TV Romance
25 Shondaland Love Triangles, Ranked
Shonda Rhimes didn’t invent the love triangle, but she did perfect it. From Grey Sloan Memorial to the halls of Scandal‘s White House to the corseted drama of Bridgerton to the firehouse on Station 19, no one does a devastatingly messy romantic entanglement quite like Shondaland.
These triangles (and, occasionally, squares) leave us breathless, arguing in group chats, and asking ourselves the big questions. Questions like: Should he have married the sister? Is that throuple…kind of working? Why does everyone cheat on their spouse with a coworker? And what is it about Addison Montgomery?
Even though some of the Shondaland shows like Scandal and Private Practice are off the air, their love triangles still live rent-free in our heads. Here are the most iconic Shondaland love triangles, ranked by who should have ended up together in the end. No notes. Actually, just a few…
Did we miss any key Shondaland love triangles? Let us know in the comments below!
25. Lexie, Mark & Julia (Grey's Anatomy)
Mark (Eric Dane) and Lexie (Chyler Leigh) — what can we even say? They were twin flames, only less dangerous cult and more burning sexual chemistry. She literally broke his… equipment. What kinda tantric sex leads to that?! When they were apart, Mark started dating Julia (Holley Fain), an eye doctor, but it couldn’t compare to what he shared with Lexie. He knew that, Lexie knew that, even Julia did. When the end came for them (sob), they were fully honest with each other.
24. Asher, Michaela & Connor ((How to Get Away With Murder)
Honestly, this triangle was more like a chaotic tangle. Michaela (Aja Naomi King) and Asher (Matt McGorry) had a sweet, goofy thing going, but it was Connor (Jack Falahee) who shared a deep emotional intimacy with Michaela that was never quite romantic — but could have been. Meanwhile, Asher and Connor had this weird bro-friction chemistry that made you wonder. Ultimately, Michaela stood alone at the end, but if we had to choose, the real answer might have been that none of them were right for each other, and that’s fine, too.
23. Izzie, George & Callie (Grey's Anatomy)
God, we miss the Golden Age of Grey’s Anatomy. These three characters are all gone now — only one is dead but still. So, George (T.R. Knight) and Callie (Sara Ramirez) started dating, and it was just not a vibe. No one was vibing. If you’re the one fan of this couple, please let yourself be known in the comments section. George and Callie’s relationship was consistently threatened by his friendship with Izzie (Katherine Heigl), and tale as old as time, Callie was right to be concerned as the two “just friends/she’s like a sister to me” have sex. Ugh. The icing on top was when Callie broke up with him, he and Izzie struggled to recapture that hot sex and called it quits quickly. A terrible love triangle full of poor matches.
22. Edwina, Anthony & Kate (Bridgerton)
Two siblings in the same love triangle? Yikes! Obviously, Kanthony was endgame, or whatever word means more than endgame. Never has there been such a hot couple in Bridgerton, or any Shondaland show. But if it wasn’t for their insatiable chemistry and great dialogue, we would not be okay with this love triangle. He was literally at the altar to marry her little sister! That’s not okay! Things went way too far for our liking. And yet…the bee sting? The eye contact? The arguments? It’s so hard to be mad right now.
21. Maggie, DeLuca & Meredith (Grey's Anatomy)
This triangle was less spicy, more awkward. Maggie (Kelly McCreary) had a crush on DeLuca (Giacomo Gianniotti), but he was already vibing with Meredith (Ellen Pompeo). Sisters before misters would’ve been a better rule here. It never really exploded, but the lingering tension? Uncomfy. Meredith and DeLuca gave it a good try, but the triangle never fully delivered. Then, well, he died.
20. Prince Friedrich, Daphne & Simon (Bridgerton)
Unlike other love triangles in Bridgerton, it was pretty clear Prince Friedrich (Freddie Stroma) never stood a chance. The only thing he had going for him was the whole royalty thing. Daphne (Phoebe Dynevor) was the diamond of the season, and her heart belonged to Simon (Regé-Jean Page), she just didn’t know it yet. But viewers knew it, we knew they BURNED for each other. It didn’t take long for a rendezvous in the gardens to sort that out, along with a lil duel to the death drama. All’s well that ends well, and it’s suggested the prince ends up with Edwina, so that’s a win!
19. Addison, Sam & Naomi (Private Practice)
The show literally started with Sam (Taye Diggs) and Naomi (Audra McDonald) divorced but running the practice together — aka our worst nightmare. The fact that not only did they hook up again several times during the show, but he dated Addison (Kate Walsh), her BEST FRIEND. Are you joking?! This love triangle was inevitable right from the start. Sam was her neighbor, and there was some accidental flashing and subsequent flirting, but that didn’t make it alright. Shall we make it even more painful? Sam and Naomi hooked up at Addison’s wedding, and Naomi got pregnant. Yeah, Addison struggled with fertility throughout the show, Naomi and Sam were already grandparents, but SURE.
