# You don't like the main character's love interest **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 19, 2011, 7:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-dont-like-the-main-characters-love-interest/586018 "2011-06-19T07:36:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2011, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-dont-like-the-main-characters-love-interest/586018/21 "2011-06-19T19:36:08Z")
> [@CrazyCatLady](#): > > Which one? Bill ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2011, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-dont-like-the-main-characters-love-interest/586018/22 "2011-06-19T19:47:46Z")
> [@foolsguinea](#): > > I think Selina was gone straight & living with Bruce for a wee bit in the mid-1980’s, but yeah, editorial keeps messing it up. I didn’t know about that time, but it’s jogged my memory, in some strange way, of the Earth-Two versions, whose marriage did work for me (because Selina was retired from crime, of course). Still…other than those… I don’t know much about the pre-Crisis Steve Trevor, but I like the current one…but he’d be in this same group, if they were trying to pair him with Diana, again. I like him a lot with Edda, though. (See also: Tom Tresser. Though the pairing him with Diana was all part of salvaging him after some minor character assassination in the earlier issues of WW, so there wasn’t so much liking him at the time.) ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2011, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-dont-like-the-main-characters-love-interest/586018/23 "2011-06-19T19:48:50Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > I never understood why Spenser put up with the whiny, irritating Susan Silverman for 5 minutes, let alone for decades. > > I think Robert B. Parker based Susan on his own wife, and MAYBE the real Mrs. Parker was a wonderful woman. But I can’t imagine how any man could love the lady in the Spenser novels. I don’t think Spenser actually _likes_ Susan all that much; in fact I’ll bet that Hawk likes her a lot more than he does. But love and like are not the same thing. I never saw her as whiny, but I rather wish that _Valediction_ had ended with Susan deciding to stay with the ad executive, or perhaps getting involved with Rita Fiori. I can even see Susan and Spenser becoming friends again–just not lovers, because the real commitment-phobia and opposition to monogamy is hers, not his. ---
**Author:** ![Ura-Maru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/51bf81/32.png) [@Ura-Maru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ura-Maru)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-dont-like-the-main-characters-love-interest/586018/24 "2011-06-20T01:54:01Z")
I **liked** the way the DCAU handled Wonder Woman/Batman. There was something there, but it never happened because Batman was too neurotic to let it happen. Which makes perfect sense, though does feed those rumors about him. A nice touch was she only got interested once she met the slighty goofy DCAU version of Bruce Wayne, and her eyesrolling response to his ‘It’s not you, it’s my enemies.’ Susan’s problem is less with her character than with Spenser himself. She’s occasionally insightful, allegedly smart, and more than a little full of herself. Judged by human standards, that’s not bad at all. Spencer doesn’t operate on a human level, though. He’s so perfect he obviously doesn’t need anyone, and any mere human is going to look bad by comparison. She can’t contribute to the story, because anything she might advise, he’s already come up with at some point when she wasn’t’ there. Leaving the choice idiot-balling him so she can notice something that should have been obvious, or to do nothing. She can be a prop for domestic scenes, I suppose, but that role that was comfortably served by a recipe book and a half-carved wooden horse before she showed up. I hadn’t thought of her with Hawk, but that actually works. He DOES need someone like her. You know how people always complain that the heroes love interest never does anything but scream and get captured? Usually, that’s hyperbole. For \*\*\*The Guyver’s \*\*\* Myuki Segawa, it ISN’T hyperbole. She just kind of hangs around, frequently screaming, occasionally being captured. That’s it. I should note that her voice, in multiple versions and several languages, is always notably high pitched and shrill (English was whiney, as well) She doesn’t’ even serve the dubious purpose of allowing people to explain things to her to give us background, because there’s a chunky (and likable) sci-fi geek to do that. – “You’re a princess from a society of immortal warriors. I’m a rich kid with issues. Lots of issues.” ---
**Author:** ![Baal\_Houtham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baal_houtham/32/13604_2.png) [@Baal\_Houtham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baal_Houtham)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-dont-like-the-main-characters-love-interest/586018/25 "2011-06-20T02:24:41Z")
In _Amélie_, Audrey Tautou was an elfin charmer. It did not make me happy when she bonded with a wienie weirdo. ---
