History Main / BetterAsFriends

* In the ''ComicBook/ArchieComics'' spinoff ''Jughead'', Jughead befriends Pop Tate's hamburger mascot girl (it's a bit of a challenge since he doesn't like girls, but he warms up to her over time; also, she's constantly dressed as a hamburger, which he loves). When she springs a date on him, he tries to go along, but the unfamiliar territory (and getting poor advice from Archie and friends) make him uncomfortable and the date ends disastrously. After a day of wacky revenge hijinks (did we mention that the girl in question is Comicbook/SabrinaTheTeenageWitch?), they have a heart-to-heart talk, when he admits he's not interested in dating at all but is okay with being friends. It ends on a happy note.

* ''[[ComicBook/RobinSeries Robin]]'': Zoanne and Tim only go on a handful of dates but end up not staying together as a couple because of Tim failing to show up for dates and falling asleep on dates but they remain friends and Zo thinks they work better that way. Another contributing factor was [[ComicBook/Batgirl2009 Stephanie]]'s return to Gotham since she and Tim quickly realize they still love each other.

* Having flirted with edging out of this category in ''Film/AvengersAgeOfUltron'', Bruce and Natasha have reached a version of both this and AmicableExes in ''Film/AvengersEndgame'' with the pair on good terms following [[spoiler:the five-year time jump in the wake of Thanos' death]].

* Creator/JoeQuesada is [[ComicBook/OneMoreDay trying to set up]] [[Franchise/SpiderMan Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson]] as this after they spent multiple decades as the OfficialCouple and HappilyMarried. Needless to say, fans aren't buying it (both literally ''and'' figuratively). [[spoiler:It finally ended when they got back together [[ComicBook/NickSpencersSpiderMan in 2018]]]].

* This is the main reason Hillary Duff and Mike Cormie have separated.

** Ser Jorah Mormont's FanNickname is Ser Friendzone.

* Ted and Robin from ''Series/HowIMetYourMother''. [[spoiler:Although they hooked up in Slapsgiving and Benefits, and eventually, amid much fandom backlash, got back together in the series finale.]]

* ''WesternAnimation/GravityFalls'': Dipper and Wendy come to this conclusion in "Into The Bunker", partially cause she likes him better as a friend and partially because, y'know, she's a sixteen-year-old while he's a twelve-year-old going on thirteen-year-old and it's clearly a puppy dog crush on his part.

* In ''Random Walk'', Yuka reveals that she used to date her classmate in her first year of middle school, but since they were too immature at that time to handle a romantic relationship, things got too awkward between them they eventually broke up. When they meet again during their third year, each has already found new love interests, and return to being friends.

* In ''Anime/{{Doraemon}}'' the protagonist's love rival [[TheAce Dekisugi]] describes himself as this toward Shizuka when the story explores [[TimeSkip the main characters' future]], which partly explains why [[OfficialCouple she and Nobita become a couple]] despite how the episode initially suggested otherwise.

* In ''Manga/RandomWalk'', Yuka reveals that she used to date her classmate in her first year of middle school, but since they were too immature at that time to handle a romantic relationship, things got too awkward between them they eventually broke up. When they meet again during their third year, each has already found new love interests, and return to being friends.

* After a (very) brief marriage, [[Series/BabylonFive]] characters John Sheridan and Elizabeth Locksley realize they have made a horrible mistake and that this trope definitely applies to their relationship. Despite years of separation and being on opposite sides in the war they still have implicit trust in each other and an excellent working relationship. They prefer not to tell people they are exes though, they may draw the wrong conclusions.

* In ''Anime/{{Doraemon}}'' the protagonist's love rival [[TheAce Dekisugi]] describes himself as this toward Shizuka when the story explores [[TimeSkip the main characters' future]], which partly explains why [[OfficialCouple she and Nobita become a couple]] despite the episode initially suggested otherwise.

* ''WesternAnimation/GravityFalls'': Dipper and Wendy come to this conclusion in "Into The Bunker", partially cause she likes him better as a friend and partially because, y'know, she's a teenager while he's still a twelve-year-old and it's clearly a puppy dog crush on his part.

* In ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra'', Korra and Asami each dated Mako at some point. By season three, [[spoiler: Mako and Korra agree that they won't work out as a couple [[AmicableExes but are awesome as friends]], and the same goes to him and Asami.]] [[spoiler: Which, as of the GrandFinale, [[BiTheWay paves the way for the girls dating each other]].]]

--> '''Roz:''' You've always been just like a brother to me. Which is weird, I know, because we slept together and...

* After a (very) brief marriage, [[Series/BabylonFive John Sheridan]] and Elizabeth Locksley realize they have made a horrible mistake and that this trope definitely applies to their relationship. Despite years of separation and being on opposite sides in the war they still have implicit trust in each other and an excellent working relationship. They prefer not to tell people they are exes though, they may draw the wrong conclusions.

* Creator/JoeQuesada is [[ComicBook/OneMoreDay trying to set up]] [[Franchise/SpiderMan Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson]] as this after they spent multiple decades as the OfficialCouple and HappilyMarried. Needless to say, fans aren't buying it (both literally ''and'' figuratively).

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[[folder:Live Action TV]]

[[folder:Web Comics]]

* JustFriends: [[{{Pun}} Denial's not a river in Egypt.]] They are totally JustFriends. [[ShipTease Until]] [[RelationshipUpgrade they aren't.]]

