History Main / BetaCouple

* Although there wasn't any one official couple for the show, Jed and Abby, on ''Series/TheWestWing'' are this trope to ''everyone'' else, as they were HappilyMarried with the ups and downs of a normal, well-adjusted couple (or as normal as possible for a President and First Lady). This was in contrast to [[WillTheyOrWontThey Josh and Donna]], [[DatingCatwoman CJ and Danny]], [[AmicablyDivorced Toby and Andi]], [[BelligerentSexualTension Sam and Ainsley]], [[BodyguardCrush CJ and Simon]], [[TheMasochismTango Josh and Amy]], [[MeddlingParents Sam and Mallory]], [[MarriedToTheJob Leo and Jenny]], and Charlie and Zoe, all of whose romances were constantly trampled by politics, ethics, and DysfunctionJunction. But mostly politics.

The Beta Couple is always a secondary pairing (and {{foil}}) to the relationship that the TheProtagonist and TheLoveInterest desire. Often they are friends or confidants of one or both of them, it's not uncommon for TheHero and their [[RomanticWingman wingman]] to simultaneously try to hook up with a pair of close friends.

The Beta Couple is present in the backdrop of many Romantic Comedies and Dramas with TheHero of the story looking at wooing their LoveInterest, to provide a {{Foil}} to his/her efforts you will see one of their closest friends have a remarkably easier time getting together. This "simpler" pairing is the Beta Couple.

The Beta Couple is always a secondary pairing (and {{foil}}) to the primary relationship. Often they are friends or confidants of one or both of them, it's not uncommon for TheHero and his [[RomanticWingman wingman]] to simultaneously try to hook up with the heroine and her maid of honor.

Usually, they serve as a barometer for how well or poorly the main (alpha) couple is doing and offer possible solutions to any problems. Hit a PoorCommunicationKills? The Beta Couple had that but worked it out. Caught cheating? Losing "the spark" for your LoveInterest? The Beta Couple had that, and here's how they got through it. In addition to all of that, if there is [[{{UST}} sexual tension]] that the OfficialCouple is [[SelectiveObliviousness oblivious about]], the Beta Couple is all the more aware of it and will try to help them embrace it.

While the Beta Couple usually consists of secondary characters, sometimes the author(s) will decide that the main character has enough crap to deal with, make ''his'' relationship the Beta Couple, and make the bulk of the romantic conflict in the story concern the sidekick's relationship.

* Marie and Jess in ''Film/WhenHarryMetSally''. Since Harry and Sally are JustFriends, Sally sets Harry up with her best friend Marie, while Harry simultaneously sets Sally up with his best friend Jess, on a rather awkward double date. Marie and Jess have more chemistry with each other than either does with Harry or Sally, and they end up getting together. Their relationship progresses to moving in together and getting married during the time period where Harry and Sally are still dancing around their romantic interest in each other, and as they experience a successful relationship with its ups and downs, they also coach Harry and Sally through their ups and downs.

%%* ''Literature/TheHeroesOfOlympus'' has Jason and Piper and Frank and Hazel.

%%* ''Series/TheBigBangTheory'': Howard and Bernardette to main couple Leonard and Penny. Later, Sheldon and Amy.

%%* Once Angela was added to ''Series/BoyMeetsWorld'' in season five, Shawn and Angela became this to Cory and Topanga, except when they break up during season six.

%%* Cal and Chloe on ''Series/HarpersIsland''. [[spoiler:They both die. It's a murder mystery.]]

* BigFancyHouse: Rei's father's house is like this, to the point of awkwardness. Rei, on the other hand, lives in a crappy apartment in a bad side of town.

%%* From ''Manga/Mars1996'', we have Harumi and Tatsuya.

%%* Vlad and Sophie in ''WesternAnimation/{{Anastasia}}''.

%%* In ''WesternAnimation/JackAndTheCuckooClockHeart'', we have Méliès and a two-headed girl at Andalucia.
%%* ''WesternAnimation/MulanII'' had not one, but ''three'' Beta Couples.
%%** Don't forget Mulan's parents.

%%* Chad and Taylor in ''Film/HighSchoolMusical''. And in ''High School Musical 3'', Ryan and Kelsi.

%%* Maida and Killjoy, in ''Film/TheIcePirates''

** Suzaku and Euphemia could be this... if there was an alpha to begin with. The typical beta couple is the couple involving the most important people after the couple involving the protagonist. But here, the protagonist is a CelibateHero, so Suzaku and Euphemia were the only couple displayed in some openings.
** Ougi and Villetta, kind of beta for Suzaku/Euphie, but actually the only couple which ends well [[spoiler:(not that Suzaku stopped loving Euphie: she dies).]]

