35 Actors Whose Onscreen Chemistry Was So Undeniable, But Their TV Characters Didn't End Up Together

“Bellamy and Clarke from The 100 without a doubt! Even if you take away the fact that the actors fell in love and eventually got married, through the course of the show they have the most amazing chemistry. The way Bellamy and Clarke refused to lose the other one even to save the human race and have literally brought each other back from the dead. Their ending was such an injustice to the characters and the actors who created one of the best romances in television even with it never being canon.”

—campbells4dbe23c87

“Omg don’t get me started on Clarke and Lexa from The 100. They had such amazing chemistry and it was so refreshing to see a positive LGBTQ couple representation at the time. Also it was for sure the best ship of the whole show. Eventually, Lexa got shot by her own protector and accidentally dies. I’ll never forgive the writers for not only the shitty death they gave Lexa, but for ruining what could have been a beautiful relationship. They would have been such a power couple.”

—ellieash

“Sarah Hyland and Adam Devine’s chemistry was monumental! Their characters were total opposites and worked together in the best way. Haley matured and grew so much with him, not only in the relationship but as a woman with career goals and figuring herself out. After waiting so long for them to finally date, he just left and that was that. She got back together with Dylan, yet again, and completely regressed into the same person she was in high school. With their chemistry and storyline, it made no sense why Haley didn’t end up with Andy.”

—katcloud

“They had the best chemistry and build up on the show, and even got a whole season for their wedding. The final season proved why they could make their relationship work, but then they got divorced?! It made no sense!”

—inspire_forever

“Dear god, Harry Shum Jr. and Jenna Ushkowitz had tremendous chemistry. Even if they barely got storylines and screen time, Mike and Tina had one of the healthiest relationships on the show along with an amazing dynamic. I will always be mad at the fact that they didn’t end up together.”

—tamaravalverde

“They had the best friendship and chemistry. It low-key broke my heart when he ended up with someone else, but I am glad they didn’t spoil the epic friendship.”

—amychackett

“They had great chemistry and I wish their characters had ended up together.”

—laurend45cad4394

“I do love Kara with Mon-El, and if they do end up together, I’m happy for them, BUT Kara and Lena!! Every single scene they have is almost romantic (no one constantly sits that close to their friend when there’s space elsewhere). Several parallels have been made to other couples, especially Superman and Lois. The one I’d like to give a shoutout to is that the love interest is always the one to find out the superhero’s alter ego way too late, and that’s exactly what happened with Lena in Season 5. There is nothing heterosexual about Lena Luthor, so it’s time for the show to just go there before it’s too late.”

—monikaaat

“I’m not a person who tends to ‘ship’ characters but even when people who have never seen the show think they are together you know the chemistry is there. There was 12 years of built up sexual tension but nothing ever came of it. Representation does matter and its a shame that one of the things Supernatural will be remembered for is ‘burying their gays‘ and generally queerbaiting.”

—pennyguide

“They had great chemistry until the writers realized they’d accidentally written themselves into a corner, so they made up some crap about it being ‘too awkward’ so that Rachel could end up with Ross. Rachel and Joey were done dirty and you cannot change my mind.”

—georgiamc2002

“Hugh Dancy and Mads Mikkelsen had incredible chemistry on Hannibal. I do believe that if the show hadn’t been canceled they would’ve ended up together. There are so many scenes with intense chemistry and the bond between the two is undeniable.”

—functional_fangirl

“I’m sorry, but Jake and Peyton were such a better couple than Lucas and Peyton.”

—aaronweeks101

“They were perfect together. Brooke really grew and learned how much she deserved from her relationship with Lucas. Their chemistry was amazing. Although I love Julian and Brooke, I wanted her to be with Lucas so badly.”

—olivialukasik1

“They were soulmates and much less problematic than Emily and Alison or Emily and Paige. I loved them together.”

—hadasbatetush

“They had amazing banter and chemistry throughout the entire show. They deserved each other.”

—inspire_forever

“Buffy and Angel were THE original ship. He was a cursed vampire, and she’s the slayer, so the angst writes itself! My best friend and I still can’t believe the Buffy and the Scoobies don’t show up for the apocalypse in LA during the Angel series finale. It’s been a decade and a half, and we’re still not over this. Buffy and Angel forever.”

—latinalibra1005

“Maybe a niche one but Charlotte Heywood and James Stringer on Sanditon! They had such good chemistry, way more than Charlotte and Sidney, and would have made a much more interesting couple. In fact, it would’ve been one we haven’t seen on period dramas before. Sadly if there is ever a Season 2 they probably still won’t go there.”

