jeremy cheating on Bonnie with ghost Anna.

    5. Silver and Dixon on 90210:

    Michael Desmond / The CW / Courtesy: Everett Collection

    Silver and Dixon weren't perfect, but they were so adorable in early seasons and truly cared for each other. Silver and Navid's relationship was just awful to watch, and none of Dixon's other relationships were that great either.

    6. Aria and Jake on Pretty Little Liars:

    Freeform

    Aria and Ezra was a trash pairing, so literally anyone else with Aria was better. But Jake was our fave of her boyfriends. He was cute, sweet, AND was teaching her how to defend herself! Helping your girlfriend be her badass, empowered self?? We love to see it!

    7. Adrianna and Gia on 90210:

    Ade kissing Gia
    The CW

    Ade and Navid were really cute at first, but their relationship became so toxic and messed up later. Adrianna and Gia were so good together, and we loved that Ade was exploring what made her happy — we feel like they made each other better. Having Gia randomly cheat on her just felt like a weak excuse to cut their storyline short.

    8. Hannah and Zach on 13 Reasons Why:

    Hannah and Zach sitting on Hannah's bed
    Netflix

    We know Zach hurt Hannah, but we still think they made more sense together than Clay and Hannah. Zach and Hannah just had what felt like a much more equal, reciprocated relationship, and we wish it had lasted.

    9. Carl and Emma on Glee:

    Fox

    Will Shuester was basically the worst, and Emma deserved better. But also, Emma was so happy with Carl! He really helped her manage her OCD while still being understanding and respectful, and the fact that Will was mad at this just showed how wrong for her he was. We know they broke up since they didn't consummate their marriage (??), but that felt like a lame excuse to get rid of Carl.

    10. Allison and Isaac on Teen Wolf:

    MTV

    Okay, look — I LOVE Scallison. They were each other's first loves and so pure. But the chemistry Allison and Isaac had was UNPARALLELED!! I was so excited by this new pairing, and I felt like it better matched the new Allison, who was exploring her changing identity and really coming into her own.

    11. Holly J. and Sav on Degrassi: The Next Generation:

    Holly J kisses Sav on the cheek
    TeenNick

    Holly J. and Declan may have started off interesting, but we've never quite been able to look at Declan the same way after what happened when he came back. Sav was genuinely good for Holly J. and vice versa, and it actually felt like one of the most natural, realistic pairings on the show. We don't think they were necessarily endgame material, but they were great while they lasted.

    12. Archie and Josie on Riverdale:

    The CW

    We were surprised by how much we LOVED Archie and Josie together. Josie was so good for Archie and they had such a great connection — I think it was arguably Archie's best relationship so far. We know Josie was leaving the show for Katy Keene, but we still hated that their relationship got tossed aside for Archie and Veronica, who are just tiring to watch at this point.

    13. Veronica and Reggie on Riverdale:

    The CW

    Just like Archie with Josie, Veronica is a much more interesting character when she's not with Archie. We know Veronica and Reggie were sort of written as a rebound, but they had much more chemistry than Varchie and we really bought that they cared about each other. We were so bummed that their relationship was cut so short.

    14. Miles and Lola on Degrassi: Next Class:

    Miles and Lola reach out towards each other in the play
    Netflix

    Oh god, we could go on and on forever about why these two deserved so much better. Despite the circumstances, Miles and Lola were such an unexpectedly great pairing and it was refreshing to see Miles with someone who actually accepted him. They had more chemistry in a handful of episodes than Triles did in six seasons, and we also never felt the same level of connection in any of Lola's other relationships. They genuinely loved, supported, and understood each other. We like to think they found their way back to each other eventually.

    15. Esme and Frankie on Degrassi: Next Class:

    Esme kisses Frankie's cheek and they pose for a selfie
    Netflix

    It's debatable if these two are really considered canon or not, but we're counting it! Frankie and Esme had way more chemistry with each other than either of them did with any of their boyfriends, and their potential definitely should have been explored more. Frankie genuinely cared about Esme's mental health, and Frankie brought out a softer side in Esme.

    16. Jake and Peyton on One Tree Hill:

    The WB

    Part of the reason we never got on board with Lucas and Peyton was because we always secretly hoped Peyton would end up with Jake. Their connection seemed much healthier and more genuine than Lucas and Peyton's ever did. Jake was such a good guy and made Peyton so happy — they deserved to be a family with Jenny.

    17. Samuel and Carla on Elite:

    Netflix

    Honestly, we were shocked by how much we loved these two together. They may not have initially gotten together for the right reasons, but holy moly, their chemistry was OFF THE CHARTS. They were each other's best match and made each other better people. We were so bummed that the show basically ignored their relationship in Season 3.

    18. Nate and Serena on Gossip Girl:

    The CW

    Nate was so, so good for Serena, and we'll never understand why she ended up with Dan instead of him. Nate and Serena's relationship had been building up since the pilot and it was so satisfying when they finally got together. The show broke them up way too quickly — they deserved more of a chance.

    19. And finally, Lane and Dave on Gilmore Girls:

    The WB

    We know Adam Brody was leaving for The O.C., but we're still bitter about Lane and Dave. Their relationship made way more sense than Lane and Zack. We loved how Dave understood Lane's family situation and was willing to work for Mrs. Kim's approval. They were so sweet together and deserved so much better.