Anime & Manga
A one-woman man's what I wanna be
Stay by her side so faithfully
I would if I could
But it's just no good
'Cause there's two perfect girls for me!
Stay by her side so faithfully
I would if I could
But it's just no good
'Cause there's two perfect girls for me!
Fan Works
Love Triangle:
Female tourists will often be caught up in a love triangle. This generally happens in Undead Cities, where you will have trouble choosing between a Vampire and a human partner, and in Perfect Cities, where the government will assign you a perfect mate, but you will be drawn to someone unsuitable instead.
One of these potential lovers will be manipulative, dangerous, and difficult; the other will be faithful, honest, and reliable. After much soul-searching, you will inevitably choose the former.
Female tourists will often be caught up in a love triangle. This generally happens in Undead Cities, where you will have trouble choosing between a Vampire and a human partner, and in Perfect Cities, where the government will assign you a perfect mate, but you will be drawn to someone unsuitable instead.
One of these potential lovers will be manipulative, dangerous, and difficult; the other will be faithful, honest, and reliable. After much soul-searching, you will inevitably choose the former.
Film — Live-Action
"It is perhaps a strange circumstance that we both should be in love with the same woman."
—Victor Laszlo to Rick Blaine, Casablanca
"It's a pleasure to finally meet the competition."
Live-Action TV
Eric: We're just rooting for you Mr. Feeny, why won't you make your move?
Mr. Feeny: Eric, in a world that is not run by savages, there is such a thing as decorum. Now, decorum would suggest that a gentleman allow a lady to resolve an old relationship before he engages in a new one.
Eric: Yes, but see you're already in a new relationship. You're in a triangle, Feeny! [Makes a square as he says triangle] And take it from someone who has been in a triangle before, he who hesitates is lost. RACHEL!
Mr. Feeny: Eric, in a world that is not run by savages, there is such a thing as decorum. Now, decorum would suggest that a gentleman allow a lady to resolve an old relationship before he engages in a new one.
Eric: Yes, but see you're already in a new relationship. You're in a triangle, Feeny! [Makes a square as he says triangle] And take it from someone who has been in a triangle before, he who hesitates is lost. RACHEL!
Abed: Mariah, my name is Abed Nadir. My associate, Troy Barnes.
Troy: Charmed, I'm sure.
Mariah: Are you the guys that keep staring at me and intermittently yelling out 'books!'?
Troy: The very same. We're both interested in taking you to the Valentines dance — but, we are also best friends with each other.
Abed: It is of utmost importance we protect that friendship from the stresses of courting you, so we're trying to be as direct and above-board about this as possible.
Troy: Will you go to the dance with one of us — and if so, which one? [Abed gestures in a 'your move' fashion to Mariah]
Mariah: ... We need to get something straight here. This is the cutest thing that's ever happened to me. [Troy and Abed high five] But — I don't know either one of you.
Abed: Give us a moment. [Troy and Abed turn away from her and discuss amongst themselves briefly] New proposal — get to know us at the dance and decide which of us you'd like to see again.
Mariah: Okay. Deal.
Troy: Charmed, I'm sure.
Mariah: Are you the guys that keep staring at me and intermittently yelling out 'books!'?
Troy: The very same. We're both interested in taking you to the Valentines dance — but, we are also best friends with each other.
Abed: It is of utmost importance we protect that friendship from the stresses of courting you, so we're trying to be as direct and above-board about this as possible.
Troy: Will you go to the dance with one of us — and if so, which one? [Abed gestures in a 'your move' fashion to Mariah]
Mariah: ... We need to get something straight here. This is the cutest thing that's ever happened to me. [Troy and Abed high five] But — I don't know either one of you.
Abed: Give us a moment. [Troy and Abed turn away from her and discuss amongst themselves briefly] New proposal — get to know us at the dance and decide which of us you'd like to see again.
Mariah: Okay. Deal.
You know the trouble with you lot? You're in love with the wrong people!
—Mrs Patmore, to Daisy, Alfred, and Ivy, Downton Abbey
Ever since the very beginning, there's been three people in this relationship. You, me, and Barry.
— Eddie to Iris, The Flash (2014)
Ross: What am I gonna do? This is like a complete nightmare!
Chandler: Oh, I know, this must be so hard. "Oh no, two women love me. They're both gorgeous and sexy! My wallet's too small for my fifties, and my diamond shoes are too tight!"
Chandler: Oh, I know, this must be so hard. "Oh no, two women love me. They're both gorgeous and sexy! My wallet's too small for my fifties, and my diamond shoes are too tight!"
— Friends, "The One with the List"
"I don't want to be choosing between two girls, I want to be a complete, head-over-heels idiot for one!"
