Too Much Chemistry: Ryan Hardy and Claire Matthews, The Following 

Late last year, we ran an article here at TV Goodness that gushed about six of our favorite TV couples that all had one thing in common: they had too much chemistry. That’s not a bad thing to have at all. It’s just that any time these couples were in the vicinity of each other, sparks flew and no matter what they were doing — if they were fighting, if they had significant others, if they hadn’t realized their feelings for each other yet — it didn’t matter. They needed to be together. Like yesterday.

I’m totally lumping Ryan Hardy and Claire Matthews of FOX’s The Following into that group. While they spend much of this series apart, I can’t wait until there’s a reason to get them in the same room. Either in flashbacks or when Ryan personally protects Claire from the devilish Joe Carroll in the present day, I can’t get enough of their scenes together. Kevin Bacon and Natalie Zea share a great chemistry that’s nice to see in this twisted world we witness on a weekly basis. And, yes, these two characters also share a ridiculously twisted history. But. I. Don’t. Care.

In the latest episode, “Guilt,” there was a really amazing scene that I think all Ryan and Claire fans have been waiting for. Then there was something that went down that dashed all that goodness leaving us to contemplate how long it’s going to be before the two will see each other face to face again.

Let’s start with the goodness. It’s clear that Ryan’s damaged psyche comes from losing almost everybody that’s ever touched his life. As we hear again, he feels there’s some sort of “death curse” plaguing him. That’s why he doesn’t let anyone in. And it certainly didn’t start with the Joe Carroll phase of his career. The soul crushing losses happened way before the cult leader entered his life.

But, finally, we get a Ryan and Claire scene where the two don’t skirt the issues at hand. She calls him out on not calling her for eight years and that leads to a couple of declarations:

Claire: Why didn’t you call me? Eight years. Why didn’t you call me?
Ryan: I told you. I’m your past. You need to move forward.
Claire: What if you are my forward, Ryan? I mean…look at us. We’re so screwed up and damaged. Who else is out there for either one of us
Ryan: It’s just that I know what I will always represent to you.
Claire: Well, then, what if I told you I love you.
Ryan: I’d say that’s a really bad idea. And…and that I love you, too.

Granted this is all going down when they are well aware some of Joe’s followers have arrived to kidnap Claire. But, oh well. Not everything can be perfect. Having said that, I loved the scene. Consider me a sap. The “I Love Yous” and the impromptu make-out session were brief moments of light right before things went so so terribly wrong. Emphasis on terrible.

Claire had to ruin things by going with Roderick who was there to take her to Joe and their son. I know Claire is scared for her son. And needs to be with him.  Just minutes before, she had just declared her love for Ryan.  I just wish she had put her trust and faith in Ryan to get the job done. She went with the bad guy instead. And now, how long is it going to be before they see each other again? Will she have to compromise herself with Joe in order to spend time with her son? I saw the previews for the next episode. I hope nothing too horrible goes on.

I also hope Ryan figures out a way to find Claire and Joey sooner rather than later. This Claire running off thing has (once again) seriously put a damper on the whole “too much chemistry” aspect of her relationship with Ryan. And that doesn’t make me happy.

The Following airs Mondays at 9/8c on FOX.