Fantasy Meets Reality
Fiction tends to create some truly attractive characters who seem perfect on screen. But strip away the dramatic lighting and soundtrack, and you'll be left with genuinely problematic relationship material.
Ted Mosby: How I Met Your Mother
The yellow umbrella wasn't just a prop. It became the symbol of Ted Mosby's most problematic trait: romanticizing destiny over actual compatibility. Throughout CBS's nine-season run from 2005 to 2014, this Manhattan architect sabotaged around 30 relationships by projecting fantasy narratives onto real women.
Ted Mosby (Cont.)
His friends staged multiple interventions specifically to address his pattern of saying "I love you" on first dates and planning entire futures with virtual strangers. Mosby's obsession with Robin Scherbatsky while she was married to his best friend, Barney, reveals deeper issues with emotional boundaries.
Ted tells Robin he's in love with her - HIMYM 1X01 by Wait For It
Joffrey Baratheon: Game Of Thrones
Absolute power reveals true character, and thirteen-year-old King Joffrey Baratheon's reign exposed a psychopath who viewed relationships as ownership opportunities. The product of incestuous twins Cersei and Jaime Lannister showed his sadistic nature early through animal torture, escalating to public executions.
Joffrey Baratheon (Cont.)
His treatment of betrothed Sansa Stark provides a masterclass in emotional abuse. Baratheon forces her to view her father's severed head, publicly humiliating her at court, and using royal authority to terrorize her into submission. He was unable to distinguish between ruling and tormenting subjects.
Sansa Stark - The Queen in the North by Ovik6280
Joe Goldberg: You
Joe Goldberg, the protagonist of the TV series You, is a deeply troubled and complex character portrayed as a charming bookstore manager who becomes obsessively fixated on women. His character arc explores themes like obsession, justification of violence, and the consequences of his actions.
Joe From You Is Too Creepy | Netflix by Still Watching Netflix
Joe Goldberg (Cont.)
Joe develops extreme and toxic attachments where he stalks and manipulates his romantic interests, often resorting to violence, including murder, to remove obstacles in his relationships and maintain control. His personality is shaped by a troubled and traumatic past, including a dysfunctional family and a history of violence.
Joe From You Is Too Creepy | Netflix by Still Watching Netflix
Dexter Morgan: Dexter
Miami's blood spatter patterns told stories, but none more disturbing than Morgan's double life as both forensic analyst and methodical serial killer. With over 130 confirmed kills during Showtime's eight-season psychological thriller, Dexter's "Dark Passenger" demanded ritualistic murders that required extensive planning.
Dexter Kills The Dark Passenger Killer I Dexter: Resurrection I S1EP3 I 1080p by xQR
Dexter Morgan (Cont.)
Emotional unavailability becomes literal when your partner suffers from antisocial personality disorder and openly admits to faking human responses. His relationship with Rita Bennett ended when his serial killer activities directly caused her murder by the Trinity Killer, proving that loving him carries fatal consequences.
Dexter & Rita’s Relationship Timeline 💕 Dexter | SHOWTIME by Dexter on Paramount+ with Showtime
The Joker: Batman
Chaos theory meets romantic dysfunction in Gotham's most unpredictable criminal mind. The Joker's 85-year publication history since Batman #1 in 1940 offers several origin stories. Jack Napier, Arthur Fleck, and an anonymous comedian. But every iteration shares core traits that poison relationships.
How about another joke, Murray? | Joker [UltraHD, HDR] by Flashback FM
The Joker (Cont.)
There’s complete unpredictability, homicidal mood swings, and philosophical commitment to proving life's meaninglessness through violence and psychological torture. His relationship with Dr Harleen Quinzel is an example of textbook abusive partnership dynamics where manipulation masquerades as love. The Joker repeatedly abandons and physically abuses Harley.
Harleen Quinzel Scenes | Logoless 1080p by Evelyn Jackson
Rachel Berry: Glee
Broadway dreams and high school hallways don't typically mix, but Rachel Berry made McKinley High her personal audition stage. Her relentless pursuit of stardom involved sabotaging fellow Glee club members, manipulating relationships for personal gain, and treating every conversation as an opportunity to showcase her vocal range.
Glee - Don't Rain On My Parade (Full Performance + Scene) 1x13 by Glee Scene
Rachel Berry (Cont.)
The numbers tell Rachel's story: she received approximately 40% of New Directions' solo performances despite being part of a twelve-member ensemble, often achieved through outright scheming against teammates. Her career ambitions overshadowed her romantic relationships with Finn Hudson and Jesse St James.
