21 Noncouples Who Carried TV Shows On Their Backs With Their Chemistry
We recently asked the BuzzFeed Community to tell us which TV characters never dated but still had incredible chemistry. Here are some of the acting duos whose chemistry carried the shows, according to fans:
Warning: Spoilers ahead!!!
1.Joseph Morgan and Candice King as Klaus and Caroline on The Vampire Diaries.
"When he told her, '[Tyler] is your first love, I intend to be your last'...oh, I wish that happened!"
2.Melissa Benoist and Katie McGrath as Kara and Lena on Supergirl.
“The go-to answer for me here is Kara and Lena from Supergirl. Melissa Benoist and Katie McGrath had so much chemistry on this show, and it was honestly a wasted opportunity not putting the two characters together romantically. I adored their friendship, but there was so much romantic subtext. The show constantly put Lena and Kara in scenarios that mimicked Clark/Superman and Lois, so it was right there all along.”
3.Danielle Rose Russell and Kaylee Bryant as Hope and Josie on Legacies.
"It's Hosie all the way. They are written as literal soulmates. Danielle and Kaylee not only have unmatched chemistry, but they were also the ones who originally pushed for the pairing. They were literally the most integral relationship to the plot, and the fact that we are probably never going to see them as a couple now is an utter travesty."
4.Gabrielle Carteris and Jason Priestley as Andrea and Brandon on Beverly Hills, 90210.
"They 100% deserved a real chance. They had so much chemistry and so much buildup, just for it to be dropped."
5.Danny Pudi and Donald Glover as Abed and Troy on Community.
"Unquestionably one of the best TV duos ever. Highlights include their rapping, hosting the Troy and Abed in the Morning show, fighting zombies in the library, and doing a Freaky Friday switch with each other. I love them; they are absolutely delightful together."
6.Bethany Joy Lenz and Chad Michael Murray as Haley and Lucas on One Tree Hill.
"There were so many hints about their relationship. When Lucas wrote The Comet, my partner didn’t even realize it was referring to Peyton’s car and immediately thought, Haley's Comet."
7.Christina Hendricks and Manny Montana as Beth and Rio on Good Girls.
"Their chemistry was off the charts, and they had this tension you could cut with a knife, especially in the 20-questions scene. How they had THAT much chemistry for being mostly enemies is crazy."
8.Misha Collins and Jensen Ackles as Castiel and Dean on Supernatural.
"They had chemistry so legendary, it leaped off the screen. It spawned a decadelong fandom obsession, countless Tumblr blogs, and more than 100,000 fanfics! We were robbed."
9.Bob Morley and Eliza Taylor as Bellamy and Clarke on The 100.
"Their relationship literally carried the show, and the fact that they never actually got together is a crime. The chemistry was so insane that the actors married each other!"
10.Gemma Whelan and Emilia Clarke as Yara and Daenerys on Game of Thrones.
"It was only a couple of scenes, but my goodness…"
11.Rachel Brosnahan and Luke Kirbvy as Midge and Lenny on The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.
"As a Ben-and-Midge stan, I hate to admit it, but they had something so incredibly special. When they finally went out for drinks and dancing, I was holding my breath the entire time. Somehow, them not doing anything further made it even more intense."
12.Alexis Bledel and Liza Weil as Rory and Paris on Gilmore Girls.
"Academic rivals to lovers? Check. Friends/roommates to lovers? Check. Great onscreen chemistry? Check. Meaningful queer representation on the show? Check!"
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13.Chad Michael Murray and Alexis Bledel as Tristan and Rory on Gilmore Girls.
"They had great chemistry and would have made the perfect enemies-to-lovers ship, but Chad Michael Murray left the show before anything could happen."
14.Justin Chambers and Ellen Pompeo as Alex and Meredith on Grey's Anatomy.
"He was truly the only person (besides Cristina) who truly understood her dark side, and the love and support they gave each other was beautiful. After so many character losses over the course of that show, that pairing is the one I miss most."
15.Amy Poehler and Nick Offerman as Leslie and Ron on Parks and Recreation.
"They were literally polar opposites but respected each other and genuinely cared for each other. Their friendship was so unique, and I loved every time they were onscreen together."
16.Chelsea Clark and Sara Waisglass as Esme and Frankie on Degrassi: Next Class.
"I constantly forget that Frankie and Esme weren't actually a canon romantic ship. Not only were they so organically nice as friends, but they had insane chemistry romantically, too. It felt more romantic than Zig and Frankie or Zig and Esme. I would have loved to see the show explore Fresme if it hadn't gotten canceled."
17.Lana Parrilla and Jennifer Morrison as Regina and Emma on Once Upon a Time.
"You could cut the sexual tension with a knife."
18.Summer Bishil and Hale Appleman as Margo and Eliot on The Magicians.
"They were never involved romantically, but they were absolutely platonic soulmates. The actors had so much chemistry, and they were always my favorite part of the show."
19.A.J. Cook and Matthew Gray Gubler as JJ and Spencer on Criminal Minds.
"Spencer and JJ had great chemistry. They didn't need to be involved romantically, but they were always there for each other, and I think that's important. I always felt they were platonic soulmates."
20.Lisa Kudrow and Jennifer Aniston as Phoebe and Rachel on Friends.
"This is so specific, but Phoebe and Rachel while they lived together on Friends. Their chemistry changed, and their storylines were some of the funniest ones."
21.And finally, Christopher Meloni and Mariska Hargitay as Elliot and Olivia on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.
Reminder that I, Kelly Martinez, do not necessarily endorse all of these opinions!
Note: Some submissions have been edited for length and/or clarity.