Line #22 Series/DearJohn


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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Context Series / DearJohn