History Main / AllegedlyDateless

** Leela is the butt of many jokes about her lack of a love life, but she's a constant target of flirting (and sexual harassment) and enjoys a few relationships during the run of the show (though most of them turn out to be jerks) before ending up with Fry. It's a bit of DependingOnTheEpisode whether she's considered unattractive due to her eye and her abrasive personality, or whether she's considered charming and attractive regardless.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'': [[Characters/FuturamaPhilipJFry Philip J. Fry's]] been with: [[CuteClumsyGirl Amy Wong]], Chief of Police [[ReallyGetsAround Colleen]], former girlfriend [[NewOldFlame Michelle]], bureaucrat [[UptightLovesWild Morgan Proctor]], his [[StableTimeLoop own grandmother]] and, of course, [[ActionGirl Leela]], who he's now in a relationship with. But everyone still acts like he's the poster boy for loserdom.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'': Fry's been with: [[CuteClumsyGirl Amy Wong]], Chief of Police [[ReallyGetsAround Colleen]], former girlfriend [[NewOldFlame Michelle]], bureaucrat [[UptightLovesWild Morgan Proctor]], his [[StableTimeLoop own grandmother]] and, of course, [[ActionGirl Leela]], who he's now in a relationship with. But everyone still acts like he's the poster boy for loserdom.
* ''WesternAnimation/KimPossible'': Ron Stoppable is considered pretty low on the food chain of the high school and does have some odd traits. Yet he seems insanely popular among girls - notably Yori and Kim (the latter of whom he later does date), along with Zita, and a crush by another cheerleader. Not to mention a handful of episodes where he gets involved with [[AlphaBitch Bonnie]].
* ''WesternAnimation/RickAndMorty'': Morty, during the first seasons is seen desperately trying to date Jessica but never manages to be seen as a more than a friend. Despite this, he also had numerous affairs through the series, although none last.
* Lisa in ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' is frequently depicted as an unpopular outsider and is occasionally stunned to find herself receiving male attention despite quite a few successful romances with an attractive [[GirlOfTheWeek Guy of the Week]] (in contrast to her cooler brother Bart, who's typically unlucky in love) and multiple recurring male characters (Milhouse, Ralph, Nelson) having a crush on her.

* ''Series/{{Seinfeld}}'': George Costanza is often cited as the UrExample of both this and the KavorkaMan, a slow-witted, self-centered, ugly failure who repulses women and can't get them to go out with him... except for, oh, the forty or fifty gorgeous women he dated over the course of the show. He even got a model whom he suspected was bulimic. Depending on the episode, he would either complain about his lack of a love life, or about how often his life life would go wrong (which it did). His most common romantic plot would have him saying or doing something that repulsed the woman he was seeing, or lamenting how his present relationship is going sour, or trying to avoid the advances of a woman he does not want, or broke up with. He winds up getting engaged to the attractive daughter of a rich, Upper East Side, [=WASPy=], old money couple- Susan Ross. Even if they were evenly-matched looks-wise, it's completely far-fetched status, class and money-wise.

* ''Series/MalcolmInTheMiddle'': Despite being "[[CoolLoser losers]]" who are supposedly not well liked by anyone, Malcolm and Reese manage to have new short term girlfriends [[GirlOfTheWeek every other episode or so]] during later seasons.

* Steve Smith from ''WesternAnimation/AmericanDad''. Despite constantly being described as a perpetually awkward virgin loser, Steve has had multiple hookups and opportunities to lose his virginity to very attractive girls, much more than most 14 year old boys in real life could ever hope to. For the record, according to the ''American Dad'' [[TheWikiRule wiki]], he has had ''17'' different love interests. His equally awkward best friend Snot qualifies as well.

!This trope is [[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=16892663580.97669200 under discussion]] in the Administrivia/TropeRepairShop.

* ''Series/{{NCIS}}'': Timothy [=McGee=], while being a geek, manages to get quite a few dates, and still is told that he needs to get out more. He is now HappilyMarried, and he and his wife have twins.

