History Main / AwfulWeddedLife

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[[quoteright:350:[[KeepingUpAppearances http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/1_22_1556.jpg]]]]

''MarriedWithChildren'' was probably the first time this trope was seen on American television, but it's been a mainstay of [[BritishTellyTropes British shows]] since TheFifties.

[[folder: Anime & Manga]]
* Anak's parents from ''TowerOfGod''. Her being a wed to a commoner away from the court of King Zahard certainly was a bit of a culture shock for her, so they tended to argue almost everyday. Why did they stick together? Because AwLookTheyReallyDoLoveEachOther of course.

* The form reached its pinnacle of perfection in the sitcom ''EverybodyLovesRaymond''.
* ''TheKingOfQueens''
* ''MadAboutYou'' became this in the later years.
* ''CurbYourEnthusiasm''
* The husband is the frigid one, but ''MarriedWithChildren'' fits otherwise.

* As did ''FamilyMatters''.
* Same with ''Reba,'' although they spent more time dancing around it.

* ''TilDeath'' is somewhat of a {{deconstruction}} in that the better you know Joy, the slobbier she seems, and the better a match for Eddie.

* ''KeepingUpAppearances'' -- Poor Richard deserves a sainthood for putting up with Hyacinth for all those years.

* FawltyTowers showed marriage as being a constant battle between Basil and Sybil.

* Done in plenty of old cartoons -- examples include ''[[PorkyPig Porky's Romance]]'', ''[[DonaldDuck Donald's Diary]]'', and ''[[DaffyDuck His Bitter Half]]''.
* The premise of the ShowWithinAShow from ''RockosModernLife'', ''The Fatheads''. It's revealed that Ralph Bighead created the show that way as a TakeThat against his parents.

* Any time a married couple is seen in ''TheBennyHillShow'', it falls square into this.

The name, for those who don't get it, is a reference to the line of the traditional wedding vows, "Lawful wedded life."

* Anak's parents from ''TowerOfGod''. Her being a wed to a commoner away from the court of King Zahard certainly was a bit of a culture shock for her, so they tended to argue almost everyday. Why did they stick together? Because AwwLookTheyReallyDoLoveEachOther of course.

* Anak's parents from ''TowerOfGod''. Her being a wed to a commoner away from the court of King Zahard certainly was a bit of a culture shock for her, so they tended to argue almost everyday. Why did they stick together? Because AwLookTheyDoLikeEachOther of course.

* Anak's parents from ''TowerOfGod''. Her being a wed to a commoner away from the court of King Zahard certainly was a bit of a culture shock for her, so they tended to argue almost everyday. Why did they stick together? Because AwLookTheyReallyDoLikeEachOther of course.

In the West, it's becoming a DiscreditedTrope due to the de-stigmatization of divorce, and the liberalization of divorce laws. Still used by many a comedian, to the point of being a DeadHorseTrope.

A species of DomCom based on the premise that monogamous marriage is rather like a long, slow, exquisite torture by a sadistic god from whose maleficent clutches escape is impossible. Husbands are [[BumblingDad child-like buffoons]] who watch too much football, leave the toilet seat up, [[AllMenArePerverts ogle hot women]], and forget anniversaries. Wives are frigid, nagging, [[{{Jerkass}} hateful shrews]] with [[AllWomenArePrudes zero interest in sex]]. [[KidsAreCruel Chil]][[TeensAreMonsters dren]] destroy your home and what little peace of mind you have left, while waiting their turn to perpetuate the cycle. ObnoxiousInLaws serve to add to the misery.

[[quoteright:350: [[KeepingUpAppearances http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/1_22_1556.jpg]]]]

-->''Take my wife.'' '''Please!'''

!!Examples:

[[AC:LiveActionTelevision]]

* ''KingOfQueens''.

* ''CurbYourEnthusiasm''.

* ''HomeImprovement'' occasionally slipped into this. As did ''FamilyMatters''.

