History Main / TheMatchmaker

[[quoteright:320:[[Webcomic/GunnerkriggCourt https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/matchmaker_7.png]]]]
[-[[caption-width-right:320:"Those two ended up married, you know. They are Kat's parents."]]-]

[[quoteright:325:[[Webcomic/GunnerkriggCourt https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Match_1699.png]]]]
[-[[caption-width-right:325:"Those two ended up married, you know. They are Kat's parents."]]-]

* In ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIVOblivion'', there's an undocumented quest in Chorrol that allows YOU to be the matchmaker between the Captain of the Guard, Bittneld and the owner of the Grey Mare, Emfrid. There's no failure condition, just some running back and forth between the two, but eventually it's implied that they start dating. This fact is even lampshaded by Casta Scribonia, who was the gossip who originally told you that they looked good together.
* ''Franchise/DragonAge'' has examples in each installment:
** In ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins'', the Warden can meet a pair of young elves in the Dalish camp who are being kept apart by circumstances. If the player is so inclined, the Warden can meddle in those circumstances and enable them to make plans to marry. (Alternately, the Warden can sleep with one of the elves him/herself, and totally drive them apart.)
** In ''VideoGame/DragonAgeII'', there is a quest to help Aveline get together with one of her colleagues. [[spoiler: Though it goes disastrously due to misunderstandings and Aveline being unable to spit it out, she will hook up with him at the end, even if Hawke has been trying to pursue Aveline him/herself by using the romance dialogue options. It is entirely possible to confess your feelings to her during the quest, though there is no further romance possible and she will let you down gently.]]
** Cole will do this for Maryden the bard in the ''Trespasser'' DLC for ''VideoGame/DragonAgeInquisition'', although exactly who he matches with her depends on circumstances. [[spoiler:If he's been made more human, he matches her with ''himself''. If he's been made more spirit, he matches her with Krem or, if the Chargers didn't survive the main game, with ZITHER! from the multiplayer.]]

See also YaoiFangirl, YuriFan, and PerverseSexualLust for variants. Compare {{Shipping}} for more meta examples, UnknowinglyInLove, which may apply in cases where the matchmaker ends up with one of the people they're trying to matchmake, and RomanticWingman. ShipperOnDeck is a supertrope. See also MatchMakerQuest, where the player can take on this role. Contrast ShippingTorpedo.

* WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirls set up a date between the Professor and their kindergarten teacher in "Keen On Keane."

-->Oh, God, how do you explain?
-->How do you make her understand that you weren't trying to take her red lover away from her? You just wanted to help them become the other kind of red lovers. You never wanted to break them up, never meant for any of this to happen--you had a plan and it was going to work out so perfectly, you were going to help Eridan realize that Feferi was a perfect flushed match for him and then you were going to help him win her, and then you would have proved what a perfect moirail match you could be for him, but--
-->But, tonight messed all of that up. Tonight he said something you never expected him to say, and tonight you had to say something you had never planned to say this early, and tonight you watched Eridan break and break and break again, and tonight you learned that when Eridan breaks you have no idea how to put the pieces back together, and--
-->And the one thing you know for sure is that you never wanted to hurt anybody. You never wanted to steal Eridan away from Feferi. You wanted them to be in the perfect quadrant, you wanted them to be happy, YOU wanted to be happy. You have to make her understand that, but, God, talking about all your plans and your ideas and your matches and your ships, you have no idea how to explain this without sounding like a lunatic, like a, like a control freak, like a...
-->A highblood playing around with a couple of sea dwellers. Like a cat batting at two fish in a bowl.
-->Oh, God. Eridan was right about you.

* ''Fanfic/OnceMoreWithFeeling'':
** Shinji - helped by Toji's little sister - played matchmaker for Touji and Hikari, and tried to set Rei up with Kensuke.

