Why Shows Don't Need A Love Story

I believe a show can still be action-packed, full of mystery, adventure, beautiful, funny, full of drama and plot twists without having main characters fall in love with each other. It takes away from the plot when a TV show forces two characters to like or even love each other because the show does not know what else to do, so they make characters get in a relationship. Or they make characters get together because they think it fits the plot, but it doesn't. While, some are beautiful, others are so expected that it can make me want to stop watching the show.

Of course, characters are allowed to have love interests, but I want TV shows to be relatable. Even if it is a sci-fi show and it takes place in a whole different world, a show can still be relatable. In our world, not everyone is in a relationship. Some people are single, and for some, it is by choice.

It would be nice to see characters do what they do best, whether that be fighting and ridding a city of bad guys, using powers and getting in trouble, finding out who killed someone or where someone disappeared to, or a character succeeding in their job, without being in a relationship. They could sleep around casually, have tried a relationship but it didn’t work out, but it would be nice to see single main characters stay single.

This really started bothering me when I was watching Daredevil. This might be a spoiler, and I apologize in advance if you want to see the show, but it bothered me when Claire and Matt almost got together. (I say almost because I am only in Season 1, if something more happens in Season 2 I don’t know about it yet.)

Claire helping him and bandaging him up, and he helping her was nice and great plot points. I liked the connection between them and the belief Claire saw in Matt to do good. Yet, when they decided to not be together and Claire said that she didn’t think she could “love someone who is like this” and Matt said “I don’t think you should,” this felt unnecessary. It felt like a plot point that happened for no reason.

Keep in mind, I never read the comics or watched Daredevil (the movie), but it took away from the show to have them try to be together. It felt like a rushed interest in one another. This also brings me to another spoiler from the show, Luke Cage.

Dropping the plot point of Misty and Luke being interested in each other was fine and fell off naturally, but having Luke and Claire like each other let me down. They were such a power team. I liked them as is. They really got to know each other, they were there for each other, and were doing what they believed was right for the city and for others. I wanted it to be a strong friendship and it ended up being them seeking a relationship.

(Again, I have not read the comics). As the corny jokes and comments kept arising and “always” kept being said, I realized by the end the show was really making a relationship happen. I do not have anything against Claire and I really like her character, it just feels too fitted when she likes a main character. It feels expected and I don’t like that. Also, the last episode of Luke Cage did not feel as strong as the whole series was, which affects my perception of their relationship.

What I am about to say next, many probably will disagree with me. I have something to say about Daenerys and Jon Snow getting together in Game of Thrones. There is no denying I love who they are. Danaerys is strong, caring, determined, fights for and understands good can happen, and carries herself knowing she has power in her actions, words, and heart. Jon Snow is honest, a fighter, cares about the good in the world, is lovable, and can be so convincing to others to do what needs to be done.

In others' eyes, their qualities combined probably makes them a power couple. In my mind, I don’t ship them. I love them both and it would hurt me to see them dead, but it felt forced for them to be together. The sly comments about her being beautiful, but Jon could not think of that at the moment. Or the mentioning of the way Jon looks at her, but Daenerys not wanting to think anything of it. It felt forced to me. Am I the only one that feels this way?

I know this show is not natural or ordinary with Whitewalkers, the Lord of Light, dragons, surviving fire, surviving death, being a faceless man, and much more. Yes, this show is extraordinary and compelling, but even with all of these elements, other relationships have felt natural and believable. Such as Jon and Ingrid and they had a back and forth slow start. Such as Daenerys and Khal Drogo and it was a terrible start. Such as, Tyrion and Shae. Rob and Talisa. Their relationships were raw and beautiful.

Daenerys and Jon getting together is not only wrong because they are related and it’s ANOTHER incest on the show, but it feels like since there are no other new characters and Jon and Daenerys have finally met, it just “has to be done.” It does not excite me and I feel it is not needed. The show would still be as strong without it.

While relationships can be so satisfying in shows, sometimes it’s even more satisfying seeing a show be amazing without an unnecessary relationship.