25 of the most toxic relationships on TV

Image via BBC

River Song and the Doctor

I’m bound to get some push back for this one because everyone loves this couple. They have great chemistry, and it’s hard to deny their “everlasting” love could possibly be inspirational and motivational. But if you take a closer look at the inner-workings of their relationship, it doesn’t really hold up.

For one, River doesn’t really have much of a purpose outside of the Doctor. She’s basically his shadow, even though it’s not really totally her fault. Her entire life revolves around him – she was born to kill him, she went to prison for his “murder,” her parents are his companions, and even her education in archaeology was just a way to get close to him. The worst part is, he’ll never love her as much as she loves him.

Being with River turns the Doctor from an easy going, mellow peacemaker into a man turned on by violence, which is concerning in itself. The Doctor’s relationship with River is messy and complicated, and sometimes love just can’t overcome everything that stands in its way. Especially when those things are laden with the complex laws of time and space.