History YMMV / Coupling

* AlternativeCharacterInterpretation: Is Jane really a desperate AttentionWhore, or is she more of a {{Troll}} that does what she does for [[ItAmusedMe the entertainment value]]? There are moments when she almost seems aware that what she is doing is ridicules.
* CriticalResearchFailure: The Israeli woman Jeff tries to talk to at the bar speaks a middle class sociolect of Hebrew. In RealLife, she would be at least partially proficient in English and hold a basic conversation, and would struggle to understand Jeff’s Welsh accent, not the English dialogue itself.

* FridgeLogic: Which leads to a SugarWiki/{{Funny Moment|s}}. During the episode "Inferno," after Jane's very vague grasp of what vegetarianism is, we get this exchange between her and her therapist at dinner:
-->'''Jill:''' A vegetarian is someone who does not eat meat, you insane '''bitch.'''\\

-->'''Jill''': We agreed two months ago to end your therapy, it was going nowhere.
-->'''Jane''': I thought that was just an exercise to help me cope with rejection!
-->'''Jill''': No, that ''was'' rejection.
* HilariousInHindsight[=/=]HarsherInHindsight: During series 4, while Susan is coping with her pregnancy, the very vain Sally is very uncomfortable with the whole process. She mentioned in "Nightlines" how she doesn't really want a child, and mentioned how unsettling she finds it. In "Circus of the Epidurals," whenever Susan goes into detail about the actual birth, Sally ''faints'' and goes to her "safe place." When you learn that Kate Isitt (Sally) was actually pregnant during Series 4, it either becomes a hilarious in-joke from the people behind the scenes, or becomes unsettling to watch a pregnant woman face the gruesome truth about what's going to happen to her head-on.

** A rather depressing example, but Jeff claiming his girlfriend Julia is dead is a lot less funny and way more depressing when this troper found out that her actress died of cancer two years after the show ended.
** In the episode "Bedtime" in series 4, Oliver wears a sweater that says "Bring Back ''Series/DoctorWho''". Considering [[Creator/StevenMoffat who writes the show]], and that a mere ten months after that episode aired, the 9th Doctor made his first appearance...
*** Jack Davenport's wife currently plays TheMaster.

* SeasonalRot: Some believe the show went off the rails at the start of the fourth series, when Richard Coyle quit, Richard Mylan proved an inadequate replacement, and the Patrick-Sally relationship began to receive too much emphasis.
** It's arguable that the real rot began in the third series, where the laughs seemed more predictable and less spontaneous than before. Geoffrey Perkins leaving the BBC in 2001 (he was once described as an "enormous influence" by the ''Series/FatherTed'' writers) may have had something to do with this.

* TheWoobie: Jeff.
* {{Woolseyism}}: The US remake is generally considered inferior, but when Patrick's political stance is discussed, making him a Republican and a UsefulNotes/GeorgeWBush supporter is actually a pretty nice (and in-character) touch. However it kills Sally's breakdown, as a big part of what broke her was being told that Labour was in charge, while the Tories were now the revolutionaries.
** In the first episode, Jane's use of stockings to seduce Steve is turned into not wearing underwear. Even if they do mangle some perfectly good sentences by simply changing the word 'stockings' to 'no panties'.

** It's arguable that the real rot began in the third series, where the laughs seemed more predictable and less spontaneous than before. Geoffrey Perkins leaving the BBC in 2001 (he was once described as an "enormous influence" by the ''Father Ted'' writers) may have had something to do with this.

* HilariousInHindsight / HarsherInHindsight: During series 4, while Susan is coping with her pregnancy, the very vain Sally is very uncomfortable with the whole process. She mentioned in "Nightlines" how she doesn't really want a child, and mentioned how unsettling she finds it. In "Circus of the Epidurals," whenever Susan goes into detail about the actual birth, Sally ''faints'' and goes to her "safe place." When you learn that Kate Isitt (Sally) was actually pregnant during Series 4, it either becomes a hilarious in-joke from the people behind the scenes, or becomes unsettling to watch a pregnant woman face the gruesome truth about what's going to happen to her head-on.
** Steve including Series/{{D|octorWho}}aleks among the things sofas are designed to protect from, given Stephen Moffat's later career.

** In the episode "Bedtime" in series 4, Oliver wears a sweater that says "Bring Back Doctor Who". Considering [[Creator/StevenMoffat who writes the show]], and that a mere ten months after that episode aired, the 9th Doctor made his first appearance...
** Jack Davenport's wife currently plays the Master on ''Doctor Who''.

