Has a real-life romance ever ruined your favorite show for you?

Lisa Sun, Aug 31, 2008 at 11:02 PM EST

Finallly, some love for "My Boys." I dont understand why it's not a major network show.
Wait, the South Park guys are Republicans?? Eeeg, that does kind of kill it for me. I thought maybe independents, but not republican?!

monica Sat, Aug 16, 2008 at 11:46 PM EST

I have to admit his recent hookup is tainting his good guy rep. I've loved Kyle Howard since 1996 when he starred in House Arrest, so it's severely disappointing to discover he's just another lemming. I started to dislike Chad Michael Murray after he broke Sophia Bush's heart and influenced the plot lines of "One Tree Hill."

Coyote Thu, Aug 14, 2008 at 05:17 PM EST

I love My Boys and there are way too few episodes.

I really don't care who is or isn't with whom in real life.

Mia Wed, Aug 13, 2008 at 01:29 PM EST

Another vote for Milo/Hayden. They ruined whatever excitement I was feeling about Heroes's next season. I can't watch Peter Petrelli and forget that Milo is a shady guy who loves young girls.

SoSueMe Wed, Aug 13, 2008 at 11:40 AM EST

But I love the Bill Engvall show. He's freakin hilarious. Better than that awful one-note Larry the Cable guy. Anyways, I tried to watch My Boys last season and just couldnt get into it.

Jim Wed, Aug 13, 2008 at 10:50 AM EST

While a sympathize with your sentiment, Ginger, I'm pretty sure Kate Ward's editorial responsibilities do not extend to choosing cover subjects.

GingerCat Wed, Aug 13, 2008 at 10:45 AM EST

And yet, Lauren Conrad was on the cover of a recent issue of EW. If you think the show is trash (as I do), don't put it on the cover and give it more publicity!

Alex Wed, Aug 13, 2008 at 10:18 AM EST

Oops, meant "Alias withOUT Vaughn."

Alex Wed, Aug 13, 2008 at 10:17 AM EST

I agree with everyone regarding the Jennifer Garner/Michael Vartan relationship messing with Alias. The worst part for me, not mentioned already, was the fact that Vartan left the show for most of the last season because of it! Not that I blame him, having to pretend to be the father of your ex-girlfriend's baby. . . what a mess. And Alias with Vaughn, boo.

Jim Wed, Aug 13, 2008 at 09:45 AM EST

Please add an edit function.

Jim Wed, Aug 13, 2008 at 09:45 AM EST

Seinfeld was almost ruiend for me during the whole Michael Richards thing. I still watch it as much as possible, but still feel myself wincing a little bit. Also Newsradio, for obvious reasons.

Liddy Wed, Aug 13, 2008 at 09:34 AM EST

I second the Jesse Spencer/Jennifer Morrison hook-up. They never had any chemistry together when they were together and they certainly don't have any now. The fact that the show still has their characters together is pretty heartless.

Katie Wed, Aug 13, 2008 at 08:30 AM EST

ITA with Jessica S, Henry and Jennifer regarding Jennifer Garner and Michael Vartan (although their real life split still makes me sad). Season 4 of Alias had some very good episodes, but it was difficult to watch without thinking of the actors’ personal lives. Even though the character of Lauren Reed was gawd awful, Season 3 was tolerable because of the real-life coupling of the leads. As far as I’m concerned, the series ended with Season 4.

Mike Tue, Aug 12, 2008 at 11:49 PM EST

Sorry, but people who use the word "douchebag" regularly are in fact what the word originally conveyed.

mscisluv Tue, Aug 12, 2008 at 09:02 PM EST

Definitely the coupling of uncle/niece Peter & Claire (Milo & Hayden) has made Heroes very weird for me, and the large age difference (especially since you just know they were together before she was 18) has made watching them on screen a tad uncomfortable for me. Gossip Girl's Blake Lively & Penn Badgley is awkward for me, as well, but I'm not really sure why.

Molly Tue, Aug 12, 2008 at 08:45 PM EST

Also when Julian McMahon dated Shannen Doherty. She's the kiss of death for any relationship...plus her arrogance when she quit the show totally made me dislike her. I thought he could do so much better.

Molly Tue, Aug 12, 2008 at 08:42 PM EST

On One Tree Hill when Chad Michael Murray split from Sophia Bush (prettiest actress ever IMHO)to date some barely legit chick. So hard not to call her - or him - bimbos. Poor Sophia, she still has to act with him!

brittney Tue, Aug 12, 2008 at 08:08 PM EST

my boys is one of my fave shows! i was saddened by hearing of him dating LC, cause i want to date him! lol.

Seann Tue, Aug 12, 2008 at 08:06 PM EST

Okay, so, it wasn't real-life, but let me just say that George and Izzie on Grey's Anatomy almost killed that show for me.

Amy Tue, Aug 12, 2008 at 08:06 PM EST

When I found out that the South Park guys were republicans. Maybe it shows through on some of the episodes, but I guess that I just choses to ignore it.

u Tue, Aug 12, 2008 at 07:56 PM EST

Oh god NEVER! I really don't care what actors date.

