5 Beyond Toxic TV Couples Who Are Still a Guilty Pleasure to Watch

Imagine how boring all TV shows would be if all the characters were equally good to each other and didn't suffer from any kind of trauma. That's exactly what we want from the world around us, but it's certainly not what would be entertaining to watch. Good television is almost never about good people.

It's the toxicity that makes everything from the plots to the relationships so entertaining. Some of the couples we watch and root for on our favorite shows would be a disaster in real life. However, their stories are just like a train wreck: you just cannot look away.

Here are 5 couples that are catastrophically bad for each other, but we are willing to turn a blind eye:

Chuck Bass and Blair Waldorf (Gossip Girl)

If there's one toxic couple that permanently altered the brain chemistry of many viewers back in 2007 and still holds first place in our hearts, it has to be Chuck and Blair. They are terrible together. Chuck Bass himself is a menace to society who needs to be locked up. And yet, because of their amazing chemistry, we watch the romance unfold with open mouths.

Ross Geller and Rachel Green (Friends)

These two are different from the previous couple but toxic nevertheless. The "on and off" nature of their relationship led to a complete lack of trust that would be hard to overcome. Also, they hurt so many wonderful people just to keep up with this romance that we were rooting for them out of safety concerns for many more,

Ryan and Kelly (The Office )

Of course, the workplace setting only adds to the relationship's flaws, but even outside the office, you would be uncomfortable watching these two characters interact. If you are looking for a relationship model in a sitcom, you might want to go back to Jim and Pam. They're not great either, but they're not even close to being toxic.

Gerri Kellman and Roman Roy (Succession )

The definition of "couple" is definitely stretched in this one case, but on the other hand, you can't say they weren't really engaged in some couple... activities. The bad thing about it all, aside from the age difference and the weird kinks, is the power dynamic, which is never equal. It's not surprising that these characters didn't have a happy ending together.

Catherine the Great and Peter III of Russia (The Great)

Largely thanks to the perfect chemistry between Elle Fanning, who portrayed Catherine, and Nicholas Hoult, who portrayed Peter, this couple takes its place on the list. While some viewers still believe that whatever Peter and his entourage put Catherine through was cruel, others just can't stop thinking about the moments when the dynamic changed.