— Ted, How I Met Your Mother, "The Naked Truth"
Angela: My worst breakup was actually two breakups. Two different men. I was in love with both of them and when things went bad, they had a duel over me.
Oscar: Yeah, Dwight and Andy. We were here.
Angela: No, this was years ago when I was living in Ohio. John Mark and John David.
Oscar: Angela, you had two sets of different men actually duel over you?
"It's the old, old story: Droid meets Droid, Droid becomes Chameleon, Droid loses Chameleon, Chameleon turns into Blob, Droid gets Blob back again, Blob meets Blob, Blob goes off with Blob, and Droid loses Blob, Chameleon, and Droid. How many times have we seen that story?"
— Kryten, Red Dwarf
Freddie: She broke my heart, man.
Cook: She broke my heart as well. You broke my heart. I bet you’ve broken hers at some point. So what are we gonna do? Are we just three losers screwing each other forever? Or are we something better than that?
Cook: She broke my heart as well. You broke my heart. I bet you’ve broken hers at some point. So what are we gonna do? Are we just three losers screwing each other forever? Or are we something better than that?
— Skins
"... [T]he oldest story in the world: Two men. One woman. Trouble."
—Dana Scully, The X-Files
Music
Torn between two lovers
Feeling like a fool
Loving both of you is breaking all the rules
Feeling like a fool
Loving both of you is breaking all the rules
—Mary Mc Gregor, "Torn Between Two Lovers"
Poetry
"Dark and amusing he is, this handsome gallant,
Of chamois-polished charm,
Athlete and dancer of uncommon talent—
Is there cause for alarm
In his smooth demeanor, the proud tilt of his chin,
This cavaliere servente, this Harlequin?
"Gentle and kindly this other, ardent but shy,
With an intelligence
Who would not glory to be guided by—
And would it not make sense
To trust in someone so devoted, so
Worshipful as this tender, pale Pierrot?
"Since both of them delight, if I must choose
I win a matchless mate,
But by that very winning choice I lose—
I pause, I hesitate,
Putting decision off," says Columbine,
"And while I hesitate, they both are mine."
Of chamois-polished charm,
Athlete and dancer of uncommon talent—
Is there cause for alarm
In his smooth demeanor, the proud tilt of his chin,
This cavaliere servente, this Harlequin?
"Gentle and kindly this other, ardent but shy,
With an intelligence
Who would not glory to be guided by—
And would it not make sense
To trust in someone so devoted, so
Worshipful as this tender, pale Pierrot?
"Since both of them delight, if I must choose
I win a matchless mate,
But by that very winning choice I lose—
I pause, I hesitate,
Putting decision off," says Columbine,
"And while I hesitate, they both are mine."
— Anthony Hecht, "Dilemma"
Theatre
Zeke: She was beautiful, and he was hideous...OK, so this is Beauty and the Beast?
Brooke: Zeke! Less talking, more listening. 'Cause here's where it gets interesting...
Ezzy has another man, some
Guy named Raoul who's tall and handsome
And not all that pleased about her latest beau
Zeke: Ah, always a triangle.
Brooke: Zeke! Less talking, more listening. 'Cause here's where it gets interesting...
Ezzy has another man, some
Guy named Raoul who's tall and handsome
And not all that pleased about her latest beau
Zeke: Ah, always a triangle.
—"The Story of the Phantom", Goosebumps the Musical: Phantom of the Auditorium
Video Games
Two men fought for the sake of a single woman. Though indeed foolish, it was a tale as old as time.
Webcomics
Ran & Shizuki: We'd like to leave the decision to you, mother! Which one of is suitable as Tamaryu's life partner?
Seren: Hm? But when I heard your story, isn't there something off about your reasoning? The fox wants to be Tamaryu's wife. And Ran-tan wants Tamaryu as a wife.
Ran & Shizuki: Yes! ...Huh?
Seren: I knew it. Then it's settled. Fox becomes Tamaryu's wife, and Ran-tan receives Tamaryu as a wife.
Shizuki: T-Then if I receive Ran-chan as a wife, it's all fair.
Ran: Please make me happy...
Tamaryu: Let's think about this calmly! Can we all realize this story is getting even crazier!? And where's my say!?
Seren: Hm? But when I heard your story, isn't there something off about your reasoning? The fox wants to be Tamaryu's wife. And Ran-tan wants Tamaryu as a wife.
Ran & Shizuki: Yes! ...Huh?
Seren: I knew it. Then it's settled. Fox becomes Tamaryu's wife, and Ran-tan receives Tamaryu as a wife.
Shizuki: T-Then if I receive Ran-chan as a wife, it's all fair.
Ran: Please make me happy...
Tamaryu: Let's think about this calmly! Can we all realize this story is getting even crazier!? And where's my say!?
— Rakurakutei Ramen's Karin-dou 4koma (2011-05-02)