* ''WesternAnimation/WinxClub'' has at the end of season 1 two Beta Couples: Stella and Brandon, and Tecna and Timmy. By the end of season 2, Musa has hooked up with Riven, while Flora is dating Helia. At the end of season 3, there are ''five'' with Aisha and Nabu dating each other. All of the couples have gone through their rough spots and struggles, while Musa and Riven have almost as much conflict as Bloom and Sky, the main couple. [[spoiler:At the end of season 4, there are only four due to [[HeroicSacrifice Nabu's death.]] And at the end of season 6, there are only three since [[BelligerentSexualTension Musa and Riven]] have [[SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome broken up]] and Riven's been PutOnABus.]]

* Yuuji and Shouko in ''LightNovel/BakaAndTestSummonTheBeasts'', though their relationship isn't all that different from the main's, lack of a LoveTriangle aside. Voyeur and Aiko are probably a more "normal" example.

* Montmorency and Guiche from ''LightNovel/TheFamiliarOfZero''. Of course, they're only ''slightly'' less dysfunctional than Louise and Saito, but at least they don't have to worry about love rivals.
%%* [[spoiler:Maria and Mamoru]] in ''Literature/FromTheNewWorld''.

* Ogata Matake (Oga-chan) and Tanaka Eita in ''LightNovel/ShakuganNoShana'' serve as a Beta Couple to the LoveTriangle of Yoshida, Shana, and Yuji (although adding Ike in sort of makes it a LoveDodecahedron).

* Princess Amelia of ''LightNovel/{{Slayers}}'' definitely has feelings for Zelgadis but, due to his quest to recover his human body and being the only serious guy of the group, for the most part, he [[ObliviousToLove doesn't remark on it or doesn't care]]. However, she does make him blush a lot, and there are many hints that he cares for her quite deeply, especially in the second season. And the fact that we see that [[spoiler:one of Amelia's wristbands is tied to Zel's canteen in the credits of the last episode of the third season.]]

* Marie and Jess in ''Film/WhenHarryMetSally''. Sally sets Harry up with her best friend Marie, while Harry simultaneously sets Sally up with his best friend Jess, on a rather awkward double date. Marie and Jess have more chemistry with each other than either does with Harry or Sally, and they end up getting together. Their relationship progresses to moving in together and getting married during the time period where Harry and Sally are still dancing around each other, and as they experience a successful relationship with its ups and downs, they also coach Harry and Sally through their ups and downs.

* Kitty and Levin in ''Literature/AnnaKarenina'', to the Alpha Couple of Anna and Vronsky.

%%* Marie and Jess in ''Film/WhenHarryMetSally''. Sally sets Harry up with her best friend Marie, while Harry simultaneously sets Sally up with his best friend Jess, on a rather awkward double date. Marie and Jess have more chemistry with each other than either does with Harry or Sally, and they end up getting together. Their relationship progresses to moving in together and getting married during the time period where Harry and Sally are still dancing around each other.

%%* Marie and Jess in ''Film/WhenHarryMetSally''.

* [[Manga/LuckyStar Tsukasa and Miyuki]] in ''Fanfic/StarsAbove''... [[spoiler:or rather, Tsukasa and the Demon disguised as Miyuki...]]

* In ''Series/BabylonFive'' Marcus and Ivanova could be considered this to Sheridan and Delenn. Subverted, since Marcus dies before Ivanova can ever reciprocate.
* Helo and Athena in ''Series/{{Battlestar Galactica|2003}}'', [[spoiler: especially considering they are one of the only couples that remain steady throughout the series.]]
* ''Series/TheBigBangTheory'': Howard and Bernardette to main couple Leonard and Penny. Later, Sheldon and Amy.

* Once Angela was added to ''Series/BoyMeetsWorld'' in season five, Shawn and Angela became this to Cory and Topanga, except when they break up during season six.
* ''Franchise/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'':

* As of season 3, [[spoiler: Lanie and Esposito]], Alexis and Ashley, and Ryan and Jenny count as Beta Couples to the alpha couple, Series/{{Castle}} and Beckett.

* Found on ''Series/{{Chuck}}'': Both Morgan/Anna (and later Morgan/[[spoiler: Alex]]) and Captain Awesome/Ellie are Beta Couples to Chuck and Sarah's [[OfficialCouple alpha couple storyline]].

