Thursday Thirteen: 'Shipper edition

Thirteen Most Romantic and/or Heartwrenchingly Tragic TV Couples (a.k.a. the main reasons I love television) 1. Buffy & Angel - Not my favorite, but even I can't argue that their Season 2 arc takes the crown in both categories. 2. Buffy & Spike - I know a lot of people would raise an eyebrow at calling this paring "romantic," but they had their sweet moments, especially in Season 7. At any rate, even at their worst I couldn't stand not to see them together. 3. Willow & Oz - Most people would say Willow & Tara, but that pretty much goes without saying, and that's the only reason I'm going with Oz instead. I still can't watch the end of Wild at Heart without my heart breaking for Willow. 4. Zoe & Wash (this whole list won't be Whedonverse characters, I promise...although it easily could be; nobody does romance and pain like Joss) - Of course Whedon couldn't let a happily married, functional, fun and sexy couple stand. From the moment we realized how well they got along and truly loved each other, we should have known that one of them was doomed. 5. Wesley & Frillyria - As horrible as Fred's death was, and as heartbreaking as it was for Wesley, I just never really got into their romance, and I never really cared that much for Fred. That is, until her soul was burned out of her body and replaced by a demon goddess who turned out to be completely awesome. Wesley's anguish at having to be the keeper of the thing that both killed the woman he loved and looked like her was gutwrenching to observe, but none of it was as heartbreaking as watching some sliver of humanity surface in Illyria, causing her sincere grief as Wesley died in her arms. Excuse me, I have something in my eye. There. Moving on... 6. John Chricton & Aryn Sun - Everybody's favorite leather-clad interspecies couple were all over the romance map, and I loved following them every step of the way--even the parts that broke my heart. And then they got a happy ending. Nobody can say they didn't earn it. 7. Mulder & Scully - The last few seasons kind of fell apart, but their reunion won back some brownie points from me. Even so, it was the deep, deep regard and love that the OBVIOUSLY felt for each other before we even had a hint that they had ever acted on it that constantly made me swoon. 8. Jack Devereaux and Jennifer Horton - If you watched daytime television in the late '80s, then I probably don't need to explain this one to you. These two were totally my teenage self's Spuffy. 9. Mark Green Doug Ross (der) & Carol Hathaway - Two words: surprise ending. Made me cry. 10. Chandler & Monica - When these two hooked up I was almost as weirded out over it as they were. But it didn't take long to realize that they made total sense. And their proposal scene was hands down one of the best proposals ever seen on television. 11. The Doctor & Rose Tyler - Nine or Ten. Both versions had their own special chemistry with Rose, and it broke my heart and left me in tears when each of them had to say goodbye. 12. Lois & Clark - Okay, after they got married it kind of degenerated into corny fluff, but up until then this was one of the most romantic pairings ever. My early-twenty-something self's Spuffy. 13. D'Argo & Chiana - Another pairing that I didn't expect, but once they got together I liked it--at least while it lasted. But even if their relationship died, their love for each other stuck until the very end. Chiana's grief at having to leave D'argo behind to face certain death was nearly matched by my own.

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!


The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others' comments. It’s easy, and fun! Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants