TV show romance can be hard to pull off, as fans have polarizing opinions about what characters should end up together. However, it's always gratifying when an unexpected romance turns out to be a hit with fans, proving that the characters have a spark. Whether it's an enemies-to-lovers relationship or the two characters seem like polar opposites, the last thing any viewer thinks is that these people would get together and that the romance would be good for them. However, it's often the most unpredictable romance that turns out to be the most effective.

However, in some cases, audiences did see these relationships coming and opposed them from the beginning because they felt the characters didn't fit together. While some TV show couples never should have dated, these couples successfully proved audiences wrong by overcoming their differences and making amends for the ways they hurt each other in the past. In some TV series, romance is a central part of the plot, and the writers can spend time developing the relationship. For others, the romance is secondary and must be slowly built up over time, subtly encouraging the characters to be together.

10 The Tenth Doctor & Rose

Doctor Who (2005–Present)

Before David Tennant became the Doctor, romances on Doctor Who were few and far between and almost never involved the Doctor. However, Tennant's changes to Doctor Who were difficult to ignore from the start. He was a younger, more classically handsome actor, and his chemistry with Billie Piper, who played Rose Tyler, the first companion of the new era, was undeniable. Though Rose had a more familial dynamic with Nine, it didn't take long to see that she felt differently towards this changed version of the Doctor.

Rose and the Doctor's relationship timeline gets a little murky as the seasons progress, as they're seemingly separated forever when Rose travels to a parallel universe. However, the devastation over Rose's exit and the deep love that the characters have for each other allowed Doctor Who to give them a happier ending by the conclusion of Tennant's tenure, even if the real Doctor could never be with Rose forever. Though love stories are still polarizing in Doctor Who, Ten's relationship with Rose transcends this rule.

9 Ariana & Cooper

Landman (2024–Present)

Since Landman premiered on Paramount+, the West Texas-set series has been keeping audiences guessing about who will live and who will end up together. At first, it seemed that Ariana and Cooper, played by Paulina Chavez and Jacob Lofland, were moving too quickly after the blowout accident that caused the deaths of so many characters. Ariana was married to Elvio (Alejandro Akara), one of the characters who died in the accident. Cooper worked with Elvio since he survived and shared her trauma.

However, the pair have been proving that they're aware of the circumstances that brought them together and aren't going to let this cloud their overall judgment. Taking things day by day and recognizing that right now, they're leaning on each other in their grief is a healthy way for their relationship to progress. As long as they remain self-aware and are ready to call it quits if things aren't working out, there's no reason why the couple shouldn't take comfort in each other.

8 Eric & Adam

Sex Education (2019–2023)

There's a good reason why Eric (Ncuti Gatwa) and Adam (Connor Swindells) were such a controversial couple, as Adam began the series repressing his sexuality and bullying Eric for expressing his. This is a familiar trope for LGBTQ+ couples, but it can be harmful, as it feeds into the idea that when someone hurts you, it means they like you. Or that all homophobia is misplaced desire, which isn't true. However, as the seasons progressed, Sex Education worked to combat these issues and directly addressed them.

Adam eventually makes amends and shows full for Eric while delving into the deeper problems that made him express his anger aggressively.

Otis (Asa Butterfield) expresses how concerned he is about Eric's relationship with Adam and pushes Eric to question Adam's intentions and ensure that he's changed. Adam eventually makes amends and shows full for Eric while delving into the deeper problems that made him express his anger aggressively. Though they didn't end up together, their relationship was an important stepping stone for both of them, and they parted ways with kindness and affection.

7 Veronica & Logan

Veronica Mars (2004–2019)

The chemistry between Kristen Bell and Jason Dohring quickly made the love-hate relationship between Veronica and Logan on Veronica Mars one of the best teen romance TV show couples of all time. However, sparks aren't flying in a good way between Logan and Veronica at the start of the series. Following the death of Veronica's best friend and Logan's girlfriend, the pair are at odds, with Logan treating Veronica terribly at school and ostracizing her from her old friends.

Despite the animosity, it's difficult to ignore the tension between the two of them, which finally erupts toward the end of season 1 when they share an unexpected kiss. While things aren't easy for the couple, Logan proves to the audience and Veronica how serious he is about her, showing a tender side that makes him a boyfriend worth rooting for. Though their happily ever after isn't what viewers might have wanted, there's no question that they were made for each other.

6 Bonnie & Enzo

The Vampire Diaries (2009–2017)

Bonnie (Kat Graham) is a character in The Vampire Diaries who deserves a lot better throughout the series, especially when it comes to love. Time and again, Bonnie saves the day and has to sacrifice everything to do so, rarely getting more than a brief thank you from the people she saves. When Enzo (Michael Malarkey) enters the picture, he's not Bonnie's typical love interest, as she doesn't trust vampires, and they grudgingly work together despite their initial dislike.

Since Bonnie is doomed to always get her happiness ripped away, their relationship is tragically cut short.

