The Masochism Tango: Difference between revisions

{{trope}}

''As we dance to The Masochism Tango!''|'''[[Tom Lehrer]]''', "[[Trope Namer|The Masochism Tango]]"}}

== [[Literature]] ==

* It's actually the societal ''norm'' for romance to be [[The Masochism Tango]] in Saldaea in ''[[The Wheel of Time]]'', much to the bafflement of [[The Big Guy|Perrin]] when he marries fan-unfavorite [[The Scrappy|Faile]]. As [http://www.ataricommunity.com/forums/showthread.php?t=386600 The Parody] puts it:

'''Deira''': Yes, dear.<br />

'''Bashere''': But only when she wants you to. Sometimes she wants you to be soft and gentle, like this: I love you, my cuddly little honey-bunny.<br />

* In the original novel ''[[The Princess Bride (novel)|The Princess Bride]]'', Buttercup's parents were described as having this type of relationship, to the point that when her father died and her mother almost immediately followed, it was believed to be the sudden lack of opposition that killed her.

* ''[[Nineteen Eighty-Four]]''.

You sold me }}

* Valmont and Merteuil in ''[[Dangerous Liaisons]]'' live to one-up each other with tales of sexual deviance and mindfuckery, yet every time one of them talks about having sex with somebody else, the other one seems to explode with jealousy.

== [[Live Action TV]] ==

* Basil and Sybil Fawlty from ''[[Fawlty Towers]]'' are a classic, if rather more complex, example of this trope switching between this and [[No Accounting for Taste]]. Casually insulting one another, both face to face and behind their backs, Sybil does seem to appreciate even these acerbic exchanges. And Basil does occasionally try to do something vaguely nice, such as remembering their wedding anniversary (but of course, gets a dangerous kick out of making her believe he has forgotten until the last moment:)

'''Basil:''' Yes, but not as economical. }}

* Xander and Cordelia's romance on ''[[Buffy the Vampire Slayer]].'' Later, Xander began dating Anya, an ex-demon whose idea of a romantic evening (at first) was to brag about all the men she'd tortured and killed over the centuries, though they actually developed a nice rapport later on.

* ''[[Star Trek: Deep Space Nine]]'' played this for laughs in a [[Story Arc]] about Klingon romances -- the Klingon concept of foreplay involves <s>wrestling</s> bitchslapping and broken bones, and the cowardly Ferengi Quark winds up having to participate (and insisting while getting patched up in sickbay that it was [[Worth It]].)

** You can see Worf's dating advice [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zweQgrLjh_s here].

"He reads love poems. ''[[Beat|(Beat)]]'' [[Crowning Moment of Funny|He ducks a lot.]]" }}

** Dax manages to hold her own with Worf in that episode (both come in to sickbay, supporting each other, with various bruises and fractures at the end); apparently she was used to it enough as Curzon to manage.

* One wonders if ''[[Hannah Montana]]'''s Lilly and Oliver's (previously [[Platonic Life Partners]]) [[Relationship Upgrade]] was, in fact, an upgrade. They seem to alternate between being [[Sickeningly Sweethearts]] and being at each other's throats.

* ''[[Saturday Night Live]]'' had a pair of recurring characters circa 2005 called ''The Needlers: The Couple That Should Be Divorced'' that basically epitomized this trope:

'''Dan Needler:''' '''YOU RUIN THE FOURTH OF EVERYTHING!!!''' }}

** Sometimes, an [[Only Sane Man]] in the sketch will tactfully suggest they seek couples counseling. The Needlers will act like this suggestion has come out of nowhere and declare that their marriage is just fine, before going right back to bitching at each other.

* The flash animation [http://vinnieveritas.com/flash/ccc/eres-veneno/ Eres Veneno ++] by Vinnie Veritas is a serious contender for '''the''' greatest example of [[The Masochism Tango]]. As was once commented, "there's love, and then there's bitchy love."

* Church and Tex in ''[[Red vs. Blue]]'' are this.

'''Tex''': Asshole! }}

** Also, Grif and Simmons.