Uptight Loves Wild: Difference between revisions

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{{trope}}
{{trope}}
[[File:Polly2_1596.png|frame| He's an uptight actuary, she has a ferret.]]
[[File:Polly2 1596.png|link=Along Came Polly|frame| He's an uptight actuary, she has a ferret.]]



He's stuffy. She's untamed. It's true love.
He's stuffy. She's untamed. It's true love.
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[[British Stuffiness|Mr. Stuffy]] is in a rut: Life is boring because he plays by the rules. Along comes this [[Manic Pixie Dream Girl|wild and crazy woman to show him how to live life to its fullest]], and she just might [[An Aesop|learn a few things along the way]], too.
[[British Stuffiness|Mr. Stuffy]] is in a rut: Life is boring because he plays by the rules. Along comes this [[Manic Pixie Dream Girl|wild and crazy woman to show him how to live life to its fullest]], and she just might [[An Aesop|learn a few things along the way]], too.


Though the most common form of this trope is from male creators who idealize femininity as a saving force, it could be [[Gender Flip|Gender Flipped]]. Mr. Stuffy could be [[Fragile Flower|Ms.]] [[Housewife|Stuffy]] and the [[All Girls Want Bad Boys|wild angel could be male]] and help the [[Shrinking Violet|little wallflower]] come out of her shell and [[Beautiful All Along|blossom gloriously into a beautiful rose!]] Also, compare [[Well Excuse Me Princess]] -- [[Loveable Rogue]] meets [[Defrosting Ice Queen]].
Though the most common form of this trope is from male creators who idealize femininity as a saving force, it could be [[Gender Flip]]ped. Mr. Stuffy could be [[Fragile Flower|Ms.]] [[Housewife|Stuffy]] and the [[All Girls Want Bad Boys|wild angel could be male]] and help the [[Shrinking Violet|little wallflower]] come out of her shell and [[Beautiful All Along|blossom gloriously into a beautiful rose!]] Also, compare [[Well, Excuse Me, Princess!]] - [[Loveable Rogue]] meets [[Defrosting Ice Queen]].


They could be [[Queer As Tropes|LGBT]], as well (e.g. a [[Deadpan Snarker]] [[Seme]] with a [[Keet]] [[Uke]], [[Gravitation|mentioning no names]]).
They could be [[Queer As Tropes|LGBT]], as well (e.g. a [[Deadpan Snarker]] [[Seme]] with a [[Keet]] [[Uke]], [[Gravitation|mentioning no names]]).
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The defining trope of [[Screwball Comedy]]. ''Extremely'' common in [[Romantic Comedy]].
The defining trope of [[Screwball Comedy]]. ''Extremely'' common in [[Romantic Comedy]].


Compare [[Savvy Guy Energetic Girl]]. Not to be confused with [[Manic Pixie Dream Girl]] as the "Wild" part of this trope doesn't need to be Manic, a Pixie, a Dream, or a Girl.
Compare [[Savvy Guy, Energetic Girl]]. Not to be confused with [[Manic Pixie Dream Girl]] as the "Wild" part of this trope doesn't need to be Manic, a Pixie, a Dream, or a Girl.


{{examples|Examples:}}
{{examples}}
== [[Anime]] and [[Manga]] ==

== [[Anime and Manga]] ==
* Ruby and Sapphire from ''[[Pokémon Special]]'' fit this perfectly. One other character even calls Sapphire "Wild Girl".
* Ruby and Sapphire from ''[[Pokémon Special]]'' fit this perfectly. One other character even calls Sapphire "Wild Girl".
* Hinata Hyuga is not particularly uptight, but is certainly [[Shrinking Violet|not wild]]. Her crush [[Naruto]], on the other hand...[[Keet|really]], [[Idiot Hero|really]] is.
* Hinata Hyuga is not particularly uptight, but is certainly [[Shrinking Violet|not wild]]. Her crush [[Naruto]], on the other hand...[[Keet|really]], [[Idiot Hero|really]] is.
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* In ''[[Kanga Na Spoon]]'', the main character opens by talking about how perfect, glamorous and orderly his life is before introducing to his lover, an obnoxious, flamboyant, freeloading fashion designer with no life skills.
* In ''[[Kanga Na Spoon]]'', the main character opens by talking about how perfect, glamorous and orderly his life is before introducing to his lover, an obnoxious, flamboyant, freeloading fashion designer with no life skills.
* ''[[Axis Powers Hetalia]]'' has [[Official Couple|Italy and Germany]]. Germany is a [[Germanic Depressives|strict, military-oriented]] neat freak who can fall into [[Drill Sergeant Nasty]] at times. Italy is [[The Ditz|clueless]], [[Genki Guy|hyperactive]], and [[Lovable Coward|loves to surrender]]. The [[Ship Tease]] between them is overwhelming.
* ''[[Axis Powers Hetalia]]'' has [[Official Couple|Italy and Germany]]. Germany is a [[Germanic Depressives|strict, military-oriented]] neat freak who can fall into [[Drill Sergeant Nasty]] at times. Italy is [[The Ditz|clueless]], [[Genki Guy|hyperactive]], and [[Lovable Coward|loves to surrender]]. The [[Ship Tease]] between them is overwhelming.
** One could argue that [[Fan Preferred Couple|America and England]] fall under this too. Although England is not as uptight as you might expect, his usually staid demeanor contrasts with America's [[Large Ham|hamminess]] and [[Idiot Hero|lovable idiocy]].
** One could argue that [[Fan-Preferred Couple|America and England]] fall under this too. Although England is not as uptight as you might expect, his usually staid demeanor contrasts with America's [[Large Ham|hamminess]] and [[Idiot Hero|lovable idiocy]].
* Ranma and Akane from ''[[Ranma One Half]]''. It's referenced multiple times throughout the series... Such as one of the opening themes about Ranma and Akane being titled "Dont Make Me Wild Like You" and Ranma's name essentially meaning "wild horse." While (in the manga, at least) Ranma thrives on [[Manipulative Bastard|manipulation]], Akane often gets upset with his antics and reveals his identity when he doesn't want her to. He enjoys playing pranks on people, even when Akane gets mad at him for it. [[Shameless Fanservice Girl|He's]] also comfortable with being half-naked or nude around other people. Akane, on the other hand, will have none of that. She always tries to keep him covered up and maintains her own modesty at all times. True to the trope, Akane eventually becomes more relaxed about these traits and starts helping him out in his schemes and even starts coming up with some herself. (Strangely enough, although they're opposites in this sense, they're [[Birds of a Feather|alike in many other ways]].)
* Ranma and Akane from ''[[Ranma ½]]''. It's referenced multiple times throughout the series... Such as one of the opening themes about Ranma and Akane being titled "Don't Make Me Wild Like You" and Ranma's name essentially meaning "wild horse" (while Akane and her sisters all have names with serene sky/cloud imagery). While (in the manga, at least) Ranma thrives on [[Manipulative Bastard|manipulation]], Akane often gets upset with his antics and reveals his identity when he doesn't want her to. He enjoys playing pranks on people, even when Akane gets mad at him for it. [[Shameless Fanservice Girl|He's]] also comfortable with being half-naked or nude around other people. Akane, on the other hand, will have none of that. She always tries to keep him covered up and maintains her own modesty at all times. True to the trope, Akane eventually becomes more relaxed about these traits and starts helping him out in his schemes and even starts coming up with some herself. (Strangely enough, although they're opposites in this sense, they're [[Birds of a Feather|alike in many other ways]].)
* ''[[FAKE (Manga)|FAKE]]'': Ryo towards Dee which he will deny.
* ''[[FAKE]]'': Ryo towards Dee which he will deny.


