Some tropes are old news, and some are timeless.
I’ve spent my fair share of nights binge-watching some of the best romantic comedies out there, enjoying every meet-cute, every grand gesture, and every kiss in the rain. In this sense, I’ve come to consider myself a rom-com aficionado.
I’ve also seen classic plays translated into modern-day ones, books made into films, and original stories come to life. Over time, I’ve picked up on certain tropes that I love and others that I just heavily dislike.
While these can normally be considered cliches, I can’t deny that I eat them up every single time they pop up on my screen. Whether you love or hate them, I’ve compiled a list of what I think are five of the best and worst rom-com tropes.
Best Tropes
- Enemies to Lovers
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A true and beloved classic.
To me, nothing is better than seeing two characters who despise each other develop a romance that you can’t help but be obsessed with. This trope could be considered borderline toxic if done wrong, but when done right, it creates some of the best and most engaging storylines. It’s the type that always leaves you wanting more and will deliver.
- Friends to LoversÂ
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There is something so endearing and special about seeing two individuals form a strong bond without a romantic context first. Then, seeing how their feelings progress for one another and how they’re both too afraid to admit it is addicting. The pining and that “will they or won’t they” element creates such an engaging story that leaves you anticipating the moment they finally admit their feelings.Â
- Fake dating
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This trope creates an interesting dynamic; two individuals come together under some specific circumstance or dilemma and conclude that they need to have a fake relationship to avoid their problems.
To see the characters slowly develop feelings for one another, they have to convince others of their “relationship.” What usually happens is that they question whether the other truly has feelings or if they’re simply faking it. Although the trope isn’t as common anymore, whenever I see it, I can’t help but watch.Â
- Forced Proximity
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If you’ve ever heard of the “but there is only one bed” situation, that basically sums up this trope.
This is a situation where the love interests are put in a situation where they have to be close to one another against their will, whether that’s on a trip or in a living situation that only has one bed. It’s the trope where they have no choice but to talk, get to know one another more, or ultimately admit their feelings for each other. It’s a rare trope, but it makes for an exciting watch.Â
- Academic Rivals to LoversÂ
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This trope, while similar to enemies to lovers, presents love interests who don’t really hate each other. Rather, they see the other as competition in an academic setting.
This type of trope is where the love interests bring the best out of the other, share witty banter, and care for the other deep down—even if they initially see the other as a rival. We see them go through that typical denial stage, slowly opening up to one another because of their shared interests, and then voilĂ : romance.Â
Worst Tropes
- Miscommunication
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There is nothing more annoying to see in a rom-com than this trope. It feels so unnecessary and unrealistic.
You have a conflict between the love interests, which then leads to feelings of hurt. One usually ignores the other, and in some cases, involves fights that leave you wondering if everything could have been avoided if they had simply sat down and talked. All the misunderstandings could be cleared up, and we wouldn’t have to see such a drawn-out act that causes you to scream at your screen, “Can you just tell the other what happened?”Â
- Age Gap
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Maybe this is just me, but this trope is really weird sometimes. Does it make for some interesting entertainment? Sure. However, it’s pretty weird when you sit down and think about how one of the love interests was in their late teens or early 20s when the other was young.
It’s not a super common trope, but whenever I see it, I take it with a grain of salt. You can’t help but think about the impact the age difference would have on their lives or if this scenario was even realistic. It may serve as an unrealistic fantasy, but personally, I just can’t ignore it.Â
- Love Triangle
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This has become such an overused trope that it has unfortunately become bad. Are you telling me I have to watch someone struggle to pick between two people they care about and watch that struggle be drawn out throughout the whole film?
I know this trope became popular with Twilight (2008), but it has become so overdone in the past few years that I’ve developed a disdain for it. It feels like the same plot scheme every single time, and at the end of the day, I wish the main character chose no one. I don’t know what it is about this trope, but maybe I’m just a hater after seeing it so many times.Â
- Step-Sibling RomanceÂ
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This is not a super common trope, but I’ve seen it appear a few times so it warrants a spot on this list.
I just can’t get over the fact that even though they’re not related by blood, they’re still technically family. Even if they became step-siblings when they’re much older, it still makes me uncomfortable. I think it’s safe to say this trope is just not my cup of tea.
- Unrequited LoveÂ
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This trope is just sad.
It’s not technically horrible in terms of dynamics, it just hurts my heart too much to see and I can’t handle it—especially when they have to see the person they love with another person. It just kills me.
No one should be subjected to so much agony, yet here we are. This type of trope leaves you yelling at the screen at the character who doesn’t reciprocate the other’s feelings because you can’t bear to see the latter in pain.
Whether You find them Cliche or Not, These tropes will always keep you Coming back to rom-coms.
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