History Main / TheILoveYouStigma

* In ''TheBigBangTheory'' Leonard and Penny had a nice little moment in bed where Penny quoted TheEmpireStrikesBack and knew the reference, which prompted [[GeekyTurnOn Leonard to say he loved her]]. Penny's response was a near catatonic blank stare before saying "Thank You?" The next several days was awkward until Leonard agreed to let the issue go cause, as he said "It's understandable we're in different places, I've been [[DoggedNiceGuy in this relationship two years longer than you have]]." [[spoiler: By the end Penny decided to end the relationship because she didn't want Leonard longing for her reciprocation when she didn't know when/if that would happen.]]
** [[spoiler: Almost three seasons later(after a "beta test" reunion), Penny finally blurts out "I love you" in the heat of an argument with Leonard. She gets REALLY emotional once she realizes what she's said.]]

** And invoked in the season four finale. After a year of pining for [[spoiler:Robin]], [[spoiler:Barney]]'s about to [[LoveConfession confesses his feelings]] when she beats him to the punch. She deliberately does it to turn him off, and Marshall even deems the move "[[PersonAsVerb Mosbying]]".

* ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'': Haley, believing herself to be dying, nearly tells Elan "I love you". When Durkon heals her, she pulls a LastSecondWordSwap and ends it with "...ukuleles" instead. Elan naturally [[{{Cloudcuckoolander}} sees nothing strange about professing your musical preferences like that]], although personally he's more of a banjo fan.
* In ''TheBelgariad'', Adara is only able to confess her love for Prince Hettar after she's been shot in the back, confident that she has nothing to lose since she's dying. She's mortified to then find out that she's not dying at all and will be fine with some rest, ''and'' Hettar is very interested in discussing this interesting topic, and has no intention of letting her get away.

* Glenn of Series/TheWalkingDead struggles with this throughout the second season with Maggie. When she says "I love you" to him, he is unable to say it back because the only women that ever told him that were his mother and sisters. Given that [[FourthDateMarriage he's only known her for a bit]], his reaction is justified. After a horde of walkers [[spoiler:overruns Hershel's farm]], he's finally admits to Maggie that he loves her and they are established to be in a healthy relationship as of Season 3.

* Glenn of TheWalkingDead struggles with this throughout the second season with Maggie. When she says "I love you" to him, he is unable to say it back because the only women that ever told him that were his mother and sisters. Given that [[FourthDateMarriage he's only known her for a bit]], his reaction is justified. After a horde of walkers [[spoiler:overruns Hershel's farm]], he's finally admits to Maggie that he loves her and they are established to be in a healthy relationship as of Season 3.

* On ''That70sShow'', Eric answers Donna's "I love you" with "[[IUhYouToo I love cake]]".

[[quoteright:314:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Scott_Pilgrim_vs_The_World_comic_image_for_The_I_Love_You_Stigma_8326.jpg]]

* ''Series/Friends'': When Ross dates Mona, they have the talk about their moving forward in their relationship. They evaluate symbolical value of sending holiday cards together, giving a key to their apartment and getting locks changed. Finally, Ross tells Mona he loves her (though he doesn't feel it) and Mona tells him she loves spending time with him too (which was deemed to be a slap in the face by Monica and Phoebe).

--> '''Robin, to Ted,''' ''HowIMetYourMother''

* An early episode of ''{{Scrubs}}'' has Turk generally grumpy, especially towards [[BetaCouple Carla,]] and there isn't any real excuse for it. Carla, expecting him to break up with her, eventually just demands he say what he wants to say and get it over with. Turk marches up to her, tells her how annoying he finds her then says "I love you, I want to spend every annoying minute with you." This is a great surprise to Carla, who responds in kind. The following episode was actually about a degree of fall-out with them expressing their love for each other, as Carla started panicking about where this relationship is going. They eventually get married.

* ''HowIMetYourMother''

* On ''TheOC'', when Marissa first tells Ryan she loves him, he replies with a very un-smooth "Thank you."

There is a danger in using the term "Love" when directed towards a person who is not your relative ([[DysfunctionalFamily and sometimes even then]]). When done properly, it ends up as a RelationshipUpgrade when the feeling is reciprocated. Other times, a couple is already in an official relationship they are scared of using any terms beyond "Like" or "Care for" as pseudonyms.