== Comic Books ==
* ''[[The Sandman|Death: The High Cost Of Living]]'' - A [[Perky Goth]] called [[The Grim Reaper|Death]] guides a [[Emo Teen|teen]] [[Emo|guy]] named Sexton on a journey of self-discovery and teaches him to respect life and live it to the fullest, and [[An Aesop|et cetera]].


== Comics ==
* ''[[The Sandman|Death: The High Cost Of Living]]'' - A [[Perky Goth]] called [[The Grim Reaper|Death]] guides a [[Emo Teen|teen]] [[Emo|guy]] named Sexton on a journey of self discovery and teaches him to respect life and live it to the fullest, and [[An Aesop|etcetera]].


== Fan Fic ==
* The popular, [[Fanon|not-quite-canon]]-[[Ship Tease|but-hinted-at]] pairing of Sasha Nein and Milla Vodello in ''[[Psychonauts (Video Game)|Psychonauts]].'' They're long-time partners, and are without a doubt close ''friends,'' if not in love (though Milla definitely has feeling for Sasha). Sasha's the uptight one (of course; he's [[Germanic Depressives|German]]) and Milla's the wild party girl.


== Fan Works ==
* The popular, [[Fanon|not-quite-canon]]-[[Ship Tease|but-hinted-at]] pairing of Sasha Nein and Milla Vodello in ''[[Psychonauts]].'' They're long-time partners, and are without a doubt close ''friends,'' if not in love (though Milla definitely has feeling for Sasha). Sasha's the uptight one (of course; he's [[Germanic Depressives|German]]) and Milla's the wild party girl.


