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The pang of an unrequited love is always heartbreaking. The delicate world of the friendzone, where one secretly yearns while the other is blissfully unaware, or sometimes even deliberately so. Television has gifted us with a huge number of TV shows where characters orbit around their loved ones without the knowledge of the other.
Their prolonged glances and heartfelt gestures are often met with friendly smiles and platonic bonds. This trope is often one of the most resonating ones among the viewers. It taps into real-life experiences where characters fail to bridge the gap between friendship and love. These characters gain the sympathy and empathy of the viewers.
As they navigate the difficult terrain of unspoken feelings, viewers root for them. Even though they try their best, they are never successful in getting the one person they want to be more than friends with. It carries a poignant truth. The vulnerability of loving someone who does not love you back is truly tragic. These nine characters embody the frustrating reality of being close enough yet so far.
Close enough but yet so far: 9 Friend-zoned characters from TV Shows who can’t seem to catch a break
1) Suzanne 'Crazy Eyes' Warren in Orange Is The New Black
Suzanne Warren truly struck a chord with her struggle of being constantly friendzoned by Piper in Orange Is The New Black. From the start of the series, she tries her best to make an impression on Piper. From protecting her from Alex, throwing her pie and even writing poems for her, she did it all.
Suzanne was intense and her emotions were often misunderstood. Her way of expressing her feelings came across as overwhelming or even inappropriate at times. This resulted in her being given the role of a friend and never desired romantically. She was fiercely loyal to her friends.
She went above and beyond for them. However, the mismatch between her desires and the way she was perceived created a cycle of unfulfilled longing from which she could never get out. Her expressions resonated because they were a reflection of the human desire for love and acceptance. It also depicts the pain that comes when that love becomes unrequited.
2) Gunther in Friends
Gunther was the quirky character of Friends that the viewers loved. His most defining character trait was his unrequited love for Rachel. He pined for her through the seasons of Friends yet there was no respite. He tried his best. It was both endearing and saddening. Though it added to the comedic timing of the show, viewers have also resonated with him deeply.
Gunther was smitten by Rachel from the beginning. He adored her silently, yet sometimes this manifested in persistent ways. The contrast between Gunther and Rachel’s feelings for each other was truly a remarkable depiction of friend-zoning.
Gunther’s inner world of longing for Rachel and Rachel’s complete oblivion of his feelings added to the overall storyline of their friendship. Gunther’s hope was never fully extinguished. He remained as a strong presence in Rachel’s life.
3) Kim Shin Hyuk in She Was Pretty
Despite knowing Gim Hye-Jin’s feelings for Sung-Joon, Kim Shin Hyuk’s feelings remained unwavering. It was heartbreaking to see him getting friend-zoned constantly. The quirky and incredibly charming Shin-Hyuk was fiercely loyal to Hye-Jin. Their initial interaction was full of playful banter.
They had formed a genuine connection. There were several reasons that made his character so compelling. He saw past Hye-Jin’s insecurities and truly appreciated her for her kind heart and unique personality. It was truly remarkable. His unwavering support for her never faltered. Even when his feelings remained unrequited he was there for her.
To see his feelings go unnoticed was truly tragic. His subtle glances, his selfless acts of kindness, and his overall friendly conversations with her tugged at our heartstrings. She Was Pretty is a poignant depiction of the bittersweet reality of being freindzoned.
4) Xander in Buffy The Vampire Slayer
Yet another significant friend-zoned character that did not seem to get a break. Xander’s affection for Buffy remained unrequited throughout. He was her friend and had her back always. From the beginning, he had his eyes on Buffy. Xander’s attempts to win Buffy’s affections were often clumsy and ill-timed.
Even when there were opportunities for Xander, he could not get it right. He remained a trusted confidante for Buffy. His emotions for Buffy helped in character development and intriguing plot lines for Xander. Though they remained friends, the sting of unrequited love remained for him. It added a layer of intrigue and human drama to the supernatural world of the show.
5) Millhouse Van Houten in The Simpsons
Throughout the series, one constant thing about Millhouse is his crush on Lisa. From the beginning of The Simpsons, he is smitten by Lisa’s kindness and general awesomeness. He sees her as an unattained ideal. His affections are genuine. It is heartbreaking to see his love go unnoticed.
Lisa has appreciated his presence and has been a friend to him. However, she has never shown any romantic interest in Millhouse. She values his loyalty and friendship. Millhouse constantly puts himself out there. His love for Lisa serves as a bittersweet reminder of the complexities of human connection. It shows the pain of unrequited love.
6) In Guk Doo in Strong Girl Bong Soon
Timing matters the most for a friendship to turn into something more. For In Gook Doo and Bong Soon, their timing always seemed to be working against them. In Strong Girl Bong Soon we see that Bong Soon had a huge crush on In Gook Doo since her childhood.
She had been following him around under the facade of friendship. On the other hand, Gook Doo never saw Bong Soon as more than a friend. Though Bong Soon ended with Min Hyuk, and their chemistry couldn’t have been better, fans have shed a considerable amount of tears when Gook Doo tried to reconcile with Bong Soon and got rejected. Initially, Bong Soon was friend-zoned, and then Gook Doo.
7) Chloe Sullivan in Smallville
It has never been a secret that Clark had his eyes set on Lana from the beginning. On the other hand, despite knowing about Clark’s true feelings for Lana, Chloe’s love for him never changes. Chloe despite her obvious feelings for Clark consistently gets friendzoned by him.
Clark trusts her, and values her but always as a friend. It was truly sad to see her get sidetracked every time she tried to get close to Clark. There are certain moments when there is a glimmer of hope that Clark might see her more than a friend but it quickly gets extinguished.
These moments are fleeting and get overshadowed by Clark’s love for Lana. Though she finds love later in the series, the initial seasons were truly heartbreaking to see her try her best to get Clark.
8) Willow in Buffy The Vampire Slayer
Though not long-term, yet seeing Willow pine for Xander in Buffy the Vampire Slayer during the initial seasons was saddening. Xander often seemed clueless about Willow’s feelings.
She admired his loyalty and bravery. The dynamic between them was a recurring plot line for the series. They both relied on one another yet Xander never saw her more than a friend. It is a classic example of the friend zone.
9) Han Seo Jun in True Beauty
If 'can’t seem to catch a break from the friendzone' had a face, then it would have Han Seo Jun. The number of people rooting for Joo Kyung to end up with Seo Jun is truly remarkable. Though initially they were the perfect examples of friends, Seo Jun started to develop major feelings for Joo Kyung.
Yet, whenever he tried he never seemed to be successful in expressing his feelings. The seemingly tough guy with a hidden soft side made fans cry incessantly throughout. He was there for her during all her tough times. He stayed as a shield and protected her fiercely.
He wasn’t afraid to show his genuine emotions for her. Viewers were even hopeful that they would end up together, however, after SuHo returned there was no chance at all. It was tough to watch Joo Kyung choose SuHo over Seo Jun. It made his friend zoning a truly poignant and memorable part of the drama.
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