1 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/dearjohn.jpg]] |
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3 | ''Dear John....'' is a British sitcom written by John Sullivan (of ''Series/OnlyFoolsAndHorses'' fame) and starring Ralph Bates as John Lacey, a divorced man who was recovering from his ex-wife having left him for his best friend. Much of the comedy centred around his friendships with the members of the '1-2-1 Club', a support group for divorced and separated people. |
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5 | The show, which aired for two seasons (1986–87) on [[Creator/TheBBC BBC1]], came in at sixty-fourth in ''Series/BritainsBestSitcom''. |
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7 | Remade for American television with Creator/JuddHirsch as ''Dear John...''[[note]]Note that there are three periods in the title as opposed to four in the British version.[[/note]], which ran on Creator/{{NBC}} from 1988–92. |
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9 | Not to be confused with the [[Film/DearJohn 2010 film]] of the same name. |
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11 | For the trope about ending a relationship with letter, see DearJohnLetter. |
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13 | ---- |
14 | !!This show provides examples of: |
15 | * AnnoyingLaugh: Sylvia. Apparently, her ex-husband even informed her of this. |
16 | * BreakupSong (relationship breakup): The theme tune. |
17 | * CasanovaWannabe: Kirk, and he ''literally'' has a polyester suit and medallion! |
18 | * CitizenshipMarriage: Ralph's Polish ex-wife married him for citizenship. |
19 | * CatchPhrase: Kirk: 'Cos that's the sort of man I am!' Louise: 'Were there any...sexual problems?' |
20 | * CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass: Kirk as mentioned elsewhere is a CasanovaWannabe with a SmallNameBigEgo and a habit of claiming to be a spy and a black belt in karate [[spoiler: when in fact he's a bespectacled, cardigan wearing wimp who lives with his mother and spends his time reading martial arts magazines]]. However in the final episode when the gang are threatened by four Hells Angels it turns out that his [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkGzQmQYbQ0 fighting skills aren't just boasts.]] |
21 | * CutShort: Star Ralph Bates died in 1991 so plans to continue the series were scrapped. |
22 | * DearJohnLetter: |
23 | ** John actually gets one of these in an episode of the US show, resulting in an amusing TitleDrop. |
24 | ** Featured in the opening titles of both versions: the UK version starts with Wendy writing it, then John crumpling it up; the US version has John finding it on the carriage clock. The ExpositoryThemeTune also takes this form: |
25 | --->''Dear John, dear John,\ |
26 | By the time you read these lines I'll be gone. |
27 | * DivorceAssetsConflict: John's ghastly ex-wife Wendy has taken everything. |
28 | * DiggingYourselfDeeper: Poor John is the king of this trope. |
29 | * DysfunctionJunction: As well as John and Ralph's problems above, Kate's been married and divorced three times due to being frigid, and where does one start with Kirk's problems? |
30 | * GallowsHumor: There is a lot of bittersweet humour about divorce, lack of love, and bad sex (or no sex). |
31 | * TheGoodOldBritishComp: John teaches in one. |
32 | * HaveIMentionedIAmSexuallyActiveToday: Kirk's constant boasting. |
33 | * JerkJock: One gets the impression Mike is the Jerk Jock grown up. |
34 | * LyricalDissonance: The theme song is an upbeat song...about a breakup. |
35 | * MailOrderBride: Ralph's ex-wife. |
36 | * NiceGuy: John is one, and sadly it has got him nowhere in life. |
37 | * TheNicknamer: Kirk - 'Tiger', 'Ralphey' etc. |
38 | * NotADate: Kate and John go for dinner once. HilarityEnsues when [[spoiler: they both drink too much and wake up in bed next to each other with no memory of what had happened after dinner.]] |
39 | * NoNameGiven: All the members of the 1-2-1 Club call each other by their first names, except for Mrs Arnott. |
40 | * SmallNameBigEgo: Kirk |
41 | * TakingTheKids: Before the beginning of the first episode, no less. |
42 | * TransatlanticEquivalent: The Judd Hirsch version. |
43 | * TropaholicsAnonymous: The 1-2-1 Club. |
44 | * UrbanLegendLoveLife: Kirk again. In one episode we actually find out that [[spoiler: Kirk's real name is Eric Morris, and he's a wooly jumper-wearing nerd who lives with his mum and has never been married at all, let alone divorced.]] |
45 | ** Averted in the US version, where Kirk's numerous affairs are obviously quite real. |
46 | * TheVicar: Or rather the Catholic Priest. Wendy decides Toby should go to a Catholic school, so she and John pretend they are still married. Of course, HilarityEnsues. |
47 | * WhatDidIDoLastNight: The end of [[spoiler: Kate and John's NotADate]] |
48 | * WillTheyOrWontThey: Kirk/Kate, John/Kate |
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