Top 10 Greys Anatomy Couples with the Worst Chemistry
#10: Leah Murphy & Arizona Robbins
When Leah was first introduced in “Grey’s Anatomy,” she developed an obsession with Alex after their short fling. But after her return to the hospital, Leah turns her attention toward Arizona. Their involvement comes out of nowhere and Leah’s attempts to get things going with Arizona don’t work out. We’re not given any reason to consider them as a real romance either because of how uncomfortable Arizona appears to be in Leah’s presence. Since Arizona was going through a trial separation from Callie, her relationship with Leah was always going to be temporary. The two also lack romantic undertones, as their time together is overshadowed by Arizona’s lingering feelings for Callie.
#9: Callie Torres & Penny Blake
Penny and Callie get off to a rocky start due to her part in Derek’s death. However, the pair put that drama aside to pursue a romance. The problem is that Penny was introduced mainly to create a scenario for Callie to exit the series. This meant that the relationship has several stop-start moments where Callie just isn’t as committed. Their pairing comes across as forced, especially as Callie suddenly goes all-in with their relationship when it’s time for Penny to move. This adds a separate storyline of Callie’s battle with Arizona for their daughter’s custody, pushing Penny out of focus. Although they eventually move to New York, their romance fizzles out off-screen, turning it pointless to begin with.
#8: Jackson Avery & Stephanie Edwards
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This pairing was clearly a diversion in the path of Jackson and April’s love story. Jackson pursues Stephanie when April is dating Matthew and their relationship kicks off without much of a setup. Although the show attempts to make them a steamy couple, there’s a noticeable lack of spark between them. That’s mainly because Jackson is still on the hook for April, leaving Stephanie without an emotional investment in their relationship. At best, the pair appear more like friends than lovers, and Jackson doesn’t appear too interested in changing this dynamic. It didn’t come as a surprise when he opted to pursue April over Stephanie. Breaking up right before Jackson professes his love for another woman is harsh but shows how they were never right for each other.
#7: Shane Ross & Cristina Yang
Some relationships can just be described as… odd. Shane and Cristina definitely qualify here. They’re never actually depicted as a real couple, with the attraction largely one-sided from Shane’s end. After he proves himself as Cristina’s right-hand man in cardiology, she begins an affair with Shane to deal with her work-related stress. Cristina makes it clear that they will never be a real couple, not that it stops Shane from trying anyway. The nature of their involvement is so forgettable that their relationship seems needless in retrospect. Shane ultimately follows Cristina to work for her in Switzerland. But that’s simply to write him off the show and nothing to do with a potential romance between them.
#6: Miranda Bailey & Eli Lloyd
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Most fans are accustomed to watching Bailey in charge of her life. With Eli, however, it appeared as if she was letting him dictate their relationship without having much of a say. Eli pursues Bailey while she’s on a break with Ben and pushes her to give him a chance. Bailey steps out of her comfort zone to make it work with Eli, but it's clear that she’s reluctant to fall in love with him. Since the show already established how strong Bailey’s feelings for Ben were, her pairing with Eli is clearly a stopgap. She ultimately does confront her love for Ben, ending the storyline with Eli as inexplicably as it started.
#5: George O'Malley & Olivia Jankovic
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George is head over heels in love with Meredith during the show’s first two seasons. Realizing she doesn’t feel the same way, he tries to move on with Olivia. A major problem here is that Olivia was never made out to be a character on her own. She switches between being a love interest for George and Alex. Since Olivia has no storylines centering around her, we’re inclined to see her as George’s second choice because he can’t be with Meredith. Their relationship doesn’t get a chance to start due to a number of, shall we say, “unfortunate” events. In the end, George openly admits he liked Meredith more than Olivia all along, making their pairing more awkward than it already was.
#4: George O'Malley & Callie Torres
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George and Callie prove that a couple might seem right for each other but just don’t go along well. When things start out, Callie is devoted to George and seems ideal for him. However, George is unable to keep up with how fast things are going, leading to their breakup. This begins an on-off arc between them that culminates in a marriage neither is ready for. George realizes late that he was never in love with Callie. She might have been too “safe” for him since he always pursued unavailable women like Meredith and Izzie. They both move on relatively quickly afterward to show how little genuine feelings they had in their romance.
#3: Teddy Altman & Owen Hunt
Teddy and Owen are great when they’re just friends. They’re also interesting when there’s a conflict between them. When it comes to a healthy relationship, these two might just be the worst. Teddy relentlessly pursues Owen when he’s with Cristina, temporarily shattering her friendship with him until she concedes defeat. Meanwhile, Owen never pushes her away completely, always second-guessing if he might be in love with Teddy. Their romantic relationship has been highly turbulent, ranging from unplanned pregnancies to cheating scandals. “Grey’s Anatomy” appears adamant to make fans think these two are meant to be. But it seems like Owen and Teddy are better at antagonizing each other than being happy.
#2: Jackson Avery & Maggie Pierce
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Jackson and Maggie were “Grey’s Anatomy’s” way of pairing the spares since neither was in a relationship at the time. It’s hard to root for a couple that’s technically family, as Jackson and Maggie’s parents were married. Even disregarding their step-siblings status, the two didn’t have anything in common. Their intimate moments have no emotional connections attached to them, which turns it into a one-dimensional romance. The only times that Jackson and Maggie show some passion is when they’re arguing and there are several because of their contrasting personalities. After a disastrous attempt to salvage their relationship with a trip, they admit they never really liked each other to begin with. We certainly agree.
#1: George O'Malley & Izzie Stevens
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Possibly the most controversial couple in “Grey’s Anatomy” history, George and Izzie’s romance didn’t sit well with the fanbase. Going from the best of friends to romantic partners, the two behave very much out of character during their sudden interest in each other. After a drunken liaison, the pair begin acting like star-crossed lovers. The majority of their story is about the ethics of George being with Izzie while he’s still married to Callie. Once he gets a divorce, the two almost instantly fizzle out, realizing they never had any chemistry. The end of George and Izzie’s relationship also kills the strong friendship they’d once shared, as the two are rarely seen in each other’s company afterward.