In some instances, reaching the "I Love You" place is seen as point of no return, or at least an indication of a long term relationship. Ironically, sometimes declaring your love for someone ends up as a MomentKiller, not necessarily because the feelings aren't reciprocated but because the other person isn't ready for that commitment.

In a contrast, the CasanovaWannabe tends to use this term so often that it completely loses meaning with them.

Compare the LoveConfession, LoveYouAndEverybody and TheFourLoves.

* Brought up in ''TheGiver'', where the society they live in is an obsessive {{Utopia}} that regulates everything from family units to emotions to painful memories, and everything must be kept to a strictly even-keeled norm. While they allow a degree of personal freedom and enjoyment, any emotion above caring for a friend is forbidden. The main character asks his parents if they love him, and they respond with the standard "Love is an innappropriate term..."

** Dr. Cox started seeing his ex-wife Jordan on a regular basis in a FriendsWithBenefits sort of way, eventually having a family together despite not being married. They acted on the idea they were embracing a long-term non-committal relationship, but by the end Dr. Cox flat out stated that they did love each other and was tired of pretending they didn't.
* ''DrakeAndJosh'' had Josh having a nice moment with his girlfriend Mindy, and at a goodnight kiss at the door Mindy told him "I love you." Josh was flumoxed and awkwardly hurried her away, and after an episode of [[HilarityEnsues misunderstandings and mind games]] they had a more honest conversation about the ordeal. Josh said he wasn't sure what loving someone actually meant and Mindy admitted to feeling weird after saying it. They agreed to be JustFriends for a time so they can better understand their feelings, and they get back together in the GrandFinale.

* ''OrderOfTheStick'': Haley, believing herself to be dying, nearly tells Elan "I love you". When Durkon heals her, she pulls a LastSecondWordSwap and ends it with "...ukuleles" instead. Elan naturally [[{{Cloudcuckoolander}} sees nothing strange about professing your musical preferences like that]], although personally he's more of a banjo fan.

* On "TheOC", when Marissa first tells Ryan she loves him, he replies with a very un-smooth "Thank you."

There is a danger in using the term "Love" when directed towards a person who is not your relative ([[DysfunctionalFamily and sometimes even then]]). When done properly, it ends up as a RelationshipUpgrade when the feeling is reciprocated. Other times, a couple is already in an official relationship they are scared of using any terms beyond "Like" or "Care for" as psuedonyms.

* Brought up in ''TheGiver'', where the society they live in is an obsessive {{Utopia}} that regulates everything from family units to emotions to painful memories, and everything must be kept to a strictly melancholy norm. While they allow a degree of personal freedom and enjoyment, any emotion above caring for a friend is forbidden. The main character asks his parents if they love him, and they respond with the standard "Love is an innappropriate term..."

* An early episode of ''{{Scrubs}}'' has Turk generally grumpy, especially towards [[BetaCouple Carla,]] and there isn't any real excuse for it. Carla, expecting him to break up with her, eventually just demands he say what he wants to say and get it over with. Turk marches up to her, tells her how annoying he finds her then says "I love you, I want to spend every annoying minute with you." This is a great surprise to Carla, who responded in kind. The following episode was actually about a degree of fall-out with them expressing their love for each other, as Carla started panicking about where this relationship is going. They eventually get married.

* An early episode of ''{{Scrubs}}'' had Turk generally grumpy, especially towards [[BetaCouple Carla,]] and there wasn't any real excuse for it. Carla, expecting him to break up with her, eventually just demanded he say what he wants to say and get it over with. Turk marches up to her, tells her how annoying he finds her then says "I love you, I want to spend every annoying minute with you." This was a great surprise to Carla, who responded in kind. The following episode was actually about a degree of fall-out with them expressing their love for each other, as Carla started panicking about where this relationship was going.

* ''OrderOfTheStick'': Haley, believing herself to be dying, nearly tells Elan "I love you". When Durkon heals her, she pulls a LastSecondWordSwap and ends it with "...ukuleles" instead. Elan naturally sees nothing strange about professing your musical preferences like that, although personally he's more of a banjo fan.

* In ''TheBelgariad'', Adara is only able to confess her love for Prince Hettar after she's been shot in the back, confident that she has nothing to lose since she's dying. She's mortified to then find out that she's not dying at all and will be fine with some rest, ''and'' Hettar is very interested in discussing this interesting topic, an has no intention of letting her get away.