At the heart (pardon the pun) of almost every beloved TV series we’ve watched is a great romance.
Lust, love and subsequent heartbreaks of our favourite characters can be the hooks that rope us in and get us completely submerged in a series.
There have been some epic love stories in TV history, but there have also been some tragic heartaches; the kind of gut-wrenching breakups that leave us sobbing over tubs of ice-cream, swearing off love in solidarity of our favourite character.
We’re rounding up the TV character break ups that had us questioning the existence of love all together.
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Neighbours
Toadie & Dee – Neighbours
Technically this isn’t a break up, we know, but Toadie losing the love of his life, Dee, just moments after saying ‘I do’ will go down in Aussie TV history as one of the most dramatic storylines of all time.
We’re actually convinced Toadie is simultaneously the luckiest and unluckiest-in-love TV character of all time, and you can read why, here.
Offspring
Billie and Mick – Offspring
Their relationship was dysfunctional and far from a fairytale but somehow that made Billie and Mick perfect together.
After a lot of on and off, Billie flew overseas to see if she can salvage her marriage.
She returned to tell the Proudman family that despite their best efforts, they couldn’t make it work and Billie and Mick are officially over. Cue the sound of our hearts shattering.
Buffy
Angel and Buffy – Buffy The Vampire Slayer
Look, we’ll be honest here, we’re team Spike all the way.
Buffy and Angel, a vampire and vampire slayer, were never going to work out.
The star crossed lovers trope is, however, what made their romance such good TV and, in turn, such a devastating split.
Having to sacrifice your first true love is the kind of pain that stays with viewers, forever.
HIMYM
Marshall and Lily – How I Met Your Mother
Lily and Marshall didn’t know what it was to be apart, which admittedly isn’t a healthy relationship IRL, but in TV land it makes for icon-status.
Marsh-mellow and Lily-pad are the kind of couple we all aspire to be, albeit slightly less “blob” like; perfectly in-tune, frank and open and still hanging out with their friends despite being coupled up.
As many couples who fall in love young do, Lily began to doubt whether she’d lived her life to the fullest having been tied down by monogamy, and ran off to San Francisco to pursue her dream.
Luckily for fans, the couple realized that antiquated idea that you can’t be free and live your best life while in a couple, was just that; outdated and false.
Friends
Ross and Rachel – Friends
It only took a season and a half for Ross (David Schwimmer) and Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) to get together, but like most couples, they faced some challenges in their relationship.
As we watched the couple struggle through their first serious breakup and the infamous “we were on a break” debate, our hearts ached for them, both clearly in pain.
They were destined for one another however, when Rachel burst through Ross’ door in the series finale and muttered those iconic words “I got off the plane”, we had chills that lasted for days.
Gilmore Girls
Jess & Rory – Gilmore Girls
Jess was the ultimate secretly-sensitive-bad-boy-crush. Sadly he and Rory went the way many teenage crushes do; they outgrew one another.
We’ll always be crushing on and crushed by Jess’ split with the youngest Gilmore girl.
HAA
Indi and Romeo – Home And Away
Indi and Romeo could give Friends’ Ross and Rachel a run for their money when it comes to on-again-off-again romances.
The Summer Bay couple were married twice and broke up three times!
They eventually worked things out, but then Romeo was diagnosed with melanoma.
Instead of telling Indi, he leaves her in the middle of the night. Months later it was revealed that he passed away. Sob!
Packed to the rafters
Jake and Rachel – Packed To The Rafters
We were teased with one final glimmer of hope that Rachel may change her mind about moving to New York and choose to stay with Jake instead.
Sadly their last moment of passion after Rachel’s farewell dinner was a final goodbye rather than a change of heart.
