15 unconventional TV couples that probably shouldn’t have worked

Bill Compton and Sookie Stackhouse — True Blood

I rooted for a lot of couples in Bon Temps, but this is not one of them. I never could get on board with this duo, and looking back, I think it’s probably because they were so ridiculous together. And I don’t mean ridiculous in the delightful way that True Blood was ridiculous. I mean that their onscreen presence together ground on my nerves so badly. I flinched every time they were in frame.

As a fan of the Charlene Harris book series, I came to know Sookie as a strong feminist influence that was both fiercely independent and incredibly understanding. The HBO series, however, matched her with the antebellum Vampire Bill and quickly reduced her to an accessory or an afterthought to his needs and struggles as a member of the undead.

Bill was portrayed as Sookie’s protector and guardian, but in truth, she had to save him far more times than he ever attempted to rescue her. However, the show constantly pushed this “greatest love story ever” narrative on us, without offering much for us to root for.

Bill was broody, complicated and wounded. Sookie was buoyant effervescent, and high-spirited. Pairing these two didn’t bring Bill up to surface level; rather, it dragged Sookie down to some pretty dark and scary places. She should have never, ever paired up with that dark star.