19 Problematic TV And Movie Couples That Aged Poorly
by Jenna GuillaumeBuzzFeed Contributor
Warning: This post mentions sexual assault.
Part of the fun of watching TV and movies is getting swept up in the relationships of the characters, especially if you're a romance fan. But there are some fictional couples who turn out to be not-so-ideal when you revisit them later. Here are some beloved ships that aged about as well as rotten milk...
1.
Aria and Ezra on Pretty Little Liars. There have been a lot of teen shows where teachers sleep with their students, which is problematic enough, but it's truly wild that Ezra and Aria were one of the main couples on the show and actually endgame.
Freeform
And sure, they didn't know he was her teacher when they first met and hooked up, and Aria lied about her age, but it was still all pretty ick, no matter how much they pretended to resist each other later.
Freeform
2.
Josie and Sam in Never Been Kissed. It was one of the best rom-coms of the '90s, and none of us blinked an eye over the fact that Sam fell in love with Josie when he thought she was his 17-year-old student.
20th Century Fox
Sure, she's not actually 17 or a student — but the fact she's a 25-year-old undercover reporter doesn't make Sam's flirtation with her before he knew the truth okay.
20th Century Fox
3.
Henry and Lucy in 50 First Dates. At the time, it seemed super romantic that Henry would push through the pain of Lucy forgetting him every day to make their relationship "work," and the ending seemed like a happy one. But in hindsight, being in a relationship with a disabled woman who has no ability to remember or meaningfully consent to anything long-term, and then sleeping with her and impregnating her, seems more like a cruel form of torture.
Sony
Imagine Lucy waking up nine months pregnant with no idea how that happened? Or GIVING BIRTH when she's only just learned she's pregnant to a man who is a stranger to her? Or having an actual baby dependent on her when she doesn't even realize she's a mother? It's just sad and awful for both Lucy and her kid.
Sony
4.
Chuck and Blair on Gossip Girl. The redemption of Chuck as a character was truly spectacular (and, in hindsight, not a good thing), especially considering the fact that he sexually assaults two main characters in the first episode.
The CW
But even putting that aside, Chuck and Blair were not good for each other. They brought out the worst in one another, hurting each other and everyone else around them over and over again. Chuck was actually abusive.
The CW
5.
Dan and Serena on Gossip Girl. The bizarre decision to reveal that Dan was supposedly secretly Gossip Girl the whole time cast all of his actions, and particularly his relationship with Serena, in a whole new — and much more negative — light.
The CW
As Gossip Girl, Dan relentlessly harassed and bullied Serena, revealing private details of her life to everyone they knew, and shaming her repeatedly. It was all completely creepy and gross.
The CW
6.
Jake and Samantha in Sixteen Candles. Jake Ryan was a total dreamboat and him picking up Samantha was the ultimate teen rom-com happy ending. But then you remember Jake handed his unconscious girlfriend to another guy to do whatever he wanted with her.
Universal
Even without that irredeemable moment, it's pretty creepy that Jake only becomes more interested in Samantha after he discovers she wants to have sex with him (which he only learns after stealing her personal note).
Universal
7.
Bender and Claire in The Breakfast Club. It's long been considered one of the best teen movies of all time, but aspects of The Breakfast Club haven't aged very well — notably, Bender and Claire's relationship.
Channel Productions
What once seemed fist-pumpingly romantic about the bad boy/popular girl pairing now reads all kinds of uncomfortable — particularly the way Bender consistently bullies and harasses Claire throughout the movie, and even touches sexually her without consent.
Channel Productions
8.
Ross and Rachel on Friends. They're one of the most iconic couples in TV history, yet there are so many aspects of their dynamic that have not aged well. And yes, most of them are because Ross is actually the worst.
NBC
He was jealous, possessive, belittling, and critical, and he held Rachel back right until the very end. She should've gotten on that plane.
NBC
9.
Kathleen Kelly and Joe Fox in You've Got Mail. This one hurts a little, but on top of the movie's pretty rose-colored view of email landing with a clunk in the current era, it's hard to get past how problematic the main relationship really is these days.
Warner Bros / Getty Images
For starters, they're both in serious relationships with other people and are basically cheating on them. Joe lies to Kathleen about who he is for the bulk of the movie. And, oh yeah, he and his family are a key part in the destruction of her dreams and livelihood.
Warner Bros
10.
Mindy and Danny on The Mindy Project. Mindy and Danny