Finchel break up 3x22 by Glee Scenes
Voldemort: Harry Potter
Tom Marvolo Riddle's transition into Lord Voldemort began at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where his exceptional magical abilities masked intricate psychological disorders. Voldemort symbolically cannot experience love, as his conception under a love potion represented a loveless union rather than genuine affection.
I Am Lord Voldemort | Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by 0:27
Voldemort (Cont.)
His obsession with immortality led to creating seven Horcruxes by murdering innocent people and splitting his soul, each act further diminishing his capacity for human emotion. The Dark Lord's followers, called Death Eaters, served through fear rather than loyalty, proving his inability to inspire genuine devotion.
Piper Chapman: Orange Is The New Black
Federal prison inmate #11187-424 arrived at Litchfield Correctional Institution believing her white privilege and college education would protect her from harsh realities. Throughout Netflix's seven-season run, we got to see Piper Chapman practise her talent for victimizing herself while ignoring how her actions harmed others.
Orange Is the New Black - Scared Straight Scene (S1E10) | Rotten Tomatoes TV by Rotten Tomatoes TV
Piper Chapman (Cont.)
Her relationship patterns depict someone who thrives on drama while avoiding personal responsibility. Piper's engagement to Larry Bloom crumbled when she rekindled her romance with ex-girlfriend Alex Vause, the same woman whose criminal activities originally implicated her. She positioned herself as the innocent party.
Vauseman: Alex & Piper Love Story | Orange Is The New Black | Netflix by Still Watching Netflix
Ryan Howard: The Office
Dunder Mifflin Scranton's temp-turned-executive-turned-temp again mastered the art of manipulation. Ryan Howard's relationship resume includes stringing along coworker Kelly Kapoor for years while pursuing his MBA and startup dreams. He could compartmentalize human emotions when they tried to interfere with her ambitions.
The Ebbs and Flows of Ryan Howard's Journey | The Office by NBC
Ryan Howard (Cont.)
His business ethics mirror his romantic approach. Ryan defrauded his own company through the fraudulent "Dunder Mifflin Infinity" website scheme, leading to his arrest and federal charges. He lied about his background, education, and intentions while presenting different personas to different people based on what served his needs.
The Rise and Fall of Ryan Howard - The Office by The Office
Edward Cullen: Twilight
Immortality grants perspective, but Cullen's 104 years of existence haven't taught him healthy relationship boundaries. Meyer's vampire protagonist spent decades attending high school repeatedly while retaining the emotional maturity of his seventeen-year-old self from 1918, crafting disturbing power dynamics when he pursues Bella Swan.
Edward Meets Bella (FULL SCENE) | Twilight 4K UHD by Clip Queens
Edward Cullen (Cont.)
His "romantic" gestures underline controlling behavior disguised as protection, as he watches Bella sleep without consent, disables her truck to prevent her from seeing friends, and threatens suicide when she briefly ends their relationship. Edward's vampire strength makes his possessiveness very dangerous.
Edward Saves Bella From a Car Crash | Twilight by Clip Empire
Kathryn Merteuil: Cruel Intentions
Manhattan's Upper East Side elite learned fear through Kathryn Merteuil's calculated cruelty during her senior year at Manchester Prep. Roger Kumble's 1999 psychological drama showcased a young sociopath who treated human emotions like chess pieces, manipulating everyone around her through blackmail.
Cruel Intentions' Kathryn - Why She Wasn't the Real Villain by The Take
Kathryn Merteuil (Cont.)
Apart from this, there was sexual coercion and psychological warfare designed to maintain her social dominance. Her stepbrother Sebastian became both an accomplice and a victim in elaborate schemes that destroyed innocent lives for entertainment value. She views relationships as conquest opportunities.
Cruel Intentions' Kathryn - Why She Wasn't the Real Villain by The Take
Homelander: The Boys
America's most powerful superhero harbors the psychological profile of a genocidal dictator beneath his patriotic costume and corporate sponsorship deals. Throughout Amazon Prime Video's adaptation of Garth Ennis's comic series, Homelander's public persona as Vought International's flagship hero masks his true nature.
10 Minutes of Homelander Being an Absolute Psychopath | The Boys | Prime Video by Prime Video
Homelander (Cont.)
Yes, he is a laboratory-created psychopath with god-like abilities and zero empathy for human life. His bond with fellow supe Stormfront showed his attraction to totalitarian ideology and racial supremacy. Homelander's heat vision can slice through buildings, and his super strength can crush human skulls accidentally.