18. Violet, Pete & Addison (Private Practice)
Alright, now this might just be the topper on our “hear me out” cake, but we didn’t hate Pete (Tim Daly) and Addison together. Two hot people with good chemistry? Sign us up. Especially when it involves our main girl Addie, who deserved the best things in life. That said, this love triangle was so messy. Pete wanted to commit to Addison, but he struggled to let go of his past with Violet, especially while raising their son, and the traumatic instance of his birth — it was a whole thing. Addison had always wanted children herself, so she loved helping with Lucas. Which makes us wonder, was Pete looking for a coparent and Addison looking for a child, rather than there being an actual connection? Though their sparks flew right from the Grey’s Anatomy crossover episode sooo… In the end, Pete and Violet found their way back to each other and their little family, and Addison got her own happy ending with Jake (Benjamin Bratt). All’s well that ends well, said Taylor Swift or William Shakespeare.
17. Megan, Nathan & Meredith (Grey's Anatomy)
When will Mer get her happy ending?! Not with Nathan (Martin Henderson), one of the first people she properly dated since losing Derek (Patrick Dempsey). They faced a bunch of obstacles, including Owen (Kevin McKidd) hating him, Maggie’s crush, and the loss of Derek. Then came the biggest obstacle, aka his fiancée Megan (Abigail Spencer) returning. The two didn’t even last, and Nathan returned to his NGO. Was it worth the pain?
16. Sheldon, Violet & Pete (Private Practice)
Violet (Amy Brenneman) got pregnant from this love triangle, and both men supported her as they eagerly awaited to find out which of them was her baby daddy. Spoiler: It was Pete. Sheldon (Brian Benben) backed away politely, both when Violet chose Pete and when he discovered he was not Lucas’ father. It was rough, especially as he had offered to be with Violet no matter the paternity of the baby. This was just messy and sad.
15. Jackson, April & Matthew (Grey's Anatomy)
Okay, this is giving quad relationship, but a lot of parties were involved in this messy situation. So, April (Sarah Drew) lost her V-card to Jackson (Jesse Williams), ruh roh, but Matthew (Justin Bruening) thought she was still waiting until marriage like him. Meanwhile, Jackson was reasonably happy with Stephanie (Jerrika Hinton), but we all knew she was a rebound for April — sorry, girl. Obviously, men being men, he waited until during the ceremony, when he stood up to declare his love for April. Wait, no, he stood up, sat down, then stood up again — slightly iconic, sorry. Matthew was stunned. Stephanie was stunned. April was stunned. We were stunned. April and Jackson left together, and so much more happened. She later briefly tried things with Matthew again to no avail. Jackson and April are together for good these days, and everyone’s better off now.
14. Mellie, Fitz & Olivia (Scandal)
The backbone love triangle of Scandal. Mellie (Bellamy Young) gave up so much for Fitz (Tony Goldwyn), and he saw it as a political marriage. He carried on a devastating, never-ending affair with his FIXER, Olivia (Kerry Washington), for years. Not even a stranger! Someone in Mellie’s own home. While we can’t deny the fiery passion of Fitz and Olivia, we demand justice for Mellie. She went on to slay as the first female president of the United States, so she ultimately won.
13. Teddy, Owen, Amelia & Link (Grey's Anatomy)
Another game of “who’s the daddy?” and this time it starred this foursome. Owen (Kevin McKidd) and Teddy (Kim Raver) have so much history but never seem to get their sh*t together to make it work in the long run. Amelia (Caterina Scorsone) and Owen were promising, helping to raise Betty and her son Leo together. Link (Chris Carmack) found himself in the midst of this messy situation. Basically, Amelia got knocked up and did not know who the father was. Link initially struggled with the possibility of not being the father, but ultimately declared he loved Amelia and the baby regardless. Then Link found out he was the father, which was a relief as Teddy was expecting Owen’s baby.
12. Addison, Derek & Meredith (Grey's Anatomy)
The love triangle that started it all. Picture it: You’re watching Grey’s Anatomy for the first time, you’ve spent all season loving the brewing relationship between Derek and Meredith, then a stunning redhead walks in and introduces herself as his wife and says, “You must be the woman who’s been screwing my husband.” Meredith and Derek were so endgame that Shonda literally had no choice but to kill him off. And yet, Addison was iconic. She remains one of our favorite characters ever written. She and Derek must have made such a power couple back in the day. Can we have an alternate universe where they’re together?
11. Edison, Olivia & Fitz (Scandal)
Let’s be real: Fitz was the love of Olivia’s life. In real life, you can move on from those kinds of loves, especially when they’re so flawed — this writer hopes?! — but not in Scandal. Edison (Norm Lewis) was smitten with Olivia, because who wouldn’t be, but she was using him as a distraction low-key. While Fitz was not an active part of this love triangle, his presence was very much felt. Edison proposed, Olivia turned him down, and the romance was over. Get some therapy, Liv, please.
10. Lord Debling, Penelope & Colin (Bridgerton)
Penelope (Nicola Coughlan) couldn’t just wait around for Colin (Luke Newton) forever, so when it was time to wed, she found herself drawn to the quiet, vegetarian Lord Debling (Sam Phillips). Girlie likes her meat, but she likes her alone time to be Lady Whistledown even more, and Lord Debling is traveler. It would’ve been a sweet, convenient marriage, but it wasn’t to be. The carriage scene happened to the sweet sounds of Pitbull, followed by a proposal. Penelope and Colin proved us wrong and provided a dramatic, sexy season, so we’re not complaining about how this Shondaland love triangle turned out.
