History Main / BadDate

* The first season of ''{{Scrubs}}'' had Dr. Cox have unrequited romantic feelings for Carla. A later episode has both Dr. Cox and Carla, separately, talk about the worst date they have ever had. Turk overhears both of them talking and is horrified to learn that they are talking a date they went on with each other years before.

* Moist has one in ''Webvideo/DrHorriblesSingAlongBlog''.

* This is pretty much the whole premise of the film ''MysteryDate''. The main character borrows his bother's car for his date and finds a dead body in the trunk.

* Twilight gets one in [[http://www.fimfiction.net/story/82419/a-stitch-in-time A Stitch In Time]] when she accepts a blind date as petty retaliation after having a row with her current girlfriend, Azalea. The date, Algae Bloom, takes her to a shady bar, repeatedly tries to get her drunk, insults Twilight's intelligence, insults Twilight's current girlfriend, and generally acts like a date rapist. Finally Twilight has enough, gives her a solid TheReasonYouSuckSpeech, and walks out to reconnect with Azalea. She also informs Cloudkicker (who is promiscuous but has solid dating ethics) about the ordeal and asks her to spread the word so Algae Bloom won't prey on anypony else.

* The "Trouble Date" episode of ''DickFigures'' is about Blue's date going terribly wrong, thanks to interference from Red.

* ''Webcomic/StatisticalFact'': Early signs of an impending bad date occur when [[http://statisticalfact.com/sf/statistical-spittle/ this couple]] encounters a sidewalk loogie.

* In ''AlongCamePolly'', Reuben's date with Polly is ruined because the restaurant she chose triggered his IBS.

* Twilight gets one in [[http://www.fimfiction.net/story/82419/a-stitch-in-time A Stitch In Time]] when she accepts a blind date as petty retaliation after having a row with her current girlfriend, Azalea. The date, Algae Bloom, takes her to a shady bar, repeatedly tries to get her drunk, insults Twilight's intelligence, insults Twilight's current girlfriend, and generally acts like a date rapist. Finally Twilight has enough, gives her a solid TheReasonYouSuck speech, and walks out to reconnect with Azalea. She also informs Cloudkicker (who is promiscuous but has solid dating ethics) about the ordeal and asks her to spread the word so Algae Bloom won't prey on anypony else.

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* In ''{{Hitch}}'', he goes on a jet ski date and accidentally kicks her in the fact, then accidentally forces her to confront the reality of her genocidal ancestor, and on another date has a bad reaction to food and looks like an ass and... these are funny, but they also demonstrate that he's not actually any good at dating, in spite of his alleged expertise.

Everyone knows dating is fraught with tension. As if the usual stress of trying to impress someone special weren't enough, sometimes things go badly. Really badly. That's what happens when you have a BadDate, which can be played for either comedy or drama.

The BadDate has long been a staple of the RomanticComedy. Common elements of the comically bad date include social gaffes, allergic reactions or intolerance to certain foods, tactless comments, interfering friends, poor wardrobe decisions, or any combination of the above. The RomCom bad date tends to come in two types. The first type is a date suffered by the protagonist, which serves as a trial that the protagonist has to endure to secure his or her desired LoveInterest. The second type is a way of weeding out {{Romantic False Lead}}s or otherwise demonstrating that a couple is not a good match. Either type of date can result from sabotage by another interested party who wants the date to fail.

The dramatic BadDate is much the same thing, but not played for laughs. The couple may have a fight, with one of them storming out. Or one of them could just be obnoxious and the other one waits patiently for it to be over. Or, as it used to be called, it could end in a "bad date," once upon a time code for DateRape.

Any BadDate could be played for laughs, for drama, or for both.

* This is pretty much the whole premise of the film ''MysteryDate''. The main character borrows his bother's car for his date and finds a dead body in the trunk. And then ItGetsWorse.

* On ''Series/HowIMetYourMother'', Ted often goes on dates that go badly. Barney is the quintessential BadDate.
* Most of the entertainment value of ''The Millionaire Matchmaker'' comes from this trope.

* This happens fairly often to Jon in {{Garfield}}, until a storyline of comics from 2006 allowed him and Liz to become an official couple.

* Moist has one in ''DrHorriblesSingAlongBlog''.

* SaturdayMorningBreakfastCereal has a sketch called "Dating Solutions." They also have "Date Wars," which is a bad date summarized in an actiony death-ray battle.

* Happens in ''BurnNotice'': occasionally Fiona pushes Michael to treat their relationship like a personal relationship rather than a professional spy relationship with sex involved. One time he promises her a romantic dinner. Unfortunately, after a job goes south, they don't have the money for a nice place, so they end up back at [[LocalHangout The Carlito]], their usual hangout. They play it for laughs ''and'' show the rocky nature of Michael and Fi's relationship.

* On an episode of ''Friends'', Joey and Phoebe purposely set up Ross and Rachel on these to try and get them back together.

* Joan's bad date with her fiance in ''MadMen''.

--> '''Sam:''' Alrighty, can you bring us another spoon?

* On ''HowIMetYourMother'', Ted often goes on dates that go badly. Barney is the quintessential BadDate.

* ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'':

** Averted in "ForTheCause". The entire B-plot of the episode consists of a build-up that looks like it's going to be a disaster. Shortly after [[AllGirlsWantBadBoys Ziyal]] first arrives on the station, she and resident [[TheSpymaster spymaster]] [[MysteriousPast Garak]] take notice of each other and she ends up asking him out on a date. Bashir points out she's the daughter of Garak's ArchEnemy, Dukat. [[MamaBear Kira]] threatens Garak's life if he does anything to hurt her. Garak himself is convinced that Ziyal [[TheHoneyTrap invited him out]] to kill him on her father's behalf. Quark [[CrowningMomentOfFunny makes things worse]] by making Garak believe Kira's in on the plot as well. Cue the date: Garak takes a gun to the date, Ziyal gives him TheReasonYouSuckSpeech.... which clears the air, allowing them to have a good time and get on well with each other.

* On Donna and Eric's first date in ''[[That70sShow That 70's Show]]'', Donna orders an iced tea and is mistakenly served a [[IntoxicationEnsues Long Island iced tea]]. Not only is the date spent trying to keep Donna from making an idiot of herself, but Hyde later shows up to profess his feelings for Donna.

* Ryan plans a romantic date on ''Series/{{Oddities}}''. Dinner and then a meeting with a bone artist and his flesh eating beetles. What could possibly go wrong?

* {{Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal}} has a sketch called "Dating Solutions." They also have "Date Wars," which is a bad date summarized in an actiony death-ray battle.

* ''MonstersInc'' has the bad date between Celia and Mike.

* Gaia's first date in ''Fearless'' ends with her date trying to kill her. She notes that among the worst first date stories she's ever heard, it ranks by and large as the worst she can imagine.

* The entirety of "Once Bitten, Twice Shy", a ''MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' fanfic, is built around one of these. Take [[{{Adorkable}} serious social awkwardness]], add [[DatePeepers very bad advice]] and [[INeedAFreakingDrink minor intoxication]], and stir.

* Sandy is set up on a BlindDate that turns out to be a disaster in ''TheRebound''.