History Main / DivorceIsTemporary

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* The ending of ''CrazyStupidLove'' implies that Cal and Emily may get back together, or at least stay good friends. What makes this complicated (and is unaddressed at the end) is that Emily may or may not still be dating the guy with whom she cheated on Cal in the first place[[hottip:*:said guy is also not a JerkAss in a notable subversion]] and Cal having [[spoiler:had nine one-night stands]].

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[[AC:Live Action Television]]

* ''TheSopranos'' pulls this without even getting to the divorce. Season 4 ends with a violent confrontation between Tony and Carmella and she insists that they separate. A season later he's OutGambitted her in the divorce proceedings because he's talked to most of the major divorce attorneys in town and the others won't take Carmella's case because of Tony's reputation. Later on he wins her back and they stay together for the rest of the series.

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* An early episode of ''SouthPark'' played out this plot with Randy and Sharon Marsh. Within a few days, they break up, Randy moves out and Sharon remarries. By the end of the episode, Randy and Sharon are back together like nothing ever happened. The speed itself is what's PlayedForLaughs, since Sharon practically tells Stan about the divorce in the same sentence when she introduces his new stepfather, while Randy has already embraced a midlife-crisis style bachelor's lifestyle.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Gargoyles}}'' uses this trope with [[TheFairFolk Oberon and Titania]], but for immortals "temporary" can mean "1,001 years," during which time [[ComedyOfRemarriage they both had relationships and children]] with other people. It's also implied that Titania had a lot of CharacterDevelopment over that time, since Oberon's stated reason for the divorce was her immaturity and cruelty to mortals. Yes, ''[[AGodAmI Oberon]]'' said this.

* ''{{Gargoyles}}'' uses this trope with [[TheFairFolk Oberon and Titania]], but for immortals "temporary" can mean "1,001 years," during which time [[ComedyOfRemarriage they both had relationships and children]] with other people. It's also implied that Titania had a lot of CharacterDevelopment over that time, since Oberon's stated reason for the divorce was her immaturity and cruelty to mortals. Yes, ''[[AGodAmI Oberon]]'' said this.

* In ''LiarLiar'', Fletcher and Audrey get back together in the final scene. They of course ask their son if he made another birthday wish to cause it.

-->-''CaryGrant, [[HisGirlFriday His Girl Friday]]''

* In ''[[Film/DefinitelyMaybe Definitely Maybe]]'', this is played with in that Maya believes in this trope, but it's eventually averted and she accepts that her father (played by RyanReynolds) and her mother won't get back together.

* In ''TwentyFour'', Tony and Michelle are divorced between Seasons 3 and 4 due to Tony's becoming an alcoholic after being sent to prison and losing his job over betraying CTU to save Michelle. After the events of Season 4, they're back together.

-->"You've got an old-fashioned idea divorce is something that lasts forever, 'til death do us part.' Why, divorce doesn't mean anything nowadays, Hildy, just a few words mumbled over you by a judge."

* In ''IndependenceDay'', David realizes the aliens are planning to attack. He enlists his father to drive him from New York City to Washington, DC so he can warn the President. David's ex-wife Constance happens to be the President's aide. By the end of the film, David is a hero who's helped saved the world, and he and Connie are on the road to reconciliation.
* The hero of ''[[TwentyTwelve 2012]]'' and his wife also reconcile, due to her LoveInterest failing to survive just as they finally make it to safety.

* ''PrettyLittleLiars'' with Aria's parents, though they were separated rather than divorced.

* An early episode of ''SouthPark'' played out this plot with Randy and Sharon Marsh. Within a few days, they break up, Randy moves out and Sharon remarries. By the end of the episode, Randy and Sharon are back together like nothing ever happened. The speed itself is what's PlayedForLaughs, since Sharon practically tells Stan about the divorce in the same sentence when she introduces his new stepfather, while Randy has already embraced a midlife-crisis style bachelor's lifestyle.

* Intentionally subverted with ''Film/MrsDoubtfire''. The [[ExecutiveMeddling executives]] wanted a happy ending, but the writers felt it would be a disservice to real children with divorced parents and pulled a WriterREvolt. The film even ends with a voiceover stating that sometimes divorced parents get back together... but sometimes divorce is really the best option for everyone involved.

* Intentionally subverted with ''Film/MrsDoubtfire''. The [[ExectutiveMeddling executives]] wanted a happy ending, but the writers felt it would be a disservice to real children with divorced parents and pulled a WriterREvolt. The film even ends with a voiceover stating that sometimes divorced parents get back together... but sometimes divorce is really the best option for everyone involved.

* Intentionally Subverted with ''Film/MrsDoubtfire''. The executives wanted a happy ending, but the writers felt it would be a disservice to real children with divorced parents. The film even ends with a voiceover stating that sometimes divorced parents get back together... but sometimes divorce is really the best option for everyone involved.