== Film ==
== Film ==
* ''[[Along Came Polly]]''
* ''[[Along Came Polly]]'' (which provides the page image).
* ''[[Film/Angel A|Angel A]]''
* ''[[Angel A]]''{{context}}
* ''[[Bright Star]]'' - John Keats is man back in the [[Older Than They Think|1800s]] who is hidebound by convention, emotionally closed-off, undaring, and believes himself to be a failed poet. But along comes his muse, Fanny Brawne. She's a young, vibrant, fashionable, fiery, flirty, independent-minded, outspoken, strong-willed [[Dancesand Balls|party girl]] who inspires him to write a sonnet that shares a name with the film's title. Will she challenge him and motivate him to new heights and help him achieve success that lasts until the 21st century? Well, it is based on a true story, so take a wild guess.
* ''[[Bright Star]]'' - John Keats is man back in the [[Older Than They Think|1800s]] who is hidebound by convention, emotionally closed-off, undaring, and believes himself to be a failed poet. But along comes his muse, Fanny Brawne. She's a young, vibrant, fashionable, fiery, flirty, independent-minded, outspoken, strong-willed [[Dances and Balls|party girl]] who inspires him to write a sonnet that shares a name with the film's title. Will she challenge him and motivate him to new heights and help him achieve success that lasts until the 21st century? Well, it is based on a true story, so take a wild guess.
* ''[[Bringing Up Baby]]'' -- although in something of a variation, it's Wild who falls for Uptight first, Uptight for many reasons wanting nothing to do with her for a large part of the movie. Wild doesn't so much teach Uptight to loosen up as she does drag him kicking and screaming into it.
* ''[[Bringing Up Baby]]''—although in something of a variation, it's Wild who falls for Uptight first, Uptight for many reasons wanting nothing to do with her for a large part of the movie. Wild doesn't so much teach Uptight to loosen up as she does drag him kicking and screaming into it.
** Ditto for ''[[My Man Godfrey]]''.
** Ditto for ''[[My Man Godfrey]]''.
* ''[[Crazy Beautiful]]''
* ''[[Crazy Beautiful]]''
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* ''[[Forces Of Nature]]''
* ''[[Forces Of Nature]]''
* ''[[Garden State]]''
* ''[[Garden State]]''
* ''[[Grease]]''
* ''[[Grease]]'' as well as ''[[Grease 2]]''
* ''[[Harold and Maude]]''
* ''[[Harold and Maude]]''
* An unremarkable short film called ''[[Headlong]]''. As the reviewer at [[Something Awful]] puts it:
* An unremarkable short film called ''[[Headlong]]''. As the reviewer at [[Something Awful]] puts it:
{{quote| This is just a retelling of one of the most classic stories known to man. Unfortunately, it is a story which man has always found irritating, cliched, and thoroughly useless. It's the tale of an uptight man who meets free-spirited female who teaches him how to cut loose, despite being an intolerable bitch. Simon Raby reinvents this timeless story by giving it a fresh, exciting new angle - he puts it inside a car! How does he come up with this stuff?}}
{{quote|This is just a retelling of one of the most classic stories known to man. Unfortunately, it is a story which man has always found irritating, cliched, and thoroughly useless. It's the tale of an uptight man who meets free-spirited female who teaches him how to cut loose, despite being an intolerable bitch. Simon Raby reinvents this timeless story by giving it a fresh, exciting new angle - he puts it inside a car! How does he come up with this stuff?}}
* ''[[Into the Night]]''
* ''[[Into the Night]]''
* ''[[Latter Days]]''
* ''[[Latter Days]]''
* ''[[Laws of Attraction]]'' She's a stuffy uptight cynical genius divorce lawyer! He's a free-spirited genius divorce lawyer who believes in true love! <s>[[They Fight Crime]]!</s> - uh, they're opposing counsel on a bunch of different cases! It's actually a pretty well-done, if forgettable, example of this trope, and it definitely doesn't hurt that Pierce Brosnan and Julianne Moore are damned good actors.
* ''[[Laws of Attraction]]'' She's a stuffy uptight cynical genius divorce lawyer! He's a free-spirited genius divorce lawyer who believes in true love! <s>[[They Fight Crime]]!</s> - uh, they're opposing counsel on a bunch of different cases! It's actually a pretty well-done, if forgettable, example of this trope, and it definitely doesn't hurt that Pierce Brosnan and Julianne Moore are damned good actors.
* ''[[Film/Mad Love|Mad Love]]''
* ''[[Mad Love (film)|Mad Love]]''
* ''[[My Sassy Girl]]''
* ''[[My Sassy Girl]]''
* ''[[Film/My Girl|My Girl]]''
* ''[[My Girl]]''
* Gender-flipped in ''[[Ninotchka]]'' (and its musical remake, ''[[Silk Stockings]])''.
* Gender-flipped in ''[[Ninotchka]]'' (and its musical remake, ''[[Silk Stockings]])''.
* ''[[The Owl And The Pussycat]]''
* ''[[The Owl And The Pussycat]]''
* ''[[Pretty Woman]]''
* ''[[Pretty Woman]]''
* ''[[Something Wild]]''
* ''[[Something Wild]]''
* ''[[The Sound of Music]]'' (Maria isn't "wild", but she is a [[Blithe Spirit]]).
* ''[[The Sound of Music]]'' (Maria isn't "wild", but she is a [[Blithe Spirit]]).
* ''[[Sweet November]]''
* ''[[Sweet November]]''
* ''[[A Walk to Remember]]''
* ''[[A Walk to Remember]]''
* Juno and Bleeker from ''[[Juno]]''
* Juno and Bleeker from ''[[Juno]]''
* Enid and Seymore from ''[[Ghost World]]''
* Enid and Seymore from ''[[Ghost World]]''
* Lisa, Wyatt, and Gary from ''[[Weird Science (Film)|Weird Science]]''
* Lisa, Wyatt, and Gary from ''[[Weird Science (film)|Weird Science]]''
* ''[[Stacy Attack Of The Schoolgirl Zombies]]'' - A teen girl, Eiko, gets a reclusive [[Dirty Old Man|middle-aged]] puppeteer, Shibukawa, to promise to "[[Future Slang|repeat kill]]" her when she becomes a [[Zombie Apocalypse|zombie]]. She's in the [[Coming of Age|final stage]] of becoming a [[Our Zombies Are Different|zombie]], a stage called, "[[Unusual Euphemism|Near Death Happiness]]" <ref>"Death" used to mean "Orgasm" hundreds of years ago</ref> which is a [[Menstrual Menace|period]] of [[Stepford Smiler|manic giddiness]], as per usual with all girls [[Dangerous Sixteenth Birthday|around the age of 16]], and she'll soon start [[Twilight (Literature)|glowing]] due to the [[Newspeak|B.T.P.]] or "[[What Kind of Lame Power Is Heart Anyway|Butterfly Twinkle Powder]]." Can [[Manic Pixie Dream Girl|she help]] him [[All That Glitters|learn]] to [[Put the Laughter In Slaughter|laugh again]] in this crazy, mixed-up [[Crapsack World|world]] that's [[Everyone Is Jesus in Purgatory|symbolic]] for [[Lost Aesop|lost innocence]]? {{spoiler|Of course, once he [[The Reveal|finally]] opens up that [[An Asskicking Christmas|gift]] she [[Relationship Upgrade|gave]] him and finds a [[Chainsaw Good|chainsaw]] inside!}}
* ''[[Stacy: Attack of the Schoolgirl Zombies]]'' - A teen girl, Eiko, gets a reclusive [[Dirty Old Man|middle-aged]] puppeteer, Shibukawa, to promise to "[[Future Slang|repeat kill]]" her when she becomes a [[Zombie Apocalypse|zombie]]. She's in the [[Coming of Age|final stage]] of becoming a [[Our Zombies Are Different|zombie]], a stage called, "[[Unusual Euphemism|Near Death Happiness]]" <ref>"Death" used to mean "Orgasm" hundreds of years ago</ref> which is a [[Menstrual Menace|period]] of [[Stepford Smiler|manic giddiness]], as per usual with all girls [[Dangerous Sixteenth Birthday|around the age of 16]], and she'll soon start [[Twilight (novel)|glowing]] due to the [[Newspeak|B.T.P.]] or "[[What Kind of Lame Power Is Heart, Anyway?|Butterfly Twinkle Powder]]." Can [[Manic Pixie Dream Girl|she help]] him [[All That Glitters|learn]] to [[Put the Laughter In Slaughter|laugh again]] in this crazy, mixed-up [[Crapsack World|world]] that's [[Everyone Is Jesus in Purgatory|symbolic]] for [[Lost Aesop|lost innocence]]? {{spoiler|Of course, once he [[The Reveal|finally]] opens up that [[An Asskicking Christmas|gift]] she [[Relationship Upgrade|gave]] him and finds a [[Chainsaw Good|chainsaw]] inside!}}
* ''[[Miss Pettigrew Lives for A Day]]'' is an odd case: while they are not romantically entangled, the relationship between wild American Delysia Lafosse and stiff British governess Miss Pettigrew follows this trope pretty closely, with each learning something from the other.
* ''[[Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day]]'' is an odd case: while they are not romantically entangled, the relationship between wild American Delysia Lafosse and stiff British governess Miss Pettigrew follows this trope pretty closely, with each learning something from the other.
* ''[[Notting Hill]]'' - William Thacker ([[Hugh Grant]]) is an unsuccessful Notting Hill bookstore owner who is depressed that his wife has dumped him. But all that will change when Anna Scott ([[Julia Roberts]]), the world's most beautiful woman and best-liked actress, enters his shop and changes his life with her glamorous Hollywood ways.
* ''[[Notting Hill]]'' - William Thacker ([[Hugh Grant]]) is an unsuccessful Notting Hill bookstore owner who is depressed that his wife has dumped him. But all that will change when Anna Scott ([[Julia Roberts]]), the world's most beautiful woman and best-liked actress, enters his shop and changes his life with her glamorous Hollywood ways.
* ''[[What's Up Doc]]'': Once [[Barbra Streisand|Judy Maxwell]] sets her eye on Howard Bannister (Ryan O'Neal), not even his impending marriage to the controlling Eunice Burns (Madeline Kahn) is going to stand in her way. And as much as he protests, this crazy adventure is just the thing he needs to make him start thinking over the things he ''really'' wants (Eunice is not among them).
* ''[[What's Up, Doc?]]'': Once [[Barbra Streisand|Judy Maxwell]] sets her eye on Howard Bannister (Ryan O'Neal), not even his impending marriage to the controlling Eunice Burns (Madeline Kahn) is going to stand in her way. And as much as he protests, this crazy adventure is just the thing he needs to make him start thinking over the things he ''really'' wants (Eunice is not among them).
* ''[[Yes Man]]'' is a very obvious example of this. The stuffy Jim Carrey gets the wild Zooey Deschanel when he finally decides to start saying yes to things.
* ''[[Yes-Man]]'' is a very obvious example of this. The stuffy Jim Carrey gets the wild Zooey Deschanel when he finally decides to start saying yes to things.
* This is pretty much the entire plot of ''[[The African Queen]]''.
* This is pretty much the entire plot of ''[[The African Queen]]''.
* In ''[[Friday the 13 th (Film)|Friday the 13 th]] Part 6.'' Everyone thinks that Tommy is crazy, but he's very sane and stuffy and goal-oriented. His love interest, Megan, is very wild. Megan cracks wise, disobeys her father, breaks Tommy out of prison at gun point, crams his face into her lap for a police chase... um, balances her chair on two legs, and is very lucky to have hooked up with the [[Final Girl|Final Guy]] for a 50/50 chance of survival.
* In ''[[Friday the 13th (film)|Friday the 13th Part 6]]''. Everyone thinks that Tommy is crazy, but he's very sane and stuffy and goal-oriented. His love interest, Megan, is very wild. Megan cracks wise, disobeys her father, breaks Tommy out of prison at gun point, crams his face into her lap for a police chase... um, balances her chair on two legs, and is very lucky to have hooked up with the [[Final Girl|Final Guy]] for a 50/50 chance of survival.
* ''[[A Single Man]]''
* ''[[A Single Man]]''
* ''[[Charlies Angels]]'' - Natalie & Pete
* ''[[Charlie's Angels]]'' - Natalie & Pete
* Uncle Frank definitely helps [[Housewife|Julia]] come out of her shell in ''[[Hellraiser (Film)|Hellraiser]].''
* Uncle Frank definitely helps [[Housewife|Julia]] come out of her shell in ''[[Hellraiser]].''
* ''[[Enchanted]]'': Stuffy, cynical divorce lawyer Robert meets literal fairytale princess Giselle.
* ''[[Enchanted]]'': Stuffy, cynical divorce lawyer Robert meets literal fairytale princess Giselle.
* ''[[Ondine]]'' - Syracuse is a cynical, reclusive, recovering-alcoholic fisherman who one day brings up a [[Our Mermaids Are Different|selky]] named Ondine {{spoiler|Romanian drug mule}} in his fishing net. She brings luck and can grant wishes. Can Ondine help Syracuse learn to live, love, and trust? {{spoiler|Yes. They get married.}}.
* ''[[Ondine]]'' - Syracuse is a cynical, reclusive, recovering-alcoholic fisherman who one day brings up a [[Our Mermaids Are Different|selky]] named Ondine {{spoiler|Romanian drug mule}} in his fishing net. She brings luck and can grant wishes. Can Ondine help Syracuse learn to live, love, and trust? {{spoiler|Yes. They get married.}}.
* [[A Fish Called Wanda]], at least for Archie and Wanda.
* [[A Fish Called Wanda]], at least for Archie and Wanda.
* Gender-reversed in ''[[The Sure Thing]]''.
* Gender-reversed in ''[[The Sure Thing]]''.
* On ''[[Film/Life As We Know It|Life As We Know It]]'', it's gender flipped. Holly is an uptight bakery owner, and Messer is a free-wheeling player.
* On ''[[Life As We Know It (film)|Life As We Know It]]'', it's gender flipped. Holly is an uptight bakery owner, and Messer is a free-wheeling player.
* ''[[Up]]'' starts out with a version of this between 10-year-olds. It's very cute -- and leaves a lifelong impact on them as well.
* ''[[Up]]'' starts out with a version of this between 10-year-olds. It's very cute—and leaves a lifelong impact on them as well.
* ''[[Love Letters]]'' is a made-for-TV film directed by Stanley Donen, starring Laura Linney as Melissa Gardner Cobb and Steven Weber as Andrew Ladd. She is a freewheeling artist with plenty of sexual partners and a love of booze and has had a bad reputation since high school. He's a stalwart, stuffy Republican politician. Their letters to each other are his sail and her anchor, but she threatens to moon his respectable peers if his letters get too uniform.
* ''[[Love Letters]]'' is a made-for-TV film directed by Stanley Donen, starring Laura Linney as Melissa Gardner Cobb and Steven Weber as Andrew Ladd. She is a freewheeling artist with plenty of sexual partners and a love of booze and has had a bad reputation since high school. He's a stalwart, stuffy Republican politician. Their letters to each other are his sail and her anchor, but she threatens to moon his respectable peers if his letters get too uniform.


