Do you ship them? No, we are not talking about what you do at UPS. “Shipping” is the latest craze sweeping the internet. If you’re a television buff, or just plain out familiar with the magical and life sucking words of Tumblr, fan-fiction, and TV blogs.
By definition, shipping, or to ship, is loving and worshipping a couple (or a potential couple) from a movie, a book, or most commonly, a TV show. Not just thinking they’re cute, but going to extremes of being completely and 100 percent absorbed in the lives of these fictional characters.
Some couples take people to the places of completely badmouthing a total stranger over the internet if they don’t ship the same way. The shipping wars have begun, ladies and gentlemen. So hold on to your Tumblr gifs and take a look at the Speakeasy top ten picks for some of the biggest ships of today and yesterday.
10. Kurt and Blaine, “Glee:”
Oh the cuteness. Photo Credit: mjsbigblog
Shipping these two is about as easy as shipping two kitties. It’s just a big old heap of adorable. While giving the perfect TV couple a more modern and ground breaking approach, these two guys have proven that love is love in a great way. Despite a rocky rough patch and a breakup last season, the two got over it and found love again with an epic Beatles proposal in the season five opener. But be warned: don’t mess with these shippers. They are hardcore and will rip whoever talks crap about their precious ‘Klaine’ a new one faster than you can say “hair gel and bow ties.”
9. Chuck and Blair, “Gossip Girl:”
Complicated, rich love. Photo Credit: Gossip Girl Wiki
He was awful…well, she kind of was too, but they were perfect for each other. These two Upper East siders certainly had their ups and downs in the hit show’s six seasons, before finally tying the knot in the series finale last year. Chuck was a jerk and Blair was the queen bee, but together they brought out the absolute best in each other. She taught him how to love, not just sleep with, and he taught her that even Manhattan’s evil little princess can let her guard down. Between their characters’ good looks, feisty chemistry and even feistier personalities, these two are a drama lover’s pure paradise.
8. Barney and Robin, “How I Met Your Mother:”
They’re lengen-wait for it-dary Photo Credit: T.V. Fanatic
Over 201 night stands and only one girl proved to be legen-wait for it-dary with the hit sitcom’s Barney Stinson. Robin’s Canadian charm and tough as nails personality managed to sweep the number one player off of his feet. After 8 seasons of friendship, sex, eventual relationships and break ups, these two lovers are finally about to make their way down the aisle. With the show in the beginning of its ninth and final season, fans and shippers alike will finally get to see if these two have their happily ever after.
7. Nick and Jess, “New Girl:”
Adorkable. Photo Credit: RedCarpetCrash.com
He’s angry and bitter. She’s happy and looney. They drive each other crazy, but love each other even more. Anyone who watches “New Girl”, instantly ships Nick and Jess. If they don’t, they’re either lying or wrong. After a season and a half of friendship, the two finally made their undeniable chemistry known in a kiss that rocked your TV (admit it, you watched it more than once) last year. Now picking up in the beginning of the show’s third season, the two are finally an item. If they’ll last, it’s too soon to tell. But so much of the show’s appeal is the shipping of Nick and Jess, so whether or not they go away, they are endgame. End of story.
6. Aria and Ezra, “Pretty Little Liars:”
He’s your teacher…it’s still cute. Photo Credit: Fan Pop
They make student and teacher relationships seem okay (for the record, they’re not. Remember Rachel and Mr. Shue? Ew). But who cares when they’re obsessing over one of the ABC Family’s hit show’s favorite couples? He’s the hottest teacher a girl could ever hope for, she looks like she’s 15 (her character isn’t too far off) and has a crazy personal life. For some strange reason, shippers alike go crazy over these two. With their “forbidden” romance being a major plot line since the show’s pilot episode, fans have been causing their parents anxiety by not being able to get enough of them. Whether they’re together, or as of right now, apart, shippers will always hold out for their love, despite PLL’s infamous and constant plot twists.
5. Jim and Pam, “The Office:”
Sweet as pie….or jam
Photo Credit: Glamour
After years of cat and mouse between these “Office” lovebirds, the two were seen happy and settled with their family as the series wrapped its ninth and final season this past May. After having an adorable crush on his “best friend” for the first few seasons, Jim finally managed to get Pam to be his girlfriend, than fiance, then baby mama and finally wife. The love behind these two is, well, easy to love. They’re just so sweet. Shippers came up with the couple name of “Jam” – you can’t get sweeter than that. As “The Office” wrapped, that was one element all of us were sad to say goodbye to.
4. Gordo and Lizzie, “Lizzie McGuire:”
Taking you back to your childhood. Photo Credit: Fan Pop
We couldn’t help but throw in the couple that taught so many of these Tumblr-loving, fan-fiction writing, teen girls how to ship when they were just little kids. And that was appropriate for all ages. The couple that practically invented “friend-zoning” put together the blonde, klutzy cutie that was Lizzie, with her adorable, nerdy, caring best friend. Though the two never got together on the show, for those of you who saw the “Lizzie McGuire Movie” (don’t lie and say you just didn’t start singing “This Is What Dreams Are Made Of“) saw that by the end, Gordo finally got his kiss from his lady. And we’re hoping that after the world’s longest middle school experience, they had a high school experience that only shippers can dream of.
3. Meredith and Derek, “Grey’s Anatomy:”
McDreamy. Photo Credit: BuzzSugar
They slept together, they worked together, they dated, they undated, they got married via post it note and now they’re starting a little “McDreamy” family of their own. For the past ten years, “Grey’s Anatomy’s” power couple have always been the ones that fans constantly ship. And there’s a lot of couples on that show to choose from. Like, a lot. These two may have started from an affair, but it’s pretty safe to say that they will go down in TV couple and shipper infamy.
2. Ross and Rachel, “Friends:”
More than “Friends” Photo Credit: Fan Pop
This list wouldn’t be complete without mentioning the couple from one of America’s most timeless shows. Whether it’s through re-runs on syndication, DVDs, or if your parents just let you watch it with them as kid, everyone of any age loves friends. Everyone ships Ross and Rachel – especially if you’re Phoebe Buffay. Years and years of back and forth, Ross and Rachel finally ended up together when the show wrapped up back in 2004. She threw away her dream job for her baby daddy and man of her dreams. Look up any best couples list, we can guarantee this will be near the top.
1. Cory and Topanga, “Boy Meets World:”
The Best. Ever. Photo Credit: FlavorWire.com
Easily the greatest TV couple of all time, from one of the greatest shows, ever. If you don’t love “Boy Meets World” and you don’t ship Cory and Topanga, you better not have had a TV, or you may just not be from this generation. They were the couple that loved each other from pre-puberty all the way to marriage.
They only suffered a few break ups, and gave all of us an incredibly unrealistic expectation on any relationship we may ever have as a teenager. These two loved each other unconditionally for years, and didn’t need anything fancy or special or out of the ordinary to make that happen. They were just them, a couple of kids in love. And that’s good enough for shippers and fans everywhere.
Whether they’re together, or you just want them to be, there is no shame in shipping. Look it up. It’s everywhere. We live in a country where we can ship freely, so next time you watch a show you love, whether it be live or on DVD, ask yourself: do you ship it?
What ship do you ship on your Tumblr? Tell us in the comments or tweet @Speakeasymag!
