History Main / CantLiveWithThemCantLiveWithoutThem

* In ''Series/{{Dexter}}'', the title character says of his adopted sister who crashed at his place for a while after some troubles: "Can't live with her, can't kill her." As Dexter happens to be a ''serial killer'', the second half of the phrase takes on a different meaning. He was joking though because he is "rather fond" of her.

** [[https://www.youtube.com/shorts/fcFrqI13-cE A Season 1 Loustat promo]] invokes this trope with the caption "When you love your partner, but also want to kill him."

'''Lestat:''' As loving, as dedicated, as thoughtful, as imperfectly perfect as you've become. You're a challenge every sunset, Saint Louis, and I'd have it no other way.

* In one episode of ''Anime/SamuraiPizzaCats'', Francine comments, "Tomcats! You can't live with them, and you can't throw them down a well and drown them!"

[[folder:Comedy]]
* Subverted by [[Creator/EmoPhillips Emo Philips]]:
--> Women: You can't live with them, and you can't get them to dress up in a skimpy little Nazi costume and beat you with a warm squash or something.
[[/folder]]

* ''ComicBook/{{Transmetropolitan}}'': Spider Jerusalem. "Editors. Can't live with 'em, and the mass grave by my compound is getting full."

* The ''Film/MissCongeniality'' sequel plays with this trope in the following exchange:
-->'''Sam Fuller''': Men. You can't live with 'em, you can't...
-->(beat)
-->'''Sam Fuller''': ... no, that's pretty much it.
-->'''Gracie Hart''': Yeah.

* Jokingly subverted by Tom Arnold's Gib in ''Film/TrueLies'': "Women. Can't live with 'em, can't kill 'em."

* Karal uses this trope to get out of what could have been a very uncomfortable conversation in ''[[Literature/HeraldsOfValdemar Storm Breaking]]''. After Altra tells him about Firesong's near-fall into insanity (specifically, that [[spoiler:Firesong was close to injuring/killing Karal]]), Karal deflects any questions from Firesong about what made him look odd with the line:
--> Cats. You can't live with them, and the fur's too thin for a rug.

* The actual line was parodied twice on ''Series/ThirdRockFromTheSun''. In the {{pilot}}, Harry declares "Women, you can't live with 'em... and yet they're everywhere." In a later episode, Dick declares "Women, you can't live with 'em and you can't have heterosexual sex without 'em."
** To which Harry responds, "That's ''probably'' true."
** Also in one episode Judith says to Mary, "Men, can't live with 'em" ''[beat while Mary waits for the rest]'' "Goodbye, Mary."

* In ''Series/TheBigBangTheory'', when Sheldon and Amy end their friendship over an argument as to whether Neurobiology or Theoretical Physics is the more important science, Howard offers the opinion: "Women, can't live with 'em, can't successfully refute their hypotheses".

* Norm, of course, subverts the line in ''Series/{{Cheers}}'': "Women. Can't live with them, pass the beer nuts."

* Subverted in one episode of ''WesternAnimation/MyGymPartnersAMonkey''. Principal Pixiefrog starts saying "Women! You can't live with 'em..." He pauses, and we expect him to say "You can't live without 'em," but then he says "That's all. You can't live with 'em."

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Recess}}'': Spinelli says this about boys in one episode:
-->'''Spinelli''': Boys! Can't live with them, can't grind 'em into chalk dust!

* ''WesternAnimation/TransformersAnimated'':
-->'''Ratchet''': Young Bots... Can't live with them, can't melt them down for spare parts.

* Nageki of ''VisualNovel/HatofulBoyfriend'' seems taken aback and annoyed when the player character makes an effort to befriend and spend time with him. In his diary he calls you "the nosy girl", he says you won't leave him alone... but he's glad, in the end. In the second game, some of your friends also make an effort to spend time with him, and later he complains to someone threatening them that they exhaust him and are unpredictable, but he's happy to have them.

** "[[Recap/InterviewWithTheVampire2022S1E2AfterThePhantomsOfYourFormerSelf ...After the Phantoms of Your Former Self]]": Lestat de Lioncourt tells [[CrazyJealousGuy Louis de Pointe du Lac]] that he's very difficult to live with and it drives him nuts, but he wouldn't change a single thing about his lover.

* ''Series/TheTwilightZone1959'': In "[[Recap/TheTwilightZoneS2E63TheMindAndTheMatter The Mind and the Matter]]", Archibald Beechcroft initially revels in his solitude after he makes everyone else disappear. However, after several hours, he becomes incredibly bored. Archibald decides to solve the problem by creating a world full of people he likes and respects--namely, [[ItsAllAboutMe clones of himself.]] Unfortunately, the clones turn out to be just as rude, misanthropic, and unpleasant as he is, sparking a JerkassRealization and making him realize that he can't even live with ''himself'' unless he changes his attitude. So humbled, Archibald resolves to become a nicer person.
* ''Series/TheVampireDiaries:'' Damon and Elena, until the last four or so episodes of the first season. After that, they drop the "can't stand them" part.

--> '''Government Official''': Representative Brown? Your husband just called, said he was going to be late to the party.''
--> '''Ms. Brown''': Men. [[TemptingFate Can't live with 'em.]]''