Jessica S Tue, Aug 12, 2008 at 07:50 PM EST

Who someone is dating doesn't really ruin a show for me(unless it's a Paris Hilton-type) but when a co-starring couple breaks up, it's all down hill. Jennifer Garner & yummy, yummy Michael Vartan are the best example of this. It was awkward to watch and had to be strange to act.

Also, as mentioned below, Emily Van Camp and all her brotherly love. It's becoming a little icky...

Wojo, I love you:) Thanks for the laugh!

Melinda65 Tue, Aug 12, 2008 at 07:49 PM EST

When Nash Bridges lead Don Johnson started dating his on-screen daughter, Jodi Lyn O'Keefe, that was just...ick.

Lori Tue, Aug 12, 2008 at 07:38 PM EST

Frankly, EVERYTHING on TBS is ruined for me, between the endless ads for the Tyler Perry show and the annoying pop up ads for the Bill Engvall show. They both look terrible but even if they were great I would never watch, as TBS is so obnoxious in advertising them.

By the way, who from "I Love NY" is Jennifer Hudson dating? Ugh, what an awful thought.

LisaM Tue, Aug 12, 2008 at 06:53 PM EST

When House co-stars Jesse Spencer and Jennifer Spencer began dating, their characters, Chase and Cameron, hooked up. I don't like the Chase/Cameron pairing. The two actors have no onscreen chemistry.

Ep Sato Tue, Aug 12, 2008 at 06:49 PM EST

Knowing that Drew Barrymore was with Tom Green ruined my fandom of all things Drew. Just was she was getting her respect back...BOOOM! She hooks up with the stoner-loser gross dude.

I gained a lot of respect for David Duchovny when I found out he was hooking up with Tea Leoni.

Though I'd stopped watching by then, it did creep me out that the Dr. and the Alien woman with the wierd nose thingee hooked up for real in the backdrop of Star Trek: Truck Stop in Space Where Nothing Interesting Happens (sorry, DS9).

Finally, My Boys is officially tainted for me. I can't stand the Hills and can not believe how these shallow Douchebags have somehow become a national fascination.

Rather than give any love to these jerks on that awful Mtv reality show (and it's saying something to call an Mtv show AWFUL when most of them are kind of bad), I won't support anything that has anything to do with them.

Bye Bye My Boys. It was fun while it lasted.

Jelana Tue, Aug 12, 2008 at 06:18 PM EST

Dee -- it's a little off topic, but I agree with you about Evan Rachel Wood and Marilyn Manson. I lose respect for every woman he dates. He presents himself as this scary subversive freakshow, but he's really a misogynist Republican with a 401(k). Ok, well maybe that does actually make him a scary freakshow after all....

pai Tue, Aug 12, 2008 at 06:18 PM EST

I wouldn't say particularly ruined ... but I was bummed when Jennifer Morrison and Jesse Spencer broke up. And now it seems weird that their characters are still together ... when we SEE THEM that is!

Dee Tue, Aug 12, 2008 at 05:52 PM EST

LMAO at Wojo. And yowza Kate, I completely agree about Kyle and Lauren. I was nauseated when I first heard it. Other major ones I recall include Milo/Hayden (although there's plenty of other things that keep me from watching what Heroes had devolved into), Jennifer Garner/Michael Vartan, and Emily van Camp/Bright. Why does Emily always date her brothers on her shows? Yuck.
One movie one that kinda kills me inside is Evan Rachel Wood dating Marilyn Manson. Plus, now she looks like another Dita von Tesse! I still remember her as that sweet kid on Once & Again.

Henry Tue, Aug 12, 2008 at 05:34 PM EST

A couple of examples of reali-life romance having no discernable effect on the show:

-- Milo Ventimiglia (who's been roundly criticized here for dating his onscreen niece, Hayden Panettiere on Heroes; admittedly a little weird) dating Alexis Bledel while doing Gilmore Girls. It kind of enhanced the chemistry between Jess and Rory and that relationship remains one of the more popular ones from the show.

-- Evangeline Lilly dating Dominic Monaghan on Lost. Helps, of course, that Charlie and Kate were rarely onscreen together after the first season. Have they broken up now? I'm not sure...

Tue, Aug 12, 2008 at 05:29 PM EST

when sophia bush and chad michael murray divorced in real life, but their characters got together on One Tree Hill. It didn't ruin the show, but it changed their on screen chemistry.

Henry Tue, Aug 12, 2008 at 05:28 PM EST

I remember the craziness that surrounded plot developments on Alias once it got out that Jennifer Garner and Michael Vartan were dating. The fact that Vaughn and Syd were always meant to be together on the show may have signaled a death knell for the show when the romance bled into real life. It got even weirder when they had to write in Garner's pregnancy (who would turn out to be Violet, Garner's daughter with Daredevil co-star Ben Affleck) and had to pretend that it was Vaughn's baby, thus creating some kind of Twilight Zone-worthy love triangle that extended between real life and fictional reality.

bonash Tue, Aug 12, 2008 at 05:27 PM EST

I was so disappointed when I heard that the two of them are together. I have only watched the show a couple of time, but I'm a fan...and it also made me die a little inside to see them together.

