History Main / EverybodyIsSingle

* Any superhero comic book character. Expect any long-term relationship with other superheroes to fall victim to NoGoingSteady and for non-superpowered spouses to end up StuffedIntoTheFridge.

[[folder:Video Games]]

* Virtually none of the fighters in ''Manga/KenganAshura'' are officially in a relationship with anyone, despite all of them being ''at least'' in their late [=20s=]. Most of the [=CEO=]s don't seem to have a spouse either, even though they are even older. The only exception to this is Kazuo, whose wife had left him years before the series began, and Erioh, whose wife probably had passed away, and various senior members of [[TheClan the Kure Clan]]--none of whom play an important role in the story as most aren't even named. The closest thing the series have to a romantic relationship is Rei's obssessive devotion for Rino (although they go on separate ways after [[spoiler:Rei loses to Kuroki]]), Karla's over-the-top desire to marry Ohma (which he doesn't reciprocate), and the close-but-not-exactly-romantic relationship between Fusui and Henzo (who are technically relatives) and Dr. Hanafusa and Kokomi (which mostly consists of the latter being the former's CloudcuckoolandersMinder).

* Played largely straight in the original ''Anime/MobileSuitGundam'', which isn't surprising, since most of the main cast are junior officers still in their late teens. Averted in ''Anime/MobileSuitZetaGundam'', with two couples from the original who had gotten married in the intervening years (although the wives had left the EFF to raise their children), and with lead protagonist Kamille Bidan's own parents. Most Gundam shows play it straight, though.
* Downplayed in ''Anime/{{Patlabor}}'', as Shinshi often mentions having a wife at home. The rest of the main cast are single, but considering their personalities, that's hardly surprising.
* In fact, most HumongousMecha shows usually play this straight with the pilots & support crew, with a few exceptions, probably the best example of which would be ''Anime/{{Godannar}}'', where the pilots of the titular robot are a husband & wife.

* The only long-term romance shown in ''Manga/KaguyaSamaLoveIsWar'' is Kashiwagi and her boyfriend ([[spoiler:at least until Kaguya and Shirogane finally hook up over Christmas break]]). And despite most of the characters' parents being married, the only one we see with any regularity (Shirogane's father) has been estranged from his wife for seven years.
* Virtually none of the fighters in ''Manga/KenganAshura'' are officially in a relationship with anyone, and the [=CEO=]s never mention having a family or spouse despite most of them being adults, and some even old enough to be a grandfather. The only exception to this is Kazuo, whose wife had left him years before the series began, and Erioh, whose wife probably had passed away, and various senior members of [[TheClan the Kure Clan]]--none of whom play an important role in the story as most aren't even named. The closest thing the series have to a romantic relationship is Rei's obssessive devotion for Rino (although they go on separate ways after [[spoiler:Rei loses to Kuroki]]), Karla's over-the-top desire to marry Ohma (which he doesn't reciprocate), and the close-not-exactly-romantic relationship between Fusui and Henzo (who are technically relatives).

* Averted explicitly in at least one instance in the baseball film ''Film/BullDurham''. When Millie, the younger baseball groupie (and protege to Annie Savoy (Susan Sarandon)) is working her way down the bench introducing herself to various Durham Bulls players, she flirts with one:
-->'''Millie:''' [''flirtatiously''] Hi, I'm Millie.\\
'''Player:''' [''brusquely''] Hi. I'm married.
** Naturally, that player gets cut in his only other speaking scene.
** Possibly averted again, when [[spoiler:Millie marries Jimmy, another player on the team, in an on-field ceremony towards the end of the season]].
** It somewhat makes sense as they are in A level minors, so most of the characters are supposed to be in their late teens and early 20's.

* Creator/JasperFforde married off the character of Literature/ThursdayNext in her first book, [[AvertedTrope specifically to avoid romantic subplots]] in the rest of the series, and get on with the main story.
* Subverted in ''Literature/TheMoonIsAHarshMistress'', in which the protagonist is married... but still eligible for a love interest subplot, as it's a group marriage. In fact, four spouses (three male/one female), get added to the marriage over the course of the book, two of which are main characters. The new wife is the protagonist's new love interest (and all the other spouses grow to love her too), one of the new husbands is a friend protagonist and love interest acquired during the plot, who thoroughly charms all the other spouses.

