History Main / ThirdWheel

-->'''Stacy:''' Lately I've been feeling like a third wheel around you guys.
-->'''Candace:''' What? No. I always saw it more like Jeremy and I were two wheels and you were separate, on a unicycle all ''(sings a quick snippet of "Entrance of the Gladiators").''

* ''ComicBook/UltimateDaredevilAndElektra'': Elektra and Matt have met, and fell in love. And Foggy? Is there anything he can do to help Matt? Yes: he can help by leaving.

* In the ''{{WesternAnimation/Futurama}}'' episode, "Put Your Head on my Shoulders" Fry starts to worry that his relationship with Amy is going too fast, so he intentionally invites a third wheel on their date.

** Similarly, the episode "Over the Moon" focuses on the Moon taking Mickey and Minnie on an around-the-world trip during their nightime date, and eagerly waiting for the two to kiss on the lips.

* ''WesternAnimation/DuckTales2017'': In the episode "The Golden Lagoon of White Agony Plains!", Flintheart Glomgold accompanies Scrooge and Goldie (who have BelligerentSexualTension) on their quest to find the Golden Lagoon. The delusional narcissist Glomgold is, he believes Goldie is in love with him, and he mockingly calls ''Scrooge'' a third wheel. He only realizes that ''he's'' the third wheel during the climatic final battle of the episode, where Scrooge and Goldie focus solely on each other. He's not happy once he figures it out.

** Similarly, the episode "Over the Moon" focuses on the Moon taking Mickey and Minnie on an around-the-world trip during their nightime date.

* The WesternAnimation/MickeyMouse short, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1-cL9NM6JY "Third Wheel"]] has Goofy inviting himself on Mickey and Minnie's date.

[[quoteright:350:[[Film/HarryPotterAndThePrisonerOfAzkaban https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/harry_hug2.jpg]]]]
[[caption-width-right:350: The third wheel in his own damn series.]]

->'''Cas:''' I could be your third wheel.
->'''Dean:''' You know that’s not a good thing, right?
->'''Cas:''' Of course it is. A third wheel adds extra grip, greater stability.

* On ''Series/TheCosbyShow'', Rudy's best friend Kevin becomes this when she starts dating a boy. Rudy doesn't see a problem with it, but the boy straight out calls Kevin a third wheel at one point.

[[folder:FanFiction]]

See also FriendVersusLover and MomentKiller. Contrast OneTrueThreesome, where all three are in a relationship with each other.

[[caption-width-right:350: [[Memes/HarryPotter The third wheel in his own damn series.]]]]

* ''WesternAnimation/DuckTales2017'': In the episode "The Golden Lagoon of White Agony Plains!", Flintheart Glomgold accompanies Scrooge and Goldie (who have BelligerentSexualTension) on their quest to find the Golden Lagoon. The delusional narcissist Glomgold is, he believes Goldie is in love with him, and he mockingly calls ''Scrooge'' a third weel.

* ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine''. In "Rejoined, Jadzia Dax wants an excuse to have romantic dinner with her ex-partner (in a previous host) Lenara Kahn, but as this is against the norms of Trill society she ropes in Julian Bashir to maintain the pretext that she was actually having dinner with him and invited Lenara to join them. Cut to Bashir looking bored as the two happily chat away, ignoring him the whole time until he's called away for a medical emergency. After he leaves, Lenara notes what a good friend he must be to Dax to put up with that.

* ''LightNovel/MyNextLifeAsAVillainessAllRoutesLeadToDoom'': Keith has a NotBloodSiblings crush on his adoptive sister Catarina, who got engaged to Prince Geordo a little before Keith was adopted into her household. When all three of them grow into teenagehood, Geordo regularly invites Catarina on what he means to be dates. In addition to [[IdiotHero Catarina]] not always realizing she's meant to come alone and not seeing any problem with bringing Keith along, Keith frequently invites himself to what events Catarina actually goes to alone as her chaperone, as he worries Geordo with use TheBabyTrap on Catalina.

* On ''Series/HowIMetYourMother'', Ted Mosby, when between relationships, was usually C, but sometimes could be A or C to Marshall and Lily. When he very briefly moved out, they realized how much they needed him since he was the one who bought most of the household items like towels, dishes, food,...

** When Leonard and Penny first got together and before Sheldon was introduced to Amy (and frankly, even ''after''), he became their third wheel. Less awkward, more annoying the heck out of them with Sheldon being generally oblivious to it. To the point that Sheldon's neediness has even prevented Leonard and Penny from moving in with one another full-time now that they've married.

* ''Webcomic/SleeplessDomain'': When the FireIceDuo Undine considers joining forces with turns out to be a SickeninglySweethearts BattleCouple, she gets the mental image of a burning wheel, a frozen wheel, and a wheel engulfed in water (representing her own MakingASplash powers). The burning and frozen wheels have a heart between them.

