# "Will they or won't they" relationships which were a "they won't" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 31, 2012, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-they-or-wont-they-relationships-which-were-a-they-wont/623606 "2012-05-31T01:44:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Shalmanese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shalmanese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shalmanese)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2012, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-they-or-wont-they-relationships-which-were-a-they-wont/623606/1 "2012-05-31T01:44:47Z")
What are some classic “will they or won’t they” relationships in fiction that actually came down firmly on the two titular characters not getting together. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2012, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-they-or-wont-they-relationships-which-were-a-they-wont/623606/2 "2012-05-31T01:47:05Z")
Sam and Rebecca from Cheers. For that matte, ultimately Sam and Diane never really ended up together. ---
**Author:** ![Loopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loopus/32/15343_2.png) [@Loopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loopus)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2012, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-they-or-wont-they-relationships-which-were-a-they-wont/623606/3 "2012-05-31T01:50:16Z")
Alex and Elaine were implied to have had sex in an episode of _Taxi_, but they never even officially dated. Their “will they or won’t they” relationship was pretty subtle by sitcom standards, though. ---
**Author:** ![Kolga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e56c9b/32.png) [@Kolga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolga)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2012, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-they-or-wont-they-relationships-which-were-a-they-wont/623606/4 "2012-05-31T01:51:53Z")
Obligatory: Would Mal and Inara be considered a “won’t?” The end of _Serenity_ left it a possibility, but not a definitive. ---
**Author:** ![PSXer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/48db29/32.png) [@PSXer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PSXer)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2012, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-they-or-wont-they-relationships-which-were-a-they-wont/623606/5 "2012-05-31T02:07:57Z")
Jack Burton and whatever the girl’s name was in Big Trouble in Little China ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2012, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-they-or-wont-they-relationships-which-were-a-they-wont/623606/6 "2012-05-31T02:09:15Z")
Lost in Translation. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2012, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-they-or-wont-they-relationships-which-were-a-they-wont/623606/7 "2012-05-31T02:22:10Z")
> [@Odesio](#): > > Sam and Rebecca from Cheers. For that matte, ultimately Sam and Diane never really ended up together. Sam and Diane is the first example I thought of, actually. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2012, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-they-or-wont-they-relationships-which-were-a-they-wont/623606/8 "2012-05-31T02:40:08Z")
Raj and Howard. Well, not yet, anyway. mmm ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2012, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-they-or-wont-they-relationships-which-were-a-they-wont/623606/9 "2012-05-31T03:16:19Z")
Luke and Leia. Although it would’ve turned out really creepy if they had. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2012, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-they-or-wont-they-relationships-which-were-a-they-wont/623606/10 "2012-05-31T03:28:02Z")
I’m not sure what we’re supposed to think about Patrick Jane and Teresa Lisbon on _The Mentalist_. There’s no suggestion of any chemistry beyond friendship and a working relationship, and I’d be happy if it stayed that way if only to buck the trend, but then there was that moment in the recent season finale… ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2012, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-they-or-wont-they-relationships-which-were-a-they-wont/623606/11 "2012-05-31T03:48:38Z")
Sounds like you are including people who did get together at one time, as long as they still had the dilemma later. In that case, I post the poster child, the one that totally shocked me: Winnie and Kevin. You know the show. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Mondegreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/91b2a8/32.png) [@Lord\_Mondegreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Mondegreen)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2012, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-they-or-wont-they-relationships-which-were-a-they-wont/623606/12 "2012-05-31T03:51:02Z")
Don’t know if Joel Fleischman and Maggie O’Connell from _Northern Exposure_ count, but I think they would. Waaaay back, the '70s UK comedy _Man About the House_ (remade as _Three’s Company_ in the US) had a will-they-won’t-they between Robin and Chrissy. Chrissy eventually married Robin’s brother. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2012, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-they-or-wont-they-relationships-which-were-a-they-wont/623606/13 "2012-05-31T04:01:42Z")
Chakotay and Janeway from _ST: Voyager_. ---
**Author:** ![Yorikke](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yorikke/32/4335_2.png) [@Yorikke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorikke)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2012, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-they-or-wont-they-relationships-which-were-a-they-wont/623606/14 "2012-05-31T04:11:22Z")
> [@PSXer](#): > > Jack Burton and whatever the girl’s name was in Big Trouble in Little China Gracie Law. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2012, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-they-or-wont-they-relationships-which-were-a-they-wont/623606/15 "2012-05-31T04:14:32Z")
Will & Grace. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2012, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-they-or-wont-they-relationships-which-were-a-they-wont/623606/16 "2012-05-31T06:29:29Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > Raj and Howard. > > Well, not yet, anyway. > mmm Along the same lines; Jack & Liz from. Sure they were briefly married, but they’ve never actually had sex, Tina Fey says they never will, and in any event the show’s really moved away from the ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2012, 6:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-they-or-wont-they-relationships-which-were-a-they-wont/623606/17 "2012-05-31T06:44:08Z")
Bert and Ernie (on screen, at least) ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2012, 8:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-they-or-wont-they-relationships-which-were-a-they-wont/623606/18 "2012-05-31T08:39:24Z")
> [@alphaboi867](#): > > Along the same lines; Jack & Liz from. Sure they were briefly married, but they’ve never actually had sex, Tina Fey says they never will, and in any event the show’s really moved away from the That was very enigmatic. ---
**Author:** ![One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/838e76/32.png) [@One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/One_And_Only_Wanderers)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2012, 8:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-they-or-wont-they-relationships-which-were-a-they-wont/623606/19 "2012-05-31T08:50:10Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > Chakotay and Janeway from _ST: Voyager_. They kind of had kids didn’t they? Lizard kids granted, but they still technically boinked. ---
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2012, 9:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-they-or-wont-they-relationships-which-were-a-they-wont/623606/20 "2012-05-31T09:04:01Z")
> [@One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](#): > > They kind of had kids didn’t they? Lizard kids granted, but they still technically boinked. Janeway and Paris. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-they-or-wont-they-relationships-which-were-a-they-wont/623606.md?page=2)