** JKR stated in an interview that some of the teachers are married, though. Can't recall if she mentioned how their living arrangements work...

* Averted ''and'' played straight in ''Women's Murder Club''; one of the main characters is a single workaholic whose obsession with her job destroyed her marriage, but another is happily married with kids and a third is in a long-term relationship (although she's a commitment-phobic with a tendency to stray).

* The ''Series/OneChicago'' franchise:
** Averted in part in ''Series/ChicagoFire''. When the series started only Hermann was married, but as the series has gone on Boden, Mouch and Cruz have all married (Mouch to Trudy Platt in ''Chicago PD''), and Severide and Kidd are in a relationship. Casey and Dawson did marry, but have since divorced after she left the show.
** ''Series/ChicagoPD'': Only Olinsky and Dawson are married at the start of the series, and the latter gets divorced after Season 1. Voight is widowed, Platt gets married (to Mouch, see above), and Burgess and Ruzek get engaged but break it off.
** ''Series/ChicagoMed'': At the start of the series Dr Charles is twice divorced, Dr Manning is widowed, Goodwin is married (but gets divorced after her husband leaves her) and everyone else is single. Maggie gets married to Ben, a fellow cancer patient, in Season 6. There are various hookups between the doctors but none have yet led to marriage, although Drs Halstead and Manning came close, and April was also engaged before calling it off.

