Fans can be quick to form opinions on sitcom couples, but some of them shouldn't be judged without a little more thought. Sometimes, the very idea of two characters getting together is so unexpected and strange that fans decide they're against the relationship before even giving them a chance. If these couples are afforded the time to develop naturally, they could be surprisingly good for each other.

There have been plenty of bad sitcom couples who just don't seem right for one another from the very start. However, just because a couple aren't right for each other doesn't mean they aren't right for the show. Writers often create intentionally terrible relationships for comedic purposes or to highlight certain characters. If fans don't want to see the couples being together, they can completely miss what the writers actually intended.

10 Larry & Cheryl

Curb Your Enthusiasm

Cheryl puts up with a lot from Larry, but she eventually leaves him when he ignores a desperate phone call to watch sports on TV. He tries to get back together with her for a while, but he messes things up again by reverting to his old ways. It seems strange that Larry should make the same mistakes repeatedly on Curb Your Enthusiasm, although this is what makes his character different from so many other sitcom leading men.

Curb Your Enthusiasm is the story of Cheryl snapping out of her trance and quitting a terrible relationship. It's just seen from Larry's perspective.

Some fans thought that Larry and Cheryl would eventually work things out, but this wouldn't have aligned with what Curb Your Enthusiasm is about. Cheryl grows and betters herself, like many characters, leaving Larry behind as the only person who refuses to change. Curb Your Enthusiasm is the story of Cheryl snapping out of her trance and quitting a terrible relationship. It's just seen from Larry's perspective.

9 Jim & Karen

The Office

From the first season of The Office, it seemed obvious that Pam and Jim would eventually find their way to one another. Their flirty dynamic is hard to ignore, even when Pam is engaged to Roy, but The Office never makes things easy for them. One obstacle in their path is Karen, who Jim starts a relationship with when she shows up in season 3. Fans of The Office didn't give Karen a fair shot, mainly because she wasn't Pam.

Jim and Karen have a lot of fun together, even before they start dating. They can have fun together in the office, which is something Jim usually does with Pam. In the end, The Office didn't give Rashida Jones a lot to do with her character, although she's still capable of getting some laughs. Karen was always meant to be just another hurdle for Jim and Pam to overcome, but if things had been slightly different, she and Jim could have been happy together.

8 Troy & Britta

Community

Troy and Britta's relationship is one of the most hated storylines in Community. It springs up from out of nowhere, they don't have much chemistry, and it doesn't develop in a very interesting way. There are a lot of problems with the way the show handles their brief time together, but fans didn't give the idea much of a chance to begin with. By pairing Troy and Britta up, Community offered them both a new kind of storyline.

There are a lot of problems with the way the show handles their brief time together, but fans didn't give the idea much of a chance to begin with.

Troy is an immature dimwit, while Britta is neurotic and self-righteous. In theory, he could have taught her to relax and have fun while she could have taught him a little more personal responsibility. The show also didn't get time to fully explore how their relationship could have affected the whole study group. In particular, Abed's loneliness and Jeff's jealousness could have created some funny situations if the show stuck to its idea.

7 Mark & Dobby

Peep Show

Peep Show is one of a few hilarious British sitcoms which have managed to gather a global audience. This means that there are a few barriers for new fans. American audiences can get on board with the British humor, but many people still expect Peep Show to line up with other sitcoms. After Mark's divorce from Sophie, he gets together with a woman he meets at work called Dobby. However, this relationship is also doomed.

Ultimately, Mark has the exact same problems with Dobby that he does with Sophie. This might not feel like very satisfying character development, but that's exactly the point. Mark constantly wants what he can't have, and he doesn't know how to behave once he finally gets it. Not all fans are on board with the idea that Mark should ruin his life all over again in exactly the same way, but it's a great joke for those who align with Peep Show's sense of humor.

6 Ted & Robin

How I Met Your Mother

How I Met Your Mother's controversial series finale finally reunited Ted and Robin after nine seasons of going back and forth. Although some fans thought that they were a good fit for one another, the way that the finale brushed Tracy aside was largely seen as a huge mistake. The finale is now so notorious that it's often cited as a cautionary tale whenever a long-running comedy show nears its end.

Ted and Robin's reunion could have been handled with more grace, but the core idea isn't as bad as most fans make it out to be.