**Author:** ![Ibn\_Warraq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e19b73/32.png) [@Ibn\_Warraq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibn_Warraq)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-dont-like-the-main-characters-love-interest/586018/26 "2011-06-20T02:30:02Z")
> [@Zsofia](#): > > Does anybody, anybody in the world, like Fiona on _Burn Notice_? She stinks up the show like a dead skunk. At times she’s incredibly needy and emotionally manipulative, but I absolutely love her. Granted, being a straight guy I’m extremely biased. Also, considering Michael’s mother it makes quite a bit of sense that Michael would hook up with and be unable to shed Fiona. ---
**Author:** ![Ibn\_Warraq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e19b73/32.png) [@Ibn\_Warraq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibn_Warraq)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-dont-like-the-main-characters-love-interest/586018/27 "2011-06-20T02:36:04Z")
The makers of Veronica Mars kept desperately trying to convince people that Duncan was a better boyfriend than Logan. He might very well have made a better husband, but he definitely wasn’t a better boyfriend. Thankfully, the writers eventually wised up and got rid of him. ---
**Author:** ![Gil-Martin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Gil-Martin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gil-Martin)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-dont-like-the-main-characters-love-interest/586018/28 "2011-06-20T02:40:41Z")
I’m a \*Dexter \*fan, but I always hated Dexter’s love interest Rita. I don’t suppose I have anything against the actress who played her, but I always came close to cringing whenever the character appeared on my television screen. She always struck me as whiny, controlling, overly suspicious, and prone to jumping to all the wrong conclusions. I know people liked her, so apologies to those folks, but Rita as a character irritated the hell out of me. ---
**Author:** ![koeeoaddi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/koeeoaddi/32/408_2.png) [@koeeoaddi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koeeoaddi)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-dont-like-the-main-characters-love-interest/586018/29 "2011-06-20T02:49:22Z")
I adored Ellie Walker but absolutely couldn’t stand Helen Crump. Andy would’ve been better off with Aunt Bea! ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-dont-like-the-main-characters-love-interest/586018/30 "2011-06-20T02:59:19Z")
> [@Gil-Martin](#): > > I’m a \*Dexter \*fan, but I always hated Dexter’s love interest Rita. I don’t suppose I have anything against the actress who played her, but I always came close to cringing whenever the character appeared on my television screen. She always struck me as whiny, controlling, overly suspicious, and prone to jumping to all the wrong conclusions. I know people liked her, so apologies to those folks, but Rita as a character irritated the hell out of me. Same here. She just seemed too much a burnt-out, beaten-down loser. Plus any chick as hot as her is gonna have any number of guys wanting to take her out of that crappy little house and ghetto car she wound up with. Still, on some level I liked her and I quit watching the show on Netflix after I found out on IMDB that… she gets killed (in season five, I think it was - I only watched through season two). I couldn’t enjoy the show any longer knowing that the time was coming when she’d die. I wouldn’t have thought IMDB would have included such a major spoiler in their chapter synopses. ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-dont-like-the-main-characters-love-interest/586018/31 "2011-06-20T03:13:02Z")
Rachel Greene is SO spoiled and annoying! How Ross could stand her, or think she was good enough for, or compatible with, him escapes me. It doesn’t help that I LOATHE Jennifer Anniston. ---
**Author:** ![Gil-Martin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Gil-Martin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gil-Martin)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-dont-like-the-main-characters-love-interest/586018/32 "2011-06-20T03:19:18Z")
**Starving Artist** : What you talk about in your spoiler box occurred in the last episode I watched. I’ve read some really brief descriptions of subsequent developments in this story which, if handled correctly, could make some very interesting viewing. Sadly, I have to wait until Netflix provides me with the next season for me to see if the show improves or not. I started a thread that touches upon one or two of things you mention not too long ago . . . Anyway, I agree with your assessment of Rita and her situation. Have a great night! ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-dont-like-the-main-characters-love-interest/586018/33 "2011-06-20T03:38:50Z")
Thanks, **Gil-Martin**. 🙂 [spoiler]You’ve brought to mind an option I hadn’t considered yet, which is to pick back up with subsequent seasons. Even though it would mean that I will have missed out on maybe half of the total **Dexter** oeurve, at least I could enjoy what remains of the show now that some time has passed since I stopped watching it. It’s a good show overall, and I was sorry to have to stop watching it after learning of Rita’s impending death. I don’t know if it’s an age thing or what, but it seems that as I’ve gotten older I have less tolerance for the death of major characters in stories. I’ve pretty much stopped reading John Sandford’s _Prey_ series for the same reason. He nearly always has someone you’ve come to like or sympathize with killed off in his books, and it’s put me off them quite a bit…which is a shame 'cause they’re really good books. 🙂 [/spoiler] ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-dont-like-the-main-characters-love-interest/586018/34 "2011-06-20T03:44:29Z")