* The central characters in ''Las Vegas'', except for Ed Deline, mostly stay out of serious relationships. Samantha is AllergicToLove (although we later learn that she was married), Mary wants to settle down but can't make it last, Mike and Danny date multiple girls, and Delinda flits from man to man until she and Danny get together near the end. In season 5, new owner A.J. Cooper had a wife that he never talks about.
* This was the premise of ''Series/SexAndTheCity'' for the first several seasons. Near the end, though, they all wind up either married (Miranda & Charlotte) or in serious relationships (Samantha & Carrie).
* All of the main cast of ''Series/ColdCase'' are single, widowed, or divorced.
* As mentioned in the summary, ''Series/{{CSI}}'' is this to a ridiculous extent. Subverted with Grissom and Sara, who are married, but since neither one is a regular character anymore, we're right back where we started. (There have been rumblings about Wendy/Hodges and Catherine/Vartann, but neither are canon as of yet.)
** [[spoiler: Catherine/Vartann is canon, and Wendy/Hodges is... sorta canon. She kissed him, but it was never really said if they're in a relationship. Maybe we'll find out in the premiere, right around the same time that we never see Wendy again because they fired Liz Vassey...]]
** Warrick got married which surprised all the other characters since they did not even know that he was seeing anyone. The marriage is rarely mentioned on the show with the implication that Warrick is trying very hard to keep his professional life separate from his private one. When he gets divorced it comes equally out of the blue and then [[spoiler: he is killed]]. The audience does not really get to see the wife.
* Likewise on ''Series/{{CSINY}}.'' The series opens with no one on the team even in a serious dating relationship, much less being married. Mac was, but is a widower and isn't in a truly committed relationship until halfway thru the 8th of the 9 seasons. Subverted with Danny & Lindsay finally getting married in season 5, after an on-again/off-again period. M.E. Sid Hammerback is married when he shows up in season 2, but ends up twice divorced by the series end. Don has a serious relationship with a fellow officer, but it ends when [[spoiler: she is killed in the line of duty.]] As of the finale, Mac is engaged to an old friend; while Don is dating yet another officer, and Sheldon and Adam are seeing minor recurring characters, but it is unknown how serious any of those three relationships will turn out to be.
* ''Series/CSIMiami'' was the most blatant of the three. Opens with no one married. Jesse is a widower. Horatio is the only one who ties the knot and it only lasts [[spoiler: one day due to Marisol being shot to death.]] A few characters date, but nothing seems to be too serious...unless Calleigh and Eric got back together after the series ended.
* Subverted in the first episode of the British sitcom ''Series/TheITCrowd'' in a blatant parody (Jen even says it's just like ''Series/AllyMcBeal''): "That's the sort of place this is, Jen. Lots of sexy people not doing much work and having affairs." Of course, Moss and Roy are both single because they're extremely nerdy.
* Only Gwen in ''Series/{{Torchwood}}'' has a partner, Rhys. Captain Jack encourages her to stay with him and not let her work consume her... it doesn't go well. [[spoiler:On the other hand, they're still together at the end of series 4, so...]]
** Although Ianto and Jack later officially became a couple, so it's was subverted in series 3 when all of the Torchwood team were in a relationship at the same time.
** In series 4, ''[[Series/TorchwoodMiracleDay Miracle Day]]'', the new Torchwood team and the DarkMessiah hired by [=PhiCorp=] are single as well.
* On ''Series/TheOfficeUS'', every character with the exception of David Wallace has at some point been single. All the ones with kids are divorced and while a few have been married or are in relationships, none have been for the entire run of the series.
* Occurs in ''Series/StargateSG1'' even though Sam and Jack clearly have feelings for each other (and do eventually admit to them) due to their ranks and roles. Various SG team members start dating at different points throughout the series, but nothing serious ever comes of it. Daniel is initially married, but since his wife gets possessed by the Goa'uld in the first episode [[spoiler:and later dies]], he might as well be single. This trope is [[LampshadeHanging lampshaded]] when everyone expresses extreme surprise that Teal'c has a wife and son, but that's mostly because earlier he told them he hadn't left anyone important behind when he defected.
** The show's USAF technical advisers put the kibosh on a proposed Sam-Jack relationship that the writers had been planning.
** There is the Daniel/Vala pairing, and it sorta did happen, but then didn't since there was time travel.
** Carter also manages to maintain a relationship with Pete Shanahan for most of a season.
* Also ''Series/StargateAtlantis'' with almost all of the expedition members being single. Justified as they were chosen ''because'' they didn't have significant people waiting for them. (It was a one-way mission to another galaxy). Elizabeth who is initially the exception, breaks up with her boyfriend expressly for this reason.
** Subverted later as Rodney, Teyla, Ronon, Keller and possibly Carson all hook up with someone by the finale. John's still single, but much like Sam and Jack, it's implied he and Elizabeth had feelings for each other but were unable to admit them

