Some tropes in Hollywood have been used so many times that you kind of grow bored with them. Other tropes still get used all the time but somehow find a way to reinvent themselves over time and stay fresh. The classic “good girl bad boy” couple trope is probably the best idea of this example. Let’s take a look at some modern and less modern examples that show that this old idea is nowhere near dead yet.
Blair Waldorf & Chuck Bass – Gossip Girl (2007 – 2012)
One can’t simply write an article without including our favorite upper eastsiders. Blair Waldorf, our forever Queen Bee fell madly In love with Chuck Bass, every girls dream during the nouhties and inbetweenies, because who can resist a well-dressed man with a very good taste in buying gifts for his girlfriend and who will do everything to see her happy. Okay, he had his faults: blackmailing, scheming and trading his beloved girlfriend for a hotel among some of them, but boy, did we love those B and C takedowns.
Elena Gilbert & Damon Salvatore – Vampire Diaries (2009 – 2017)
Elena was the definition of a good girl: do well in school, protect the people you love and don’t do anything crazy. Although she started the show dating Stefan Salvatore, she ultimately fell hard for his brother, Damon: your classic bad boy character. Dark hair, the leather jacket, piercing eyes, a sexy voice and really nice dance moves, because nobody puts Damon in a corner. Damon originally came to Mystic Falls to wreak havoc and watch the world burn, but turned around when hanging out with Elena.
John B & Sarah – Outer Banks (2020 – )
John B is your typical wild-child/bad-boy fantasy. He’s independent, smart, mischievous and really good looking, having that surfer beach boy look mastered at its maximum level. Even though John B and Sarah, his good girl from al well established family, who wants to make the world a better place, are from very different worlds, fall in love and make each other a better person in the end.
Phoebe & Cole – Charmed (1998 – 2006)
Phoebe wasn’t exactly known as the good girl among the Charmed sisters, but when you put her next to Cole it honestly didn’t seem all that bad. He sure had that dark, brooding energy around him. And despite everyone hoping Cole would eventually turn away from the Dark Side like Darth Vader did, he sadly chose not to.
Claire & John – The Breakfast Club (1985)
The most OG good girl bad boy couple of them all, hailing from one of the most iconic coming of age movies of all time. The snobbish girl ending up with the almost criminal bad boy is a story that’s been told a million times already, but never quite like this.
Baby & Johnny – Dirty Dancing (1987)
If Claire and John hadn’t graced our screens a few years earlier, this would have been the couple everyone points to when they talk about the first time a good girl bad boy couple was done right. And let’s be honest, no matter how much of a bad boy Patrick Swayze was, everyone was pretty much in love with him weren’t they?
