History Main / NoSparks

** And then, when [[spoiler:Elliot]] and [[spoiler:Sarah]] start dating, they eventually discover that their relationship isn't as sparky as they hoped it would be, and they're actually more LikeBrotherAndSister. Will [[spoiler:Elliot]] ever find true love?

* This is {{discussed|trope}} in one episode of ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'', when is made to work on a school project with Cartman. Cartman manages to make her laugh a couple of times, raises a salient point or two, and even shows he has a couple of things in common with her, and she begins to feel attracted to him. It's explained to her that it's ''not'' sexual attraction but mere sexual tension, and so to get it out of her system she grabs and kisses Cartman: the moment this happens all her "feelings" for him vanish and she's relieved to not be interested in him at all.

%% This page has been alphabetized. Please add new examples in the correct order.

-->-- '''Rachel''' explaining why she ran out on her wedding, ''Series/{{Friends}}'', "Pilot"

* Played with in ''WesternAnimation/DuckTales2017'': Launchpad gets an obvious crush-on-first-sight upon first seeing the [[{{Lunarians}} Moonlander]] Penumbra. The feelings are [[IncompatibleOrientation clearly one-sided]], but Penumbra does agree to a single coffee date. Said date is so awkward and uncomfortable that Launchpad's initial infatuation very quickly runs its course, and he comes away with the firm understanding that they are not meant to be; after this he never displays any further interest in a romantic relationship with her (though they do eventually become friends, as Penumbra hadn't really taken the date seriously and never held it against him).

* Played with in ''WesternAnimation/DuckTales2017'': Launchpad gets an obvious crush-on-first-sight upon first seeing the [[{{Lunarian}} Moonlander]] Penumbra. The feelings are [[IncompatibleOrientation clearly one-sided]], but Penumbra does agree to a single coffee date. Said date is so awkward and uncomfortable that Launchpad's initial infatuation very quickly runs its course, and he comes away with the firm understanding that they are not meant to be; after this he never displays any further interest in a romantic relationship with her (though they do eventually become friends, as Penumbra hadn't really taken the date seriously and never held it against him).

* In Season 3 of ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice'', Will Harper and Artemis Crock are living together and co-raising the former's daughter and the latter's niece, Lian. This living arrangement causes some of their friends and family to assume they are in a relationship, or push them to consider starting one. Will eventually decides to test the waters, and the two do share a kiss, upon which Artemis, still grieving the death of her boyfriend Wally, becomes overwhelmed with guilt and flees. Later, after her friends help her to acquire some closure with Wally's memory, Artemis is able to give the kiss some thought... and admits to Will that she felt ''nothing'', to which Will responds with relief because he felt the same. The two gratefully agree that they are perfectly fine as non-romantic friends and don't need to force anything else.

* In ''Film/BackToTheFuture'', Lorraine pursues Marty with a passion, to the point where his attempt to turn her off by coming on too strong fails because she jumps him first. But when she kisses him, she suddenly feels like she's kissing her brother. This may be her instincts picking up on what she doesn't know consciously -- that Marty is her son from the future.

-->"'''[[[https://www.deviantart.com/jgss0109/art/Nah-961368467 NAH!]]]'''"

-->"'''NAH!'''"

* [[ComicBook/Batgirl2000 Cassandra Cain]] and [[ComicBook/{{Superboy}} Superboy]] meet on a cruise and end up having a short fling, but it ends quickly when both realize the neither of them really likes each other in that way.

* ''Fanfic/{{I See What You Do Behind Closed Doors|MiraculousLadybug}}'': Marinette is concerned when she notices that she doesn't feel any ''zing'' after getting together with Adrien. Despite this, she's determined to make the relationship work, unaware that Adrien is only dating her because he noticed she looks a lot like Ladybug and is using her to fantasize about being with the object of his affections... while ''he's'' unaware that [[LovesMyAlterEgo they're the same person]].

