I am a sucker for romance and always have been. I started shipping (loving a fictional couple) at a very young age and still do ship to this day (although not quite as much and definitely not as intensely). The thing is, I’ve shipped a lot of couples over the years and as I’ve grown older and more mature I’ve realized that while most of the couples I ship are considered popular, there are a few outliers that I seem to be alone in wanting to stay together forever (or part of the minority who wants them to stay together anyway). Here are some of most unpopular ships I’ve supported over the years.
Kelso & Jackie (That ’70’s Show)
I shipped Michael Kelso and Jackie Burkhart so hard during all eight seasons of That ’70s Show. Sadly, in season five Jackie started dating Hyde and then broke up with Hyde and almost got back together with Kelso, then got back together with Hyde, then broke up with Hyde, then almost accepted Kelso’s marriage proposal then the actor playing Kelso left and the show ended with Jackie dating another character (which I hated). When Jackie and Hyde got together, fans loved them and still do to this day. And part of me understands why. Despite how much I loved Jackie and Kelso, their relationship was toxic and dysfunctional. Jackie emasculated Kelso, bossed him around, and verbally abused him. Kelso retaliated by cheating on her. Not healthy at all. So I understand why fans preferred Jackie with Hyde, a more stable and calming influence. Nevertheless, Jackie and Kelso had intense chemistry from day one and they had so much in common that I always, always, always wanted the show to end with them happy together.
Dawson & Joey (Dawson’s Creek)
Dawson and Joey were the entire reason I started watching Dawson’s Creek. The promos for the first season hooked me with the possible-friends-to-lovers push and pull between childhood besties Dawson and Joey. I watched every week on the edge of my seat as Joey yearned for oblivious Dawson, who only had eyes for new girl Jen. Finally, at the end of season one, Dawson realized he had more than friendly feelings for his good pal Jo and planted a kiss on her. I was so excited when season two started and they were dating. Then, about six episodes in, they broke up so Joey could “find herself” (aka the writers didn’t want them to be in a happy committed relationship at the tender age of 15). I prayed and prayed for them to get back together and they finally did in season three…only to break up again at the end of the season. Then the writers decided they wanted Joey and Pacey to fall in love and the rest was history. Fans LOVED Joey and Pacey, even former Joey and Dawson shippers. Not I, though. I always preferred Joey and Dawson and I’m still a little bitter the show ended with Joey and Pacey walking off into the sunset together.
Nate & Serena (Gossip Girl)
The only reason I started watching Gossip Girl was because I heard such great things about Chuck and Blair. And then, as I grew tired of their will-they-won’t-they, I became a big fan of Nate and Serena. Sadly, Nate and Serena’s time as the one of the most beautiful couples I’ve ever shipped (seriously, look at those two gorgeous specimen) did not last very long. In the first season, Serena returned to NYC after fleeing in disgrace a year earlier because she slept with her best friend’s boyfriend (Nate). Right away they became friends again but Nate was still involved with Blair and Serena was interested in Dan. In season two, she agreed to pretend date him so no one would suspect his new lover was a married woman. In season three, the two finally broke free of Blair and Dan and dated each other for real and many cute and chemistry-filled moments ensued. Unfortunately, Nate and Serena’s love did not last long for reasons I can’t recall (but I bet they’re stupid). The show continued on for two more seasons but Nate and Serena remained firmly in the just-friends camp. In the season finale Serena married Dan and all the Serena/Dan shippers rejoiced. I did not.
Steve & Nancy (Stranger Things)
I shipped Steve and Nancy from episode one. I loved their chemistry and though Steve did act quite jerkish towards Jonathan (which he deserved, because he did take pictures of Steve’s girlfriend undressing without her knowing) and towards Nancy when he thought she was cheating on him, I never understood why all the other characters called Steve a douche. He didn’t pressure Nancy to sleep with him and he didn’t blow her off after she did. In fact, he acted very sweet and respectful, which made me love him even more. I was happy that season one ended with Nancy and Steve together. Then season two happened and everything went to hell. We found out Nancy didn’t love Steve the way he loved her and told him this a few episodes in. They broke up and she moved right into Jonathan’s arms (not really but it kind of felt like it). There are a lot of Jonathan and Nancy fans out there, way more than Steve and Nancy, so I know I’m alone in shipping Stancy but since the show will likely continue on for one or two more seasons, I’m crossing my fingers that it’ll end with Nancy and Steve reunited.
Matt & Julie (Friday Night Lights)
Matt and Julie are a slightly controversial choice because there are a lot of people who shipped them together…at first. In season one, their courtship is amazing and beautiful and so, so romantic. Then, in season two, Julie becomes attracted to another guy and treats Matt like crap until he wants to break up with her. They break up, she realizes the guy she likes is an ass, and tries to get Matt back. He rightfully refuses. In season three, they rekindle their friendship and a couple episodes later, reunite romantically. All is well until season four when he decides to leave town after his father’s death and they break up again. In the final season, Julie dates her TA which ends badly and goes running into Matt’s comforting, familiar arms. In the last episode, Matt proposes to Julie, she says yes, and the show ends with them engaged and living together in Chicago. After the horrible way Julie treated Matt in season two, a lot of fans did not want them to get back together and weren’t happy when they did. While I also hated how Julie treated Matt, I still liked that they ended up together and that Matt stuck by her even when she wasn’t sure of him.
Noel & Felicity (Felicity)
I think I remember reading somewhere that Felicity and Noel were not supposed to become as popular as they did. The end game of Felicity was Felicity and Ben. After all, the show started with Felicity following Ben to college in New York because she’d had such a huge crush on him in high school and he wrote her a sweet note in her yearbook. So we were supposed to be rooting for her and Ben. Then she moved in to her dorms and met her nerdy, quirky, cute RA, Noel. And the chemistry between Felicity and Noel was so good that the writers had them date for most of season one. I adored them together and hoped and prayed the writers wouldn’t have Felicity and Ben date. My prayers were in vain because this was a teen drama so of course Noel and Felicity would break up at some point and Ben would realize how great Felicity is and want to date her. I lost interest in the show after Ben and Felicity became a couple and only watched sporadically. When the show ended, I read about how the finale did a weird time-jump thing and had Felicity imagine life with Noel and life with Ben. She, of course, chooses Ben and the show ends with them together. Ugh. Makes me glad I didn’t stick with the show.
So there you have it, my list of unpopular couples I shipped (and in the case of Steve and Nancy, still ship). There’s no shame in liking and rooting for the underdogs. You love who you love.