== Literature ==
== Literature ==
* Loretta Chase loves this trope: ''Mr. Impossible'' (Rupert is the wild one, Daphne is the nerd), ''Lord Perfect'' and ''Last Night's Scandal'' (Olivia is the wild one, Peregrine/Lisle is less so). Benedict and Bathsheba from ''Lord Perfect'' seem to be set up to be this trope, except that Bathsheba isn't nearly as wild as her daughter/the rest of her relatives are.
* Loretta Chase loves this trope: ''Mr. Impossible'' (Rupert is the wild one, Daphne is the nerd), ''Lord Perfect'' and ''Last Night's Scandal'' (Olivia is the wild one, Peregrine/Lisle is less so). Benedict and Bathsheba from ''Lord Perfect'' seem to be set up to be this trope, except that Bathsheba isn't nearly as wild as her daughter/the rest of her relatives are.
* At the end of the [[Dragaera|Khaavren]] trilogy, it is revealed that [[Blood Knight|Tazendra]] has been in love with [[Blue Oni|Aerich]] all along, and it seems to be mutual.
* At the end of the ''[[Dragaera|Khaavren]]'' trilogy, it is revealed that [[Blood Knight|Tazendra]] has been in love with [[Blue Oni|Aerich]] all along, and it seems to be mutual.
* Subverted HARD in [[Effi Briest (Literature)|Effi Briest]] where the relationship between the Prussian official Geert von Instetten and the titular "Daughter of the Air" just plain doesn't work out because of their conflicting personalities - In the end, she ends up cheating on him with a more exciting, [[The Casanova|womanizing officer]], and despite of the fact that [[All Love Is Unrequited|he still loves her]], he sees no choice but to divorce her because his honor code says so. To be fair, him being twice her age and their marriage being [[Arranged Marriage|arranged]] didn't help in the slightest.
* Subverted ''hard'' in ''[[Effi Briest]]'' where the relationship between the Prussian official Geert von Instetten and the titular "Daughter of the Air" just plain doesn't work out because of their conflicting personalities - In the end, she ends up cheating on him with a more exciting, [[The Casanova|womanizing officer]], and despite of the fact that [[All Love Is Unrequited|he still loves her]], he sees no choice but to divorce her because his honor code says so. To be fair, him being twice her age and their marriage being [[Arranged Marriage|arranged]] didn't help in the slightest.