* Kelly and Marco in ''Fanfic/{{Stay|StarVsTheForcesOfEvil}}'', one-sided. Marco acknowledges that when he looks at Kelly, he doesn’t feel anything romantic. Not the warmth of love he feels with Star, not the flutter of a crush he felt with Jackie or even the chemistry he shares with Heckapoo. This is not good for Kelly, who does love Marco and is [[NotGoodWithRejection angry at his rejection]].

** Shawn and Topanga kissed for a film project and Cory was extremely jealous. Angela (Shawn's girlfriend) tried to convince him it didn't mean anything, but ended up having to throw him down on the bed and lay one on him to show him that it's different with someone other than your one true love.

* In ''Series/{{That 70s Show}}'', Jackie and Hyde went on a date in the third season, and kissed, but Jackie felt nothing (this is indicated with a sudden break in the romantic music). Hyde's face and demeanor implied that he ''did'', however -- Jackie's blithe demeanor prevented him from stating so. They eventually got together in the fifth season.

* in ''Webcomic/MenageA3'', after [=DiDi=] receives an unusually passionate kiss from the sexually highly experienced Zii and a totally spark-free kiss from Gary, [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/passionn she naturally concludes that she's a lesbian.]] Eventually, Zii feels obliged to tell her that Gary is a clueless virgin, so her problem was with him rather than with men in general (although Didi has only ever known of SpeedSex with men, which probably didn't help).

* In the ''WesternAnimation/{{Sixteen}}'' episode "Great Expectations", Wyatt and Caitlin [[AccidentalKiss accidentally kiss in the dark]] during a fumbling of rendezvous arrangements, but the two quickly realize they actually liked it, and try going out based on that and their own preexisting familiarity with each other. However, once they actually do go out on a date, their next kiss prompts nothing from both of them, and the two realize they probably only felt sparks the first time since they thought they were kissing someone else. Funnily enough, this actually comes as relief for both of them, [[LetsJustBeFriends as it allows them to agree on simply being good friends]].

* [[ComicBook/Batgirl2000 Cassandra Cain]] and [[ComicBook/{{Superboy}} Superboy]] meet on a cruise and end up having a short fling, but it ends quickly when both realize the neither of them really likes each other in that way.

[[folder:Fan Fiction]]
* In ''[[http://www.fimfiction.net/story/61354/1/brony-steve-makes-out-with-fluttershy/brony-steve-makes-out-with-fluttershy Brony Steve Makes Out with Fluttershy,]]'' the eponymous Brony crosses dimensions into the world of ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' with a secret agenda to kiss Fluttershy, whom he had fallen in love with when he watched the show. Although he got past her strange, more realistic appearance, he ultimately doesn't develop any actual romantic feelings towards her like he thought he would. When he actually kisses her, he gets prickled by the whiskers on her muzzle, and he could sense deep hurt in her eyes.
* There's a more meta version of this in ''Fanfic/ChildOfTheStorm'': when asked about potentially shipping Harry and Diana, who have a lot in common (both demigods, both with difficult childhoods, both with some form of PsychicPowers, and both with sweet natures and sometimes explosive tempers that they worry about) and are close friends, [[Creator/NimbusLlewelyn the author]] has remarked that he actually tried writing it at one point and ran into this problem, deciding that they're more LikeBrotherAndSister.
* Happens to Clark twice in ''Fanfic/TheLastSon'', when Kitty and Rogue both try to kiss him. A little more heartbreaking for the latter, as at the time, he was the only person she knew that she could touch without draining.

* Kelly and Marco in ''Fanfic/{{Stay|StarVsTheForcesOfEvil}}'', one-sided. Marco acknowledges that when he looks at Kelly, he doesn’t feel anything romantic. Not the warmth of love he feels with Star, not the flutter of a crush he felt with Jackie or even the chemistry he shares with Heckapoo. This is not good for Kelly, who does love Marco and is [[NotGoodWithRejection angry at his rejection.]]

* ''Film/ThePrincessDiaries''

* Nicely played in ''Film/BringingUpBaby'' when Cary Grant's character is engaged to his coworker who basically says that she [[SexlessMarriage will not have sex with him when they are married]] and their marriage's purpose is to solidify their working relationship. The next few scenes include Creator/CaryGrant experiencing MeetCute with Creator/KatharineHepburn, so when Cary's fiance is shown again the lack of sparks becomes even more apparent.

