10 Worst End-Game Couples In Sitcom History

Very few things can divide a fandom as severely as an end-game romance, as many sitcoms have painfully discovered. Whether it’s a mockumentary workplace sitcom, an underrated hangout comedy, or a family-focused affair, the genre is notorious for being hit-or-miss with its romances. Without question, it’s a high-risk, high-reward gamble, as the best sitcom couples elevate their series and can lure in prospective viewers specifically with their relationship (à la Brooklyn Nine-Nine‘s Jake and Amy, New Girl‘s Nick and Jess, and The Office‘s Jim and Pam).

Nevertheless, crafting love stories for long-running television shows is a dangerous game. For multi-season titles, main characters have the freedom to date numerous love interests and test their long-term compatibility, but the harsh reality is that every protagonist can only have one happy ever-after. Picking a character’s end-game is a truly make-or-break decision, however. In fact, otherwise perfect sitcoms can stumble at the final hurdle by making the “wrong” couple end-game and, as a result, jeopardize their legacy at large. Yet, what exactly constitutes a failed pairing varies with any given title.

Jackie & Fez

That ’70s Show (1998–2006)

Given that most sitcoms spotlight an ensemble, there often comes a time when a pair of vastly different characters are inevitably coupled up simply because they’re both members of the main cast. Within That ’70s Show, the dating within the friend group trope is on full display, especially when it comes to Jackie (Mila Kunis). Throughout the eight-season comedy, Jackie dates three out of the four main male cast members, eventually ending up with Fez (Wilmer Valderrama) in the show’s disappointing final installment.

Jackie and Fez never made sense as a romantic couple, especially considering their history within the show itself. For years, Fez had an unrequited crush on Jackie that, even to the viewer, felt unattainable. When Jackie miraculously decided to reciprocate his feelings, it felt closer to a dream sequence than the climactic payoff of a series-long slow-burn. Their relationship was immediately written out in the short-lived sequel That ’90s Show, but fans of the original loathe to rewatch the final season and see Fez and Jackie’s random romantic subplot.

Ryan & Kelly

The Office (2005–2013)

The Office is lauded as one of the best American sitcoms of all time, but even the genre-defining mockumentary dropped the ball with one end-game romance. B. J. Novak and Mindy Kaling were both integral to the show’s success, as the duo were both writers, directors, executive producers, and scene-stealing actors who portrayed Ryan and Kelly, respectively. After a short flirtation, the two characters dove headfirst into a chaotic on-again-off-again relationship, characterized by mutual toxicity and extremely unhealthy attachment styles.

The iconic series went out of its way to show how awful Ryan and Kelly were for one another, allowing respites in the form of alternative partners who brought out the best in them only for the two to reconnect like magnets stuck together. For a split second, it seemed as though Kelly would run off with a true Prince Charming, but The Office gave in to the temptation to make its most toxic pairing an end-game couple. Of course, most viewers love to hate their wild relationship, but there’s no denying they lived unhappily ever-after.

Carrie & Mr. Big

Sex and the City (1998–2004)

When Sex and the City aired its first episode in 1998, it was abundantly clear that Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker) and John James “Mr. Big” Preston (Chris Noth) were destined for one another. What started as an awkward meet-cute, however, quickly devolved into a disastrous situationship— and, later, multiple bouts of infidelity. From the start. Mr. Big was Carrie’s white whale, an elusive target she obsessed over catching. Once they officially got together, though, it was obvious the real Mr. Big didn’t live up to the version in Carrie’s head.

For all of Sex and the City‘s flaws, the series was commendable in its commitment to exploring the complexities of womanhood, be it in a breakdown over a stolen baby name or the frustration of watching a close friend lose herself in the fruitless pursuit of love. To that end, Carrie and Big’s atypical courtship is irrefutably realistic, but them allegedly falling in love and getting married was far from what either of them deserved.

JD & Elliot

Scrubs (2001–2010)

From the tension of enemies-to-lovers storylines to the allure of opposites-attract dynamics, there are plenty of ways to make compelling romances between characters who feel like they shouldn’t be together. Ironically, Scrubs feels like the exact inverse: J.D. (Zach Braff) and Elliot (Sarah Chalke) were almost immediately set-up as a will-they-won’t-they, but every passing episode made their relationship less and less appealing.

The pair aren’t even a couple for the vast majority of the original series, which made their sudden pivot to an ostensibly happy and healthy couple in season 8 all the more mind-boggling. Frankly, J.D. and Elliot never seemed believable as romantic partners, and them ending up married with children felt like a desperate plea for closure rather than a fitting progression of their relationship. Thankfully, the Scrubs reboot has already retconned their marriage, but there’s always time for the sitcom to pull another unnecessarily romantic bait-and-switch.

Haley & Dylan

Modern Family (2009–2020)

There are countless couples introduced at the beginning of a show whose devotion never wavers, and the viewer can rely on them as a narrative anchor. In stark contrast, the romance between Haley (Sarah Hyland) and Dylan (Reid Ewing) in Modern Family was the most tumultuous subplot in the series. In the TV show’s incredible pilot episode, Dylan is introduced as Haley’s boyfriend, but their relationship doesn’t even survive the first season without a dramatic breakup.