And she was good. He had seen Kana manipulate Hikari into walking 'her' home, before stealthily moving off ahead and leaving Hikari to walk Toji home together instead. She had once had both of them mysteriously take her to the shops to buy things she never actually brought under the justification of taking Hikari for fashion advice and her brother to 'escort' her, then again just vanished to leave them both standing around together with only each other for company, the two slowly opening up…
** Kaji gave Shinji tips to interact with Asuka and win her over. Thanks to his help, Shinji managed to take her to the school dance.

** May Parker had to work hard and persistently to set up a date for her nephew Peter and her good friend Anna Watson's niece Mary Jane. After the Gwen Stacy clone appeared, Aunt May encouraged MJ to fight for Peter's love. And after Mary Jane returned from a long absence in the 1980s, Aunts May and Anna once again set up a date between her and Peter.

** Where would ComicBook/MilesMorales be if he hadn't Ganke to give him love advice?

* ''Franchise/WonderWoman'':

* ''Franchise/SpiderMan'':

* ''Franchise/{{Superman}}'':

See also YaoiFangirl, YuriFan and PerverseSexualLust, for variants. Compare {{Shipping}} for more meta examples, UnknowinglyInLove, which may apply in cases where the matchmaker ends up with one of people they're trying to matchmake, and RomanticWingman. ShipperOnDeck is a supertrope. See also MatchMakerQuest, where the player can take on this role. Contrast ShippingTorpedo.

* ''Manga/BlueFlag'' deconstructs this trope, as well as MatchmakerCrush. Ichinose is playing this to get NaiveEverygirl Kuze with his ChildhoodFriend Mita. He however, gets berated when [[AloofDarkHairedGirl Itachi]], Kuze's friend, realizes what he is doing. Playing this can end up with the feelings of the people he is trying to get together hurt and it's something he can't possibly understand because he is in a position that his feelings cannot be directly hurt.

* Tsuruya from ''Literature/HaruhiSuzumiya''. At times, she talks to Kyon about his relationship to Haruhi and Mikuru. Well, this quote probably says it best: ''"Well, Mikuru will always follow you! But, don't be mischievous. That's the one thing that's not allowed. If you wish to be mischievous, do it to Haru-nyan. Just my intuition. Mhm, I'm sure she'll always forgive you!"'' Oh, and she also likes to [[TheTease tease]] him, but that's just for fun.

* Ayuki in ''Manga/KashimashiGirlMeetsGirl'' has an interest in resolving Hazumu's LoveTriangle, and does have the pathological obsession with seeing people other than herself getting into relationships.

* Mutsumi Otohime from the ''Manga/LoveHina'' manga and anime tries more than anybody to help Keitaro and Naru be together. Mutsumi wants Keitaro to be happy (with an massive case of "IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy"). Even though Mutsumi has loved Keitaro since childhood.
* Haruna Saotome from ''Manga/NegimaMagisterNegiMagi'', who has taken a personal interest in seeing her friend Nodoka advancing her relationship with their teacher Negi. The best way to summarize her mentality is that when Nodoka builds up the nerve to ask Negi to go with her group on the trip, Haruna berates her for settling for just that, ''dares her'' to confess to him, and starts talking about actual romantic dating.

* In ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion'', Kaji is annoyed at Asuka's teenage crush on him, and decides to steer her away from him, apparently towards Shinji. This includes coming up with their dance training plan and giving Shinji and giving him advice on women. Kaji's relationship with Misato is also consistently paralled with Asuka and Shinji's, even if while the former succesfully rekindles, the latter fails to develop at almost exactly the same time.
* In the second season of ''Anime/PrincessTutu'', [[ThoseTwoGuys Pique and Lilie]] decide that Ahiru has a thing for Fakir and attempt to match make them, even [[LoveLetterLunacy writing a love letter from Ahiru to Fakir]] in an attempt for them to get together. Pique [[MatchmakerCrush even has a crush on Fakir]], but sets it aside in hopes that Ahiru could have a relationship with him. [[spoiler:What they don't realize is that it's the other way around--Ahiru is still enamored with Mytho and is spending time with Fakir to try to save Mytho. ''Fakir'', on the other hand, [[LoveTriangle is developing feelings for Ahiru...]]]]
* A RunningGag in ''Anime/PokemonTheSeriesXY'' involves Bonnie trying to set her older brother Clemont with "keepers" to take care of him, and each time it usually ends with Clemont pulling Bonnie away in embarrassment. Gets deconstructed in the episode "A Keeper for Keeps?!", where Bonnie ''does'' find a proper suiter for Clemont... only to suddenly realize the hard way that she is woefully unprepared for the emotional ramifications that comes with her brother getting potentially married. Outside of one last gag at the end of the episode, Bonnie never pulls this trope off for the rest of the series until she and Clemont returns in ''Pokémon Journeys''.