== Live-Action TV ==

* Both major couples in ''[[Star Trek: Deep Space Nine]]''.
== Live Action Television ==
* Both major couples in ''[[Star Trek Deep Space Nine]]''.
** Worf and Jadzia: he's a stuffy [[Proud Warrior Race Guy]], she's a Trill with several hundred years' worth of memories who does whatever she can to avoid boredom.
** Worf and Jadzia: he's a stuffy [[Proud Warrior Race Guy]], she's a Trill with several hundred years' worth of memories who does whatever she can to avoid boredom.
{{quote| "Worf. My love. Let me make this very clear: I do not want to spend ''my'' honeymoon climbing, hiking, sweating, bleeding or suffering in any way."<br />
{{quote|"Worf. My love. Let me make this very clear: I do not want to spend ''my'' honeymoon climbing, hiking, sweating, bleeding or suffering in any way."
"Alright. What do you want?"<br />
"Alright. What do you want?"
"Room service. I wanna be pampered. I want a staff to cater to our every whim - I wanna be ''embarrassed'' by the size of our room." }}
"Room service. I wanna be pampered. I want a staff to cater to our every whim - I wanna be ''embarrassed'' by the size of our room." }}
** Odo and Kira: he's a policeman so uptight he can't stand people moving the things in his room an inch out of place, she's a [[Fiery Redhead]] ex-guerrilla fighter with little respect for any rules but her own.
** Odo and Kira: he's a policeman so uptight he can't stand people moving the things in his room an inch out of place, she's a [[Fiery Redhead]] ex-guerrilla fighter with little respect for any rules but her own.
* ''[[Queer As Folk]]''
* ''[[Queer as Folk]]''
* ''[[The L Word]]''
* ''[[The L Word]]''
* ''[[Dharma and Greg]]'' as parodied on ''[[Family Guy]]'' as seen [http://i53.tinypic.com/dmv7kw.jpg here]
* ''[[Dharma and Greg]]'' as parodied on ''[[Family Guy]]'' as seen [http://i53.tinypic.com/dmv7kw.jpg here]
* ''[[Firefly (TV)|Firefly]]:'' Simon loves Kaylee because she has bright eyes and is the only female he knows who isn't married or professional or closely related. But he has to take care of his mei-mei. Sorry Kaylee.
* ''[[Firefly]]:'' Simon loves Kaylee because she has bright eyes and is the only female he knows who isn't married or professional or closely related. But he has to take care of his mei-mei. Sorry Kaylee.
* An episode of ''[[Cupid (TV)|Cupid]]'' revolved around this. The title character had to hook the stuffy guy up with an untamed woman, despite their differences.
* An episode of ''[[Cupid]]'' revolved around this. The title character had to hook the stuffy guy up with an untamed woman, despite their differences.
* ''[[Life With Derek]]'': Casey (stuffy) and Derek (untamed), as a result of a [[Relationship Writing Fumble]].
* ''[[Life with Derek]]'': Casey (stuffy) and Derek (untamed), as a result of a [[Relationship Writing Fumble]].
** The same goes for Alex (untamed) and Justin (stuffy), of ''[[Wizards of Waverly Place]]''.
** The same goes for Alex (untamed) and Justin (stuffy), of ''[[Wizards of Waverly Place]]''.
* ''[[Power Rangers RPM]]'': As of the episode "If Venjix Won", this is Dr. K and Ziggy.
* ''[[Power Rangers RPM]]'': As of the episode "If Venjix Won", this is Dr. K and Ziggy.
* ''[[Flying Blind]],'' a short-lived series from 1992, explored the difficulties faced by self-conscious and repressed Neil in dealing with the erotic antics of liberated Alicia.
* ''[[Flying Blind]],'' a short-lived series from 1992, explored the difficulties faced by self-conscious and repressed Neil in dealing with the erotic antics of liberated Alicia.
* Lisa, Wyatt, and Gary from ''[[Weird Science (TV)|Weird Science]]''.
* Lisa, Wyatt, and Gary from ''[[Weird Science (TV series)|Weird Science]]''.
* [[Kissing Cousins]] George Michael and Maeby in ''[[Arrested Development (TV)|Arrested Development]]''. George Michael was mostly a timid, dutiful son while Maeby was something of an independent delinquent.
* [[Kissing Cousins]] George Michael and Maeby in ''[[Arrested Development (TV series)|Arrested Development]]''. George Michael was mostly a timid, dutiful son while Maeby was something of an independent delinquent.
* ''[[Ashes to Ashes]]'' messes around slightly with [[Belligerent Sexual Tension|Alex and Gene]]; at first it seems that Alex ([[Brainy Brunette|sophisticated, intelligent]] [[Married to The Job|career woman]]) is obviously the uptight one to Gene's [[Gene Hunt Interrogation Technique|fist-happy,]] racist, sexist, [[Catch Phrase|armed bastard]] of a guy. But then Alex goes and [[All Women Are Lustful|throws herself]] at [[Really Gets Around|every guy she meets]] whilst [[Lady Drunk|getting frequently smashed]], and it's Gene who [[My Girl Is Not a Slut|pulls her up on it.]]
* ''[[Ashes to Ashes]]'' messes around slightly with [[Belligerent Sexual Tension|Alex and Gene]]; at first it seems that Alex ([[Brainy Brunette|sophisticated, intelligent]] [[Married to the Job|career woman]]) is obviously the uptight one to Gene's [[Gene Hunt Interrogation Technique|fist-happy,]] racist, sexist, [[Catch Phrase|armed bastard]] of a guy. But then Alex goes and [[All Women Are Lustful|throws herself]] at [[Really Gets Around|every guy she meets]] whilst [[Lady Drunk|getting frequently smashed]], and it's Gene who [[My Girl Is Not a Slut|pulls her up on it.]]
* ''[[The Big Bang Theory]]'' - Penny moves into an apartment next door to two brilliant but socially awkward physicists and shows them how little they know about life outside of the laboratory.
* ''[[The Big Bang Theory]]'' - Penny moves into an apartment next door to two brilliant but socially awkward physicists and shows them how little they know about life outside of the laboratory.
* '' "[[Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV)|Buffy the Vampire Slayer]]'' - [[Angel]] is moody, broody, and [[Gypsy Curse|cursed by the Roma]]. Can Buffy help [[Incredibly Lame Pun|raise his spirits]] and break the curse? Yes. [[Crowning Moment of Awesome|Epicly]].
* '' "[[Buffy the Vampire Slayer]]'' - [[Angel]] is moody, broody, and [[Gypsy Curse|cursed by the Roma]]. Can Buffy help [[Incredibly Lame Pun|raise his spirits]] and break the curse? Yes. [[Crowning Moment of Awesome|Epicly]].
* Lee "Apollo" Adama and Kara "Starbuck" Thrace on ''[[Battlestar Galactica Reimagined (TV)|Battlestar Galactica Reimagined]]''. And because they somehow also manage to be [[Like Brother and Sister]], this kind of puts them under the [[Sibling Yin Yang]] trope as well.
* Lee "Apollo" Adama and Kara "Starbuck" Thrace on ''[[Battlestar Galactica (2004 TV series)|Battlestar Galactica]]''. And because they somehow also manage to be [[Like Brother and Sister]], this kind of puts them under the [[Sibling Yin-Yang]] trope as well.
* This is gender-flipped in ''[[Gossip Girl]]'', with Blair as an uptight, proper, virginal lady, and Chuck a hedonist who likes his hookers to come in twos. She makes him less wild and more responsible, and he makes her far more sexual and liberated.
* This is gender-flipped in ''[[Gossip Girl]]'', with Blair as an uptight, proper, virginal lady, and Chuck a hedonist who likes his hookers to come in twos. She makes him less wild and more responsible, and he makes her far more sexual and liberated.
* As of the episode 'iOMG', this trope could be in the offing for 'Seddie' (Sam and Freddie') in [[I Carly]].
* As of the episode 'iOMG', this trope could be in the offing for 'Seddie' (Sam and Freddie') in [[iCarly]].
* Gender-flipped in ''[[Skins]]'' with Chris and Jal. Like the ''Gossip Girl'' example, Jal inspires Chris to work hard to get and keep a job, and Chris inspires Jal to let her hair down a little.
* Gender-flipped in ''[[Skins]]'' with Chris and Jal. Like the ''Gossip Girl'' example, Jal inspires Chris to work hard to get and keep a job, and Chris inspires Jal to let her hair down a little.
* ''[http://www.sitcomsonline.com/photopost/data/1460/medium/Free_Spirit_2.jpg Free Spirit]'' is a standard sitcom from [[The Eighties]] in which T.J. is a wise and reserved lawyer and wears sweater vests. Winnie is goofy and wacky and an immortal, magic-using [[Bewitched (TV)|witch]] with [[Eighties Hair|awesome hair]]. He has some kids [[Full House|but his wife is dead]]. She's the live-in nanny / [[Mr. Belvedere|housekeeper]]. Together, they spend 14 episodes making the audience wonder [[Will They or Won't They]] ...before it was rightfully canceled.
* ''[[Free Spirit]]'' was [http://www.sitcomsonline.com/photopost/data/1460/medium/Free_Spirit_2.jpg a standard sitcom] from [[The Eighties]] in which T.J. is a wise and reserved lawyer and wears sweater vests. Winnie is goofy and wacky and an immortal, magic-using [[Bewitched|witch]] with [[Eighties Hair|awesome hair]]. He has some kids [[Full House|but his wife is dead]]. She's the live-in nanny/[[Mr. Belvedere|housekeeper]]. Together, they spend 14 episodes making the audience wonder [[Will They or Won't They?]] ...before it was rightfully canceled.


