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Love is complicated enough when there are two people involved, let alone when another person enters the picture. In TV shows, it's nothing unusual to see the characters struggle and form love triangles because they just can't decide who they want to be with.
And even if the romantic relationship doesn't necessarily overlap, there are still feelings for the ex-partner remaining that could grow stronger at any time and change things. Whatever the case, some of the best love triangles in TV shows have it all - from a proper portion of drama to unexpected twists and endings, as well as a lot of swoon-worthy moments.
6 Younger: Liza, Charles, And Josh
The love triangle in Younger doesn't overlap as much as in other TV shows. Liza and her much younger boyfriend Josh break up before she starts dating her boss Charles. However, even after Liza and Josh are done, she still has feelings for him, and so does Josh. So the break-up between them isn't clear-cut. For a while, the show hints at the fact that Liza and Josh might get together one day, especially once Josh becomes a proud dad to his daughter
But this never happens, even though the final episode's ending hints at the fact that Lisa might reconcile with Josh. After her break-up with Charles, both Liza and Josh are free, so the fans can only guess whether they get back together in the end or just stay friends.
5 The Vampire Diaries: Elena, Stefan, And Damon
Just like her evil ancestor Katherine, Elena Gilbert also falls for both of the Salvatore brothers. The difference is that Elena doesn't date them at the same time. First, she gets together with Stefan, but the two later break up and Elena starts dating Stefan's older brother Damon instead.
The chemistry between the characters was strong, so whether Elena would end up with Stefan or Damon caused a lot of passionate discussions between the fans. Nowadays, they already know that Elena chose Damon, and they got their happily ever after. But those who are looking for an alternate ending can always check out The Vampire Diaries novels in which Elena and Stefan stay together instead.
4 True Blood: Sookie, Bill, And Eric
Sookie has always felt like she didn't fit in because she could read thoughts. So when she met the vampire Bill whose thoughts she couldn't read, it was love at first sight - or close. The two got together despite the difficulties caused by their different lifestyles. Nothing lasts forever, though, and after their break-up, Sookie started dating another vampire, Eric.
The solution to the whole love triangle might have surprised many viewers since True Blood didn't choose the usual approach and had Sookie end up with one of the guys who were a part of the triangle. Instead, she found someone completely new. While not all fans were happy with the result, at least Sookie got some peace after years of blood and danger.
3 Outlander: Claire, Jamie, And Frank
In many shows, the main heroine falls for another man after she stopped dating her previous partner. That's not the case in Outlander. Claire is happily married to Frank but when she accidentally travels in time, she forms a relationship with the young warrior Jamie. From there on, things get even more complicated, as Claire struggles with her affection towards Jamie, since she's still a married woman, albeit 200 years in the distant future.
Each viewer will prefer a different couple as the show does an excellent job in creating fleshed-out heroes who are easy to sympathize with. Even though Claire later gets to return to her first husband, it looks like she can't forget Jamie, that the bond between them is unbreakable. The show does an excellent job in adapting the books but if the viewers want to know even more about the characters, the way they think and feel, they should try out Diana Gabaldon's novel series.
2 Buffy The Vampire Slayer: Buffy, Angel, And Spike
A part of the fun when it comes to love triangles in TV shows is to have the main character feel torn among two people who are completely different. Or so they seem. Buffy's main job is to kill vampires so when she falls for not one, but two vampires, it looks like she didn't get the message. But love is unpredictable and also difficult. Angel cares about Buffy but if he succumbs to his feelings, he'll lose his soul. The conflict makes for some intense moments and episodes.
Things get even more complicated when Buffy develops feelings for Spike, who was originally her enemy. The explosive relationship between them had the audience divided but led to many lively moments. Just like Sookie, though, Buffy didn't end up with either Angel or Spike in the end. The fans can only imagine what could have been had things turned out differently.
1 How I Met Your Mother: Ted, Robin, And Barney
Oftentimes, it's the woman who's torn between two men. And while How I Met Your Mother tells the story from Ted's perspective, it follows the same formula. Ted falls for Robin the first time he sees her and while they date for a while, they eventually break up because they want different things from life. Enter Barney, who has more things in common with Robin than Ted does (and some fans still believe to this day that Robin and Barney should have ended up together).
The two get married, but Ted still has feelings for Robin, and when Robin and Barney get divorced, Ted decides to pursue Robin once more. The show ends there, but the complicated relationship between the main trio gets stuck in the audience's memory. Simply because for the longest time, it's unclear whether Robin will end up with Ted, Barney, or anybody else.