I don’t care what anybody says: a good love triangle makes for the best TV. It’s tried and true and it never gets old. From Lost to Gilmore Girls, the love triangle has provided season after season of steamy drama. I enjoy them just as much now as I did when I forced my entire family to watch Dawson’s Creek instead of WWE Raw. Here are the top ten love triangles in TV history so you can waste more of your time binge watching old WB shows.
10. One Tree Hill: Peyton, Brooke & Lucas
Remember the season and a half where One Tree Hill was good (and then the 800 seasons where it wasn’t)? Lucas was super into his evil half-brotherNathan’s edgy cheerleader girlfriend, Peyton, who was definitely into Lucas but didn’t make out with him for some inexplicable reason. Peyton’s best friend, Brooke, actually notices that Lucas is totally hot so she starts touching mouths with him. She does it in this awesome girl power, take-charge kind of way while Peyton is kind of whiny (but also mysterious and sexy) about they entire thing. Of course: drama and steamy hot tub scenes ensue.
One Tree Hill is all on Netflix so it’s definitely worth viewing especially if you’ve just gone through a break-up with a jocky but down-to-earth blonde from the wrong side of the tracks who just *can’t* make up his mind.
9. Veronica Mars: Logan, Dunan & Veronica
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This love triangle is fun because at first you’re like “Why would you root for anybody besides Veronica and Logan?” He’s so hot and tormented. Just like Hamlet! But then you remember that Duncan is cute, rich and doesn’t try to fight absolutely everybody. Plus: y’know Veronica had to find out if Duncan was really true love after thinking he was her half-brother for a year. I mean she did kinda lose her virginity to him even though she doesn’t remember because she was date raped (but not by him, guys!). Then again, Veronica changed a lot after Lily died and maybe she craves the darkness of Logan. He’s definitely a little more interesting than Duncan. Also, this.
Sigh.
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8. Californication: Hank, Karen & [Insert Random Chick Here]
If your baby-mama is the hottest woman in the entire world why would you nail like 20 random chicks a season? Constantly throughout Californication Hank is all “Karen, I love you and you are perfect” and then does something like have anonymous sex with a sixteen year-old girl. Is it really that hard to not have sex with someone? I guess that’s Hank’s entire struggle as a borderline sex-addict which is why I keep tuning in to watch him screw up. Again. And again.
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7. Lost: Jack, Sawyer & Kate
I was always Team Jack because he seemed more stable/basically the leader of Island life. I guess Kate wasn’t thinking about politics and was instead thinking about Sawyer’s abs which I get because end of the world/island scenario. If I had to repopulate the rest of the world on some desert island I might pick Sawyer at first because yowza but also I feel like Jack might have some more intelligent genes going on inside his still-pretty-foxy doctor body. Er, well, I guess this:
Yes. OK. Poor Jack in this show. Obviously the better choice– but still finishing last. Team Jacob syndrome.
6. Battlestar Galactica: Apollo, Starbuck and Anders
If your hot, long-term military friend won’t admit he likes you just go to your dead home planet and find someone who looks the exact same! That’s basically what Starbuck did in Battlestar Galactica (i.e. the Gossip Girl of sci-fi shows). Apollo and Starbuck were good friends/rivals with an insane amount of sexual tension but Apollo just couldn’t admit his feelings. This is why you tell people how you feel! Because maybe your crush will find a hot Pyramid player and get married when you’re not looking! And then you get fat!
^This is what happens when you don’t communicate
5. Reign: Bash, Francis & Mary
This is definitely the best love triangle on TV right now. Mary is the Queen of Scotland and she has been engaged to King Francis of France since she was six. Then she gets to court and meets Francis’ bastard brother, Bash, who is totally hot and badass. She has this whole pre-destined “we were meant to be together” kind of thing going on with Francis and then this “I totally want to ravish you but we can’t be together” thing going on with Bash. It’s sort of like pure, innocent love versus dark, passionate, complicated love. Everyone has their faults. Francis is untrustworthy, Bash has major bloodlust and Mary is very naive. So good.
4. Buffy The Vampire Slayer: Angel, Spike & Buffy
The first season of Buffy I ever watched was Season 6 because I heard that Buffy and Spike were gonna get together and I really wanted to watch that happen. Who wouldn’t? They’re both beautiful and hate each other which makes for the best TV relationships. Of course, I didn’t know she had already had a tragic relationship with a vampire before this re: Angel. Wouldn’t it be terrible if you finally lost your virginity to your hunky boyfriend and he turned EVIL? I can’t imagine how much money I would spend on therapy.
And nobody can forget Buffy and Spike’s first sex scene where they quite literally bring the house down.
Sigh.
3. The OC: Summer, Anna & Seth
Who to pick? Hot new girl who likes Wonder Woman comics or hot girl you’ve always loved who dresses up as Wonder Woman. Oh, Seth Cohen, I wish I had your problems. It’s pretty much summed up by these two awesome GIFs:
2. Gilmore Girls: Dean, Jess & Rory
I mean: yes. Behind Door #1 you have Dean. Tall, handsome, friendly, your mom likes him, tall again. Good Old Dean. He’ll always be there for you! He’ll never let you down! He built you a car! But behind Door #2 you have Jess. He reads Kerouac! He smokes cigarettes! He’s from New York City! Check out his leather jacket! He’s infuriated by all the injustice in the world! What a bad boy! I wish they had fist fought more than once in this show. The 24 hour dance marathon episode is probably one of the best TV episodes of all time just for when Dean breaks up with Rory on the dance-floor.
1. Dawson’s Creek: Dawson, Pacey & Joey
The third season of Dawson’s Creek was a perfectly executed third season. If you haven’t seen it, stop reading this post and watch it right now. You understand every single character’s motivation and lets be real: when your love triangle comes down to a sailing race you know you’re doing something right. Dawson may be Joey’s soulmate but Pacey is just… Pacey. I mean:
That’s all, folks! Agree? Disagree? Did I leave out the best TV love triangle ever?? Let me know in the comments.
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