* ''Series/{{iCarly}}'': Freddie averts this, in both ways. He is never considered to be completely inept, but neither is he constantly dating insanely hot girls. One date was a FemmeFatale who was using him to break up their webshow, a second was with a twin he only asked out to prove that it was a trick being played by the original twin, he went to a dance with a wizard that ended poorly, and finally a date with a girl he wasn't interested in due to being forced into a triple date. The only time he's been with a girl he ''really'' likes, it's Carly, but he had been recently hit by a truck and was stuck in bed and then hobbling around on crutches. He also ended their brief relationship because he was worried Carly only liked him because he saved her from the truck.

* ''Series/SchittsCreek'': David Rose, who is handsome, pansexual and pre-moving to the town was very rich, has an endless series of stories about being dumped, used and abandoned by lovers of both genders but his family treats him him as a ''total'' failure in the romance department. Then, when he moves to town, he attracts Stevie and Jake, both of whom are very attractive people and then becomes the ClosetKey to charming and handsome Patrick.

[[folder:Visual Novels]]
* The protagonist of ''VisualNovel/DoubleHomework'' acts like a dating newbie on his first date with Lauren (his first since his three-months-long, self-imposed isolation), and speculates bitterly that Rachel must have had several sexual partners in the months since his breakup with her. Justified in that he is fighting PTSD, and had no social interaction save with Johanna during his isolation period.
** Likewise, Rachel is also embarrassed to admit to the protagonist that she didn’t have sex since their breakup.
[[/folder]]

* ''Webcomic/QuestionableContent'': Marten, a supposedly awkward music nerd who has had at least three attractive girlfriends. Something of a subversion in that he only acts this way because he's often oblivious of people's attraction to him.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheCritic'': Jay Sherman, a balding, short, fat, apparently annoying and once divorced movie critic would probably do a lot worse in the real world. Although he still does manage to date a psycho fan and his near-mummified makeup artist, Jay doesn't seem to have problems scoring with beautiful women. The two we see him dating had a catch; one was just buttering him up for a good review of her film, the other genuinely liked him, but it turns out she has a thing for pathetic men. Naturally, this aspect of Jay's character is gradually phased out after he starts a relationship with Alice.

The flip side of the CoolLoser and AttractivenessIsolation. Often results from NegativeContinuity. Contrast UrbanLegendLoveLife. Can be used quizzically in combination with CasanovaWannabe, EverybodyHasLotsOfSex, FailureIsTheOnlyOption, MomentKiller, NoSocialSkills, DerailingLoveInterests and ThisLoserIsYou.

* ''ComicBook/SpiderMan'': Peter Parker. He was married to one of the most beautiful women in the Marvel Universe (before ExecutiveMeddling kicked in). And before MJ, he had Betty Brant and Liz Allan fight over him and dated Gwen Stacy and the Black Cat. Even his least overtly attractive love interest, Debra Whitman, looked like a HotLibrarian. This despite him being being described as a poor nebbish nerd. His friend the Human Torch even called him on it, as did the Chameleon while impersonating him ("Does Parker know anyone who ''isn't'' a stunningly beautiful woman?").

* ''Film/{{Clerks}}'' and ''Film/ClerksII'': Dante. The same CoolLoser having to choose between [[{{UglyGuyHotWife}} two different, noticeably attractive women]] in the first movie and then a ''second'' pair of attractive women in the sequel. Notice {{Lampshade Hanging}} by both Randal and Creator/KevinSmith himself in the credits.

->''"Honestly, any guy with a motorcycle that has this much trouble getting a woman to talk to him might just have to give up, but I understand this is Hollywood dramatics."''
-->-- '''Website/TheAgonyBooth''', [[http://www.agonybooth.com/movies/Ghost_Rider_2007.aspx?Page=3 recap]] of ''Film/GhostRider2007''

* ''Series/{{NCIS}}'': Timothy [=McGee=], while being a geek, manages to get quite a few dates, and still is told that he needs to get out more.