== [[Tabletop Games]] ==
* ''[[Greyhawk]]'' deities Wee Jas "[[Ice Queen|the Stern Lady]]" and Norebo "[[Loveable Rogue|the Lord of Chance]]" remain lovers for the last thousand years or so.




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* ''[[Guys and Dolls]]''
* ''[[Guys and Dolls]]''
* ''[[Rent]]'' - Maureen and Joanne
* ''[[Rent]]'' - Maureen and Joanne
* ''[[Barefoot in The Park (Theatre)|Barefoot in The Park]]''
* ''[[Barefoot in the Park]]''




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* This is how the player character's relationship with [[Defrosting Ice Queen|Bastila]] appears in ''[[Knights of the Old Republic]]''.
* This is how the player character's relationship with [[Defrosting Ice Queen|Bastila]] appears in ''[[Knights of the Old Republic]]''.
* ''[[Mass Effect]]'' has several pairings that end up looking like this, especially Renegade Shepard and Miranda, and to a lesser extent Shepard and Liara.
* ''[[Mass Effect]]'' has several pairings that end up looking like this, especially Renegade Shepard and Miranda, and to a lesser extent Shepard and Liara.
* [[Final Fantasy VIII|Squall and Rinoa]] could be a trope image.
* ''[[Final Fantasy VIII]]'': Squall and Rinoa could be a trope image.




== Webcomics ==
== Web Comics ==
* The [[Ciem Webcomic Series]] seems to enjoy subverting this, playing it straight only with Candi and Denny. Denny allows Candi to learn to lighten up a little. Otherwise, Candi pairs with Donte in what feels like Uptight Loves Slightly-Less-Uptight. Steve and Miriam are a case of Wild Loves Slightly-Less-Wild. Worse in the comics than the alternate universe books, as comic Donte [[Shallow Love Interest|has all the personality of a cardboard box]].
* The ''[[Ciem Webcomic Series]]'' seems to enjoy subverting this, playing it straight only with Candi and Denny. Denny allows Candi to learn to lighten up a little. Otherwise, Candi pairs with Donte in what feels like Uptight Loves Slightly-Less-Uptight. Steve and Miriam are a case of Wild Loves Slightly-Less-Wild. Worse in the comics than the alternate universe books, as comic Donte [[Shallow Love Interest|has all the personality of a cardboard box]].




== Western Animation ==
== Western Animation ==
* ''[[Futurama]]''; a female bureaucrat is attracted to Fry because he's so slobbish.
* ''[[Futurama]]''; a female bureaucrat is attracted to Fry because he's so slobbish.
{{quote| ''* Morgan seductively pins Fry against a wall* ''<br />
{{quote|''* Morgan seductively pins Fry against a wall* ''
'''Morgan Proctor:''' DIRTY BOY! Dirtydirtydirty!<br />
'''Morgan Proctor:''' DIRTY BOY! Dirtydirtydirty!
'''Fry:''' I thought you were anti-dirty, not pro-dirty!?<br />
'''Fry:''' I thought you were anti-dirty, not pro-dirty!?
'''Morgan Proctor:''' I'm surrounded by neat freaks all day. There's nothing kinkier to me than a filthy slop jockey like you!<br />
'''Morgan Proctor:''' I'm surrounded by neat freaks all day. There's nothing kinkier to me than a filthy slop jockey like you!
'''Fry:''' Oh, stop... }}
'''Fry:''' Oh, stop... }}
* Courtney and Duncan in ''[[Total Drama Island]]''. She's an uptight priss with high hopes for her future; he's a wild teenage delinquent.
* Courtney and Duncan in ''[[Total Drama Island]]''. She's an uptight priss with high hopes for her future; he's a wild teenage delinquent.
* Happens in [[The Simpsons]] when the eternally uptight Principal Skinner falls in love with the free-minded music teacher.
* Happens in [[The Simpsons]] when the eternally uptight Principal Skinner falls in love with the free-minded music teacher.
** Marge and Homer also fit,respectively.
** Marge and Homer also fit, respectively.
* Seems to be the case for Kendall on ''[[Kick Buttowski]]'' who is the residential "Fun Police", a lover of school, rules, books and opera who seems to be holding a torch for the daredevil Kick... even going so far as to flat out tell her actual boyfriend that she wishes he could be more awesome like him (ouch!).
* Seems to be the case for Kendall on ''[[Kick Buttowski]]'' who is the residential "Fun Police", a lover of school, rules, books and opera who seems to be holding a torch for the daredevil Kick... even going so far as to flat out tell her actual boyfriend that she wishes he could be more awesome like him (ouch!).
** Not that Kick hasn't complimented Kendall on her "elegance"...
** Not that Kick hasn't complimented Kendall on her "elegance"...
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[[Category:Love Tropes]]
[[Category:Love Tropes]]
[[Category:Uptight Loves Wild]]
[[Category:Uptight Loves Wild]]
[[Category:Trope]]

Latest revision as of 17:25, 22 June 2021

He's an uptight actuary, she has a ferret.

