Tropes and Tricks

Will they, won’t they is a classic media trope that when used well can captivate audiences for years on end. The problem with framing any stories around with this trope is that once a writer chooses to actually get the main characters together the show quality generally suffers. If too much hype, tension or story is built up around the central relationship then everything falls apart when they finally get together. On the other hand there are a handful of shows where after the will they, won’t they couple gets together the show quality stays the same, or in even rarer cases, increases. We are going to talk about both and what makes a good use of the will they, won’t they trope.

Though the trope is found across genres it is used as a crutch most often in procedurals. Cop procedurals specifically are some of the worst offenders of bad uses of the will they, won’t they trope. So let’s start with a truly terrible example, Castle. Castle and Beckett had some of the best romantic chemistry ever seen on TV. Especially considering that the leads did not actually get along. But the writing relied so heavily on their tension, their jealousy over the other one dating, and the moments where they are actually romantic with one another that once the writers gave in and actually got them together the story suffered. There was no longer a source of tension between them, and therefore in the show. Cases are not enough to keep a procedural going you have to be invested in the characters and in their relationship and once that relationship pays off there needs to be something else. For Castle and Beckett there was nothing else.

Let’s move to a much better example with Juliette and Shawn in Psych. This was a very long will they, won’t they process and the two shared incredible chemistry. BUT there was always more to the show. In fact the main source of tension in the show is the worry that someone will find out that Shawn is not a psychic. So when Jules and Shawn do finally get together the main source of tension is still there. In fact when his secret comes out (at least to her) it breaks them up and then the tension of will they, won’t they is back. The balance of tension in the show is so well written and very well executed that Psych uses the trope in the way it was meant to be used.

Okay next we have a so-so example with Booth and Brennan in Bones. Now to be fair to someone watching the show with fresh eyes from the first episode these two act like they are married. Their entire relationship is so special and romantic it's actually comical how long it took them to actually be together. This ever present affection is also made it so that their relationship and the writing of the show was consistent even after they entered a relationship. The thing of note here is how they entered a relationship. See Emily was pregnant in real life so their getting together that was built up for several years at this point was far too rushed. They went from partners to instant family and the relationship didn’t really grow and breath. That said, the show is still enjoyable after they get together and that is 100% due to the fact that they were always affectionate with each other.

I think the will they, won’t they trope is an amazing character device. The problem is when that trope becomes a plot device. A show should stand on its own without romantic entanglements from the main characters. Now I am not saying that you shouldn’t have good character relationships, you absolutely should but if the entire show hinges upon a relationship then you didn’t do a very good job writing the actual plot.