'''Fry:''' Hey, you know who loves secluded picnics with just you and me? ''(looks over at Leela who shakes her head.)'' Uh, Dr. Zoidberg.\\

* A ''Series/MrShow'' sketch is about this: a couple's friend joins them on their ''honeymoon''. The husband doesn't see anything wrong with his buddy hanging around his wedding night, but his wife objects. Every time they say the words "third wheel," the couple freezes and the third guy sings a brief song on an acoustic guitar: "Legend, oh legend, the third wheel legend. Always in the way!"

* In ''Fanfic/GapYearAdentures by Creator/AAPessimal, after seven years at school followed by over a year of travelling together, Mariella becomes one when Rivka meets the Cenotian exchange student Aaron, sent to Rimwards Howondaland to learn agricultural management. Mariella does not like the feel of this very much, especially when she realises it makes it less socially awkward to make up a four. And the only available man is [[AbhorrentAdmirer Horst Lensen]].

* ''LightNovel/MyNextLifeAsAVillainessAllRoutesLeadToDoom'': Keith has a NotBloodSiblings crush on his adoptive sister Catarina, who got engaged to Geordo a little before Keith was adopted into her household. When all three of them grow into teenagehood, Geordo regularly invites Catarina on what he means to be dates. In addition to Catarina not always realizing she's meant to come alone and not seeing any problem with bringing Keith along, Keith frequently invites himself to what events Catarina actually goes to alone as her chaperone.

The nature of the third wheel can vary widely. He might be a nuisance to the couple and be constantly told to leave them alone. On the other hand, he might get pulled willingly along with the couple, possibly because they need his help, enjoy his company or just don't want to be alone with each other. Circumstances might simply conspire to keep the third wheel around, whether or not any of them want him to be there.

* ''[[ComicBook/RobinSeries Robin]]'': While Ives prefers to only join Tim and Ariana if its a double date and he's accompanied by Callie things don't always work out in his favor and he usually antagonizes Ari even if he is with Callie. Unknown to Tim Ives is actually an incredibly useful third wheel because whenever Tim takes off to deal with something as Robin without an explanation he Ives makes one up for him while also implying Ari is being ridiculous for questioning her boyfriend's disappearance.

* ''LightNovel/MyNextLifeAsAVillainessAllRoutesLeadToDoom'': Keith has a NotBloodSiblings crush on his adoptive sister Katarina, who got engaged to Geordo a little before Keith was adopted into her household. When all three of them grow into teenagehood, Geordo regularly invites Catarina on what he means to be dates. In addition to Catarina not always realizing she's meant to come alone and not seeing any problem with briging Keith along, Keith frequently invites himself at what events Catarina actually goes to alone as her chaperone.

[[folder:VideoGames]]

* ''Webcomic/SleeplessDomain'': When the FireIceDuo Undine considers joining forces with turns out to be a SickeninglySweethearts BattleCouple, she gets the mental image of a burning wheel, a frozen wheel and a wheel engulfed in water (representing her own MakingASplash powers). The burning and frozen wheels have a heart between them.

[[folder:WesternAnimation]]

* A non-romantic variation appears in the ''WesternAnimation/KimPossible'' episode "Two to Tutor". Señor Senior Senior hires Shego to tutor Junior in proper villainy, but becomes increasingly resentful as Shego brusquely brushes off his attempts to drop in on the lessons and see how Junior is doing. Finally, he goes so far as to tip off the intended target of their planned robbery.

-->'''Candace:''' What? No. I always saw it more like Jeremy and I were two wheels and you were separate, on a unicycle all ''(sings a quick snipet of "Entrance of the Gladiators").''

* Both ''Film/SherlockHolmes2009'' and its sequel ''Film/SherlockHolmesAGameOfShadows'' are ripe with this trope. Holmes is a third wheel to Watson and Mary, or Mary is a third wheel to Holmes and Watson; HeterosexualLifePartners or HoYay, your choice.

* Robert from ''Theatre/{{Company}}'' willingly plays third wheel to five married couples he's friends with. In fact, they love and depend on him so much they have ''several'' songs about him third wheeling.

* Timon and Pumbaa of ''Disney/TheLionKing'' certainly become third wheels once Simba and Nala meet up again. Simba kind of politely lets Timon know that the two of them aren't wanted.

* In "WesternAnimation/DanVs, the titular character is this to his friend Chris and his partner Elise. In ''The Fancy Restaurant'' Dan even accompanies Chris and Elise on their anniversary dinner:

* In "WesternAnimation/DanVs The Fancy Restaurant" Dan accompanies Chris and Elise on their anniversary dinner.

* ''Manga/AoHaruRide'': Touma, Uchimiya, and Shun. Touma and Uchimiya are the ones with girlfriends. Therefore, whenever the three run into Futaba and her friends, Touma and Uchimiya end up making plans with their girlfriends and leaving out Shun.