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SpoilerTV - TV Spoilers

The death of the "Will they or won't they" on TV

24 May 2011

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In recent years, it’s been a given that romantic pairs on television had to be subjected to the will-they or-won't-they dilemma—where couples as clearly in love as Ross-and-Rachel, Sam-and-Diane, or Jim-and-Pam were prevented from jumping into bed together for years, as the writers forced them through increasingly tight narrative hoops.

These days, though, it seems like more and more TV couples just will. As writer-producers have sought to surprise the audience, they’re puncturing romantic tropes in the process.

Read the rest of the article at The Daily Beast.
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19 comments:

  1. klutzy_girl24 May 2011 at 18:18

    This was a pretty interesting article. Glad I saw it linked on Tumblr!

    Aside from my blinding hatred of Diane on Cheers (and thus Sam/Diane - Team Sam/Rebecca all the way), I agree with this article.

    So happy for Booth and Brennan on Bones! I can't wait for season seven of the show.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Cleo Tepes24 May 2011 at 18:34

    I'm tired of it!  Sometimes it is more interesting to see how they deal with the morning after then wondering if they'll ever get there.

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  3. knownalias24 May 2011 at 18:41

    It was Glenn Gordon Caron's fault for blowing up David & Maddie on "Moonlighting", then having no thought where to go with it; it created several generations of timid writer/producers who never ventured to take the risk.  Given how (remake, retool, revision) unimaginative Hollywood really is, it took this long for them to write their way out of the trap.

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  4. klutzy_girl24 May 2011 at 18:45

    Plus, Bruce and Cybill reportedly hated each othe ,too, so that had something to do with it.

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  5. themurph200024 May 2011 at 19:29

    Let's face it, folks.  It's not going anywhere.  It's an easy and effective way of creating tension on a show, and fans have vivid imaginations about being in a romantic interlude with the lead on a show they like.

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  6. Linlighthouse24 May 2011 at 21:08

    I loved that first season paintball episode where Jeff and Britta parodied the "sexual tension" arc in many shows by deciding to just do it. And I was surprised and very happy when April and Andy got married. I expected that to carry on for a long time. Glad it didn't.
     
    It's a

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  7. lostrocks4ever24 May 2011 at 22:51

    thank god
    personally, i hate the will they or won't they
    but then again, i'm not a big fan of romantic relationships in television anyhow

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  8. 24fan24 May 2011 at 22:59

    Exactly, fans see every little hint they think may lead to a romance and boom it's off. I think it won't go anywhere.

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  9. Kirsty25 May 2011 at 00:28

    I like SOME relationships on TV. I shipped Huddy on House 'til they got them together and the entire season was a disaster IMO bar 2 episodes. Booth & Brennan I was happy to go along for the ride and accept and have faith they'll get there eventually. I personally was oh so happy about the finale. I love that the writers on Nikita got Michael and Nikita in Season 1. I personally thought that was better for that show instead of dragging it out for years. Certain shows I kind of ship but don't really care if they ultimately get together or not. Tiva on NCIS, the chemistry is undeniable, don't know if they'll ever get together and quite frankly I don't care one way or the other. Ditto The Mentalist. I love the scenes with Lisbon & Jane together, they have chemistry but I do not believe they will ever get together. I don't think the will-they-won't-they romances should all be tarnished by the same brush. Some worked; Ross & Rachel. Some didn't; House & Cuddy. I don't really believe in the Moonlighting curse per se and I think like 'jumped the shark' and 'game-changer' the phrase is thrown around too much these days. I don't think you can generalise ALL romantic relationships on comedies or dramas. Bottom line some work some don't. Fans have various different ships for all shows. When a couple gets together fans will be happy some won't, said couple doesn't get together same thing. I would continue to watch a show (and have) if my favourite ship did not get together or did then broke up. I believe it is the writing and production and acting that make whatever storyline good or bad. For example, it was the writing of House this season that has made me most probably jump ship not Huddy or the death of Huddy. 
    Really good interesting article. Apologies for the majorly long comment.

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  10. Bruce_F25 May 2011 at 01:30

    'Shippers, combined with the internet, killed "will they or won't they."  Now it's not a matter of "if" but rather "with whom", and heaven help you if you pair up the wrong couple because the 'shippers will storm the internet and demand to be heard.

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  11. DarkUFO25 May 2011 at 07:19

    Long comments are always welcomed here :)

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  12. jillyanne25 May 2011 at 07:38

    Nothing turns me off a show faster than "will they won't they" - except love triangles. 

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  13. prpleight25 May 2011 at 08:05

    Long disproven but the networks still mightily believe it it.    I agree with one of the quotes in the article.  The 'death' isn't getting the couple together it's what they do after.  Another series that uses The Moonlighting Curse as their excuse for failure is Lois & Clark.  Again, it wasn't getting the couple together that killed the show but promising the audience the wedding they'd waited season for then  calling PSYCH!  by having Clark actually marry a clone.  They betrayed the audience and rather than accepting responsibility they blame it on getting the couple together.

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  14. prpleight25 May 2011 at 08:09

    I hate the 'will they or won't they' syndrome...mostly because by the time a show reaches 'syndrome status' (imho) the writers seem to be coming up with artificial ways to keep the couple apart.  That's when it gets annoying for me. 

    The other side of the coin that I really hate is this idea that a man and woman can't work together and maintain a professional and platonic relationship.  The straw that broke the camel's back for me with The X-Files was when Mulder and Scully slept together.  Last ep I watched.

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  15. KatiKat25 May 2011 at 11:57

    The "will they, won't they" thing turned me off Bones. Seriously, that show got downright ridiculous in its latest season.

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  16. Luke James Farmer25 May 2011 at 13:07

    I totally agree with you on this xD
    In addition, I find that some shippers also focus too much on their "ships" and annoy me (like some shippers for Vampire Diaries Elena and Damon)

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  17. Luke James Farmer25 May 2011 at 13:09

    I don't mind the "Will they? Won't they?" as long as the show doesn't end up revolving around it.
    I also agree with the above poster about the idea that a man and woman can't work together and maintain a professional and platonic relationship.

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  18. Kassi Turk26 May 2011 at 11:32

    The flirty dialogs were cute for the first three seasons. But when they're getting into seasons seven, eight, and nine? It's not teasing anymore. It's annoying.

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  19. LupeT26 May 2011 at 16:30

    I personally hate the "Will they or won't they" trope because of online shippers.

    Take the Castle/Beckett shippers, for example.  Nothing is more important to them than Castle and Beckett getting together.  It doesn't matter what the mystery of the week is, what development any other characters receive (you wouldn't believe the "just kill so and so off, we don't care so long as Castle/Beckett get together" comments I've seen online), or what is going to best serve the story.  It's all about "OMG GET THEM TOGETHER ALREADY!!!!1!!"

    It was also why Season 4 of Chuck was so spectacular to enjoy as an online fan: Chuck and Sarah finally got together and lo and behold, the Charah shippers finally shut up.

    Yes, it's great for creating tension on the show, but mostly, it makes the shippers a real pain in the ass.

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