However, they slowly develop a mutual respect and iration that eventually blossoms into love, opening them both up to the possibility of a happy ending. Of course, since Bonnie is doomed to always get her happiness ripped away, their relationship is tragically cut short. Despite this, their relationship was a bright spot in the later seasons of The Vampire Diaries and was a pleasant surprise, considering how much they both have struggled in the past.

5 Dan & Blair

Gossip Girl (2007–2012)

As one of the most controversial TV show couples of all time, Dan (Penn Badgley) and Blair (Leighton Meester) were never a favorite endgame couple. However, despite their rocky start, Dan and Blair earned respect from fans who came to recognize that this opposites-attract couple had more in common than meets the eye. After despising each other for years in high school, Blair and Dan found themselves on a more level playing field in adulthood, with Dan appearing during some of Blair's darkest moments to her.

With similar tastes in classic books and movies and a shared intellectualism, Dan brought out the best in Blair, and Blair pushed Dan to be ambitious and want more for himself. Though it was clear that the pair didn't have the fireworks they did with others, there was a comfort and companionship between them that most viewers would never have seen if their relationship hadn't developed. While it seemed like a random relationship at first, it justified itself well and became a sweet part of the show.

4 Sawyer & Juliet

Lost (2004–2010)

There were many overlapping love triangles in Lost, and while it seemed that the Kate-Sawyer-Jack dynamic would be the most significant of the series, this changed when Juliet (Elizabeth Mitchell) entered the picture. Sawyer (Josh Holloway) is a troubled and violent con man, something he had in common with Kate (Evangeline Lilly), while Jack (Matthew Fox) and Juliet are both doctors and level-headed leaders. However, of all the mixing and matching within these relationships, Sawyer and Juliet turned out to be the best.

When Juliet and Sawyer are sent back in time, they form a bond based on trust and love, a first for both of them.

When Juliet and Sawyer are sent back in time, they form a bond based on trust and love, a first for both of them. While Lost had built up the chemistry between Sawyer and Kate for most of the show, Sawyer and Juliet's relationship was less tumultuous and had a stronger foundation. While the many time jumps and external circumstances made it hard for them to be together, Sawyer and the audience forgave Juliet for helping the Others and recognized how perfect they were together.

3 Peggy & Stan

Mad Men (2007–2015)

It wasn't just fans who were unsure of the budding relationship between Stan (Jay R. Ferguson) and Peggy (Elisabeth Olsen). Though Ferguson had been hinting at the possibility of them getting together since he was cast in Mad Men, Matthew Weiner, the show's creator, was firmly against the characters ever being together (via Vanity Fair). However, by the series finale, it was clear that the pair deserved to express their feelings for each other, with Stan itting that he loves Peggy in a deeply romantic scene.

When Stan first ed Mad Men, he was a combative and sexist coworker that Peggy had to work around rather than work with. However, as he grew to respect Peggy and evolved as a person, the show allowed Stan to demonstrate a different side of himself that would be worthy of Peggy. Though their relationship is a true slow-burn, by the time they make their love confession, it is clear that this is the right decision for both of them.

2 Mickey & Ian

Shameless (2011–2021)

Few characters on Shameless come as far as Ian (Cameron Monaghan) and Mickey (Noel Fisher), two angry and struggling young men who fall in love and make their relationship work. Their first interactions are violent and intense, as Mickey is the terrifying older brother of Ian's friend Mandy (Emma Greenwell). This makes it all the more shocking when Mickey kisses Ian, and it's made clear that he's been keeping his sexuality a secret.

At first, Mickey pushes Ian away, but eventually, Ian struggles to be the kind of man that Mickey can rely on.

For a long time, it was hard to root for Ian and Mickey, as they don't treat each other well, and they bear the brunt of the other's struggles and lows. At first, Mickey pushes Ian away, but eventually, Ian struggles to be the kind of man that Mickey can rely on. However, they can't stop coming back to each other and their relationship, proving to themselves and the audience that it isn't just physical chemistry but a deep emotional connection that sustains their romance.

1 Colin & Penelope

Bridgerton (2020–Present)

Penelope (Nicola Coughlan) and Colin (Luke Newton) have had the most build-up of any couple in Bridgerton. After three seasons of Pen pining after Colin and him treating her as a friend at best and as an emotional crutch at worst, Bridgerton had its work cut out for itself to convince audiences that Colin deserved her love. Though Pen was keeping a few secrets of her own, this didn't change the fact that Colin had been rebuffing her for years, and this had made both Pen and viewers sick and tired of waiting for him to wake up.

However, Bridgerton season 3 successfully changed people's opinions of Colin as he stepped up and changed, becoming a man worthy of Penelope. He realized that not only was he in love with her, but she was also her own person and a successful writer that he ired. Throughout the season, their romance had to weather some serious challenges, but it made their love even stronger and gave Colin the chance to become a better partner.