—zbariadne

“Sandra Oh and Kevin McKidd’s chemistry was UNREAL. They played such special and complex characters, and they were the perfect acting partners for each other. They were really good friends offscreen too and it 100% showed. I’m still mad that they weren’t endgame.”

—dannalgx1802

“It took me a little while to open up to April and Jackson, but damn, Jesse Williams and Sarah Drew’s chemistry was next level. They were incredible together and really became an important relationship on Grey’s Anatomy. I’m so sad that these two didn’t end up together.”

—noradominick

“They had the most beautiful and subtle love story, which culminated in them spending 50 years together and raising a child in an alternate timeline. However, Eliot pushed Quentin away and then they immediately killed Quentin, leaving Eliot completely heartbroken! It truly just fed into the stereotype of gay suffering, which is so exhausting. They should’ve been endgame.”

—saunasauna

“Maybe their time will come, but it’s not looking likely. Those two were on fire. She had better chemistry with him than her husband!”

—silentword

“Don’t get me wrong, I ship Daisy and Sousa, but these two had chemistry and a lot in common. Not to mention he’s her type (a bad boy but a soft boy). Quake and Ghost Rider could have even had their own show.”

—katf4333a6d3c

“Talk about unmatchable chemistry? They were electric together.”

—belleyre

“They were best friends and supported each other in all endeavors. There is a whole fandom for them as a couple even though it never happened on the show. They were already such strong, caring, and fierce female characters to begin with, and they would have been a power couple.”

—amym98

“AMAZING chemistry. Honestly, they flirted and acted like a married couple most of the time. It’s a crime that they never ended up together.”

—eviea44a40ff80

“Rachel Bloom and Santino Fontana as Rebecca and Greg had amazing chemistry. Heck, Rachel had chemistry with every single one of Rebecca’s love interests, but especially Greg and Nathaniel. Rebecca did not get in a relationship by the end of the series (which was amazing), but the chemistry between Rachel and her co-stars is absolutely phenomenal.”

—mythrip

“Maybe a little unconventional for this, but Sansa and Theon from Game of Thrones, mainly in the later seasons. The way they looked at each other and the way they spoke with such a loving and vulnerable tone made me want them to end up together so badly.”

—octopus4747

“Ester Expósito and Itzan Escamilla from Elite had such great chemistry. Carla and Samuel’s relationship in Season 2 and Season 3 was unmatched I will always be heartbroken their characters never got to be endgame.”

—abi1310

“The show’s not over yet, but seriously how have Eddie and Buck from 9-1-1 not gotten together yet? They always react first when the other is hurt, they’re literally like family, and the chemistry is off the charts. When Eddie thought he was dying/being buried alive, most of his memories/flashbacks of his team and family were with his son and Buck. Then, when Buck did the whole lawsuit thing, Eddie was mostly mad that he couldn’t see Buck, and that his son couldn’t as well. Soulmate energy to the max.”

—castleskyy

“The show ended a couple years ago but I’ve been rewatching it and I immediately fell in love with Morris Chestnut and Jaina Lee Ortiz’s characters. Their chemistry was unbelievably intense and the show didn’t end with a definite yes or no. Also, the show should’ve never been canceled. Their chemistry gave me many heart attacks and breakdowns and I think it’s one of the best (non) relationships in TV history.”

—gigichanga

“Joel McHale and Alison Brie had so much chemistry that the show changed Jeff’s main love interest when they were already over a season in, and then they didn’t end up together! There’s hundreds of YouTube compilations shipping these two and their strong sexual tension. They brought out the best in each other, only to never date.”

—ellieant13

“They were perfect for each other. They balanced each other out and were best friends from the beginning. Still so disappointed that Serena married Dan.”

—saraminaehlert

“I know it’s not a popular pairing, but I think it was pretty clear that the characters had chemistry. Even Leighton and Penn said they enjoyed working with each other and it was clear they were having fun!”

—jeroy

“The show kept teasing that relationship but we never got to see them actually together on screen! They were awful to each other, but you could tell deep down they did genuinely care about each other. Also, they had such a fun dynamic.”

—kelsharrington12

“They changed so much from the original stories and John seemed clearly in love with Sherlock. But in the end, the writers pretended that this never happened. Typical queerbaiting.”

—annar4401d2df2