Of course this has UnfortunateImplications in the form of the BrokenAesop that people who get divorced don't really mean it, and all it takes is a little work to fix a relationship. The pervasiveness of this in pop culture can give children of divorced families false hope and an unrealistic view of their parents relationship and the new dynamic of their family.

All that said, it ''does'' sometimes happen in Real Life, of course, a story involving reversing a divorce ''can'' be done well and even be realistic, though it requires skill.

Alternatively, it can also be family-friendly [[AnAesop Aesop]] about how relationships need more than romance to work. But most of the time the re-pairing is due to... renewed romance.

* Subverted in ''TheGamePlan'' and ''TheToothFairy''. The Rock does not get back together with the mother of his child. He gets together with a new woman in both cases.
** At least in ''TheGamePlan'' the mother is dead before the story even starts.
* ''WhatAGirlWants'' plays this with Libby and Henry. Apparently nearly twenty years of estrangement can be fixed with one magical evening at the ball.
** Somewhat justified in that the split was due to a lie of Henry's EvilMentor rather than any actual problems between the two.

* Intentionally Subverted with ''Film/MrsDoubtfire''. The executives wanted a happy ending, but the writers felt it would be a disservice to real children with divorced parents.
** The film even ends with a voiceover stating that sometimes divorced parents get back together... but sometimes divorce is really the best option for everyone involved.

* In ''[[Film/DefinitelyMaybe Definitely Maybe]]'', this is averted. Maya eventually accepts that her father (played by RyanReynolds) and her mother are divorced and won't get back together.

* The ending of ''CrazyStupidLove'' implies that Cal and Emily may get back together or, at least, stay good friends. Of course, Emily may or may not still be dating the guy whom she cheaten on with Cal in the first place (who's not an JerkAss, by the way) and Cal having [[spoiler:had nine one-night stands]].

* ''TheOddCouple'': One of the premises of the Neil Simon comedy was that both male leads – Felix Unger and Oscar Madison – were divorced, although both try to win back their ex-wives. For Felix (at least in the TV adaptataion), his divorce from ex-wife Gloria ''was'' temporary ... and the two were re-married in the series' finale, aptly titled "Felix Remarries."

* In ''TheSecretLifeOfTheAmericanTeenager'', Amy's parents get back together. This entire series seems to revel in the idea that no couple with children should ever break up permanently, no matter how much they hate each other.
** Until they break up again, and it seems like it really is for good this time. [[AmicablyDivorced They're still good friends though.]]

* Played with in ''{{Frasier}}''. Niles and Maris break up and get back together at least twice with AwLookTheyReallyDoLoveEachOther overtones, but this is retroactively depicted as a bad idea, it's acknowledged that Niles went back to Maris because of insecurity and self-delusion, and that he ''should'' have stayed broken up with her. When they divorce, they again threaten to backslide several times, but in the end it's for keeps.

* An early episode of ''SouthPark'' played out this plot with Randy and Sharon Marsh. Within a few days, they break up, Randy moves out and Sharon remarries. By the end of the episode, Randy and Sharon are back together like nothing ever happened.
** Though the speed itself is PlayedForLaughs; Sharon practically tells Stan about the divorce in the same sentence when she introduces his new stepfather, while Randy has already embraced a midlife-crisis style bachelor's lifestyle.
** Same trope gets played with the same characters, albeit in more dramatic fashion, in season 15's "[[WhamEpisode You're Getting Old]]" which features Randy and Sharon breaking up and moving into separate residences. The next episode sees them get back together but arguably deconstructs the trope as one scene has Sharon explain to Stan that sometimes people have to stick with what they know even if it makes them unhappy and its obvious that this particular reset button deeply upsets Stan.

* Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton.

* Pink and Carey Hart separated for several months, but never finalized the divorce and eventually got back together and now have a daughter.

-->"You've got an old-fashioned idea divorce is something that lasts forever, 'til death do us part."

* In ''[[Film/DefinitelyMaybe Definitely Maybe]]'', this is averted. Maya eventually realizes that her father (played by RyanReynolds) and her mother are better off this way.

* After they got divorced, Joe Di Maggio started seeing MarilynMonroe again, and was about to ask her to marry him again, but she died before that could happen.

** Same trope gets played with the same characters, albeit in more dramatic fashion, in season 15's "[[WhamEpisode You'reGettingOld]]" which features Randy and Sharon breaking up and moving into seperate residences. The next episode sees them get back together but arguably deconstructs the trope as one scene has Sharon explain to Stan that sometimes people have to stick with what they know even if it makes them unhappy and its obvious that this particular reset button deeply upsets Stan.

** Until they break up again, and it seems like it really is for good this time. [[AmicablyDivorced They're still good friends though]]

* Intentionally Subverted with ''MrsDoubtfire''. The executives wanted a happy ending, but the writers felt it would be a disservice to real children with divorced parents.