I’m a huge fan of controversial TV plots, and I can genuinely appreciate a good villain. People making poor choices in TV shows often leads to satisfying character development or unique conversation starters. But I know it’s not just me who’s noticed a TON of cheating storylines in TV shows lately, and the more you see the pattern, the harder it is to ignore.
A lot of the time, it feels like those storylines are only added for shock value or screen time. Other times, they’re so angering, they continue weighing on your brain for years after finishing the show. So I compiled some of the most controversial cheating scandals in TV shows…and oh boy, I’d buckle up if I were you.
1.
Most recently, what inspired this post was Taylor and Steven cheating on their partners with each other in The Summer I Turned Pretty. This, especially coupled with Jeremiah’s kinda-cheating-kinda-not, made me roll my eyes.
Honestly? There’s already enough focus on cheating in Season 3 with the Jeremiah drama, so this B-plot wasn’t worth including in my books. Plus, Taylor and Steven were two of the only redeemable characters left, and both of them cheating kinda ruined that for me.
2.
Let me preface this by saying that I LOVE Overcompensating. It’s hands-down my favourite show of the past year, and I absolutely worship Benito Skinner (the character AND the actor). But the moment I saw Peter cheat on Grace with Carmen, I instantly couldn’t stand Carmen anymore.
There are simply SO many people you could hook up with in your first year of college…and Carmen decided to pick her best (and only) friend’s sister’s boyfriend. For no apparent reason at all. (And Peter is a shitty person to begin with.)
3.
In Breaking Bad, Skyler cheating on Walt with her boss, Ted Beneke, is possibly one of the most angering parts of the show (and I mean that in a good way). It’s likely one of the reasons why Skyler was rated one of the most-hated TV characters of all time.
There are TONS of fiery debates on whether the Skyler-Ted incident classifies as cheating or not — and if it’s justified — but it sure feels like adultery to me. Besides, I’ve got a problem with Skyler using this as a lil’ revenge plot against Walt. Don’t fight fire with fire, babe.
4.
I’ve got a bone to pick with Spencer from Pretty Little Liars being the absolute worst sister in the world and kissing not one but TWO of her sister’s boyfriends: Ian and Wren. I truly don’t think fans discuss this enough.
Not only is this genuinely cruel of Spencer — it’s also just really ridiculous. I’d immediately classify my sister as a horrible person if she was “the other woman” with one boyfriend of mine, let alone with two different guys!
5.
In New Girl, Schmidt cheats on Cece and Elizabeth with each other. The boy had wayyy too much time on his hands, and completely fooled them both. What makes this worse is they end up catching him, as opposed to him ‘fessing up.
Schmidt and Cece are undoubtedly one of the best couples in the show, but my admiration for their relationship is compromised once cheating is introduced. And what’s more, this represented the tipping point of my distaste for Schmidt’s character, and I couldn’t come back from that. It hurts to see a favourite character become unlikable.
6.
We all love a slow-burn romance, and Emily and Naomi on Skins are a solid example of that. But us fans felt kinda ripped off when, soon after they started seeing each other, Naomi cheats on Emily with Sophia.
Not only was there a huge betrayal here, but it just KEPT happening…and honestly, one instance of cheating is already enough to drive the point home for me. It started to feel tired after awhile, not to mention SO upsetting for Emily.
7.
There are a lot of weird storylines in Riverdale, and a ton that I low-key want to scrub from my brain — but one that I especially wish never happened was Archie and Betty cheating on Veronica and Jughead with each other.
As someone who much preferred Veronica and Jughead as characters, I was actually warming up to Archie and Betty until they cheated. The storyline seems like it only happened “for the plot.” And I know a lot of us wanted to see the two of them together, but NOT. LIKE. THAT.
8.
All my fellow Gleeks knew this was coming: Blaine had no business cheating on Kurt in Glee. And I’m not just saying that because I love them as a couple.
This one is problematic to me because it completely goes against Blaine’s character. He was always loyal, moral, and totally worshipped Kurt, so it felt pretty out of place. The only positive of this plot is it led to the incredible (and heart-shattering) episode “The Break Up,” which is honestly my favourite one of Season 4. So I guess I can forgive it.