> [@Gil-Martin](#): > > I’m a \*Dexter \*fan, but I always hated Dexter’s love interest Rita. I don’t suppose I have anything against the actress who played her, but I always came close to cringing whenever the character appeared on my television screen. She always struck me as whiny, controlling, overly suspicious, and prone to jumping to all the wrong conclusions. I know people liked her, so apologies to those folks, but Rita as a character irritated the hell out of me. Frankly, I’ve always thought that Dexter had more chemistry with Deb. Don’t look at me like that, he’s not her biological brother. ---
**Author:** ![Shawn1767](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Shawn1767](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shawn1767)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-dont-like-the-main-characters-love-interest/586018/35 "2011-06-20T03:45:51Z")
Andie McDowell in “Four Weddings and a Funeral.” Bleah… ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-dont-like-the-main-characters-love-interest/586018/36 "2011-06-20T04:08:10Z")
> [@elfkin477](#): > > Frankly, I’ve always thought that Dexter had more chemistry with Deb. As a matter of fact, he did. (Or rather the two actors did.) This from Wiki: > [@](#): > > On December 31, 2008, he [Michael C. Hall] eloped with Jennifer Carpenter, who plays the character of Dexter Morgan’s foster sister, Debra Morgan, on Showtime’s Dexter. They dated for a year and a half prior to getting married.[13][14] On December 18, 2010, Carpenter filed for divorce from Hall. The filing states that the two had been separated since August 2010. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-dont-like-the-main-characters-love-interest/586018/37 "2011-06-20T04:29:12Z")
On Daria, I loathed Tom with the fire of a thousand suns. From what I gather, most people did. It wasn’t just that he wasn’t Trent (though there was that, too). He was so bland, so dull. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-dont-like-the-main-characters-love-interest/586018/38 "2011-06-20T04:30:36Z")
> [@Ura-Maru](#): > > I **liked** the way the DCAU handled Wonder Woman/Batman. There was something there, but it never happened because Batman was too neurotic to let it happen. Which makes perfect sense, though does feed those rumors about him. A nice touch was she only got interested once she met the slighty goofy DCAU version of Bruce Wayne, and her eyesrolling response to his ‘It’s not you, it’s my enemies.’ To expand on that; when he gave Wonder Woman his speech about how he couldn’t get close to anyone because his enemies would come after them, Wonder Woman gave him a Look, picked up a brick and casually crushed it to gravel with one hand. “Next excuse.” > [@Ura-Maru](#): > > “You’re a princess from a society of immortal warriors. I’m a rich kid with issues. Lots of issues.” I loved that line. > [@Freudian\_Slit](#): > > On Daria, I loathed Tom with the fire of a thousand suns. From what I gather, most people did. It wasn’t just that he wasn’t Trent (though there was that, too). He was so bland, so dull. I agree - although that very blandness meant I’d forgotten about him until you just mentioned him. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-dont-like-the-main-characters-love-interest/586018/39 "2011-06-20T04:59:58Z")
Not having read the Harry Potter books, I sort of hope he winds up with Luna Lovegood instead of Ginny Weasly. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-dont-like-the-main-characters-love-interest/586018/40 "2011-06-20T05:08:42Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > I agree - although that very blandness meant I’d forgotten about him until you just mentioned him. Though now that I think about it, sometimes he was pretty insensitive. Did you ever see the ep where Daria and her classmates are applying to college? Tom’s mom takes Tom and Daria to do college tours and they end up staying too late at Bromwell for Daria to get any real time at Raft and the whole thing just seemed really unfair. Tom also ends up saying that part of the reason Daria got into Raft not Bromwell was because she didn’t have an interview at Raft. Overall, I’m not a fan. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-dont-like-the-main-characters-love-interest/586018.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-dont-like-the-main-characters-love-interest/586018.md?page=3)