Martha and Clifford

Background
The early 2000s was a notable time for shows with dog protagonists, and both Martha Screams and Clifford the Big Red Dog were immensely popular. Clifford and Martha started appearing at meet 'n' greet events together, and were spotted on the Birdwell Island pier several times. Martha shut down all rumors in 2002, stating that her and Clifford had "bonded over similar career choices," as titular characters in dog shows, but their relationship consisted of nothing more than that. Clifford, during an interview with TV Today in late 2001 hinted at a recent breakup, but did not offer any clue as to who he had been in a relationship with.

Impact
Numerous works of fanfiction based off of the speculative relationship between Martha and Clifford have been written since their first public appearance, most notable being the Dog Days of Love series. When Clifford committed suicide in 2003, and the country mourned his loss. Martha was present at his funeral, and delivered a heartbreaking eulogy. Martha disappeared from the public eye for the next five years, not emerging again until the debut of WBGH's Martha Speaks.