Honestly, I kind of agree with the study. Not to say that any romance in a TV show or movie is a no-go, but that it feels tired and lazy.

As the article says, it feels like a shortcut writers take to prove a character's growth or happiness; and it sets (what I feel is) an unhealthy goalpost for happiness. While being in a romantic relationship can be quite rewarding, I personally don't care for the notion that it's the only way to be truly happy or that it's the most important type of relationship out there.

My favorite genre of TV/ movies is best friends just being buddies (Psych, Detroiters, South Side, Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure, etc). When friendships run deep enough they can be just as meaningful and stable as romantic relationships and I think their underrepresentation makes them stand out even more.

On again, this isn't to say that I hate romance in TV/ movies, just that it's usually unnecessary and overrepresented.