He's stuffy. She's untamed. It's true love.

Mr. Stuffy is in a rut: Life is boring because he plays by the rules. Along comes this wild and crazy woman to show him how to live life to its fullest, and she just might learn a few things along the way, too.

Though the most common form of this trope is from male creators who idealize femininity as a saving force, it could be Gender Flipped. Mr. Stuffy could be Ms. Stuffy and the wild angel could be male and help the little wallflower come out of her shell and blossom gloriously into a beautiful rose! Also, compare Well, Excuse Me, Princess! - Loveable Rogue meets Defrosting Ice Queen.

They could be LGBT, as well (e.g. a Deadpan Snarker Seme with a Keet Uke, mentioning no names).

Often seen in 2/3 of a love triangle, especially if the triangle includes two male nerds and their dream girl.

Because Opposites Attract, they'll live Happily Ever After unless Uptight and/or Wild are dying (Nicholas Sparks, we're looking at you.), in which case they'll live what remains of their lives to the fullest.

The defining trope of Screwball Comedy. Extremely common in Romantic Comedy.

Compare Savvy Guy, Energetic Girl. Not to be confused with Manic Pixie Dream Girl as the "Wild" part of this trope doesn't need to be Manic, a Pixie, a Dream, or a Girl.

Examples of Uptight Loves Wild include:

Anime and Manga

  • Ruby and Sapphire from Pokémon Special fit this perfectly. One other character even calls Sapphire "Wild Girl".
  • Hinata Hyuga is not particularly uptight, but is certainly not wild. Her crush Naruto, on the other hand...really, really is.
  • Most of the weapon and meister pairings are this way. Maka is very much by-the-rules, studious copious amounts for tests, and is very modest; her partner, Soul, is very lazy and laidback, often falls asleep during class, and agrees to "piss on [Sid's] grave" with Black*Star. Tsubaki is very kind, a good cook, and doesn't even try to fight without Black*Star; Black*Star, on the other hand, frequently picks fights for no other reason than because he can, and is loud and obnoxious. Kid is the son of the Shinigami, completely OCD to the point of panic attacks in the middle of battles and is dressed impeccably; Liz is hinted to be a bit of a flirt and Patti blows off an entire test by turning the test into an arts-and-crafts giraffe.
  • The Weatherman Is My Lover features an uptight newscaster falling for the program's eccentric cosplaying weatherman.
  • In Kanga Na Spoon, the main character opens by talking about how perfect, glamorous and orderly his life is before introducing to his lover, an obnoxious, flamboyant, freeloading fashion designer with no life skills.
  • Axis Powers Hetalia has Italy and Germany. Germany is a strict, military-oriented neat freak who can fall into Drill Sergeant Nasty at times. Italy is clueless, hyperactive, and loves to surrender. The Ship Tease between them is overwhelming.
  • Ranma and Akane from Ranma ½. It's referenced multiple times throughout the series... Such as one of the opening themes about Ranma and Akane being titled "Don't Make Me Wild Like You" and Ranma's name essentially meaning "wild horse" (while Akane and her sisters all have names with serene sky/cloud imagery). While (in the manga, at least) Ranma thrives on manipulation, Akane often gets upset with his antics and reveals his identity when he doesn't want her to. He enjoys playing pranks on people, even when Akane gets mad at him for it. He's also comfortable with being half-naked or nude around other people. Akane, on the other hand, will have none of that. She always tries to keep him covered up and maintains her own modesty at all times. True to the trope, Akane eventually becomes more relaxed about these traits and starts helping him out in his schemes and even starts coming up with some herself. (Strangely enough, although they're opposites in this sense, they're alike in many other ways.)
  • FAKE: Ryo towards Dee which he will deny.

Comic Books


Fan Works

  • The popular, not-quite-canon-but-hinted-at pairing of Sasha Nein and Milla Vodello in Psychonauts. They're long-time partners, and are without a doubt close friends, if not in love (though Milla definitely has feeling for Sasha). Sasha's the uptight one (of course; he's German) and Milla's the wild party girl.

Film

  • Along Came Polly (which provides the page image).
  • Angel A[context?]
  • Bright Star - John Keats is man back in the 1800s who is hidebound by convention, emotionally closed-off, undaring, and believes himself to be a failed poet. But along comes his muse, Fanny Brawne. She's a young, vibrant, fashionable, fiery, flirty, independent-minded, outspoken, strong-willed party girl who inspires him to write a sonnet that shares a name with the film's title. Will she challenge him and motivate him to new heights and help him achieve success that lasts until the 21st century? Well, it is based on a true story, so take a wild guess.
  • Bringing Up Baby—although in something of a variation, it's Wild who falls for Uptight first, Uptight for many reasons wanting nothing to do with her for a large part of the movie. Wild doesn't so much teach Uptight to loosen up as she does drag him kicking and screaming into it.
  • Crazy Beautiful
  • Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind quite thoroughly deconstructs this. A relationship like this doesn't always work and after the falling-in-love part, it causes more pain than joy; so much so that both parties opt to have their memories removed of each other. The Manic Pixie Dream Girl is also far more complicated: "I'm not a concept, I'm just a fucked-up girl looking for a peace of mind".
  • Forces Of Nature
  • Garden State
  • Grease as well as Grease 2
  • Harold and Maude
  • An unremarkable short film called Headlong. As the reviewer at Something Awful puts it:

This is just a retelling of one of the most classic stories known to man. Unfortunately, it is a story which man has always found irritating, cliched, and thoroughly useless. It's the tale of an uptight man who meets free-spirited female who teaches him how to cut loose, despite being an intolerable bitch. Simon Raby reinvents this timeless story by giving it a fresh, exciting new angle - he puts it inside a car! How does he come up with this stuff?