* Initially true in ''Series/{{Bones}}'', but notably averted by the eventual marriage of the on-again/off-again [[spoiler: Hodgins and Angela]].
** Though they all date throughout the show.
** By the time they get to [[spoiler: season 6, most of the cast are in committed relationships with children]].
* When ''Series/ParksAndRecreation'' started, Ann and Andy are the only ones in a relationship (though it's quickly broken up at the first season finale). Tom is married to a woman named Wendy, but it's nothing more than a [[CitizenshipMarriage green card marriage]] and thus Tom acted as if he was single anyway, and the two of them eventually divorce (in an episode titled "Tom's Divorce", no less). Jerry is later revealed to be in a [[HappilyMarried very happy, long and stable marriage]] of his own once his character was fleshed out more. By the end of the series, every major character ends up married.
* ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'' is actually an aversion. The show features four married couples total, three of which involve a soldier married to a civilian. This is likely because the characters live on a space station instead of a starship, making it much easier to form relationships outside the ranks (although one of the couples, Miles and Keiko, actually did meet and get married on a starship).
** It's rather telling though that the ''one'' main character in a lasting nuclear family is the character the writers have confessed to [[TheChewToy enjoy torturing]].
** Other Franchise/StarTrek play it pretty straight. On ''[[Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries TOS]]'' and ''[[Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration TNG]]'' all of the main cast were single, or at least appeared to be. We never saw anything of Uhura's or Sulu's personal lives, while each of the others had at least one romance story.
*** On ''[[Series/StarTrekVoyager Voyager]]'' Janeway had been in a relationship and Tuvok was married prior to getting lost in the Delta Quadrant, their situation made them essentially single. Eventually, Janeway found out he boyfriend had moved on believing her to have died, but Tom and B'Elanna get married, so it evens out. Janeway does toy with the idea of dating in... odd places, namely the Holodeck, but Tuvok never even considers straying from his wife.
* Also true on ''Series/{{JAG}}'', with the exception of [[HappilyMarried Bud and Harriet]].
** In a first season episode, Harm and Meg are investigating the death of a Marine recruit. While investigating an alibi, Harm discovers that one of the female Drill Instructors (who had recently applied for Officer Candidate School) is romantically involved with the CO of the base. At the end of the episode, the DI asks if he's going to report them for fraternization. Harm replies he'll overlook it, if she gets her commission within the next 6 months.
* By the end of ''Series/{{Friends}}'', only Joey is single. In the first half of the series the cast all has short relationships that usually only last a handful of episodes. (Joey and Kate/Kathy, Chandler and Janice/Kathy, Monica and Bobby/Richard/Pete, Phoebe and David, Rachel and Paolo/Ross/Joshua, Ross and Julie/Rachel/Emily) but are mostly single. From Season 5 onwards Monica and Chandler are the only two in a long-term relationship and the others continue with short relationships. (Gary, Janine, Mona, Tag, Parker, Gavin, Charlie etc.)
* In ''Series/{{Cheers}}'', everyone working at the bar is initially unmarried. Sam and Carla are divorced, and Coach is widowed. Of the customers, Cliff remains single, Norm is married, to the [[TheGhost never seen]] Vera, and Frasier and Lilith marry each other during the course of the series. Averted with Woody, who marries Kelly during the tenth season and is still happily married to her many years later according to SpinOff ''Series/{{Frasier}}''.
** This caused a problem when Rhea Perlman (Carla) who in real life is married to Danny [=DeVito=], got pregnant. Since her character was shown as a trollop they just had her get pregnant by one of the guys she was dating. However, at the same time Shelly Long (Diane), who was also married (to a stockbroker) in real life, got pregnant, and it would look ridiculous to show both bar maids as pregnant, so they mostly hid Diane behind various fixtures to disguise her pregnancy.

* ''Series/CSIMiami'' was the most blatant of the three. Opens with no one married. Jesse is a widower. Horatio is the only one who ties the knot and it only lasts [[spoiler: one day due to Marisol being shot to death.]] A few characters date, but nothing seems to be too serious...unless Caleigh and Eric got back together after the series ended.

** Averted in part in ''Series/ChicagoFire''. When the series started only Hermann was married, but as the series has gone on Boden, Mouch and Cruz have all married (Mouch to Trudy Platt in ''ChicagoPD''), and Severide and Kidd are in a relationship. Casey and Dawson did marry, but have since divorced after she left the show.

** ''Series/{{NCIS}}'': As of Season 18, only Tim McGee is married (to Delilah). Vance and Jimmy Palmer have both widowed during the course of the show; Bishop is divorced; Gibbs is widowed ''and'' divorced; and Torres, Kasie and Ducky are single.
** ''Series/NCISLosAngeles'': Kensi and Deeks are married to each other, Sam was married (and now widowed) since Season 8's finale, and Eric and Nell are in an on again/off again relationship, but otherwise everyone has been single. Callen is starting to get serious with Anna Kolcheck in recent years though.
** ''Series/NCISNewOrleans'': Pride and Gregorio are both divorced, Khury is separated from her husband, and everyone else is single. Pride starts a relationship with Rita Devereux and they decide to get married in the final season.

* In ''Series/{{Cheers}}'', everyone working at the bar is unmarried. This caused a problem when Rhea Perlman (Carla) who in real life is married to Danny [=DeVito=], got pregnant. Since her character was shown as a trollop they just had her get pregnant by one of the guys she was dating. However, at the same time Shelly Long (Diane), who was also married (to a stockbroker) in real life, got pregnant, and it would look ridiculous to show both bar maids as pregnant, so they mostly hid Diane behind various fixtures to disguise her pregnancy.