* '' A Fine Romance'': Helen and Phil are the Beta Couple to main couple Laura (Helen's sister) and Mike.

* ''Series/ICarly'': Gibby/Tasha, to either Carly/Freddie or Sam/Freddie. Appear to have broken up when Tasha's actor went off to become a lingerie model, leaving Tasha as a victim of ChuckCunninghamSyndrome for season 4.

* In ''Series/LieToMe'', Torres and Loker are now confirmed to be this, to Lightman and Foster's Alpha.

* ''Series/NoahsArc'': Alex+Trey and Chance+Eddie typically play this role to Noah+his boyfriend at the time.
* Larry and Megan on ''Series/{{Numb3rs}}''.

* ''Series/OnceUponATimeInWonderland'': Will and Anastasia are this to Alice and Cyrus.

* ''Series/{{Psych}}'', Lassie and Marlowe become this to Shawn and Jules. Lassie marries Marlowe and becomes a father before the SeriesFinale, which is when Shawn gets around to proposing to Jules.

* In ''Series/That70sShow'', Kelso/Jackie and later Jackie/Hyde to Donna/Eric.
* In ''Series/{{Tinsel}}'', Chuks and Ene are the Beta Couple to Soji and Telema for the first three seasons.
* [[TheWoobie Toshiko]] and Owen to Gwen and Rhys in ''Series/{{Torchwood}}''. Jack and Ianto start out as the Beta Couple and become the official one in Season 3, replacing Gwen and Rhys.
* In ''Series/TrueBlood'', Sam and Tara are an off-again, on-again Beta Couple, as well as Arlene and Terry.

* Jimmy and Snookie from ''110 in the Shade''; less so in the original non-musical play it was based on, ''The Rainmaker'', in which Snookie [[TheGhost does not actually appear]].

* Penny Pingleton and Seaweed J. Stubbs to Tracy Turnblad and Link Larkin in ''Film/{{Hairspray}}''.

* Marcello and Musetta are a [[TheMasochismTango Masochism Tango]] variety of this in the opera ''Theatre/LaBoheme''.

* In ''Theatre/{{Waitress}}'', [[{{Meganekko}} Dawn]] and her eventual husband [[{{Cloudcuckoolander}} Ogie]] are this to the main couple of Jenna and Dr. Pomatter.

* ''Theatre/WestSideStory'': Behind Tony and Maria, there are Bernardo and Anita, to whom tragedy strikes first.

* Bonnie and Joe Swanson and briefly Brian and Jillian in ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'' to Peter and Lois Griffin.

** And Pab and Peb[[labelnote:(source)]]Title Operations Guide in Shop Channel, since taken down[[/labelnote]], the ''new'' Beta Couple in ''Bubble Bobble Plus'' (UsefulNotes/WiiWare). They're still magenta and orange and both female. Oddly, Pab and Peb became a [[DubNameChange Subtitle Name Change]] for Cororon and Kululun in an official "Bub's Broadcast" video ([[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h61yWIBL8t4#t=3m5s this one at 3m5s]]).

* Rogue and Gambit in ''WesternAnimation/XMen'' (unlike their comic counterparts) are portrayed as having a relatively stable relationship. Their romance plays backup to the much more complicated, drama-filled love triangle between Cyclops, Jean Grey, and Wolverine.

* Averted in ''Fanfic/MortalKombatKhronicles'', where the author brings up the possibility of Jade and Kung Lao becoming this to Lui Kang and Kitana. But ultimatley keeps their relationship very friendly, but platonic.

* From Creator/LoisMcMasterBujold's Literature/VorkosiganSaga:
** There's a weird case in ''Literature/{{Barrayar}}''. Aral and Cordelia Vorkosigan, in all other respects the book's protagonists, play Beta Couple to Koudelka and Droushnakovi in a minor subplot. (They've already had their turn as Alpha Couple in the first book of the series.)
** Mark and Kareen in ''Literature/ACivilCampaign'', both as secondary to Miles and Ekaterin, and due to the planet where they're attending school.
** Miles and Ekaterin play beta couple to Taura and Roic in "Literature/WinterfairGifts".

* ''Franchise/HarryPotter'' is a very odd example, with the ''main character's'' growing romance being ''second'' to that of his best friends. Ron and Hermione get the lion share of romantic focus whenever it arises, while Harry and Ginny's development as a couple works itself out at a faster pace without all the bickering and far less mixed messages. Because they are ''both'' main characters, perhaps Hermione and Ron have more main character credits between them than Harry and supporting character Ginny do?