Ted and Robin's reunion could have been handled with more grace, but the core idea isn't as bad as most fans make it out to be. In fact, Tracy's death gives the entire show a new angle, as it means that Ted's recollections of his youth are more melancholy and remorseful. Ted getting back together with Robin could be seen as him making a decision to pursue happiness like he had in his 20s and 30s. On the other hand, it could be seen as a grim sign that Ted learned nothing, and he is set to make the same mistake all over again.

5 George Michael & Maeby

Arrested Development

George Michael's persistent crush on Maeby is one of the most divisive storylines in Arrested Development. Some fans find the whole narrative distasteful, since George Michael and Maeby are cousins, or at least they could be cousins. George Michael gets a glimmer of hope when he discovers that Maeby might have been adopted or born via a surrogate, meaning that, at the very least, they wouldn't be biologically related.

George Michael and Maeby's relationship is supposed to make the audience feel uncomfortable.

George Michael and Maeby's relationship is supposed to make the audience feel uncomfortable. The idea is that even the younger generation have been sucked into the weird dysfunction and selfishness of Arrested Development's Bluth family. The writers hammer this point home when Lindsay finds out she is adopted and immediately makes a move on her brother Michael. George Michael and Maeby's relationship is meant to feel as unnatural as this.

4 Archer & Lana

Archer

Even though she's so often infuriated by his immature ways, Lana and Archer have a long on-again-off-again dynamic while they work alongside one another. They have several failed attempts at getting things off the ground, and they even have a baby together, but Archer ends without the two spies getting their happily ever after. This upset some fans of the sitcom, especially since Archer had grown up considerably.

Archer's coma seasons change everything. When Archer finally wakes up, he discovers that his friends have all moved on with their lives, and Lana has gotten married to a billionaire. Ultimately, he doesn't end up spending his life with the woman who occupies such an important place in his dreams. This is a sad ending, but it's more true to life. Archer shouldn't get what he wants just because he eventually matures a little. This wouldn't be fair to Lana's character.

3 Jerry & Elaine

Seinfeld

To casual viewers of Seinfeld, Jerry and Elaine might seem like the stereotypical will-they-won't-they sitcom couple. They start the show with a shared romantic history, and they even get back together at one point. Kramer and George both individuallty express that they always thought Jerry and Elaine were bound to end up together, reflecting what a large chunk of Seinfeld's audience also felt.

Other sitcoms certainly would have given Jerry and Elaine a happy ending, but the Seinfeld writers know that neither one of them would deserve it.

Seinfeld's controversial finale came and went without Jerry and Elaine getting back together, even though it looks as if she might be about to profess her love for him while their plane is going down. This would have ruined the show in some ways. Seinfeld famously describes itself as a "show about nothing". Other sitcoms certainly would have given Jerry and Elaine a happy ending, but the Seinfeld writers know that neither one of them would deserve it, and it would have jarred with the show's tone.

2 Alexis & Ted

Schitt's Creek

Ted and Alexis seem perfect for one another. She inspires him and he mellows her out. Ted could easily have been part of Alexis' happy ending in Schitt's Creek, just like how Patrick changes David for the better. Some fans were disappointed to see Ted leaving Alexis for good as their career paths diverged, and their final dinner together is one of Schitt's Creek's most emotional moments.

Since David's storyline is wrapped up as he starts a new life with his partner, it would have been boring to repeat this narrative with Alexis.

Ultimately, the decision to keep Ted and Alexis apart in the end wasn't a popular one, but it was more interesting. Since David's storyline is wrapped up as he starts a new life with his partner, it would have been boring to repeat this narrative with Alexis. Also, Alexis' story ends with her choosing independence and throwing herself into a career where she doesn't rely on handouts. This is a bigger step for her as a character, since she has always defined her worth based on image and how other people perceive her.

1 Rachel & Joey

Friends

Rachel and Joey's brief relationship on Friends is still an extremely unpopular storyline. At best, it seems like an unnecessary distraction from Ross and Rachel's on-again-off-again relationship. At worst, it's a desperate attempt to keep the show relevant by forcing two characters together who don't share any romantic chemistry at all. Fans of Friends have often voiced their hatred for this plot, although it doesn't last very long.

Rachel and Joey's relationship could have been handled much better, but there are still some interesting ideas at play. For example, seeing things from Ross' perspective changes the complexion of the relationship. At this point in the show, Ross has had every opportunity to make things work with Rachel, and he has repeatedly made mistakes. By seeing Rachel moving on - and with one of his best friends, no less - it teaches him not to take her for granted. Rachel and Joey were never meant to be end game, but their relationship shakes up the dynamics of the group.