9. Sheldon, Charlotte & Cooper (Private Practice)
Look, we didn’t love Sheldon, but even we can admit that he definitely deserved better than he got. You know how some people are lovers? Well, Sheldon was a longer. Throughout the show, he was longing for people, whether that’s Charlotte (KaDee Strickland), Violet, or his dying girlfriend Miranda — sob. For a psychiatrist, you’d kind of expect him to have his sh*t together more. He began seeing Charlotte, but when he professed his love to her, she got engaged to Cooper (Paul Adelstein) instead. We couldn’t be mad because it was Charlotte and Cooper! But sad.
8. Eve, Annalise & Sam (How to Get Away With Murder)
We stan a queer couple, and Annalise (Viola Davis) and Eve (Famke Janssen) really made sense to us. Yes, they had a shady past, and things weren’t always great. Annalise left Eve for her therapist Sam (Tom Verica) — THE WORST. But the pair couldn’t stay away, and Eve supported Annalise throughout it all, especially when she probably shouldn’t have. At the end of the series, during Annalise’s funeral, Eve delivered a heartfelt eulogy, highlighting the depth of their connection and the impact Annalise had on her life, even when Annalise didn’t choose her.
7. Mark, Lexie & Jackson (Grey's Anatomy)
Cough, throuple? Sorry, but they’re all just so attractive, it is ridiculous. Lexie and Jackson dated each other, but it was pretty clear he was her rebound from Mark, so that wasn’t a vibe. That said, any excuse to have Jackson shirtless is alright with us. While we wouldn’t dare to claim Mark and Lexie were anything but tragic endgame, we have to admit that Jackson and Lexie really worked! It was weird considering Jackson and Mark were colleagues turned besties/father figure, but this couple could’ve gone the distance. In a world without Mark Sloan, we would’ve rooted for this couple and their hot sex.
6. Michaela, Francesca & John (Bridgerton)
A twist on your typical triangle, this one feels quiet but emotionally loaded. Francesca (Hannah Dodd) loves John (Victor Alli), but there’s a subtle tension and tenderness between her and Michaela (Masali Baduza) that’s more than just in-law vibes. And since we know where this is heading (cough, Book 7), we’re not mad. Just deeply invested.
5. Tilley, Benedict & Paul (Bridgerton)
Not a love triangle as much as a throuple…but we’ll take it! Paul (Lucas Aurelio) brought out Benedict’s (Luke Thompson) curiosity and confidence, while Tilley (Hannah New) provided friendship, banter, and sexual tension. In the end, it felt like Benedict was discovering himself and broadening his sexual horizons. However, Tilley didn’t like this lil menage-a-trois as she developed feelings for our boy Benny and ended it. Okay…but Benedict and Paul?!
4. Ryan, Andy & Jack (Station 19 )
Oh, what could have been! Ryan (Alberto Frezza) and Andy (Jaina Lee Ortiz) had the whole childhood best friends-to-lovers thing going on, and they were really good together. They balanced each other out, and he knew Andy at her core. Unfortunately, their potential endgame was ripped away from us when Ryan died from a gunshot wound in Season 3 — with Andy desperately trying to save his life. And, look, we’re not saying Jack (Grey Damon) and Andy didn’t have something, but it always felt more platonic than anything. If Ryan had lived, he would have been a contender to the end.
3. Jake, Olivia & Fitz (Scandal)
Jake (Scott Foley) and Olivia had so much passion, whether that was fighting or… in the bedroom. There was a lot of deception and pain in this romance, and the lingering presence of Fitz — who literally hired Jake to watch over Olivia. Maybe we’re fools, maybe we’re naive, but we think Jake and Olivia could’ve really made it work in a world without Fitz.
2. Alex, Izzie & Denny (Grey's Anatomy)
The scene where Alex (Justin Chambers) lifted Izzie away from Denny’s (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) body was the most heartbreaking scene in television, without a doubt, without a single doubt. It summed up so much of their relationship, where Alex was carrying Izzie and supporting her, but she was never fully present. She essentially chose her rushed engagement with Denny over flirty friendship with Alex, then she had sex with her brain tumor hallucination while being with Alex, and then she left Alex. The two got together in a post-credit style scene, but it’s kind of ruined for us, which is a shame as we were rooting for these two crazy kids.
1. Adele, Richard, Ellis — & Thatcher (Grey's Anatomy)
Another love kite! Love square? Love rectangle? Whatever it’s called, this one was so freaking sad. Richard (James Pickens Jr.) was married to Adele (Loretta Devine), and Ellis (Kate Burton) was married to Thatcher (Jeff Perry). Richard and Ellis had a tumultuous affair and were low-key each other’s soulmate. We also later found out they had a baby! But Richard chose duty, and Ellis chose her career. Despite all the years, Richard held so much love for Adele and Ellis, and every scene involving them breaks our hearts all over again.
