So, a character is dating someone but something doesn't feel quite right; the sparks aren't flying, the conversation isn't flowing, and it all just feels off. Suddenly, a thought comes to mind: "let's do that thing I love to do with my best friend/colleague/rival, etc.!" You know the thing, that quirky game, activity, or force of habit that you participate in with someone that is close to you that fills you with excitement and joy.
Commonly used in romantic comedies or teen dramas, this is a character's way of testing to see whether or not there's any spark between them and a potential love interest, even if they themselves don't know it yet. If the date fails this test (which they usually do), it is usually a sign that whoever the character typically does these things with is who they are actually in love with. Sometimes, the character doing the testing is somewhat aware of their feelings for the other person, even if they deny it in public, with the test being just the confirmation they needed. But other times, the character was Unknowingly in Love and this test acts to kickstart a Love Epiphany in them.
A common variation of this trope is for the date to involve playing a game in a way that is different than the normal way. Such as playing poker with Oreos instead of clay chips. Normally this will end with the date saying "this is stupid," or, "why can't we just do something normal?" at which point our main character realizes just how much they appreciate the other person they do this with.
Compare Trial-Period Dating, another way two characters can test the waters of their compatibility for potential future long term dating. Related to, and sometimes involves, the Test Kiss. Closely related to Secret Test of Character, but remember for this trope, the test has to be something the tester would typically do with the person they're actually in love with; extraordinary feats don't necessarily count. See also Replacement Goldfish, for when a character tries to replace a lost loved one with another and may be disappointed when they don't live up to the deceased person's legacy, and Act of True Love when a character does something risky motivated by love, which proves beyond a doubt that they put their loved one's needs before their own.
Examples:
- Made of Honor: Tom asks his date what kind of cookie she thinks he'd order as a test because his best friend Hannah (who he's Unknowingly in Love with) would be able to guess right instantly.Tom: OK, guess what I'm going to order.
Random Date: ...Why?
Tom: Just do it, it's a game, it's fun.
R.D.: OK... a cookie?
Tom: No, be more specific, what kind of cookie?
R.D.: A really big cookie? - Spider-Man 2 has this when Mary Jane tries an upside-down kiss with her fiancé to see if she really loves him after she did the same with Spiderman in the previous film.
- A variation of this occurs in The Wedding Singer. Drew Barrymore's character, Julia, tests out the name she will have if she marries her fiancé, and she hates it. However, when she tries the name of Adam Sandler's character, she loves it. This is pretty much her Love Epiphany scene:Julia: (into the mirror in her wedding dress) Hi. Nice to meet you. I'm Julia Guglia. Julia Guglia. Hi, it's nice to meet you I'm Julia Guglia.
Julia: (after a pause) Hello, it's nice to meet you. I'm Mrs. Robbie Hart. Robbie and I are so pleased you could come to our wedding.
- In Friends with Kids Julie does this to Kurt by asking him the kind of morbid hypothetical that she discusses with Jason (whether he'd rather die from an aneurysm or cancer). He doesn't enjoy or understand it.
- A Bronx Tale: Two versions are brought up, one by C's loser friends and one by his Neighborhood Friendly Gangster mentor. Both require a car, but the first involves the guy taking the girl's head when someone walks past them and shoving it in his lap. If the girl doesn't object, so C's friends reason, then she's clearly a slut and should be dumped. The gangster has his own test that's actually sane; open one of the car doors for the girl, then walk around the back and see if she'll automatically open the door on the other side for her boyfriend. If she doesn't, so the gangster reasons, then the girl is a selfish broad and should be dumped. C uses that particular test with his new girlfriend, and she passes.
- Pa from Bad Buddy has a 4-step test to see if there is a romantic connection with someone, which she advises her brother Pat to use with his then-Love Interest Ink. Pat applies the test, and Ink fails on the first 3 steps so he gives up. Not long after, he runs into Pran, and accidentally ends up applying the test on him. To Pat's surprise and confusion, Pran passes all 4 steps.
- Back during the season of The Drew Carey Show where Oswald and Kate were dating, he and Drew decided to subtly do this by casually asking their respective girlfriends questions during a double-date from a dating quiz questionnaire, complete with an on-screen score. In the end, Oswald and Kate scored a 3 while Drew and his girlfriend had -10.
- A purely platonic version happens on Arthur when best friends Francine and Muffy have a fight and break up. Muffy auditions a long list of her other friends and acquaintances for the role of "best friend", but when she finally settles on a candidate, she keeps suggesting things she would do with Francine, only for Binky to be completely uninterested.