* ''Manga/SpyXFamily'': A MarriageOfConvenience version is used as the catalyst of the series. At the seamstress shop, Twilight looks at the women there, but decides that they can't be his fake wife because thay are either too old or married already. When Yor comes in Twilight recognizes her as employee at City Hall, but decides not to ask her thinking she may have a boyfriend, and Yor thinks about asking Loid to pretend to be her boyfriend for a party at a coworker's house, but decides not to when Anya comes out and assumes he's married. However, when Anya reads their thoughts on how they need a fake romantic partner, she decides that having [[DeepCoverAgent a spy for a father]] and [[ProfessionalKiller an assassin for a mother]] was too much excitement to pass up, and sings a song about how lonely she is without a mother, and they ask each other out and move in together soon after.

** May Parker had to work hard and persistently to set up a date her nephew Peter and her good friend Anna Watson's niece Mary Jane. After the Gwen Stacy clone appeared, Aunt May encouraged MJ to fight for Peter's love. And after Mary Jane returned from a long absence in the 1980s, Aunts May and Anna once again set up a date between her and and Peter.

** Mr Mxyzptlk, of all beings, when Clark and Lois had split up in the 90's.
** In ''ComicBook/ActionComics #289'', ComicBook/{{Supergirl}} vows to find a wife for her cousin. She tries to hook Superman up with Helen of Troy, ''[[ComicBook/LegionOfSuperHeroes Saturn Girl's adult self]]'', an alien superwoman... However all of her attempts end up in failure, and she vows never play match-maker again.

* In ''ComicBook/MikiFalls'', this is part of the job description of the Deliverers, super-natural beings charged with protecting love.

** ''ComicBook/WonderWoman1942'': While ComicBook/EttaCandy is usually content to sit on the sidelines since her favored paring of Wonder Woman and Steve are already dating she will intrude and mess with them to try to get Steve to succeed in using one of the loopholes in the rule that states Diana can't get married as the Amazon Champion until her (never ending) mission is complete. A villain usually interrupts right as Diana was about to be in a situation where she could say yes.

* ''Fanfic/TheChildOfLove'': Misato is very driven to see Shinji and Asuka getting together and she devises many plans to make them getting closer to each other.
* ''Fanfic/ChildOfTheStorm'' has Harry develop a habit of this in the sequel, specifically regarding Ginny Weasley and [[spoiler: Diana]] with Betsy Braddock drily quoting ''Fiddler on the Roof'' ("Matchmaker, matchmaker, make me a match.") once she notices. That said, he is a bit more hands off than most, mainly just giving them the means to keep in contact with each other, though he's also hinted to [[spoiler: have plans regarding their attendance at the Yule Ball]]. Betsy also points out some of the potential problems with this, no matter how well-intentioned it is, such as [[spoiler: the Wizarding World's homophobia, and the fact that unlike Harry or Diana, Ginny can't just walk away from it.]]

* In ''Fanfic/RedDeadVirgo'', Blue!Karkat was one of these before he got into SGRUB. Kanaya calls him out on deliberately pairing off poorly matched blackroms so that more trolls would kill each other to provide food for his troll eating lusus. Karkat doesn't deny it, but he still boasts that despite that he is the best relationship consultant Alternia has ever known. Appropriately enough, his title in the game is "Thief of Heart".
* {{Deconstructed}} in the ''Webcomic/{{Homestuck}}'' fanadventure ''Webcomic/BeTheSeaDwellerLowblood'' with [[ShipperOnDeck Nepeta]], whose obsession with shipping her friends causes her to ignore their true feelings. For example, Eridan has outright stated that he and Feferi are [[BetterAsFriends moirails and happy that way]]. However, she continues to see them as flushed and unwilling to admit it, and goes incredible lengths to try and get them together. This includes her breaking his heart, and at the same time trying (and failing) to replace Feferi as his moirail, enraging her. She gets called out on it, and accused of trying to manipulate others' quadrants after being explicitly told not to.