The flip side of the CoolLoser and AttractivenessIsolation. Often results from NegativeContinuity. Contrast UrbanLegendLoveLife. Can be used quizzically in combination with ADateWithRosiePalms, CasanovaWannabe, EverybodyHasLotsOfSex, FailureIsTheOnlyOption, MomentKiller, NoSocialSkills, DerailingLoveInterests and ThisLoserIsYou.

* ''Series/{{Amen}}'': Thelma's constant whining about her lack of a social life and ChristmasCake status is undermined by the fact that she actually dates a decent amount of men, several of whom want to marry her, all before finally snagging the handsome Reverend that she's been pining after since the show's first episode.

-->-- '''Website/TheAgonyBooth''', [[http://www.agonybooth.com/movies/Ghost_Rider_2007.aspx?Page=3 recap]] of ''Film/GhostRider''

[[folder:Anime and Manga]]
* Kamijou Touma from ''LightNovel/ACertainMagicalIndex''. In the first novel, he describes his [[AntiMagic Imagine Breaker]] as: "it was a useless right hand that would not let him defeat even a single delinquent, would not raise his scores on tests, and would not make him popular with girls". As of time of writing, there are over 10,000 girls interested in him, and it's even been speculated in-universe that Imagine Breaker makes him popular with girls by negating the RedStringOfFate. Though to be fair, the quoted line is [[UnreliableNarrator his own opinion]].

[[folder: Comic Books ]]
* Franchise/SpiderMan: Peter Parker. He was married to one of the most beautiful women in the Marvel Universe (before ExecutiveMeddling kicked in). And before MJ, he had Betty Brant and Liz Allan fight over him and dated Gwen Stacy and the Black Cat. Even his least overtly attractive love interest, Debra Whitman, looked like a HotLibrarian. This despite him being being described as a poor nebbish nerd. His friend the Human Torch even called him on it, as did the Chameleon while impersonating him ("Does Parker know anyone who ''isn't'' a stunningly beautiful woman?").
[[/folder]]

[[folder: Films -- Live-Action ]]

* ''Film/{{Scream}}'': Randy is treated as being unlucky in love and says that in his ideal movie would “let the geek get the girl.” However, aside from his unrequited crush on Sidney, lots of girls seem interested in him. He’s shown dancing with one girl at Stu’s party and has his arm around another while they watch horror movies. Later, in ''Film/Scream2'', he seems to flirt a bit with a girl in his film class at Windsor College. And [[spoiler:he loses his virginity to a girl who works at the video rental place in the year between the first two films.]]

[[folder: Literature ]]

[[folder: Live Action TV ]]

[[folder: Visual Novels ]]

[[folder: Webcomics ]]

[[folder: Western Animation ]]

* * ''Film/{{Scream}}'': Randy is treated as being unlucky in love and says that in his ideal movie would “let the geek get the girl.” However, aside from his unrequited crush on Sidney, lots of girls seem interested in him. He’s shown dancing with one girl at Stu’s party and has his arm around another while they watch horror movies. Later, in ''Film/Scream2'', he seems to flirt a bit with a girl in his film class at Windsor College. And [[spoiler:he loses his virginity to a girl who works at the video rental place in the year between the first two films.]]

[[folder: Film ]]

** With Peter, a lot of is due to his time as being the dork everyone picked on in high school and things didn't change until he became Spider-Man (which included becoming physically fit to boot). Beyond that, his superheroics do play a lot in his relationship troubles (especially with the large RoguesGallery he has.)

* ''Film/BatmanReturns'': Selina Kyle, at least in the beginning. As ''WebVideo/CinemaSins'' snarks, "Uh, this universe where Creator/MichellePfeiffer can't get a date? I'd like to live ''there'', please."

** In ''Dead Beat'' Harry describes his desperate and life threateningly dangerous day to his brother who has only this to say:
--> "You've got a ''date''?"

* ''Series/HogansHeroes'': Commandant Klink. The irony of it is that the women he has the most success with are actually enemy agents seeking to use him in some plot. Otherwise they would run a mile.

