There should be something said about the fictional relationships in TV and film. These spaces of entertainment — along with books — are arguably the only areas where one can indulge themselves in a toxic relationship. And it comes down to one simple answer — chemistry. The chemistry between two characters can make or break their relationship. The sparks that fly on-screen are largely what will gravitate the watcher to the ship, whether or not that couple is necessarily considered toxic. After all, it is fictional. With that being said, in no particular order, here are some of TV and film’s best relationships.

Damon and Elena

From “The Vampire Diaries,” one of the most popular mid-2000s teen dramas, Elena Gilbert and Damon Salvatore were a staple teen romance for the time. The two officially got together in season four after three seasons of heated tensions. They had a spark that audiences couldn’t ignore. Their lustful yet heightened emotion-filled romance coupled with the supernatural background of the show made them the couple to root for. They took the show by storm and went on to win the MTV Fandom Award for Ship of the Year in 2014 and the People’s Choice Award for Favorite On-Screen Chemistry in 2014.

Jess and Rory

Between Dean Forester — the guy who’s unaware of how his outbursts affect those close to him and Logan Huntzberger — the guy who treats people as disposable, it’s clear that Jess Mariano was the one for Rory Gilmore. While their relationship was by no means perfect, it was the most real. Not only did Mariano match her love for reading and all things literature, but he understood, loved and supported her in ways that the other two never truly did. While Jess did have that classic misunderstood bad-boy persona, he and Gilmore worked so well because of that spark which the other two lacked. Despite them not ending up together, their relationship stands the test of time as being one of the iconic ships on “Gilmore Girls.”

Peeta and Katniss

The love story between Peeta Mellark and Katniss Everdeen is one for the history books. It was no surprise they ended up together. By “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire,” it was safe to say Gale Hawthorne was out of the picture. “Everlark,” as they’re widely known, is one of the best — if not the best — ships to emerge from the young adult dystopian genre. Their love story transcended beyond the games and effortlessly created a mixture of sweetness and emotional tragedy. Ultimately, the pair received a bittersweet ending. They’re able to live in a world where their children will never have to endure what they did but the trauma they developed in the games and during the revolution will never be forgotten.

Chuck and Blair

Chuck and Blair (“chair”) from the 2007 CW show “Gossip Girl,” have a magnetic dynamic that was impossible not to root for. From the first moment in season one episode seven where audiences saw the two kiss in the back of a limo, Chuck and Blair were a duo everyone had their eyes on. Eventually, the limo came to be a place where the couple would frequently have emotional moments throughout the later seasons. It’s no secret that this show’s plotlines, characters and relationships are messy. Chuck and Blair are no exception to this. In fact, they may be the messiest. However, that constant tension of the “will they won’t they” trope worked for the pair because of their individual personalities, and when together they were an unstoppable force.

While this is by no means an exhaustive list, it is a glimpse into a few of the TV and film ships that have proved to leave lasting impressions on the future of the entertainment industry. It shows what audiences want to see and root for and that sometimes, it’s okay to indulge yourself in a little something toxic, messy and drama-filled.