5 TV Couples That Elevated Shows (And 5 That Ruined It)

2. Oliver & Laurel - Arrow

Fans of Arrow will know that there were two sides to Oliver Queen's personality. One was the self-obsessed playboy who knew how to love but was too afraid of it to commit to any one person, while the other was an emotionless and troubled (but good-hearted) vigilante that would stop at nothing to survive and/or save his city. Two completely different versions of the same person, but they shared one similarity - they both refused to let anyone in. The one person, however, that got through to both of these Olivers was Laurel Lance.

Oliver's first love, Laurel was always meant to be the love of his life and, thanks to the fantastic on-screen chemistry between Stephen Amell and Katie Cassidy, it was clear to see how much they meant to each other - even when they didn't want to admit it.

The show's first season expertly told the story of how one deeply troubled man longed to get back to the woman he loved, as it was the thought of reuniting with Laurel that kept him alive during his hellish experience on Lian Yu. And when he returned, these two scarred souls had to find a way to overcome their emotional obstacles so that they could fall in love all over again.

With strong use of foreshadowing, impressive writing and convincing performances, Oliver and Laurel's history in the show (and the comics) set the stage for a compelling on-screen relationship - one that enhanced the show's debut offering.

Unfortunately it was all downhill from there for Oliver's love life (which we'll get to shortly)...