Nothing divides a fandom more than a love triangle. Give us two guys from different worlds, one indecisive girl, and enough chemistry to confuse us all, and then suddenly, a war has broken out. Online discourse, comment sections, and fan edits spark the strongest debates, all of which defend their arguments.
One second, you may be leaning towards one guy, and then you’re one scroll away from a completely new perspective. Before you know it, choosing who she should end up with becomes the focus, sometimes more than the plot. So really, what makes a good triangle? And why are audiences so drawn to them?
**Spoilers ahead if you haven’t seen or finished the following shows: Gilmore Girls, Jane the Virgin, and The Summer I Turned Pretty.**
Why We Can’t Look Away
Everyone lives for drama, especially when it’s not our own. Watching a love triangle unfold scratches that itch for chaos while teaching audiences lessons in love. Each one shows a harsh reality between what we need and what we want in a relationship. Sometimes it’s the comfortable and familiar choice, or maybe the childhood best friend. Sometimes, it’s the one who knows her better than she knows herself.
It’s never easy to make such a big decision, especially when it comes to love, but when the fans are involved, everything becomes evidence. Scenes are never just scenes. Conversations are not just words. And the eyes, the eyes never lie. The smallest moments can be analyzed in more ways than one. When that can be done for both sides, watching it unfold is only half the fun.
Welcome to Team…
If you’ve ever watched a show and immediately decided on your guy, you’ve got the process down. Maybe it’s not so instant for you; maybe you need more time to decide, or maybe you just need to make sure the chemistry feels real. When you know, you know.
There’s something about two viable options that entices everyone to lock down a side. Now, with social media as a weighing factor, debates on fictional relationships have become long-lasting competitions.
Let’s look at some of these “teams,” and maybe you can decide for yourself where you stand.
Gilmore Girls: Dean vs. Jess
Gilmore Girls follows the story of a young mom, Lorelai, and her teenage daughter, Rory, as they navigate the challenges of school, family, friendships, and love. While they both seem to struggle to find their perfect match, Rory has by far the most complicated one, as she’s caught between two.
Dean is Rory’s first love, and for a while, he’s the perfect boyfriend. He’s sweet, thoughtful, and even builds Rory her first car. Their relationship shows the fantasy of a young relationship, no stress and no expectations, but as time goes on, that begins to change.
Rory begins her journey to college and realizes she and Dean can’t seem to align on their expectations for the future. After being sent to Stars Hollow by his mom, Jess quickly becomes a part of Rory’s life, sharing many interests. Despite his rebellious nature, he can understand Rory’s intellectual capability and constantly pushes her to succeed, unlike Dean.
Naturally, I have to side with Jess, and, yes, it’s personal. Even though she doesn’t end up with either of them romantically (Logan doesn’t exist in my world), she remains friends with Jess. As it turns out, he ends up having the most successful career and helps Rory get out of her slump, inspiring her book idea. How could you not love him?
Jane the Virgin: Michael vs. Rafael
Jane Villanueva is suddenly thrown off the axis of her orderly life when she discovers she was artificially inseminated with another man’s sperm while waiting for marriage to her fiancé. As she navigates these complicated circumstances, she is caught between two men and their history.
Michael is Jane’s longtime boyfriend, the man she has grown up with. He provided her with security and loved her unconditionally. After Jane’s pregnancy, he becomes very distant and urges her to give the baby to its parents. No one can blame his hesitation at raising a baby that’s not only someone else’s, but that wasn’t planned.
Rafael and Jane’s story begins at a beach club, years before Michael. They have a brief encounter where he encourages her to “be brave,” a recurring theme in their relationship. After that moment, they do not see each other again until Jane becomes pregnant with his baby. Awkward.
Now, as far as who Jane chooses, it’s complicated. She initially chooses to marry Michael. However, since it’s a telenovela, Michael tragically has a heart attack and passes away. Jane grieves his loss for over five years before rekindling her romance with Rafael, only to find out Michael isn’t actually dead, and instead has amnesia (seriously, who thought this was a good idea?).
Ultimately, Jane realizes Michael is no longer the man she had once married, and they go their separate ways. The series ends with a wedding: Jane and Rafael.
I know most people argue that Rafael was Jane’s “default,” but I don’t accept that. Yes, Rafael was broken, but every decision he made was for Jane and their family. He constantly put her needs first and showed her all that she was capable of, making him her perfect match.
The Summer I Turned Pretty: Jeremiah vs. Conrad
Finally, one of the most popular and most talked-about love triangles on TV, and despite my strong feelings about this one, I am the first to say, brothers… seriously.
Belly has spent years visiting Cousins Beach with her family and the Fisher brothers. She’s always had feelings for Conrad, the oldest of the two and the most reserved. Despite that, he never fails to notice Belly throughout childhood. Then there’s Jeremiah, the younger brother, much more outgoing and upfront about his feelings towards Belly.
Although there’s a constant push and pull throughout the series, Belly ultimately ends up choosing Conrad, as he is the “one boy she’s truly ever loved.”
It should come as no surprise to anyone that I’m infinitely team Conrad. Not only has he had some of the most heartbreakingly beautiful monologues on television, but he’s always loved Belly, compared to someone who only liked her when she “got pretty.” No matter the feelings he has, he constantly pushes them aside if it means she gets to be happy.
And the winner is… still up for debate
That’s what makes a great love triangle great. There’s never a direct choice, no matter how hard we argue. We’re always presented with new scenes and moments that change our perspectives, and maybe, years later, one TikTok edit will be enough to revive the debate.
At the end of the day, it’s not about finding the “right” answer. Instead, it’s about defending your opinion passionately, knowing your friend will probably disagree.
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