25 TV Show Love Triangles That Had Fans Totally Divided
Elena, Stefan, and Damon in The Vampire Diaries
Two vampire brothers, one human girl and a love story that lasted lifetimes. Stefan was safety; Damon was temptation. Elena’s choice said everything about who she wanted to be. When the dust settled, she chose Damon, the danger she couldn’t resist.
Ted, Barney, and Robin, How I Met Your Mother
This love triangle defined an entire sitcom era. Ted fell first, Barney fell harder, and Robin tried to balance love with ambition. Over the years, they danced around each other through heartbreak, weddings, and legendary moments. In the end, Robin married Barney, divorced him, and years later found her way back to Ted, the man who never stopped waiting.
Sookie, Bill, and Eric in True Blood
Sookie Stackhouse’s world was filled with danger, desire, and more blood than love. Bill saved her life, Eric tested her fire, and both left her reeling. Their chemistry was intoxicating, until reality sank its fangs in. In the end, Sookie shocked everyone by choosing neither vampire, finding peace in a quiet, human love.
Serena, Dan, and Nate in Gossip Girl
On the Upper East Side, love was never just love, it was strategy. Nate adored Serena’s glamour, while Dan loved the idea of saving her from it. After scandals, betrayals, and that jaw-dropping reveal, Serena’s love life came full circle. In the end, she married Dan, the outsider who turned out to be Gossip Girl all along.
Rory, Dean, and Jess in Gilmore Girls
Rory’s coming-of-age story was written in heartbreak. Dean was her first love, Jess her chaos, Logan her test. But between books and bad timing, she learned who she was through them all. In the revival, Rory ended up single, still figuring it out, just like Stars Hollow itself.
Rachel, Finn, and Quinn in Glee
It was cheerleader versus choir star and poor Finn caught in the middle. Between teenage dreams and power ballads, their triangle was pure high-school melodrama. In the end, Rachel moved on to Broadway, Finn passed away, and Quinn found her own path, each closing their chapter apart.
Olivia, Jake, and Fitz in Scandal
Power, passion, and politics, Olivia Pope lived between two storms. Fitz gave her fantasy; Jake offered freedom. Each man reflected a different version of the woman she could be. When it was all over, Olivia chose herself, walking away from both men to reclaim her life.
Ola, Maeve, and Otis in Sex Education
Otis’ clinic helped everyone but himself. Maeve was his match; sharp, confident, impossible to read. Then came Ola, kind and grounded, making Otis question everything. But love, like adolescence, was messy. In the end, Otis and Maeve reunited, proving that timing really is everything.
Nate, Maddie, and Cassie in Euphoria
Toxic doesn’t even begin to cover it. Nate and Maddie’s relationship was chaos until Cassie, Maddie’s best friend got caught in the crossfire. Obsession, guilt, and teenage drama burned through every scene. By the end, Nate lost them both, an ideal punishment for a boy who only knew control, not love.
Nancy, Steve, and Jonathan in Stranger Things
Nancy’s heart was torn between the reformed bad boy and the quiet misfit. Steve started as the cocky jock, Jonathan the brooding soul and Nancy was the girl who grew up too fast in Hawkins. By Season 4, Nancy was still with Jonathan, but the sparks with Steve suggested her story was far from over.
Mark, Helly, and Gemma in Severance
Few love stories are as twisted as this one. Mark’s mind was split, one half mourning his dead wife Gemma, the other falling for his coworker Helly. The cruel irony? They existed in two different worlds of his own making. In the end, his love remained divided, one heart, two impossible lives.
Lucas, Peyton, and Brooke in One Tree Hill (Image: The WB)
A high school classic that broke friendships and hearts alike. Lucas loved Brooke’s light but couldn’t shake his connection to Peyton’s darkness. The fallout was brutal and unforgettable. By the end, Lucas and Peyton found their forever, naming their daughter after Brooke in a bittersweet tribute.