** There is also DoubleSubverted with [[spoiler: Equius and Gamzee]]. The former tells her time and time again that he hates the other ''platonically,'' but she doesn't listen. She keeps trying to get him to admit his "true" feelings, and even [[spoiler: (temporarily) breaks up their moirailleigance]] over it. After the previously mentioned mess up with Eridan, she starts beating herself up over that and convincing herself she was wrong and shouldn't have done that. Turns out she was right about [[spoiler: Equius]] and the two ''do'' end up getting together.

** Shinji - helped by Toji's little siste r- played matchmaker for Touji and Hikari, and tried to set Rei up with Kensuke.

* In the start of ''Fanfic/HellsisterTrilogy'', ComicBook/{{Supergirl}} goes on about all the times she tried to get her cousin and Lois together:

** For specific examples, Cordelia in ''Fanfic/LucinaReacts'', Yang in ''Fanfic/WeissReacts'' and Corrin in ''Fanfic/CorrinReacts'', who try to pair up Lucina and Robin, Jaune and Pyrrha and Flora and Jakob respectively.
* Willow attempts to be this in ''[[http://www.tthfanfic.org/Story-28404-129/DianeCastle%2bXendra.htm Xendra]]'' but has notable problems. First, she gets people to reveal they like each other with a Truth-Revelation Spell aka the blabbing spell, which causes people to say much more than they intend to. Second, the pair she's currently trying to set up are Wesley, who's deeply uncomfortable when he's a woman, and Tara, who's a lesbian. Both parties involved, along with Xander, point this out. Just because they're both intelligent, magic loving introverts does not mean they'll make a good couple.

* ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11186093/1/Rules-of-the-Kadic-Dormitory Rules of the Kadic Dormitory]]'' features assorted characters filling this role but the most entertaining one is [[NotSoStoic Ulrich Stern]], who is so happy in his relationship with Yumi (the result of Odd [[TenMinutesInTheCloset locking them in a closet]]) that he just wants everyone else to be that happy. Yumi is amused at first but quickly gets annoyed and screams at him to stop; the parties he was attempting to pair up have reactions varying from "Wait; really? You think we go together?" to "Dear god; why?!".

** Mousse drugs Ranma and Akane's food in order to get them confess their feelings.

* ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13677705/1/Cykes-Anyone-Agency Cykes Anyone Agency]]'': Athena Cykes initial goal is to get her best friend Juniper Wood and her co-worker Apollo Justice together. After she is successful, she extends her quest to other couples such as Maya Fey and Simon Blackquill.

* ''Film/TheOldDarkHouse1963'': Casper invites Tom to the family mansion partially because he wants to to introduce him to one of his unmarried female cousins. Whether he meant to introduce Tom to Morgana or Cecily is never revealed before Casper's murder, but both women have chemistry with Tom.

* Plenty of Creator/PGWodehouse's characters indulge in this. [[Literature/JeevesAndWooster Jeeves]], in particular, spends a good deal of time and [[ZanyScheme scheming]] in not only setting up couples, but breaking up the ones he doesn't approve of. (Bertie does a lot of this, too, but usually because [[ExtremeDoormat he gets talked into it]]. On one of the few occasions when he ''did'' instigate matchmaking--between Bingo Little and Honoria Glossop--his scheme failed so disastrously that [[spoiler:he ended up unwillingly engaged to Honoria]].)
* In an Creator/LMMontgomery story "The Education of Betty" (set in the same world as ''Literature/AnneOfGreenGables''), a man, having been the best man while his best friend marries his true love, then did his best for the widow and orphan. When the girl is grown up, he tries to pair her with a man his own age, and demands to know why she refused -- whereupon she declares her love. Prior to that, his awareness had been limited to realizing that her mother was not so perfect after all, lacking her daughter's spirit.
* In the ''Literature/AuntDimity'' novels, Dimity is a highly skilled one. She introduced Lori's parents, she presciently told a then-twelve year old Bill Willis that he and Lori would wed, and has a hand in pairing Emma and Derek (then a widower with two children).