* Lissa and her relationship with her first boyfriend Aaron in ''Literature/VampireAcademy''. She might have lost her virginity to him, but she never was that much into him.

* ''Literature/{{Violeta}}'': Before marrying Fabian, Violeta finds him boring and predictable and says that she knows exactly what he will be like 20 years from today. Her marriage is fine. But when dashing pilot Julián Bravo turns up and sweeps her off her feet, "fine" is not good enough anymore for her.

* It happens twice on ''Series/TheSecretLifeOfTheAmericanTeenager'' with [[spoiler:Ricky and Adrian]]. The first time it happens, she blames it on pregnancy hormones (pregnant by another man, [[spoiler:Ben, to be specific]]), while he sees it as affirmation that they should just be friends, an idea he was already mulling over. The following season, she feels sparks with another guy but thinks she needs to kiss [[spoiler:Ricky]] one last time to be sure that they're really over. He reluctantly obliges, and neither of them feels anything.

* ''Series/SonnyWithAChance'': This is the main focus of the episode "Sonny With A Kiss". Sonny and Chad are very nervous and pressured when everyone finds out they haven't had their {{First Kiss}} yet and keep encouraging them to kiss, leading to hilarious and bumbling attempts of kissing with disastrous results. As all the tension continues to rise, the two start to fear that they might have no spark and believe that they are {{Better As Friends}}. That is until they finally kiss and realize that they ''do'' have sparks but their {{Ship Tease}} doesn't.
* ''Series/TheOfficeUS'':
** A chronic version of the trope could be Pam and Roy in early seasons. While it's never shown, it's reasonable to assume there ''were'' sparks at one time, but Roy isn't interested in putting that amount of effort into the relationship anymore, and that in turn is a turn-off for Pam.
** Also implied later on with Jim and Karen.

* In ''Series/{{That 70s Show}}'', Jackie and Hyde went on a date in the third season, and kissed, but Jackie felt nothing (this is indicated with a sudden break in the romantic music). Hyde's face and demeanor implied that he ''did'', however -- Jackie's blithe demeanor prevented him from stating so. They eventually got together in the fifth season.
* In an episode of ''Series/{{Reba}}'', Reba is trying to get back into the dating game and goes out with her old college boyfriend. She enjoys the date up until the goodbye kiss, in which she feels nothing. This causes her to remember why she left him for Brock.
* The following exchange comes from an episode of ''Series/TheGoldenGirls'' involving a man from the senior center pursuing Sophia.
-->'''Sophia:''' "There's no spark."
-->'''[[DeadpanSnarker Dorothy]]:''' "He's 90. You're 80. Sparks are dangerous."
-->'''[[EthicalSlut Blanche]]:''' "Oh, I know what you mean, Sophia. I would never date a man without that spark."
-->'''Dorothy:''' "Fortunately you carry flints in your bra."
* In ''Series/RobinHood'', Robin begins a relationship with Kate for no real reason beyond the fact that she has a crush on him. After he's [[spoiler:fatally poisoned]], he notably can't bring himself to kiss Kate goodbye, despite her obvious attempt to get a LastKiss.
* This is a RunningGag on ''Series/NedsDeclassifiedSchoolSurvivalGuide'' when Moze gets with the hot foreign exchange student [[RomanticFalseLead Faymen]] for a long time, and [[ElectricLove only feels sparks]] kissing her best friend Ned.
* On ''Series/TheMaryTylerMooreShow'', Mary and Lou Grant always had an undercurrent of sexual attraction running through their relationship, but only at the very end of the series do they actually attempt to kiss one another.. and break into helpless giggles.
* ''Series/HowIMetYourMother'': When Ted ''finally'' finds [[TheOneThatGotAway The Slutty Pumpkin]], this ends up being the situation. They just can't click.
* In the episode "Soulmates" of ''Series/ParksAndRecreation'', a DatingServiceDisaster matches Leslie with Tom. Tom thinks they're meant to be and is incredibly inappropriate about it, and at the end, Leslie gives him a ShutUpKiss to show him that they're not a good match. Tom later states that though there was no romantic passion to it, he's pretty impressed by her skills.
* ''Series/StrangerThings'': In season 2, Murray's SherlockScan theorizes that this is Nancy's problem with her boyfriend Steve. Which is followed up by him doing another SherlockScan that points out Nancy clearly has sexual tension with Jonathan.
-->'''Murray:''' And this other guy, what's his name-- ''[snaps fingers]''\\
'''Jonathan:''' Steve.\\
'''Murray:''' ''[mocking voice]'' Oh, Steve! We ''like'' Steve! But we don't ''love'' him.
* ''Series/OneDayAtATime2017'': Elena is floored when she attracts the attention of Josh, an extremely popular boy at her school, and tries to talk herself into liking him since he's cute, sweet, and attentive. But, she just doesn't feel it. [[IncompatibleOrientation Yeah, there's a good reason for that...]]
* Subverted in ''Series/HanginWithMrCooper''. Mark and Vanessa kiss in one episode to prove that they don't have a spark after Geneva tells them that they're soul mates (based on the shapes of their skulls). After the kiss, they both insist that [[SuspiciouslySpecificDenial they absolutely didn't feel anything]].
* In ''Series/TheHauntingOfBlyManor'', it's made painfully obvious in flashbacks that Dani had a case of this towards her fiance, Edmund. She does care for him as her best and oldest friend, but throughout all the wedding planning she looks awkward and uncomfortable, especially when Edmund tells the story of his proposal to her. Even he starts to pick up on the fact something's not right. [[spoiler:Dani looks a great deal more enthusiastic about her seamstress putting her hands on her waist during a dress fitting, which is a big hint as to why [[IncompatibleOrientation she doesn't feel romantic attraction towards Edmund]].]]
* ''Series/SchittsCreek'': After ending their brief relationship, Stevie and David decided they are BetterAsFriends. But one night, as they bemoan the lack of options in the town, they wonder if there is still a spark. They kiss...and nope. No spark.