9.
And while we’re talking about Glee, I have to mention Quinn and Finn cheating on Sam and Rachel in Season 2. This plot just made no sense.
I’m sorry, but why the heck would Finn cheat on Quinn when she’d just cheated on him with Puck? Plus, Finn had just gotten so mad at Rachel when she cheated on him (also with Puck). I kept hoping for Quinn redemption arcs in Glee, but they seemed to never come.
10.
This never actually became real cheating (thankfully), but Jim and Cathy’s almost-cheating (slash Cathy’s attempted cheating) in The Office makes me cringe a LOT. Like, almost as much as “Scott’s Tots.”
There was a huge rumour that Jim was supposed to cheat on Cathy and John Krasinski made the writers change the storyline, but Jenna Fischer debunked it! Either way, hated this part. The guilty, scared look on Jim’s face in that hotel room is burned into my brain.
11.
Carrie from Sex and the City is arguably one of the most-hated characters on TV right now…and that’s because Gen Z (ahem, myself included) is realizing she’s actually kinda problematic. Notably, she and Mr. Big cheat on their respective partners with each other.
I know controversial relationship dynamics is what Sex and the City is all about, but this storyline particularly bothered me. Maybe because I dislike both Carrie and Mr. Big, so it was easy to hate their cheating…or more likely because I’m not a fan of cheating turning into endgame.
12.
This is a big one. Mindhunter is seriously one of my favourite shows ever, but I haaaaate the fact that Debbie cheats on Holden (PRECIOUS JONATHAN GROFF). And what’s even worse? The storyline is totally glossed over, and the pair literally never addresses it.
What’s the point of including cheating if you’re gonna ignore it, especially in an already-fascinating show with tons of existing material to highlight? Instead, I wish I just got more serial killer interviews, because those had my jaw on the floor.
13.
Beef, the one-season Netflix drama, was one of my favourite shows of 2023. But one part of the show that puzzled me was Amy cheating on her husband with Danny’s brother Paul.
Let me explain. This wasn’t because I thought cheating didn’t fit into the show — it certainly matched Beef’s chaotic energy — but Amy and Paul simply made ZERO sense together. I sensed absolutely no chemistry, which just made me question the entire thing even more.
14.
Euphoria had a couple cheating storylines, but the one that really raised eyebrows was Jules cheating on Rue with Elliot.
Although there are theories as to why this happened, it’s not totally clear, and it didn’t really do much in terms of character development, IMO. And I’m not the only one who thinks so! The Nate-Cassie cheating storyline seemed to fit a lot more seamlessly into the plot than this one.
15.
I love You (the show, LOL), but I’ll never forget how weirded out I was in Season 1 when Beck cheats on Joe with her therapist — who, by the way, is played by none other than John Stamos.
I’m a huge therapy advocate, so I’m not a fan of all the negative portrayals of therapy on TV. But aside from that, this was just gross, and made me sympathize a tiny bit less with Beck despite really wanting to love her character. Luckily, Joe and Love have an awesome couples therapist in Season 3 who makes up for it.
16.
Sorry if I’m about to ruin your childhood, but throughout Victorious (yanno, the kids’ show on Nickelodeon), it’s kinda hinted that Tori’s mom is cheating on her dad with his coworker Gary. And it’s, um, a lot to handle.
Take this one scene, for example, where Tori’s mom is texting with Gary. When Tori asks what he said, her mom replies, “Oh, nothing…I’ll just delete this!” with a mischievous smile. Although this ongoing joke is kinda funny to look back on now, it makes me shudder thinking about how many kids watched this and had no idea what it meant.
17.
There is sooooo much cheating in How To Get Away With Murder — an amount I’d already classify as excessive. And that’s probably why it was so upsetting when Laurel cheated on Wes with Frank.
It felt like Laurel and Wes’s relationship was the only cheat-proof relationship left, and boom: It turns out no one is safe from a cheating storyline. I understand needing to fill up an episode with new twists and turns, but you can only choose a cheating plot so many times before it gets old.
Now, what’s a TV or movie storyline that you absolutely hated? Maybe it had to do with gore, cheating, incest, or contained something offensive? Tell me in this anonymous form, or in the comments below!