Over the course of the mockumentary’s 11 seasons, Haley experiences her fair share of romance, most memorably entering a fan-favorite relationship with Andy (Adam DeVine) later in the series. Despite Haley herself admitting Andy was her true first love, it’s a sentiment the show seemingly forgets by the end, as she instead marries and has twins with Dylan. Some will argue the characters were meant to be because they shared the same shortcomings, but whereas Andy brought out the best in Haley, her end-game status with Dylan felt like an override of her character’s nuanced development.

Fred & Ethel

I Love Lucy (1951–1957)

I Love Lucy may be one of the most influential classic sitcoms ever made, but one of its main couples falls apart under scrutiny. The marriage between the eponymous Lucy (Lucille Ball) and Ricky (Desi Arnaz) was far from perfect in its own right, but they were bona fide lovebirds compared to Fred (William Frawley) and Ethel (Vivian Vance).

Granted, I Love Lucy is a snapshot of life and love in the 1950s, but you don’t need to project modern sensibilities onto the show to notice that Fred and Ethel had a strained relationship at best. Like many couples before and after them, their bickering is played for laughs, but the dysfunction in Fred and Ethel’s marriage often reads as full-blown animosity. Viewers can suspend their disbelief, but it’s hard to believe the two were ever genuinely in love.

April & Andy

Parks and Recreation (2009–2015)

Parks and Recreation may be the best sitcom of the 2010s, but the relationship between April (Aubrey Plaza) and Andy (Chris Pratt) has always been a point of contention. Although plenty of Parks and Recreation fans love them, it’s hard to ignore how inherently problematic their dynamic is. There may be tons of quotable moments between them, and the grumpy/sunshine juxtaposition is a classic trope, but no viral meme makes up for their odd age gap.​​​​​​​

When viewers first meet the ensemble cast, April is a 19-year-old intern while Andy is an unemployed 28-year-old— meaning April is recently 21 and Andy is 29 when they first get together. That Andy’s maturity level is closer to a college student than a man in his 30s doesn’t make it any less uncomfortable to watch. Furthermore, for the brunt of the series thereafter, the two enable each other’s worst traits, and it’s impossible to overlook how April got married to someone nearly a decade older than her as she was just entering adulthood.

Leonard & Penny

The Big Bang Theory (2007–2019)

Love it or hate it, The Big Bang Theory was inescapable during the height of its popularity. Yet, one of the biggest factors that made the sitcom such an instant hit became a double-edged sword: Penny (Kaley Cuoco). Originally, the show’s comedy stemmed from the contrast between the central gaggle of nerds and their conventionally attractive neighbor, but that kind of clash is always the foundation for an opposites-attract romance.

To this day, fans of The Big Bang Theory debate whether the bond between Penny and Sheldon (Jim Parsons) should have been romantic, but the aspiring actress ending up with Leonard (Johnny Galecki) came out of left field for many. Aside from the constant squabbles and incompatible values, Leonard and Penny merely weren’t convincing as a stable, loving couple.

Ted & Robin

How I Met Your Mother (2005–2014)

Image via MovieStillsDB.com

Sadly, many promising series fail to stick the landing, but How I Met Your Mother had a particularly hard-to-watch series finale. For nearly a decade, the audience kept up with Ted Mosby (Josh Radnor) as he recounted tales from his youth, presumably leading up to the titular moment when he met the mother of his two children. Along the way, the protagonist had multiple flings, including a will-they-won’t-they subplot with one of his closest friends, Robin (Cobie Smulders).

Towards the end of the series, it felt as though viewers had finally made it to the other side of Ted and Robin’s doomed flirting, considering the latter married Barney (Neil Patrick Harris) and the former had finally met his future wife. Unfortunately, the final episode of the series sweeps the eponymous character under the rug completely, and the Ted/Robin romance is resurrected one last time— to the lasting dismay of millions.

Ross & Rachel

Friends (1994–2004)

Considering it is undoubtedly one of the most ubiquitous sitcoms of all time, it’s no surprise that there were many promising relationships in Friends. The six-character ensemble took turns dating both strangers and each other, though its most infamous couple is also its most controversial. From the very first episode, it’s clear that Ross (David Schwimmer) and Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) are literally written for each other, but their relationship soon goes from a sweet inevitability to a bad omen that instills dread in every viewer.

Had Ross and Rachel not broken up so early (or so frequently), them winding up together in the finale may have still felt like a happy ending. Following 10 whole seasons of miscommunication, incompatibility, and enough heartbreak to spare, however, both characters deserved to walk away. While there are surely some who consider Ross and Rachel to be the pinnacle of romance, there is no end-game sitcom couple quite as exasperating— and it’s unlikely a new pair will steal the crown anytime soon.

Release Date

1994 – 2004

Showrunner

Marta Kauffman

Directors

Kevin S. Bright, Gary Halvorson, Michael Lembeck, James Burrows, Gail Mancuso, Peter Bonerz, David Schwimmer, Robby Benson, Shelley Jensen, Terry Hughes, Dana De Vally Piazza, Alan Myerson, Pamela Fryman, Steve Zuckerman, Thomas Schlamme, Roger Christiansen, Sheldon Epps, Arlene Sanford, David Steinberg, Joe Regalbuto, Mary Kay Place, Paul Lazarus, Sam Simon, Todd Holland

Writers

Jeff Astrof, Mike Sikowitz, Brian Boyle, Patty Lin, Bill Lawrence, R. Lee Fleming Jr.