Contains spoilers forThe Flash, Arrow, Marvels Agents Of SHIELD, Supernatural, Gotham,andSmallville.
As a result, love interests come into a lot of criticism from the online community.
And this can often be the best path rolling with the criticisms and changing course when something isnt working.
To use a term weve just made up, this underwhelming pre-decided love interest problem plaguesGothamtoo.
However, she was sadly gifted with zero likeable characteristics or much chemistry with her fiancee.
The lesson we can learn from this one?
Dont deliberately start with a doomed relationship if you want to engage your audience immediately.
Thats changed everything, as shipping has slowly become a collaborative thing between fan and show-runner.
But the alternative is often even worse, asSupernaturalhas demonstrated time and time again.
Its a vicious cycle that has resulted in constant knowing winks to the audience without any satisfactory payoff.
See also:Teen Wolfs Sterek.
Thankfully, there are a few televisual gems that dont fall into these familiar traps.
However, the stellar scriptwriting from Moffat, Gatiss and Thompson has ensured this isnt a problem.
Then, of course, we got Mary a strong female character with her own agenda and secrets.
Rather than batting her eyelashes, she gave John some really difficult decisions to make, too.
Fine work on that one, BBC.
Even with the lingering remnants of Fitz and Simmons naff how have they not snogged yet?
palaver, the team at Marvel have now found a way to make the dynamic more interesting.
After ditching an attempt to pair Simmons with Tripp instead, the decision was made to mentally damage Fitz.
Now, he struggles to explain science stuff, let alone his emotions.
Resultantly, Skye now hates the guy and would literally shoot him on sight.
On the other side of the Marvel fence,Agent Carterhas so far delivered its love-based material with aplomb.
And thats not a bad lesson to teach younger viewers tuning in.
On the flip-side, Ichabods wife Katrina is almost universally loathed.
So what have we learned from our examination of love interests?
Irene and Mary fromSherlock, and Bobbi and Lance fromAgents Of SHIELD, just come and collect your prizes.