* In addition to solving various murders, thefts and assorted misdoings, Literature/HerculePoirot also has a surprising number of happy marriages and romances arranged to the satisfaction of all to his credit as well.
* In ''Literature/TheInitiateBrother'', two cousins each teasingly threaten to play this role for the other while indignantly denying any need for it themselves. One of Nishima's attendants argues for striking first as a means of self-defense, since Nishima's cousin "will be searching for a consort for you even as we speak".

* ''Series/{{Friends}}'' has this for one episode where Phoebe, Chandler and Monica go to great lengths to get Rachel a date for a business dinner, and start shilling their respective dates right in front of them. She at one point finds a date on her own, and they end up scaring him off in an almost DieForOurShip manner. Naturally, the whole thing eventually blows up and Rachel ditches both guys.

* ''Series/ICarly'': Carly does this for Sam on multiple occasions. Once during ''iMake Sam Girlier'', another time during ''iSpeed Date'', and again in 'iOMG' although in that case she might not be correct as to who Sam likes.

* The title character in ''Series/{{Frasier}}'' is always doing this, mostly as a way to vicariously live through the other couples while he himself is consistently lonely or having relationship troubles. These attempts almost always either fail hilariously or leave him bitter and miserable if they're successful, but [[spoiler: his machinations regarding Niles and Daphne (which began with painkiller-stoned ramblings) ended with HappilyEverAfter.]]
** In one episode Martin's girlfriend Sherry tries to help Daphne out by setting her up with guys she knows from [[LocalHangout McGinty's]]. Daphne doesn't appreciate the effort as she's now getting random phone calls from complete strangers that she has nothing in common with.

* In ''Series/{{Community}}'', Annie at one point notices the hints of a blooming romance between Troy and Britta and schemes to get them to hook up by manipulating them into a lunch date -- much to the displeasure of Abed, Troy's [[HeterosexualLifePartners Heterosexual Life Partner]], who started to worry that a relationship between Troy and Britta would gradually see him excluded. Over the episode, Abed also points out that Annie's motives aren't entirely selfless or based in the belief that Troy and Britta go well together, since Britta had also had romantic tension with Jeff, whom Annie had a crush on, and if Britta was otherwise attached this would leave Jeff free for Annie to approach.

* ''Series/WillAndGrace'': In one early episode Grace gets sick of her mother constantly trying to set her up with guys she knew as a kid. She puts her foot down and refuses to date the next one, only for Bobbi to reveal that this time she was trying to set ''Will'' up.

** Many times throughout the series, teenager Walter Denton lends his "skills", usually with little positive effect. "Trying to Pick A Fight" and "Life Can Be Bones" are just two of his more flatfooted attempts.

* Creator/ThorntonWilder's ''Theatre/TheMatchmaker'' and its musical sister ''Theatre/HelloDolly'' focus around Dolly Levi, who is helping the widower Horace Vandergelder find a new wife but secretly plans to snag him for herself. In the musical she advertises her professional services as a matchmaker, but in the straight play it's just a favor she's doing because she was a friend of the late Mrs. Vandergelder. Both works are farcical in nature.

* In ''Webcomic/{{Sunstone}}'', this is Cassie's ''other'' hobby. There's not been a scene between her and Alan or Anne where she's not trying to get the two of them to meet. She's not very good at it either. Neither of them were ready for a relationship at that moment, and when, after some time, they do meet Cassie has got nothing to do with it. (Though she must have felt pretty smug when they got married)

* In ''WebOriginal/KeitAi'', the boy and the girl from another universe work together as each other's matchmakers so that they'd end up with their other selves. However, they fall in love with each other instead.

* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'': Of a non-romantic type. One of the few things that will elicit an enthusiastic and energetic response from Fluttershy is suggesting you might be interested in getting a pet. When Rainbow Dash suggested she might eventually want a pet, Fluttershy proceeded to drag Dash off to her cottage so she could introduce her around to the various and sundry animals she's caring for at the moment.

* The plot of the first ''Film/BackToTheFuture'' revolves around Marty trying to get his parents to date so he can exist in the future.

* In ''Series/GilligansIsland'', Mrs. Howell was a matchmaker in one episode.

* In ''Series/PersonOfInterest'', Finch and his fiance, Grace, were matched up by [[spoiler:the Machine. Yes, that's right: the sapient government surveillance supercomputer took time out of its busy schedule of fighting terror and [[SinisterSurveillance spying on everyone in New York]] to find daddy a girlfriend]].
* ''Series/ShakeItUp'': in one episode [=CeCe=] tried to match her friend Deuce to [[RomanticFalseLead Sava]][[GoldDigger nnah]] and after that pair fell apart, [[OfficialCouple Dina]].

* In ''Series/{{Community}}'', Annie at one points notices the hints of a blooming romance between Troy and Britta and schemes to get them to hook up by manipulating them into a lunch date -- much to the displeasure of Abed, Troy's [[HeterosexualLifePartners Heterosexual Life Partner]], who started to worry that a relationship between Troy and Britta would gradually see him excluded. Over the episode, Abed also points out that Annie's motives aren't entirely selfless or based in the belief that Troy and Britta go well together, since Britta had also had romantic tension with Jeff, whom Annie had a crush on, and if Britta was otherwise attached this would leave Jeff free for Annie to approach.

* Tsuruya from ''LightNovel/HaruhiSuzumiya''. At times, she talks to Kyon about his relationship to Haruhi and Mikuru. Well, this quote probably says it best: ''"Well, Mikuru will always follow you! But, don't be mischievous. That's the one thing that's not allowed. If you wish to be mischievous, do it to Haru-nyan. Just my intuition. Mhm, I'm sure she'll always forgive you!"'' Oh, and she also likes to [[TheTease tease]] him, but that's just for fun.
* Kagome from ''Anime/InuYasha'' puts considerable effort into bringing Miroku and Sango together, effort that ultimately pays off. Still, things probably would have worked out sooner if she just sat Miroku down and explained to him that gropping a woman whenever you feel like isn't the best way to build a relationship.

* ''LightNovel/ShakuganNoShana'' has Ike, who tries to help Kazumi get together with Yuji, but he doesn't really have a pathological obsession with watching other people get into relationships, and [[spoiler:the ending heavily implies that he ends up paired with Kazumi.]]

* ''LightNovel/TrappedInADatingSimTheWorldOfOtomeGamesIsToughForMobs'': In the Marie Route AlternateTimeline, Marie helps save Leon’s fellow poor noble boys from being CannonFodder or MadeASlave due to not finding a marriage partner in LadyLand, by befriending TheShutIn nice girls of the academy and introducing them to the boys for a ComicallySmallBribe of cafeteria pudding. This being part of Marie’s characterization as a TeamMom, with her having to look after said DysfunctionJunction of girls. This also builds the foundation of Leon’s political faction.

* Judeau fits this role for Guts and Casca in ''Manga/{{Berserk}}''. While he was secretly in love with Casca, he was also good friends with Guts, and being the only one of the Hawks who [[EveryoneCanSeeIt actually paid attention]] to the complicated LoveTriangle between Guts, Griffith, and Casca, Judeau decided to at least resolve the non-conflicting triangle between he, Guts and Casca by trying to [[IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy push Guts and Casca together]], since he [[SingleWomanSeeksGoodMan correctly]] predicted that things would not work out between Griffith and Casca but that she was more suited to be with Guts. [[TheyDo It eventually pays off]], after a hunk load of shit happened over a time span of a year, and it then took a tragic turn when [[spoiler: the Eclipse happened, and Judeau sacrifices his own life to save Casca's, but one the last things he does is reassure Casca that Guts loved her, even though he [[CannotSpitItOut never got to tell her how he felt himself]]]]. [[TearJerker Oh sadness!]]

