Crystal Clear

^ Yep, you could feel the real sparks between them on screen in the majority of their scenes.

Art imitating life

BlackWhiteRose

I just wanted them to end up together...

Crystal Clear

^ I often question how much impact their real-life split may have had on where Val and David ended up. It reminds me of Brooke and Lucas in One Tree Hill - once there is tension off screen, sometimes the actors request to not work with each other as much on screen.

BlackWhiteRose

I never watched One Tree Hill sorry. But thanks for the comparsion.

yulan

I guess so. Although with both couples, real life relationships were also some of the reasons they were paired up on screen at the first place, right? Brooke and Lucas getting back together in S2-3 (and being great) was Chad's request, while with Tiff and Brian, I guess producers and writers capitalized on the Tiff/Bri real life relationship.

msstock87

It would be a shame if that’s why they broke them up. However even though I wanted them to be endgame I had a feeling they would always go back to David and Donna.

yulan

Yes. And I think when it comes to the cast, Tori's wishes were much more important than anything Tiff/Brian.

Crystal Clear

Most likely but I think the problem is that both of these couples ended up surpassing the originally intended OTP in popularity (Leyton + Val/David) and they were written in a much more mature way. So their break-ups didn't feel earned and like you said, because Tori's dad had creative control, I guess on some level so did she, so if she missed the David/Donna relationship then I guess it was brought back just out of contrivance.

yulan

Did Val/David become more popular than Donna/David though? I mean, D/D were paired up during the golden years, while V/D got together when the show was already on decline. Still popular, but on decline. I think many fans did not even see them together.

I think she had a lot of control, and many people involved with the show spoke about it - herself included. But in a way, I guess D/D might have been a preference anyway, simply because they were an older pairing, from the golden times of the show.

I think V/D might have had a chance of ending up together had the show ended in S8 or so, when Tori dated Vincent Young so Donna dated Noah.

msstock87

That’s a good point. If the show had ended earlier they might have had a chance of ending up together.

heyitsrachel

Tori dated Vincent? I had no idea.

msstock87

I did not know that either.

yulan

Yeah, and I read somewhere that it was considered "a nadir of nepotism"

I mean, the show kept him, but got rid of Hillary Swank. Go figure.

Crystal Clear

^ That photo, looks like he got caught doing something naughty by her

Yeah I read they dated from 1999 to 2001

I'm surprised she didn't insist on a Donna/Noah endgame based on that, but guess she knew the fans were nostalgic for Donna/David

msstock87

Haha that photo does look like he did!