A key element of sitcoms is usually the romantic angle, which attracts out the “will they or received’t they” trope throughout a number of seasons. It would look like a foolish cliché, but it surely’s an effective way to maintain viewers hooked as a result of everybody loves a contented ending.
That’s why all of us adopted alongside as Sam and Diane (Cheers), Ross and Rachel (Associates), Ted and Robin (How I Met Your Mom), and Leonard and Penny (The Massive Bang Concept) dated, broke up, dated once more, and in some circumstances (supposedly) lived fortunately ever after.
But when one takes a better take a look at these relationships, a horrible poisonous pattern is current in each. Whereas some are worse than others, the themes embrace controlling boyfriends, emotional manipulation, threats of bodily violence, and pushy insistency that borders on harassment. Pointing them out is in no way a option to trash romance and love. It’s merely the twisted approach the idea of what constitutes a relationship has been portrayed on display.
Sam and Diane
The connection between Sam Malone (Ted Danson) and Diane Chambers (Shelley Lengthy) is arguably one of essentially the most tumultuous romances in tv historical past. Their dynamic is the central focus of Cheers, with the sequence making the most of the outdated “opposites appeal to” saying. Sam, the proprietor of the titular bar, is a former skilled baseball participant, serial dater, and recovering alcoholic. Diane Chambers is a down on-her-luck, refined, but pretentious lady who finally ends up working as a waitress at Cheers.
Their relationship is a mixture of attraction and antagonism. Diane mocks Sam for his low mind, whereas he thinks of her as a buzz kill. Nevertheless, their most troubling interplay takes place within the Season 2 finale when, throughout their first breakup, Sam slaps Diane. When she asks if he regrets his actions, he says the one factor he regrets is that he didn’t hit her more durable. Diane leaves however is manipulated into returning in Season 3 when Sam begins ingesting once more. The violent menace is written off as regular. (Yikes!)
Ross and Rachel
Ross and Rachel’s relationship on Associates stored viewers hooked all through its 10-season run. The story arc sees the “good man” lastly get along with the lady he’s been in love with since highschool. The one drawback is that Ross wasn’t really a great man. When Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) admits her emotions for him in a Season 2 episode referred to as “The One With the Listing,” he makes use of a set of execs and cons to determine whether or not he ought to date her. The cons embrace stuff like “sort of ditzy,” “too into her appears,” and “only a waitress.”
When she finds it, Ross (David Schwimmer) tells her to make a listing about him, however Rachel refuses. Ross’s jealous aspect got here to the fore when Rachel’s style job introduced her nearer to a male co-worker. As a end result, Ross started exhibiting up at her workplace with meals and items. Their arguments about Mark culminate in a struggle, throughout which they comply with take a break. Believing that they had damaged up, Ross has a one-night stand, which, regardless of being a despicable factor to do, turns into a operating gag on the present.
Ted and Robin (and Tracy)
How I Met Your Mom introduced viewers with a singular tackle the way in which love tales are advised. The title was really a fake-out because the present wasn’t actually about Ted Mosby (Josh Radnor) assembly his spouse, Tracy McConnell (Cristin Milioti). As an alternative, the story was a software for the primary character to inform his youngsters that he has at all times been in love with Robin Scherbatsky (Cobie Smulders). The odd selection really made excellent sense since Ted grew to become obsessive about Robin from the second he met her.
Though Robin made it completely clear that they’re not appropriate in the long run, Ted refuses to let go. Regardless of having a number of critical relationships all through the sequence, Robin stays his sole focus. The pair continues an on-off relationship, which finally ends when Ted meets Tracy. When she dies of an unspecified sickness, he goes proper again to Robin. Whereas the finale makes an attempt to promote the obsession as romantic, it’s really tremendous creepy and intensely troubling.
Leonard and Penny
Leonard (Johnny Galecki) and Penny’s relationship in The Massive Bang Concept contained a number of troubling dynamics. From the second they met, the awkward nerdy man made it clear that he would do something for the thing of his affection. Consequently, Penny at all times held the higher hand within the relationship and determined after they dated or when it was over. Leonard, portrayed as meek and insecure, struggled to assert himself, and sometimes got here throughout as overly depending on her approval.
However Leonard was not the one wounded occasion. Because the sequence progressed, he would typically lord his intelligence over Penny (Kaley Cuoco) and even took it upon himself to secretly rewrite her school historical past paper on slavery in an episode titled “The Extract Obliteration.” Essentially the most manipulative stunt Leonard ever pulled got here after they have been married when he determined to function a sperm donor. When Penny questions his selection, he tries to rationalize his betrayal by saying it’s a likelihood to depart behind a residing legacy. (Gross!)
