Top 10 Pop Culture Debates That'll NEVER End
#10: Who’s the Best Doctor?
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Since this wildly inventive sci-fi series kicked off in 1963, we’ve seen 13 actors play “Doctor Who” across hundreds of episodes and numerous specials. Of course, that’s not even counting actors who briefly played the Doctor, like David Bradley and John Hurt. With so many memorable performances, the inevitable discussion as to who’s the best Doctor... is like a royal rumble. Though there are some clear standouts, there’s no obvious winner, and with no end to the series in sight, we suspect the discussion will only grow more intense with each subsequent casting.
#9: Angel vs. Spike
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When it comes to Buffy the Vampire Slayer's status as an icon, there’s no doubt. But as to which vampire lover was right for her… that’s HIGHLY debatable. When fans met Angel, it was love at first bite. But then the once-villainous Spike became romantically entangled with our heroine, and many fans changed their shipping status to “Team Spike”. Honestly, we suspect that this boils down to each fan’s personal taste: do you prefer damaged and brooding or a bad boy with a soft streak? While the series is over, this debate is anything but.
#8: The “Big” Question
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Viewers always care about who the main characters walk off into the sunset with when a series comes to its conclusion, but with “Sex and the City”, a show where relationships, both platonic and romantic, were central, fans couldn’t have possibly been MORE invested in Carrie’s love life. In the finale, all signs pointed to a life with Mr. Big, which was then complicated (TWICE!) by the films. But this back and forth reflects the exact same uncertainty that plagues fans - long after the show’s conclusion. Is Mr. Big Carrie’s Mr. Right, or not? Aidan certainly complicates things, for Carrie and fans alike.
#7: Hermione & Ron… or Harry?
For every Hermione fan that felt that Ron just wasn’t good enough for her, J.K. Rowling’s public feelings of regret about putting them together must have felt like serious validation. Now… despite online clickbait to the contrary, the author never stated that Ms. Granger should’ve married the Boy Who Lived instead. Of course, that hasn’t stopped fans from aggressively voicing that opinion. But hey, Team Ron isn’t without its own supporters. After all, opposites do attract! As arguably the biggest fiction series ever published, and one that shaped a generation of young minds, this coupling will continue to be discussed for decades.
#6: Pacey vs. Dawson
Sorry, is the show called “Pacey's Creek”? Why does he get to swoop in and get the girl? Then again, as an aspiring filmmaker, surely our titular Capesider can appreciate the need to subvert such well-worn tropes? In this classic late-90s series, we got a teen soap opera love triangle for the ages, one that really made viewers feel conflicted and often frustrated. Personal dramas and secondary romances aside, this was the fuel that drove the series from season 3 through 6. Though Pacey and Joey wind up together, there’s an alternate reality, with just as many supporters, in which Dawson gets the girl.
#5: Was There Room for Jack?
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James Cameron’s groundbreaking 1997 romance/disaster film proved to be the biggest thing since the actual Titanic. With a staggering worldwide gross, countless iconic scenes and then-unprecedented special effects, it gave people plenty to talk about for years to come. But you know what people are still hung up on? Whether or not Jack had to die. “Mythbusters” weighed in on the issue, declaring that the door could have supported them both had Rose just put her life vest underneath it. James Cameron, for his part, disagreed, saying Jack was destined to die. For fans however, there’s still a lifetime to debate these conflicting arguments.
#4: Star Wars vs. Star Trek
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There are plenty of sci-fi fans out there who enjoy both franchises, but even among open-minded and diplomatic fans, everyone has a favorite. Then you’ve got the hardcore fans, for whom the differences are just too glaring, and the feud, too far gone for peace to ever be achieved. One apparently HAS to be better, and there are those out there who are only too happy to fight it out in the trenches. Thankfully, for every throw-down between phasers and lightsabers, there’s a lighthearted, fun-loving chapter in the conflict, like the hilarious back-and-forth between Carrie Fisher and William Shatner.
#3: Were Ross & Rachel on a Break?
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But they were on a BREAK! Or were they? In this sitcom of unprecedented popularity, which many of you are probably still re-watching on Netflix for the umpteenth time, there were a lot of laughs, and a decent amount of interpersonal drama to keep viewers invested. While Ross and Rachel had their ups and downs over the years, years after the fact, and despite the couple having gotten their happy ending, fans are still dissecting this episode and its fallout. Countless articles have been published in support of each side of the argument, but we sincerely doubt consensus will ever be reached.
#2: Disney vs. Pixar
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To be fair, Disney has seriously upped its game with 3D animated offerings like Moana, Zootopia and Frozen, but ultimately, as far as this pop culture debate is concerned… it really comes down to classic Disney versus Pixar. Sure, they both operate under the Disney banner, but, as any committed Disney or Pixar fan will tell you, the types of stories told by these two distinct studios are quite different. Now… many fans do enjoy the cinematic offerings of both companies. But at the end of the day, they all seem to have a favorite, and they’re only too happy to explain to you why. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions: The Best Batman Team Jacob vs. Team Edward Was the Dress White & Gold or Blue & Black?
#1: Pepsi vs. Coke
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The world has weathered more than its fair share of long-running conflicts, but few have had the sort of longevity experienced by the Cola Wars. It might die down for a couple of years, but it never truly ends… and there’s always another big marketing battle on the horizon. Though these competitors had subtly been going after each other dating back to the 1930s, Pepsi’s “Pepsi Challenge” in the 1970s arguably ushered in the age of maximum fan-involvement, prompting cola drinkers to pick a side and defend it whenever one of the two companies came up. When the time comes, which do you reach for?