* Downplayed in ''Anime/Patlabor'', as Shinshi often mentions having a wife at home. The rest of the main cast are single, but considering their personalities, that's hardly surprising.

* Downplayed in ''Anime/PatLabor'', as Shinshi often mentions having a wife at home. The rest of the main cast are single, but considering their personalities, that's hardly surprising.

* Downplayed in ''Anime/PatLabor'', as shinshi often mentions having a wife at home. The rest of the main cast are single, but considering their personalities, that's hardly surprising.

* The ''Franchise/{{NCIS}}'' franchise:

* Of the main cast of ''Series/{{NCIS}}'', only Jimmy Palmer is married, and he wed at the end of Season 9. Director Vance [[spoiler:was HappilyMarried before his wife was killed]]; and Gibbs has been widowed once and divorced three times, and is rather cynical on the subject of marriage as a result.
** This could be a DoubleSubversion. [=McGee=] and Abby dated at one point, though long after their breakup Tim has now moved on and moved in with Delilah, and Tony's [[UrbanLegendLoveLife supposedly a ladies man]], but never gets serious with anyone. Newcomer Ellie Bishop ''was'' married...until it was revealed that her husband was cheating on her. It's blamed on the job: when they both worked for the NSA, he felt connected to her; after moving to NCIS, she couldn't discuss work with him and so he felt they had nothing left connecting them.

* Virtually none of the fighters in ''Manga/KenganAshura'' are officially in a relationship with anyone, and very few of the [=CEO=]s mention having a family or spouse despite most of them being adults, and some even old enough to be a grandfather. The only exception to this is Kazuo, whose wife had left him years before the series began, and Erioh, whose wife probably had passed away, and various senior members of [[TheClan the Kure Clan]]--none of whom play an important role in the story as most aren't even named. The closest thing the series have to a romantic relationship is Rei's obssessive devotion for Rino (although they go on separate ways after [[spoiler:Rei loses to Kuroki]]), Karla's over-the-top desire to marry Ohma (which he doesn't reciprocate), and the close-not-exactly-romantic relationship between Fusui and Henzo (who are technically relatives, but is so distant that they might as well not be).

* Virtually none of the fighters in ''Manga/KenganAshura'' are officially in a relationship with anyone, and very few of the [=CEO=]s mention having a family or spouse despite most of them being old enough to be a grandfather. The only exception to this is Kazuo, whose wife had left him years before the series began, and Erioh, whose wife probably had passed away, and various senior members of [[TheClan the Kure Clan]]--none of whom play an important role in the story as most aren't even named. The closest thing the series have to a romantic relationship is Rei's obssessive devotion for Rino (although they go on separate ways after [[spoiler:Rei loses to Kuroki]]) and Karla's over-the-top desire to marry Ohma (which he doesn't reciprocate).

* Narrowly averted in ''Anime/PatLabor'', as shinshi often mentions having a wife at home. The rest of the main cast are single, but considering their personalities, that's hardly surprising.

* In fact, most HumongousMecha shows usually play this straight with the pilots & support crew, with a few exceptions, probably the best example of which would be ''Anime/ShinkonGattaiGodannar'', where the pilots of the titular robot are a husband & wife.

[[folder: Comic Books]]

* Seemed to have creeped up on Franchise/TheDCU with the ''Comicbook/New52''. [[Comicbook/TheFlash Barry Allen]] was no longer in any kind of relationship with Iris West (effectively wiping out Wally West in the process), and {{Franchise/Superman}} was no longer married to or interested in Lois Lane. [[ComicBook/DCRebirth Eventually]], these relationships were restored, though.