* {{Woolseyism}}: The US remake is generally considered inferior, but when Patrick's political stance is discussed, making him a Republican and a George W. Bush supporter is actually a pretty nice (and in-character) touch. However it kills Sally's breakdown, as a big part of what broke her was being told that Labour was in charge, while the Tories were now the revolutionaries.

* FreudWasRight: The whole show - note the fact that we've just listed every single trope with "Freud" in it.
** Jane's "Jake the Snake" puppet:
-->'''Sally:''' Oh my god, it's a penis!

* CriticalResearchFailure: The Israeli woman Jeff tries to talk to at the bar speaks a middle class sociolect of English. In RealLife, she would be at least partially proficient in English and hold a basic conversation, and would struggle to understand Jeff’s Welsh accent, not the English dialogue itself.

* AlternativeCharacterInterpretation: Is Jane really a desperate AttentionWhore, or is she more of a {{Troll}} that does what she does for [[ItAmusedMe the entertainment value.]] There are moments when she almost seems aware that what she is doing is ridicules.
* CanonSue: Susan is based on Stephen Moffat's wife, Sue, making her a literal example. She tends to get portrayed as the [[OnlySaneMan Only Sane Woman]] but has a tendency to veer into JerkSue territory.

* FridgeLogic: Which leads to a CrowningMomentOfFunny. During the episode "Inferno," after Jane's very vague grasp of what vegetarianism is, we get this exchange between her and her therapist at dinner:

** Steve including [[Series/DoctorWho Daleks]] among the things sofas are designed to protect from, given Stephen Moffat's later career.

* InformedAttribute: Jane is the designated weirdo there, but the others are just as eccentric.

* DoubleStandardAbuseFemaleOnMale: Susan [[TheBabyTrap trying to get pregnant]] for several months without asking Steve's consent is treated as a perfectly normal thing to do, at least PlayedForLaughs. Even if Steve also wants a child sometime, it may carry some UnfortunateImplications it doesn't result in some quarrel at least.

** Jack Davenport's wife currently plays the Master on''Doctor Who''.

* DidNotDoTheResearch: The Israeli woman Jeff tries to talk to at the bar speaks a middle class sociolect of English. In RealLife, she would be at least partially proficient in English, and would struggle to understand Jeff’s Welsh accent, not the English dialogue itself.

** And if we get to know the reason behind Jane's eccentricities... oh, poor dear.

** Steve including [[DoctorWho Daleks]] among the things sofas are designed to protect from, given Stephen Moffat's later career.

** For this troper the real rot began in the third series, where the laughs were more predictable and less spontaneous then they had been before. Geoffrey Perkins leaving the BBC in 2001 (he was once described as an "enormous influence" by the ''Father Ted'' writers) may well have had something to do with this.

** It's not like Jill is surely a good therapist, if Jane could beat her in her own game when manipulating her to come to the Inferno dinner. Even if harmless nonsense is a good enough reason to abuse your patient, which doesn't make any other aquaintances (she spends even more time with, and is sometimes malicious and selfish towards) hostile. Hell, her radio listeners even like that about her. For this troper that seems more as Jill's IrrationalHatred, like Robin constantly screaming at Patrice in ''HowIMetYourMother''. Especially after her snark about wishing her death.

* RescuedFromTheScrappyHeap: Jane is a far more believable and likable character in season 4
* RetroactiveRecognition: [[PiratesOfTheCaribbean Commodore Norrington]] and [[Series/{{Leverage}} Sophie Deveraux]] used to be a couple!

* DoubleStandardAbuseFemaleOnMale: Susan [[TheBabyTrap tricking Steve into unprotected sex]] was treated as perfectly okay, and
--> '''Steve''': Do we use protection?
--> '''Susan''': Don't worry about that.
** counts as having a thorough talk about having a baby. Even if Steve also wants a child sometime, it may carry some UnfortunateImplications it doesn't result in some quarrel at least.

* DoubleStandardAbuseFemaleOnMale: Susan [[TheBabyTrick babytricking]] Steve was treated as perfectly okay, and

** counts as having a thorough talk about it. Even if Steve also wants a child sometime, it may carry some UnfortunateImplications it doesn't result in some quarrel at least.

* DoubleStandardAbuseFemaleOnMale: Susan {{[[TheBabyTrick babytricking]]}} Steve was treated as perfectly okay, and

* DoubleStandardAbuseFemaleOnMale: Susan {{The|BabyTrick}}ing Steve was treated as perfectly okay, and

counts as having a thorough talk about it. Even if Steve also wants a child sometime, it may carry some UnfortunateImplications it doesn't result in some quarrel at least.