Lorelai, Christopher, and Luke in Gilmore Girls
Two men, two eras of her life. Christopher was history, Luke was home. Lorelai spent years torn between the comfort of the past and the security of the present. By the end, she chose Luke, the steady love she’d been walking toward all along.
Kate, Jack, and Sawyer in Lost
Even on a mysterious island, hearts got tangled. Jack was duty; Sawyer was danger. Kate’s story was about survival but also about learning what she truly wanted. By the end, she said goodbye to Sawyer and returned to the real world with Jack’s memory etched in her heart.
Joey, Pacey, and Dawson in Dawson’s Creek
Friendship, loyalty, and forbidden love, this triangle had it all. Joey and Dawson were childhood dreams, but Pacey made her feel alive. When the finale rolled in, Joey chose Pacey and the fans cheered for the underdog who finally got the girl.
Joey Rachel and Ross in Friends
The triangle that divided a generation of sitcom fans. Ross and Rachel were the “we were on a break” couple, but Joey’s late confession complicated everything. It was sweet, messy, and oh-so-human. In the end, Rachel chose Ross, finally getting off the plane and giving fans their happy ending.
Jane, Michael, and Rafael in Jane the Virgin
No show juggled chaos and heart like Jane the Virgin. Michael was her safe haven, Rafael her surprise destiny. Death, memory loss, and miracles, they survived it all. In the end, Jane married Rafael, her story’s true happy ending.
Jaime, Cersei, and Brienne in Game of Thrones
The Lannister twins’ twisted love changed kingdoms. Cersei was Jaime’s obsession; Brienne, his redemption. Torn between shame and salvation, Jaime made his choice in flames. In the end, he died beside Cersei, proving that old loves die the hardest.
Jackie, Kelso, and Hyde in That ’70s Show
Jackie started shallow and spoiled but grew with every heartbreak. Kelso was chaos; Hyde was calm rebellion. Their dynamic brought humour and heart in equal measure. By the end, Jackie married Kelso, circling back to her first love with newfound maturity.
Felicity, Noel, and Ben in Felicity
College was complicated enough without two perfect guys. Noel was the dependable dream, Ben the reckless one she couldn’t quit. Their love triangle was slow, painful, and oh so real. When graduation came, Felicity chose Ben, following her heart, not her head.
Diana, Charles, and Camilla in The Crown
This wasn’t fiction, it was history retold. Charles’ heart always belonged to Camilla, even as he married Diana for duty. Their tragedy played out with grace and pain across decades. In real life and on screen, Charles ultimately married Camilla, the love that never faded.
Carrie, Aidan, and Mr. Big in Sex and the City
Carrie’s love life was the definition of complicated. Aidan was everything she said she wanted; Big was everything she couldn’t quit. Through heartbreak and growth, her story became iconic. In the end, she married Mr. Big, the man who broke her heart, then finally got it right.
Britta, Annie, and Jeff in Community
College chaos turned emotional mess. Jeff’s flirtations with Britta and Annie gave fans both laughs and frustration as he ping-ponged between the two without ever truly choosing. By the finale, Annie left for D.C., and Jeff stayed behind, alone but finally honest about what he wanted.
Belly, Conrad, and Jeremiah in The Summer I Turned Pretty
Two brothers, one summer girl, and endless heartbreak. Conrad was the quiet storm; Jeremiah, the sunshine. Belly’s heart swung like the tide between them, each season pulling her in a different direction. In the finale, she chose Conrad, the boy she’d loved since forever.
Archie, Betty, and Veronica in Riverdale
The comic book classic turned chaos on TV. Archie’s heart swung between Betty’s warmth and Veronica’s edge, the girl next door and the girl from New York. Between musical numbers and murder mysteries, no pairing ever stayed simple. By the finale, they stopped choosing altogether, ending in a shared, open relationship that fit Riverdale’s wild energy.