* In the ''Franchise/ArchieComics'' spinoff ''Jughead'', Jughead befriends Pop Tate's hamburger mascot girl (it's a bit of a challenge since he doesn't like girls, but he warms up to her over time; also, she's constantly dressed as a hamburger, which he loves). When she springs a date on him, he tries to go along, but the unfamiliar territory (and getting poor advice from Archie and friends) make him uncomfortable and the date ends disastrously. After a day of wacky revenge hijinks (did we mention that the girl in question is Comicbook/SabrinaTheTeenageWitch?), they have a heart-to-heart talk, when he admits he's not interested in dating at all but is okay with being friends. It ends on a happy note.
* In another ''Franchise/ArchieComics'' story, Reggie saves Betty's life when she's knocked into traffic, she knits him a sweater as a thank you, and they start dating. They realize that it's starting to get serious after they each turn down a date with their typical objects of desire (Archie and Veronica) to keep a date with each other. They talk about it, and kiss... and she says "Oh Archie" and he says "Oh Veronica." They burst out laughing and decide to just be friends.

* Creator/JoeQuesada is [[ComicBook/OneMoreDay trying to set up]] [[Franchise/SpiderMan Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson]] as this, after they spent multiple decades as the OfficialCouple and HappilyMarried. Needless to say, fans aren't buying it (both literally ''and'' figuratively).

* In another ''Franchise/ArchieComics'' story, Reggie saves Betty's life when she's knocked into traffic, she knits him a sweater as a thank you, and they start dating. They realize that it's starting to get serious after they each turn down a date with their typical objects of desire (Archie and Veronica) to keep a date with each other. They talk about it, and kiss... and she says "Oh Archie" and he says "Oh Veronica." They burst out laughing, and decide to just be friends.

* Solidad and Brock are revealed to be this in ''Fanfic/PokemonResetBloodlines''. They went on a couple of dates, but ultimately settled down as friends. She's still there to offer him some moral support when he's going through a rough phase [[spoiler: after his parents die]], and indirectly her efforts to cheer him up help him find someone else.

%%* Subverted in ''Film/WhenHarryMetSally''.

* ''Series/ICarly'' had Sam and Freddie date for 5 episodes. It was pretty horrible, constant fighting, hurting each other and so on. In the 5th episode they mutually break up because they were forcing a platonic friendship into something more. Freddie says he loves Sam, but it's clearly as a friend.

* In ''Series/{{Community}}'', Jeff Winger and Britta Perry have zigzagged between just good friends and FriendsWithBenefits. It was revealed in the latter half of season two that they'd been hooking up on occasion, but since then it appears they've just settled into a purely platonic friends dynamic.
** Between season three and four, Troy and Britta start a relationship, but near the end of the season, they decide to going back to just being friends.

* ''Series/TheLWord''. PlayedForLaughs when Jenny takes home another girl after her first lesbian crush, only to find that their awkward fumblings lack chemistry. At the end the two girls blurt out simultaneously, "Let's just be friends."

* After a (very) brief marriage [[Series/BabylonFive John Sheridan]] and Elizabeth Locksley realize they have made a horrible mistake and that this trope definitely applies to their relationship. Despite years of separation and being on opposite sides in the war they still have implicit trust in each other and an excellent working relationship. They prefer not to tell people they are exes though, they may draw the wrong conclusions.

* David and Stevie on ''Series/SchittsCreek'' sleep together in season one and briefly have UnresolvedSexualTension afterwards, but quickly settle back into platonic friendship to the point that in later seasons they call themselves best friends.

* Bowler and Creepknight in ''Webcomic/VoodooWalrus''. Its been eluded to that long ago there was something more romantic about there relationship. But that's most definitely not the case now.

* Ally and Alan from ''Webcomic/{{Sunstone}}'' had an incredibly political relationship back in collage, which is in extreme contrast to how laid back their strong friendship is now. This was due to both of them being quite strongly dominant in their sexual desires, which they learned through hard experience was not a compatible mix.

* After some drama, Sara and Daphne of ''Webcomic/PennyAndAggie'' have a RelationshipUpgrade and date for awhile. However, Sara eventually breaks up with Daphne, who is bitter about it for some time. The epilogue eventually shows Daphne in a relationship with another woman (with Sara's girlfriend existing but not being present), and reveals that Sara and Daphne came to the conclusion that they worked better as this.

* This is one-sided in ''WesternAnimation/DannyPhantom'' when [[DatingCatwoman Valerie]] gives Danny the ItsNotYouItsMyEnemies speech and declares they should just be friends. Danny is visibly upset for a time, but gets over it by [[FirstGirlWins Season Three]].

* ''WesternAnimation/GravityFalls'': Dipper and Wendy come to this conclusion in "Into The Bunker", partially cause she likes him better as a friend and partially because, y'know, she's a teenager while he's still a twelve year old and it's clearly a puppy dog crush on his part.

* Creator/BenStiller and Creator/JaneaneGarofalo were a couple for a few years in the mid-Nineties, but continued to work together after they broke up. They even [[http://www.amazon.com/Feel-This-Book-Self-Empowerment-Satisfaction/dp/0345412931 wrote a book about it,]] as a parody of celebrity self-help books.
* The french philosophers Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir met in their early 20s and became a couple. Though de Beauvoir declined Sartre's offer to get married, they never moved in together, and both had all kinds of other lovers, they stayed together for the next 50 years until their deaths and are even buried together. Better as friends, though friends with benefits.

* UsefulNotes/HenryVIII of England certainly wasn't happy about his political marriage to the German princess Anne of Cleves, and there are good reasons to think the feeling was mutual. Nonetheless, after their divorce they actually became close friends, with Henry sincerely calling Anne his "beloved sister".

There are a lot of tropes for platonic relationships between men and women. [[note]]or [[QueerRomance people of any gender]], for that matter[[/note]]

* ''WesternAnimation/GravityFalls'': Dipper and Wendy come to this conclusion in "Into The Bunker", partially cause she likes him better as a friend and partially because, y'know, she's a teenager while he's still a twelve year old.