Are soaps letting down their power couples as Robron, Swarla and more face giant obstacles?

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Soap operas are known for creating incredibly devoted fanbases, especially around popular couples. These on-screen pairings often become so beloved that fans give them unique nicknames.

Popular couples like ‘Robron’ from Emmerdale and ‘Swarla’ from Coronation Street are currently facing big challenges, which raises the question: are these long-running shows failing their most beloved relationships?

Let’s start with ‘Robron’.

We’re referring to Robert Sugden, played by Ryan Hawley, and Aaron Dingle, played by Danny Miller, who have recently gotten back together after being separated for nearly six years.

It was clear their rekindled romance wouldn’t work out, especially considering Robert’s rather unusual secret: his husband, Kev Townsend (played by Chris Coghill), who he met while in prison! Despite being a bit wild, Robert clearly adored Kev.

Aaron and Robert still have a lot of unresolved conflict, which began when Robert decided to end their marriage and file for divorce in 2019.

Considering Robert’s secrets about his prison past and Aaron’s involvement in Anthony Fox’s murder, they faced significant challenges even before trying to rebuild their relationship.

To truly explore a relationship, characters need challenges and conflicts to face, allowing them to grow stronger and prove their resilience.

A special episode planned for next month could finally give this storyline the boost it needs by revealing more about the issues with Kev and exploring the impact of Robert’s time in prison.

As of now, it’s unclear why the show needed to portray Robert developing feelings for someone new so soon after he declared his love for Aaron was all he ever needed.

Meanwhile, Carla Connor is still struggling with the shock of learning that Lisa Swain’s wife, Becky, is actually alive. Becky unexpectedly reappeared after Lisa believed her to be dead for four years.

Now that it’s clear Becky is causing trouble, viewers were still reeling from the happy news of Lisa and Carla getting engaged!

Becky’s return sparked some powerful moments, particularly as Lisa reacted to the unfolding events. However, Lisa and Carla have already faced immense hardship this year, dealing with kidney failure and the threat posed by Rob Donovan.

Even with the shocking reveal about Becky, this storyline continues a trend of soap operas creating major drama for their most established couples.

Over on EastEnders, Ben Mitchell (Max Bowden) and Callum Highway’s (Tony Clay) marriage is no more.

Known affectionately as ‘Ballum’ by fans, the storyline concluded when Ben was temporarily released from prison and Callum admitted to having an affair with Johnny Carter (played by Charlie Suff).

We’ve talked about how Callum’s decision to cheat has caused problems for him, and it’s currently uncertain what the future holds for his relationship with Johnny.

It’s been difficult watching him and Johnny try to build a new family with Ben’s hesitant daughter, Lexi Pearce (Isabella Brown).

The breakup of Ben and Callum’s relationship is sad, and viewers are worried that another couple on Hollyoaks might face an even more devastating outcome.

For years, viewers have called them ‘Dancy,’ and there have been times when it seemed like Nancy (Jessica Fox) and Darren Osborne (Ashley Taylor Dawson) just couldn’t handle any more drama.

We kept being surprised by their actions, but Nancy’s affair with Tony Hutchinson a few years ago – and the resulting birth of their daughter Morgan while she was with Darren – felt like a breaking point.

This surprising revelation changes everything we thought we knew. While Nancy isn’t without flaws, she’s always been more ethical than this person.

During the dramatic plane crash and fire that happened during the soap opera’s 30th anniversary, Darren wished he hadn’t been so hard on Nancy. With her life in danger, he realized how much he regretted his words, and it’s uncertain if they’ll ever have a chance to reconcile.

Fox and Dawson managed the situation with ‘Dancy’ quite well, and everyone working on those storylines has also done a great job.

The producers of Emmerdale understand that storylines involving Robert and Aaron are popular with viewers, and they believe the characters can overcome any challenges. However, this positive dynamic isn’t fully evident in the scenes we’re currently seeing.

As for Corrie, there’s reassurance that Lisa’s feelings for Carla outweigh those she has for Becky.

Soap operas often put beloved couples through challenges to prove their strength, but with Ben and Callum seemingly unable to fix their relationship, and other couples facing increasing difficulties, is this pushing things too far?

Others have overcome bigger challenges, so the current difficulty might just be due to the number of couples going through tough times at the same time.

Whether these popular couples are a good move for the show depends on how their stories ultimately unfold. Even though we have some doubts, it’s important to remember that the development of a romance is often more enjoyable than the ending itself.

The love will never die, but will it buckle under the pressure?

We have hope that it won’t.

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2025-10-22 21:35