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Love is complicated — both in the real world and in TV shows. Some of the best, most popular TV series created couples that the fans wanted to end up together, but it didn't happen, even though the heroes could have made it work. They either broke up because something bad happened, they decided they weren't a good match after all (much to the chagrin of the audience) or they never properly got together in the first place.
Whatever the case, the most iconic couples who should have ended up together continue to raise a lot of discussions among the audiences, and their could-have-been love story keeps people hooked.
7 Robin Scherbatsky And Barney Stinson - How I Met Your Mother
Some fans were angry about How I Met Your Mother's ending when it turned out that the whole series was about Ted's relationship with Robin. Many fans also believe that Robin and Barney were a much better couple. For one, Ted constantly tried to change Robin, while she and Barney had more in common.
Not only did they share hobbies, but they also had a similar view of life and relationships. While their relationship had its weak moments, they supported each other and Barney saw Robin for who she was and didn't idolize her the way Ted did. Yet, the series had Robin and Barney get divorced all of a sudden and in the end, Robin and Ted got together again, even though they were unable to make their relationship work in the past.
6 Emily Fields And Maya St. Germain - Pretty Little Liars
The show Pretty Little Liars had many couples over its run but one of the most notable relationships happened early on between Emily and her new neighbor Maya. Emily was still deep in the closet when she met Maya, but the two girls started dating nonetheless and Maya supported Emily. She was very understanding of her, too.
She helped to bring Emily out of her shell and become a more confident young woman. Unfortunately, the relationship ended, and their chance at a happy ending did as well when Maya was killed.
5 Sookie Stackhouse And Eric Northman - True Blood
Sookie has found her happiness and love in the end, but it wasn't with the man many fans wished for her. She and Eric got together after Sookie had broken up with Bill once and for all. They formed a deep connection and were close even before they became a couple.
Unfortunately, the circumstances were against them and the relationship eventually ended. The True Blood fans enjoyed their chemistry and wanted to see more of them. While Sookie and Eric could have made it work, at least Sookie seemed happy in the end.
4 Caroline Forbes And Klaus Mikaelson - The Originals
Initially starting out as enemies because Klaus threatened the lives of Caroline's friends, they formed a bond and grew much closer. Caroline acknowledged her feelings for Klaus, and he made a promise that he would be her last love. All fans who shipped the couple got a few scenes where the two spent romantic moments together.
But in the end, their lives separated, Caroline went her own way and Klaus died. Had they stayed together, they would have continued to balance each other out and would share a rare understanding. At least they remained friends even when they weren't together as a couple.
3 Jaime Lannister And Brienne Of Tarth - Game of Thrones
The last season of Game of Thrones got a lot of criticism from the show's fans because it took the carefully built character development and turned it upside down. It spent quite a lot of time building the bond between Jaime and Brienne, who went from enemies to friends and warriors who fought side by side.
Yet, when Jaime finally acknowledged his feelings for Brienne, and they spent a night together, he did a complete turn soon afterward and went to try and save his sister Cersei. As all fans know, both Cersei and Jaime died when their home collapsed on them. Had he stayed with Brienne, Jaime could have lived and finished his transformation into a better man.
2 Ted Mosby And Tracy McConnell - How I Met Your Mother
Another How I Met Your Mother couple that should have ended up together is Ted and Tracy. Ted spent the better part of the show's eight seasons looking for the perfect woman with whom he could start a family. And when he finally found her in Tracy, she died after happy years spent together and Ted eventually decided to get back together with Robin, despite the fact that their relationship failed several times before. Ted and Tracy, on the other hand, were meant for each other, as they shared interests, life views, and all the little quirks that made them fall for each other so fast.
One of the reasons why the fans were disappointed that Ted and Tracy didn't stay together is because they had amazing chemistry and actress Cristin Milioti's Tracy instantly became a fan-favorite character. At least the fans who wanted them to stay together got an alternative ending that came out on the How I Met Your Mother DVD.
1 Captain Jean-Luc Picard And Doctor Beverly Crusher - Star Trek
Picard and Crusher cared deeply about each other, but circumstances played against them. Not only was Picard married to his job, but he also was the one who gave Crusher the news about her husband's death — a fact that haunted him. They circled around each other for years, but despite an obvious pull between them, they never became an actual couple.
The closest they got was in an alternate future, but even in this episode, they were divorced. To this day, many fans regret that Picard and Crusher didn't become an item. Other Star Trek couples that should have also ended up together include Worf and Jadzia Dax (they were together but Jadzia was then killed) or T'Pol and Trip (Trip died).