K Tue, Aug 12, 2008 at 05:10 PM EST

It definitely sucks when cool actors date idiot reality stars, but if My Boys is gonna only produce like 6 episodes every 40 years (or that's how it feels anyway), nothing Kyle does is going to have an impact on the show.

Parag Tue, Aug 12, 2008 at 04:52 PM EST

I'm still in shock from someone mentioning "My Boys" as an underrated comedy. While I'm a fan of Jim Gaffigan, this show is complete and utter garbage. Not as bad as Bill Engvall, but there's a reason they're both on the same network and are over publicized.

Jade Tue, Aug 12, 2008 at 04:26 PM EST

Benjamin Bratt on L&O wasn't totally ruined by Julia Roberts, but was annoyingly distracting.

confidential Tue, Aug 12, 2008 at 04:16 PM EST

Agreed with the Alias comment. Once the relationship ended and she got some movie roles the shoe was dead. But I guess John Meyer is now redeemed in that he isn't with Jessica anymore.

K Tue, Aug 12, 2008 at 04:02 PM EST

Kate--I had the same exact thought about My Boys when I heard this as well.

FabK Tue, Aug 12, 2008 at 03:58 PM EST

I was going to mention Deb and Dex as well, but Andie beat me too it. I don't like her either, but I can't decide if it's the actress or the character I don't like.

Tue, Aug 12, 2008 at 03:58 PM EST

John Krasinski and Rashida Jones. I think she's a horrible hag who committed the worse offence anyone could make on The Office - SHE WASN'T FUNNY. I hated that entire story arc and it really taints my Krasinski love to know that he got her the job and for some reason continues to date her. Ugh.

Jennifer Tue, Aug 12, 2008 at 03:58 PM EST

The real-life breakup of Jennifer Garner and Michael Vartan kinda ruined their character's romance on Alias.

Wojo Tue, Aug 12, 2008 at 03:42 PM EST

Knowing that Jorge Garcia and Terry O'Quinn have been an item since season 2 of "Lost" has completely ruined the show for me.

Snarf Tue, Aug 12, 2008 at 03:36 PM EST

Milo and Hayden - Heroes

Hayley Tue, Aug 12, 2008 at 03:35 PM EST

I second Amy & Bright on Everwood. SQUICK. Then she had to go be even weirder and date Dave Annable on Brothers and Sisters - that's kept me from checking the show out!

cpreynolds Tue, Aug 12, 2008 at 03:35 PM EST

I can't believe this would taint your viewing of My Boys.

KG Tue, Aug 12, 2008 at 03:26 PM EST

Milo and Hayden for sure. In season 1 I thought of Peter as a dweeb, then season 2 he became hunkalicious when he lost the bangs and pumped up, and then he started dating Claire so now I find him creepy and a little bit of a pedo.

SarahP Tue, Aug 12, 2008 at 03:24 PM EST

The "Sisterhood" movies seem a little too weird now that I know that Amber Tamblyn is dating David Cross (a.k.a. Tobias Fuenke from Arrested Development).

Also, it's not a particular movie or show, but knowing that my girl Jennifer Hudson is dating someone who appeared on "I Love New York" just about kills me.

Andie Tue, Aug 12, 2008 at 03:19 PM EST

Ditto on the Milo/Hayden hook-up. Peter Petrelli has lost all of his hotness for me, which is truly a shame after his hotness sky-rocketed after that alternate future episode. The only other one I can think of at the moment is another sibling pair, Deb and Dex on Dexter. OK, so he was adopted, but it still creeps me out. Plus I really don't like the actress.

J from VA Tue, Aug 12, 2008 at 03:17 PM EST

Don't really have a couple but just wanted to say hear, hear on the Bill engvall (and I would add Tyler Perry)comment. I think TBS thinks that if they bombard us w/ those commercials we will eventually give in. We won't. Please stop

miranda Tue, Aug 12, 2008 at 03:15 PM EST

When Adrian Grenier, who I always thought was cool in his anti-Vinceness, started hanging out with Paris Hilton...Entourage seemed a lot less ironic after that.

Kai- Tue, Aug 12, 2008 at 03:03 PM EST

Amy & Bright on Everwood. It was almost creepy to think of them dating since they played brother and sister.

Minutiae Tue, Aug 12, 2008 at 03:01 PM EST

Hayden and Milo were also who I was gonna mention. I mean, it's going to be hard to watch them play niece/uncle, especially knowing that she's not quite 19 and he's 31! Legal or no, it still seems inappropriate somehow.

Rachel Tue, Aug 12, 2008 at 02:52 PM EST

When Milo Ventimiglia and Hayden Panettiere started dating in real life, it was hard for me to watch them as family members in the show. Just a little awkward...