* ''MyFamily''.
* ''KeepingUpAppearances'' - Poor Richard deserves a sainthood for putting up with Hyacinth for all those years.

[[AC:NewspaperComics]]
* ''TheLockhorns'', though thankfully the eponymous couple apparently doesn't have kids.
* ''ForBetterOrForWorse'' since going into reprints/new-runs seems to spend a lot of time dwelling on how John is an insensitive dolt and the children have nothing better to do than make Elly's life harder. Perversely, the strip ''also'' implies that anyone who doesn't settle down and live the same kind of life is irresponsible, childish and a bad person.

[[AC:{{Stand-Up Comedy}}]]
* Too often a source of jokes in stand-up comedy.

[[AC:WesternAnimation]]
* Done in plenty of old cartoons -- examples include "[[PorkyPig Porky's Romance]]", "[[DonaldDuck Donald's Diary]]", and "[[DaffyDuck His Bitter Half]]".

[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/1_22_1556.jpg]]

* ''KeepingUpAppearances''.

* ''The Lockhorns'', though thankfully the eponymous couple apparently doesn't have kids.

A species of DomCom based on the premise that monogamous marriage is rather like a long, slow, exquisite torture by a sadistic god from whose maleficent clutches escape is impossible. Husbands are [[BumblingDad child-like buffoons]] who watch too much football, leave the toilet seat up, ogle hot women, and forget anniversaries. Wives are frigid, nagging, hateful shrews with [[AllWomenArePrudes zero interest in sex]]. Children destroy your home and what little peace of mind you have left, while waiting their turn to perpetuate the cycle. ObnoxiousInLaws serve to add to the misery.

MarriedWithChildren was probably the first time this trope was seen on American television, but it's been a mainstay of [[BritishTellyTropes British shows]] since TheFifties.

!!Examples

* ''KingOfQueens''
* ''MadAboutYou'' (the later years)
* ''CurbYourEnthusiasm''
* ''MarriedWithChildren'' (Except the husband is the frigid one.)
* ''HomeImprovement'' could occasionally slip into this.
* ''TilDeath'' somewhat of a {{deconstruction}}, in that the better you know Joy, the slobbier she seems, and the better a match for Eddie.
* ''MyFamily''

* ''KeepingUpAppearances''
* The comic strip ''The Lockhorns'', though thankfully the titular couple apparently doesn't have kids.
* ''ForBetterOrForWorse'' since going into reprints/new-runs seems to spend a lot of time dwelling on how John is an insensitive dolt and the children have nothing better to do than make Elly's life harder. Perversely, the strip ''also'' implies that anyone who doesn't settle down and live the same kind of life is irresponsible, childish and a bad person.
* ''FamilyMatters'' could be like this at times.
* Done plenty of times in old cartoons - examples include ''Porky's Romance'' (Porky Pig), ''Donald's Diary'' (DonaldDuck), and ''His Bitter Half'' (Daffy Duck).
----

A species of DomCom based on the premise that monogamous marriage is rather like a long, slow, exquisite torture by a sadistic god from whose maleficent clutches escape is impossible. Husbands are [[BumblingDad child-like buffoons]] who watch too much football, leave the toilet seat up, ogle hot women, and forget anniversaries. Wives are frigid, nagging, hateful shrews with [[AllWomenArePrudes zero interest in sex]]. Children destroy your home and what little peace of mind you have left, while waiting their turn to perpetuate the cycle. In-laws serve to add to the misery.

MarriedWithChildren was probably the first time this trope was seen on American television, but it's been a mainstay of [[British shows BritishTellyTropes]] since TheFifties.

MarriedWithChildren was probably the first time this trope was seen on American television, but it's been a mainstay of BritishTelly since TheFifties.

* Done plenty of times in old cartoons - examples include ''Porky's Romance'' (Porky Pig), ''Donald's Diary'' (Donald Duck), and ''His Bitter Half'' (Daffy Duck).

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