[[folder: Fan Works]]

[[folder: Film]]

[[folder: Literature]]

[[folder: Live Action TV]]

[[folder: Professional Wrestling]]

[[folder: Video Games]]

[[folder: Webcomics]]

[[folder: Western Animation]]

* The only long-term romance shown in ''Manga/KaguyaSamaLoveIsWar'' is Kashiwagi and her boyfriend ([[spoiler:at least until Kaguya and Shirogane finally hook up over Christmas break]]). And despite most of the character's parents being married, the only one we see with any regularity (Shirogane's father) has been estranged from his wife for seven years.

* Aversion: in the Literature/InDeath series by J.D. Robb, policewoman Eve Dallas gets married shortly into the series, and has stayed that way throughout the rest of the books. Several of her closest friends, including her immediate superior [[DaChief Commander Whitney]], mentor and [[ParentalSubstitute surrogate father]] Captain Feeney, and friend and confidant Dr. Mira, are established as being HappilyMarried, and several more members of the supporting cast (including Eve's best friend Mavis and her protege-turned-partner Peabody) form happy marriages or at least long-term love relationships over the course of the series.

* All seven Friends of Narnia in ''Literature/TheLastBattle'' are single. None of them married either in Narnia or England.
** To be fair, though, except for Polly and Digory, the other adult Friends of Narnia are barely out of their teens, and Eustace and Jill are still in school.

* The vast majority of ponies in ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' are single; the only {{Official Couple}}s are Mr. and Mrs. Cake and Shining Armor and Princess Cadance. There are frequent {{Ship Tease}}s for Golden Harvest and Written Script (with an occasional hint that Golden Harvest [[YourCheatingHeart plays the field]]) or Dr. Hooves and Roseluck, but everypony else looks to be single. In fact, of the Mane Six, only Rarity has shown [[NoHuggingNoKissing any romantic interest whatsoever]], and this always for single-episode [[AnAesop lessons about]] [[AndKnowingIsHalfTheBattle not compromising for a crush]].

* Most of the faculty in Franchise/ArchieComics, with the exception of Coach Clayton. And he's possibly the only subversion because his kid attends the school and is friends with Archie.

Compare AllLoveIsUnrequited and NoHuggingNoKissing. The exact opposite of EveryoneMustBePaired.

* Seemed to have creeped up on Franchise/TheDCU with the ''Comicbook/New52''. [[Comicbook/TheFlash Barry Allen]] was no longer in any kind of relationship with Iris West (effectively wiping out Wally West in the process), and {{Franchise/Superman}} was no longer married to or interested in Lois Lane. Eventually, these relationships were [[DCRebirth restored]], though.

Compare AllLoveIsUnrequited and NoHuggingNoKissing.

* This was the premise of ''SexAndTheCity'' for the first several seasons. Near the end, though, they all wind up either married (Miranda & Charlotte) or in serious relationships (Samantha & Carrie).

*** On ''[[StarTrekVoyager Voyager]]'' Janeway had been in a relationship and Tuvok was married prior to getting lost in the Delta Quadrant, their situation made them essentially single. Eventually, Janeway found out he boyfriend had moved on believing her to have died, but Tom and B'Elanna get married, so it evens out. Janeway does toy with the idea of dating in... odd places, namely the Holodeck, but Tuvok never even considers straying from his wife.

** Other Franchise/StarTrek play it pretty straight. On ''[[StarTrekTheOriginalSeries TOS]]'' and ''[[StarTrekTheNextGeneration TNG]]'' all of the main cast were single, or at least appeared to be. We never saw anything of Uhura's or Sulu's personal lives, while each of the others had at least one romance story.

* All versions are represented in ''NewTricks''; the boss is a single workaholic, one of the detectives is a multiple-divorcee and another is a widower. Ironically, however, the most psychologically-screwed up of them all is also the only one who is happily married, and has been for a good long time.

*** On ''[[StarTrekVoyager Voyager]]'' Janeway had been in a relationship and Tuvok was married prior to getting lost in the Delta Quadrant, their situation made them essentially single. Eventually, Janeway found out he boyfriend had moved on believing her to have died, but Tom and B'Elanna get married, so it evens out.