* ''Series/{{NCIS}}'': Timothy [=McGee=], while being a geek, manages to get quite a few dates, and still is told that he needs to get out more

* ''Series/{{Taxi}}'': Alex Reiger was {{Flanderized}} into this at the beginning of the final season. The writers got back on the ball pretty quickly and Alex went back to being his normal self.

** Also, Bun-Bun is a colossal jerk, and it's implied he manages to outdo Torg... while being a rabbit. With humanoid chicks.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'':
** Fry's been with: [[CuteClumsyGirl Amy Wong]], Chief of Police [[ReallyGetsAround Colleen]], former girlfriend [[NewOldFlame Michelle]], bureaucrat [[UptightLovesWild Morgan Proctor]], his [[StableTimeLoop own grandmother]] and, of course, [[ActionGirl Leela]], who he's now in a relationship with. But everyone still acts like he's the poster boy for loserdom.
** Averted with Zoidberg. Over the course of the show, only one woman ever showed attraction to him, and that was only because she didn't have a sense of smell, and so didn't notice his repulsive scent.

* ''Anime/AldnoahZero'': A minor RunningGag where [[TheCaptain Captain Magbaredge]] will criticize her XO Mizusaki's plans and actions - [[CasualDangerDialogue sometimes in the middle of a battle]] - with the CatchPhrase "Do you know why you can never get a date?" [[TheCavalryArrivesLate Punctuality]], BrutalHonesty and an unwillingness to take risks are among the flaws addressed.

* ''Film/BatmanReturns'': Selina Kyle, at least in the beginning. As ''WebVideo/CinemaSins'' snarks, "Uh, this universe where Creator/MichellePfeffier can't get a date? I'd like to live ''there'', please."

* ''Film/BatmanReturns'': Selina Kyle, at least in the beginning. As ''WebVideo/CinemaSins'' snarks, "Uh, this universe where Michelle Pfeffier can't get a date? I'd like to live ''there'', please."

* ''Film/TheFortyYearOldVirgin'': Steve Carell's lead has numerous awkward dates with very attractive women, but ultimately it's an aversion. The friends who view Andy as this all have love lives at least as screwed up as his, arguably more so, and he comes off as by far the most mature and level-headed in his attitude to sex; instead of {{Wangst}}ing about never getting laid, he's made his peace with bachelorhood and got on with his life.

* ''Series/ThirtyRock'': Liz Lemon, whose boyfriends have included Jon Hamm, Matt Damon and Wayne Brady, for goodness' sake. The show does make it out to seem more like she doesn't have a problem finding men to date, but rather that everyone she does date turns out to be completely insane in the end so she's forced to end all her relationships. For example, Hamm's doctor turns out to be incredibly stupid but so handsome that he's been handed things all his life, while Brady plays an arrogant bore of a man who believes he is so handsome that the only reason a woman would ever want to break up with him is that they are racist (or gay).

** Meg Griffin is very unpopular in the later seasons of the show, yet manages to hook up with/date at least: Doug (Prick Up Your Ears), the nudist neighbor she liked, Mayor Adam West, Kevin Swanson, Michael, a medical student, Anthony (Go, Stewie, Go) as well as being pursued by Neil Goldman and [[SexAsRiteofPassage losing her virginity]] on live national television to Jimmy Fallon during the opening of ''Series/SaturdayNightLive''. And when a cute, popular lesbian thinks she has a chance with Meg, she's so excited she immediately strips. In-universe other characters react to Meg as if she were the elephant man with leprosy, but she looks pretty much exactly like a slightly shorter, brown-haired version of Lois, who in-universe is pretty much uniformly considered to be hot.

* ''Series/WizardsOfWaverlyPlace'': {{Lampshaded}} when HollywoodNerd Justin asks his brother "Why does everyone think I don't date; remember the centaur, the werewolf and the Goth Girl?" The "goth girl" was in fact his established girlfriend for a several-episode arc.