Toxic Movie + TV Relationships That Prove Single Is the Way to Go

(SPOT.ph) Singles, we know flying solo can get lonely. It doesn't hurt to daydream about falling into the arms of a special someone, but we sure hope you don't base your worth on your relationship status. After all, having a significant other isn't always sunshine and rainbows. In fact, some relationships are so toxic, you'll be sighing in relief you don't have to deal with the drama, baggage, and miscommunication. Just take a cue from these 10 fictional couples and stay single for the sake of your sanity.

Also read: No Broken Hearts: The Single's Survival Guide to Valentine's Day

Feeling lonely? These toxic relationships in shows and movies will make you feel glad you're single

Tom and Summer from 500 Days of Summer

Sometimes, the best form of a vibe check is asking people if they side with Tom or Summer from 500 Days of Summer. Call us judgmental, but the answer is pretty telling of a person's views and personality. We're kidding. A rewatch years later has taught us both Tom and Summer were in the wrong and it really wasn't meant to be. Was Tom entitled and demanding? Was Summer vague and indecisive? Well, yes! Watching this flick at different points in your life can serve as a lithmus test for your own ever-changing personal beliefs and values in relationships, and we think acknowledging both parties had their own problems is true growth. May you never encounter an emotionally entitled boy or flighty manic pixie dream girl in the near future.

George and Primo from The Hows of Us

Don't get us wrong, supporting your significant on their path to achieve their dreams is admirable and ideal. It all falls apart when one party does all the work and the other slacks off in reciprocating that support. George and Primo's respective dreams of being a rockstar and a doctor are as far apart as night and day, but in the right conditions, they can still thrive. But they don't because Primo doesn't grow up in time to match George's ambition and commitment. Worse, he's devolved into a bum who can't even pull himself together for George or his own sake.

May you never encounter a partner that can't put in the work for you and meet you halfway.

Joe and literally anybody in You

Allow us to preface this paragraph with a warning. Joe's a serial killer. He's an obssessive, manic guy who fixates on the supposed girl of his dreams and does everything in his power to keep her from the world. Should she step out of line in the script he's laid out in his head, it's bye-bye. All blood and mangled parts. This isn't just toxic, it's dangerous and serves as a cautionary tale for those who've found themselves in the company of a love-bomber who makes promises to move mountains. May you never ever find yourself in the company of a killer. We mean that. No joke.

Andy & Joe from The Devil Wears Prada

Change is inevitable in relationships. While you and your partner promise to stick together, you may someday become strangers in familiar bodies. In The Devil Wears Prada, aspiring journalist Andy takes on the high-pressure job of being fashion magazine editor Miranda Priestly's assistant--a career path that does not align with her own personal ambitions or beliefs. Still, it's better than having no job. She's trying her damn hardest just to survive, and eventually excel, but her boyfriend Joe harshly points out how she's changed too much for his liking.

While that is true, he and their group of friends didn't have to be jerks about it. The world of fashion eventually becomes important to Andy, and while it's a change he's less than happy about, he could have at least tried. May you find someone willing to understand and compromise before just giving up.

Carrie and Big from Sex and the City

Where do we even begin with Carrie and Big? Sex and the City's main girl is just head-over-heels in love with the guy without much consideration for the bigger picture--their lifestyles, backgrounds, goals, and ambitions just aren't written on the same page. And we get it, love puts you on a loop and makes you do crazy things, but it just wasn't working out, regardless of how hard we were rooting for Carrie and Big to finally end up together.

Sure, the crazy antics and gestures of love on the show are great #ForThePlot, but they'd just never fly in real life. We're also willing to bet if you had a Carrie for a friend, you'd hold their hand and stop them from doing something absurd. May you never be a Carrie begging on your knees for a man to love you back, and if you do, we hope you got friends to pull you out of the trenches.

Elle and Walter from Legally Blonde

Dumping you? Because you're too blonde? Insane. Elle is a catch, and though she might not have fit Walter's standards for a sophisticated, prim girl, we have to give her full marks for knowing her worth, dodging a bullet, and proving him wrong. She may have started her law school journey in the hopes of winning Walter back, but she got out prioritizing herself and realizing she's really good at this whole lawyer thing. Elle was a girls' girl through and through and Walter was just trying to take her down every time she took steps forward. Talk about insecure and toxic! May you never come be in a relationship with anyone who thinks less of you and tears you down.

Carson and Dio from I'm Drunk I Love You

We can't even call this one a relationship because it never happened. Are they friends? Yes. Lovers? Not really. Worse, they're vague super-friends in a sick and twisted game of will-they-or-won't-they that has lasted seven years. Time check: You can't wait on one person for this long. That's just self-torture and self-sabotage. Charming Dio knows exactly how to keep wide-eyed Carson on the edge of her seat and hoping for something more and it practically hurts to see her feelings get toyed with as the movie unfolds. This is a canon event in almost every girl's life, and sadly, we cannot intervene. Still, may you never have to wait this long on anybody. Ever.

Maddy, Nate, and Cassie from Euphoria

If you were on X, formerly Twitter, or TikTok when the second season of American teen drama Euphoria dropped on HBO in early 2022, then you know how the insane Maddy-Nate-Cassie love triangle took social media by storm. The fictional breakdowns and questionable actions stemming from the relationships of those three resulted in thought pieces left and right, with most of them boiling down to one conclusion: everyone was toxic as hell and you should steer clear of relationships like theirs IRL. From manipulation, gaslighting, and self-sabotage to alleged cheating, abuse, and trauma, the trio had it all. And we mean that in the worst way. May you never get caught up in something this emotionally debilitating.

Na-Bi and Jae-Eon from Nevertheless

Time to get defensive and insecure. Look, we get the skepticism and overall bitterness surrounding love, especially if you've had less than favorable break-ups and problematic partners. Still, it's no excuse to carry past problems into new connections. For the case of Na-bi and Jae-eon from Nevertheless, the attraction is apparent, but not potent enough to defeat the demons of past loves. You put together a jaded, heartbroken woman and a charismatic man who doesn't believe in commitment, add adventures in the bedroom into the mix, and it's a recipe for emotional disaster. Fine, we'll let you indulge in a little "Ano ba kayo?" drama for some time, but may you never think this is all relationships can and should be.

Harley Quinn and the Joker from the DC Cinematic Universe

In case you didn't know how Harley Quinn came to be, allow us to fill you in. The eccentric character was formerly a psychologist by the name Harleen Frances Quinzel, working at the Gotham City Arkham Asylum where she in love with the Joker, who was then admitted as a patient. Through manipulation tactics and emotional abuse, the Joker got Harley on his side as an accomplice and pseudo-lover. Details of the abuse in their relationship are peppered throughout several of the franchise's movies, comics, cartoons, and spin-offs, with Harley often subjected to cruelty from the Joker under the guise that it was all being done in the name of love. In terms of vibe and aesthetic, they look great and it makes for sick plot, but red flags all around IRL.

Also read: 10 Problematic Couples From Romantic Movies That'll Remind You of Single Blessedness