It's something I've seen particularly in sitcoms where the audience is meant to be rooting for two of the main characters to get together, but in the meantime of course they have to date some other people.

For example, in Frasier the audience is meant to be rooting for Daphne and Niles. In the episode 'Mixed Doubles', Daphne starts dating Rodney, a guy who's almost identical to Niles, and Niles tries to get over it by dating a woman named Adele. At the end of the episode, they both get broken up with as Rodney and Adele have hit it off.

Or in Friends, when Rachel dates Russ, a near carbon copy of Ross. When she breaks up with him, it is implied in a post-credits scene that he and Ross's ex-girlfriend Julie fall for one another.

It's kind of nice because it's a way of giving a happy ending for characters who were overall decent and likeable, just got in the way of the plot. But, it's also maybe a bit on-the-nose and silly. What do you think?

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Kiethblacklion t1_jefdfhv wrote on March 31, 2023 at 4:37 PM

I think it's over done to the point where the audience sees it coming a mile away. Often times, I feel tv shows drag the "will they/won't they" plot for too long.

NoirPochette t1_jef8rat wrote on March 31, 2023 at 4:07 PM

Depends on the characters but it can be lame

[deleted] t1_jefg7e3 wrote on March 31, 2023 at 4:55 PM

[removed]

Dogbuysvan t1_jefuwv6 wrote on March 31, 2023 at 6:32 PM

It's to allow main characters to be stand-ins for writers and get a pass for their continued shitty behavior.

[deleted] t1_jefxypc wrote on March 31, 2023 at 6:52 PM

I just randomly caught that Russ when changing channels and... well Friends was the only show that wasn't about cooking or singing. It was way way too on the nose. It's natural that people have their type, but that was taking it so over the top. Then again, it's a sitcom.

Latter_Feeling2656 t1_jeghi19 wrote on March 31, 2023 at 9:02 PM

The dating-a-duplicate thing goes back at least to Perfect Strangers about four years earlier, where the Balki and Mary Anne characters break up and then show up with doubles of each other.

u2sunnyday t1_jeff09b wrote on March 31, 2023 at 4:47 PM

I don't think I'd call it a trope. That's how life is. You meet people through others.

Doubly_Curious t1_jefs1tq wrote on March 31, 2023 at 6:13 PM

I think you’re missing the specificity of this trope. It’s not just dating people who you’ve met through others. It’s when your ex dates your current parter’s ex.

Of course that does indeed happen in real life, but I’d say it’s odd enough to be remarked on. [Edit: maybe especially among straight couples?]

In fiction, it’s common enough to arguably be cliché.