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Home • Entertainment

The 8 Most Heartbreaking TV Breakups Of All Time

Spoiler alert: Insecure's Issa and Lawrence are really over, and now we're left feeling heartbroken and alone. Here are seven other major TV splits we never quite healed from.
By Charli Penn · Updated October 26, 2020
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01
Issa and Lawrence on ‘Insecure’
We’ll never forget the moment that Issa came home early from Malibu hoping to reconcile with her college sweetheart only to find out he’d already moved out, seemingly for good. Can someone please help us pick up all of the little pieces of our heart?
The 8 Most Heartbreaking TV Breakups Of All Time
HBO
02
Melanie and Derwin on ‘The Game’
“Shut up and take it!” It was the smack heard around the world after Melanie busted her NFL baller boyfriend Derwin for cheating on her with Janay. When one of the most unstoppable, well-matched (and fun-loving) couples on TV called it quits, hearts broke all over. The show was more of a comedy than a drama, but we’ll never forget how much it hurt to watch this break up go down.
The 8 Most Heartbreaking TV Breakups Of All Time
SCOTT HUMBERT/The CW
03
Cristina Yang and Preston Xavier Burke on ‘Grey’s Anatomy’
Fans would have rather gone under the knife than to have their hearts ripped right out while watching top docs Yang and Burke suddenly call it quits after he was a no-show at the altar.
The 8 Most Heartbreaking TV Breakups Of All Time
ABC
04
Ghost and Angela on ‘Power’

Whether you were for or against their love affair, one thing is for sure, watching Ghost turn cold on his childhood love Angela and leave her crying on the living room floor in season three wasn’t easy for anyone to watch. The wounds are still fresh.

The 8 Most Heartbreaking TV Breakups Of All Time
Starz
05
Martin and Gina on ‘Martin’

Let’s just say we enjoyed watching the iconic TV couple joke around together much more than we could handle watching their characters argue and part ways.

The 8 Most Heartbreaking TV Breakups Of All Time

Fox

06
Olivia and Fitz on ‘Scandal’
Show creator and producer Shonda Rhimes keeps ripping our hearts out over and over again as we continue to watch soul mates Liv and Fitz go back and forth between enemies and red hot lovers. Will it ever end?
The 8 Most Heartbreaking TV Breakups Of All Time
ABC
07
Whitley and Dwayne on ‘A Different World’
We still can’t talk about those dark times between TV’s cutest college sweethearts. The moment Dwayne crashed Whitley’s wedding and yelled “Baby please!” was both epic and wonderful all at the same time.
The 8 Most Heartbreaking TV Breakups Of All Time
NBC
08
Carrie and Big on ‘Sex And The City’
If it weren’t for the happy ending after all, we’re not sure we’d have ever healed from the heartbreak Mr. Big repeatedly caused our dear friend, Carrie.
The 8 Most Heartbreaking TV Breakups Of All Time
HBO