  • Into the Night
  • Latter Days
  • Laws of Attraction She's a stuffy uptight cynical genius divorce lawyer! He's a free-spirited genius divorce lawyer who believes in true love! They Fight Crime! - uh, they're opposing counsel on a bunch of different cases! It's actually a pretty well-done, if forgettable, example of this trope, and it definitely doesn't hurt that Pierce Brosnan and Julianne Moore are damned good actors.
  • Mad Love
  • My Sassy Girl
  • My Girl
  • Gender-flipped in Ninotchka (and its musical remake, Silk Stockings).
  • The Owl And The Pussycat
  • Pretty Woman
  • Something Wild
  • The Sound of Music (Maria isn't "wild", but she is a Blithe Spirit).
  • Sweet November
  • A Walk to Remember
  • Juno and Bleeker from Juno
  • Enid and Seymore from Ghost World
  • Lisa, Wyatt, and Gary from Weird Science
  • Stacy: Attack of the Schoolgirl Zombies - A teen girl, Eiko, gets a reclusive middle-aged puppeteer, Shibukawa, to promise to "repeat kill" her when she becomes a zombie. She's in the final stage of becoming a zombie, a stage called, "Near Death Happiness" [1] which is a period of manic giddiness, as per usual with all girls around the age of 16, and she'll soon start glowing due to the B.T.P. or "Butterfly Twinkle Powder." Can she help him learn to laugh again in this crazy, mixed-up world that's symbolic for lost innocence? Of course, once he finally opens up that gift she gave him and finds a chainsaw inside!
  • Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day is an odd case: while they are not romantically entangled, the relationship between wild American Delysia Lafosse and stiff British governess Miss Pettigrew follows this trope pretty closely, with each learning something from the other.
  • Notting Hill - William Thacker (Hugh Grant) is an unsuccessful Notting Hill bookstore owner who is depressed that his wife has dumped him. But all that will change when Anna Scott (Julia Roberts), the world's most beautiful woman and best-liked actress, enters his shop and changes his life with her glamorous Hollywood ways.
  • What's Up, Doc?: Once Judy Maxwell sets her eye on Howard Bannister (Ryan O'Neal), not even his impending marriage to the controlling Eunice Burns (Madeline Kahn) is going to stand in her way. And as much as he protests, this crazy adventure is just the thing he needs to make him start thinking over the things he really wants (Eunice is not among them).
  • Yes-Man is a very obvious example of this. The stuffy Jim Carrey gets the wild Zooey Deschanel when he finally decides to start saying yes to things.
  • This is pretty much the entire plot of The African Queen.
  • In Friday the 13th Part 6. Everyone thinks that Tommy is crazy, but he's very sane and stuffy and goal-oriented. His love interest, Megan, is very wild. Megan cracks wise, disobeys her father, breaks Tommy out of prison at gun point, crams his face into her lap for a police chase... um, balances her chair on two legs, and is very lucky to have hooked up with the Final Guy for a 50/50 chance of survival.
  • A Single Man
  • Charlie's Angels - Natalie & Pete
  • Uncle Frank definitely helps Julia come out of her shell in Hellraiser.
  • Enchanted: Stuffy, cynical divorce lawyer Robert meets literal fairytale princess Giselle.
  • Ondine - Syracuse is a cynical, reclusive, recovering-alcoholic fisherman who one day brings up a selky named Ondine Romanian drug mule in his fishing net. She brings luck and can grant wishes. Can Ondine help Syracuse learn to live, love, and trust? Yes. They get married..
  • A Fish Called Wanda, at least for Archie and Wanda.
  • Gender-reversed in The Sure Thing.
  • On Life As We Know It, it's gender flipped. Holly is an uptight bakery owner, and Messer is a free-wheeling player.
  • Up starts out with a version of this between 10-year-olds. It's very cute—and leaves a lifelong impact on them as well.
  • Love Letters is a made-for-TV film directed by Stanley Donen, starring Laura Linney as Melissa Gardner Cobb and Steven Weber as Andrew Ladd. She is a freewheeling artist with plenty of sexual partners and a love of booze and has had a bad reputation since high school. He's a stalwart, stuffy Republican politician. Their letters to each other are his sail and her anchor, but she threatens to moon his respectable peers if his letters get too uniform.

Literature

  • Loretta Chase loves this trope: Mr. Impossible (Rupert is the wild one, Daphne is the nerd), Lord Perfect and Last Night's Scandal (Olivia is the wild one, Peregrine/Lisle is less so). Benedict and Bathsheba from Lord Perfect seem to be set up to be this trope, except that Bathsheba isn't nearly as wild as her daughter/the rest of her relatives are.
  • At the end of the Khaavren trilogy, it is revealed that Tazendra has been in love with Aerich all along, and it seems to be mutual.
  • Subverted hard in Effi Briest where the relationship between the Prussian official Geert von Instetten and the titular "Daughter of the Air" just plain doesn't work out because of their conflicting personalities - In the end, she ends up cheating on him with a more exciting, womanizing officer, and despite of the fact that he still loves her, he sees no choice but to divorce her because his honor code says so. To be fair, him being twice her age and their marriage being arranged didn't help in the slightest.

Live-Action TV

"Worf. My love. Let me make this very clear: I do not want to spend my honeymoon climbing, hiking, sweating, bleeding or suffering in any way."
"Alright. What do you want?"
"Room service. I wanna be pampered. I want a staff to cater to our every whim - I wanna be embarrassed by the size of our room."


Tabletop Games


Theater


Video Games


Web Comics

  • The Ciem Webcomic Series seems to enjoy subverting this, playing it straight only with Candi and Denny. Denny allows Candi to learn to lighten up a little. Otherwise, Candi pairs with Donte in what feels like Uptight Loves Slightly-Less-Uptight. Steve and Miriam are a case of Wild Loves Slightly-Less-Wild. Worse in the comics than the alternate universe books, as comic Donte has all the personality of a cardboard box.


Western Animation

  • Futurama; a female bureaucrat is attracted to Fry because he's so slobbish.

* Morgan seductively pins Fry against a wall*
Morgan Proctor: DIRTY BOY! Dirtydirtydirty!
Fry: I thought you were anti-dirty, not pro-dirty!?
Morgan Proctor: I'm surrounded by neat freaks all day. There's nothing kinkier to me than a filthy slop jockey like you!
Fry: Oh, stop...

  • Courtney and Duncan in Total Drama Island. She's an uptight priss with high hopes for her future; he's a wild teenage delinquent.
  • Happens in The Simpsons when the eternally uptight Principal Skinner falls in love with the free-minded music teacher.
    • Marge and Homer also fit, respectively.
  • Seems to be the case for Kendall on Kick Buttowski who is the residential "Fun Police", a lover of school, rules, books and opera who seems to be holding a torch for the daredevil Kick... even going so far as to flat out tell her actual boyfriend that she wishes he could be more awesome like him (ouch!).
    • Not that Kick hasn't complimented Kendall on her "elegance"...
  1. "Death" used to mean "Orgasm" hundreds of years ago