You might think that you watch TV shows for the plot, but a lot of the time, in fact, we’d say 99% of the time it’s the chemistry between the lead actors that makes or breaks the show. You want them to get along, or have some sort of chemistry and banter that’s believable. So many of our favourite shows are centred around main characters, be it a couple, two best friends or a close-knit group of people. Friends, The Office, Scrub – you name it, they all have great chemistry and seem like they actually enjoy spending time together even when they’re not on set. But what you might not know is quite a few of your favourite TV show co-stars couldn’t stand each other and you would never know. Here are a few that might surprise you.
1. The X-Files: Mulder and Scully
There are few TV duos as famous and legendary as Mulder and Scully. It was so fun watching them on screen, and considering the show had 11 seasons, and how well they worked together it’s really surprising that while on set they actually hated each other. Apparently, they always argued and just couldn’t stand to be around each other. But thankfully none of that came across on the screen.
2. Gilmore Girls: Luke and Lorelei
These two took forever to actually become a couple on screen, but for most of the show their relationship was very flirty and they seemed to have incredible chemistry. We know the banter was in the script, but it seems impossible that these two wouldn’t get along. However, Lauren Graham has mentioned in interviews that while they’re not exactly enemies, they’re not even remotely close to being best friends either.
3. Charmed: Phoebe and Prue
What could be more magical than the relationship between three sisters who all have magical powers and are fighting the forces of evil together? Prue, Piper and Phoebe are the original legends of this show, but it turns out that just like sisters fight in real life, these ones did not get along at work. Alyssa Milano and Shannen Doherty started out fine but by season three they hated each other so much they would only talk to each other on set if they absolutely needed to, you know, to do a scene. Otherwise, they would constantly fight or just ignore each other completely, and wouldn’t even greet each other. The showrunners even tried to bring in a person to help them work through the tension but it didn’t work and eventually, Shannen left the show.
4. Castle: Richard Castle and Kate Beckett
This iconic duo starts out actually not liking each other like many onscreen duos do, and then inevitably there’s a spark and suddenly they become a couple. This is a common trope in TV, but what’s not common is that the duo apparently didn’t get along at all, to the point where it’s rumored that Nathan Fillion demanded his co-star be written out of the show and that happened quite suddenly. Stana Katic even mentioned in interviews that even after she left the show she still wasn’t sure what happened and why was her character written off in such a way.
5. Gossip Girl: Blair and Serena
This show was full of trust issues, backstabbing and faking a friendship in order to achieve something, but in the end, Blair and Serena always made up. We all kind of hoped that that was just the show and in real life, the cast would actually be way closer and nicer, however it turns out that Blake Lively and Leighton Meester were not actually friends in real life. They were professional and friendly enough at work, and they played their parts perfectly on the show, but in real life, they were not friends.
6. I Love Lucy: Lucy and Ethel
This is such an old and beloved classic. This TV show really paved the way for female lead shows, we’d argue that without it we would never get shows like Broad City, Girls or Sex and the City. But what’s interesting is that Lucille Ball, who played Lucy, and Vivian Vance, who played Ether didn’t start off as friends. In fact, Lucille initially didn’t want Vivian on the set and didn’t like that she was cast for the role, but eventually, they formed a friendship that became stronger than anything and Vivian even helped Lucille through her divorce.