* In the ''WesternAnimation/{{Sixteen}}'' episode "Great Expectations", Wyatt and Caitlin [[AccidentalKiss accidentally kiss in the dark]] during a fumbling of rendezvous arrangements, but the two quickly realize they actually liked it, and try going out based on that and their own preexisting familiarity with each other. However, once they actually do go out on a date, their next kiss prompts nothing from both of them, and the two realize they probably only felt sparks the first time since they thought they were kissing someone else. Funnily enough, this actually comes as relief for both of them, [[LetsJustBeFriends as it allows them to agree on simply being good friends]].

* Subverted in ''LightNovel/LadiesVersusButlers'', [[spoiler:Tomomi]] begins to suspect she might have feelings for [[spoiler:Akiharu]] and decides to test it with a date. They spend the day together and she tries all sorts of things, finally at the very end deciding that there indeed are no sparks. Then, as she walks away relieved to confirm this she asks him about his past crush, and he admits that as a child he had a crush on her. She continues to walk and act nonchalantly while her face turns beet red.

[[caption-width-right:350:That seems a ''bit'' like jumping to conclusions.]]

* In ''[[http://www.fimfiction.net/story/61354/1/brony-steve-makes-out-with-fluttershy/brony-steve-makes-out-with-fluttershy Brony Steve Makes Out with Fluttershy]]'', the eponymous Brony crosses dimensions into the world of ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' with a secret agenda to kiss Fluttershy, whom he had fallen in love with when he watched the show. Although he got past her strange, more realistic appearance, he ultimately doesn't develop any actual romantic feelings towards her like he thought he would. When he actually kisses her, he gets prickled by the whiskers on her muzzle, and he could sense deep hurt in her eyes.

* It happens twice on ''Series/TheSecretLifeOfTheAmericanTeenager'' with [[spoiler: Ricky and Adrian]]. The first time it happens, she blames it on pregnancy hormones (pregnant by another man, [[spoiler: Ben, to be specific]]), while he sees it as affirmation that they should just be friends, an idea he was already mulling over. The following season, she feels sparks with another guy but thinks she needs to kiss [[spoiler: Ricky]] one last time to be sure that they're really over. He reluctantly obliges, and neither of them feels anything.