* The [[Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse Captain America]] movies have made a RunningGag out of Cap's friends deciding he [[YouNeedToGetLaid needs to get laid]]. The beginning of ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheFirstAvenger'' has Bucky using his ChickMagnet skills to set up a double date, and it's clear this is far from the first time he's done so. In ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheWinterSoldier'' ComicBook/BlackWidow picks up the ball, talking with Steve about which ComicBook/{{SHIELD}} women he might want to date. [[CasualDangerDialog Even during their missions]]. Overlaps with ShipperOnDeck as she repeatedly tries to convince him to ask out [[spoiler:Agent 13/Sharon, aka Kate the nurse]]. In ''Film/CaptainAmericaCivilWar'', when [[spoiler:Steve and Sharon do get together, Sam gives him the grin of approval and Bucky looks like a proud parent]].

* A RunningGag in ''Anime/PokemonTheSeriesXY'' involves Bonnie trying to set her older brother Clemont with brides to take care of him, and each time it usually ends with Clemont pulling Bonnie away in embarrassment. Gets Deconstructed in the episode "A Keeper for Keeps?!", where Bonnie ''does'' find a proper suiter for Clemont... only to suddenly realize the hard way that she is woefully unprepared for the emotional ramifications that comes with her brother getting potentially married. Outside of one last gag at the end of the episode, Bonnie never pulls this trope off for the rest of the series until she and Clemont returns in ''Pokémon Journeys''.

See also YaoiFangirl, YuriFan and PerverseSexualLust, for variants. Compare {{Shipping}} for more meta examples, and RomanticWingman. ShipperOnDeck is a supertrope. See also MatchMakerQuest, where the player can take on this role. Contrast ShippingTorpedo.

* In ''Series/PersonOfInterest'', Finch and his fiance, Grace, were matched up by [[spoiler:the Machine. Yes, that's right: the sapient government surveillance supercomputer took time out of its busy schedule of fighting terror and [[SinisterSurveillance spying on everyone in New York]] to find daddy a girlfriend

* In Creator/JaneAusten's ''Literature/PrideAndPrejudice'', Mrs. Bennet fills this role for her daughters. Or ''tries'' to, anyway; her attempts are usually a bit inept and unsubtle, she doesn't always have the best match for her daughters in mind, and her unfortunate tendency to gloat to others as if the match is a done deal long before it actually is can give her the unfortunate impression of being a GoldDigger-by-proxy.

* The [[Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse Captain America]] movies have made a RunningGag out of Cap's friends deciding he [[YouNeedToGetLaid needs to get laid]]. The beginning of ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheFirstAvenger'' has Bucky using his ChickMagnet skills to set up a double date, and it's clear this is far from the first time he's done so. It's taken UpToEleven in ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheWinterSoldier'' when ComicBook/BlackWidow picks up the ball, talking with Steve about which ComicBook/{{SHIELD}} women he might want to date. [[CasualDangerDialog Even during their missions]]. Overlaps with ShipperOnDeck as she repeatedly tries to convince him to ask out [[spoiler:Agent 13/Sharon, aka Kate the nurse]]. In ''Film/CaptainAmericaCivilWar'', when [[spoiler:Steve and Sharon do get together, Sam gives him the grin of approval and Bucky looks like a proud parent]].

** [[spoiler: Nepeta's ancestor, Meulin,]] is obsessed with [[ShipperOnDeck shipping]] to the point of hooking up her friends together. After all, she's a [[{{Flanderiz|ation}}ed version of [[spoiler: Nepeta]] in general.

* Hatsune Arisaka from ''Manga/TonaGura'' tries early and often to play this for her uptight younger sister Kazuki and her Coyote-like affectionate-but-dense pursuer, Yuuji Kagura. Kazuki's pleas that she stop this, needless to say, fall on broadly smiling deaf ears.