* ''Series/GossipGirl'': Chuck tells Blair that she has no sparks with Lord Marcus, and also says the same about Nate ''twice''. Much later, to test whether she has sparks with [[spoiler: Dan]], she does a TestKiss and concludes (though slightly doubtfully) that there's nothing there. [[AllLoveIsUnrequited He disagrees]].

* In ''Series/TheHauntingOfBlyManor'', it's made painfully obvious in flashbacks that Dani had a case of this towards her fiance, Edmund. She does care for him as her best and oldest friend, but throughout all the wedding planning she looks awkward and uncomfortable, especially when Edmund tells the story of his proposal to her. Even he starts to pick up on the fact something's not right. [[spoiler: Dani looks a great deal more enthusiastic about her seamstress putting her hands on her waist during a dress fitting, which is a big hint as to why [[IncompatibleOrientation she doesn't feel romantic attraction towards Edmund]].]]

** And then, when [[spoiler: Elliot]] and [[spoiler: Sarah]] start dating, they eventually discover that their relationship isn't as sparky as they hoped it would be, and they're actually more LikeBrotherAndSister. Will [[spoiler: Elliot]] ever find true love?

* In ''[[http://www.fimfiction.net/story/61354/1/brony-steve-makes-out-with-fluttershy/brony-steve-makes-out-with-fluttershy Brony Steve Makes Out with Fluttershy]]'', the eponymous Brony crosses dimensions into the world of ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' with a secret agenda to kiss Fluttershy, whom he had fallen in love with when he watched the show. Although he got past her [[UncannyValley strange, more realistic appearance]], he ultimately doesn't develop any actual romantic feelings towards her like he thought he would. When he actually kisses her, he gets prickled by the whiskers on her muzzle, and he could sense deep hurt in her eyes.

[[folder:Film]]

* In ''WesternAnimation/ShrekForeverAfter'', Shrek needs a TrueLovesKiss from Fiona in order to break the spell that has put him in a bad AlternateTimeline where he never saved her from the castle from the first. After an argument, Fiona tries giving him a kiss, but it doesn't work, because she doesn't love him. [[spoiler:They try again at the end of the movie, which works.]]

->'''Danny:''' Does he make you laugh?\\
'''Tess:''' He doesn't make me cry.
-->-- ''Film/OceansEleven''

* ''Series/DontTrustTheBInApartment23'' has this UpToEleven. For the whole series, Mark has been pining for June. He finally tells June, and although June initially wants to remain friends, she begins to question if she also has feelings for Mark. She decides to tell him and the two end up having sex. Which is completely boring for both of them. Thinking that perhaps it was a fluke, the two try again. It's still boring. They try to drink some wine beforehand. Still doesn't work. They do it out in public, they do it wearing flashy wigs, ''nothing'' helps. In the face of such overwhelming evidence, the two are forced to conclude that there's nothing between them.

* In ''[[Film/TwentySevenDresses 27 Dresses]]'', Katherine Heigl's character kisses her boss, who she has crushed on for years, and finds she does not feel anything for him.

* Mal and Zoe at the end of the ''{{Series/Firefly}}'' episode "War Stories," when Mal proposes that they sleep together due to the argument that he and her husband Wash had during Niska's torture. Zoe's deadpan response: "Take me, sir. Take me hard." The utter lack of chemistry between them is enough to unnerve Jayne, who is normally the most lecherous of the crew. It doesn't get too far due to Wash intervening and dragging off Zoe to their bunk.

* ''Series/{{Sonny With A Chance}}'': This is the main focus of the episode "Sonny With A Kiss". Sonny and Chad are very nervous and pressured when everyone finds out they haven't had their {{First Kiss}} yet and keep encouraging them to kiss, leading to hilarious and bumbling attempts of kissing with disastrous results. As all the tension continues to rise, the two start to fear that they might have no spark and believe that they are {{Better As Friends}}. That is until they finally kiss and realize that they ''do'' have sparks but their {{Ship Tease}} doesn't.