Allison: We have a sound guy now because we’re blowing up all over the web.
Gabe: And I’m blowing something else. Welcome to the show.
—>— “How Do You Know If Someone Likes You?”
Gabe: And I’m blowing something else. Welcome to the show.
—>— “How Do You Know If Someone Likes You?”
Just Between Us is a weekly pseudo-love/relationship advice show on YouTube created by and starring comedians Allison Raskin and Gabe Dunn, frequently seen in BuzzFeed videos.
Each week the two take on a "viewer" question in a short clip. In the beginning, Raskin wrote the questions but since the show's popularity increased, some actual audience-submitted questions have been used. The show is loosely scripted, so the two leads play exaggerated versions of themselves — Raskin as a perky Pollyanna and Dunn as a loud Ethical Slut, and they answer the question while occasionally pretending to break character, bicker and make up, or wander off onto tangents.
Despite being a humor show, they frequently give serious advice about the topic of the week. They occasionally have guest stars from other YouTube channels. They also release one sketch video a week. Find it here.
Just Between Us contains examples of:
- Aren't You Going to Ravish Me?: A variant in "Don't Get Turned On". Very straight Allison wants help identifying a lump on her vagina, but doesn't want very bi Gabe being their usual Chivalrous Pervert self about it. The last lines of the sketch are:Allison: I just want you to know, I'm a little offended that you're not at all turned on.[Gabe sighs and rubs their eyes.]
- Arson, Murder, and Jaywalking: Allison's summary of her emotional baggage runs through developing OCD as a complication from strep throat, years of taking Prozac for anxiety and depression, and not being cool in high school.
- As Himself: Pornstar James Deen has a guest spot in one episode.
- Awkward Kiss: Allison agreed to kiss Gabe if the channel got 5,000 subscribers. She keeps her word...technically. Gabe is initially excited, but later sums up the experience thus:Gabe: No one had fun.
- Berserk Button: Do not get Gabe started on "The Patriarchy". It infuriates them.
- Lampshaded by Allison in the bloopers from the Body Switch episode, involving her shouting "The Patriarchy!" in different directions, hoping it'll be used as jump-cuts.
- The Big Damn Kiss: Allison and Gabe kiss after they prank Igor, TONGUE and all.
- Brutal Honesty: Gabe, frequently crossed with
Awesome Ego. Here's an example of them genuinely trying to reassure Allison:Gabe: Whoever you marry is gonna love you. They marry you, sure. Are they gonna be deaf and blind and not wanna fuck me? Probably not. - Celebrity Resemblance: Allison to Dakota Johnson. Inspires a Fifty Shades of Grey episode.
- Clip Show: Their 97th Sketch episode is introduced as a clip show of voted for favourite moments to celebrate their upcoming 100th sketch. It quickly becomes clear the episode is a parody - the clips are all completely new and contain many non-canon ideas (Gabe is an alien imposter! Allison confesses her love for Gabe!) Gabe is also wearing a different coloured wig in every scene.
- Curtains Match the Windows: Allison.
- Department of Redundancy Department: Allison shows off her new 10 pound weights, which are twice the size of her previous weights, which were 5 pound weights.
- Ethical Slut: Gabe is unashamedly polyamorous, bisexual, and open about their sexual exploits. In part the reason they often end up giving serious answers to the questions. Actual use of the word “slut” around them could trigger their Berserk Button though.
- Gag Penis: Well, gag dildo. From "Should You Hide Your True Self To Make Friends?", another of their sponsored episodes. It gets stuck to the table.Allison: [strained] How do you get this amazing product? Go to adamandeve.com and use our promo code, "between", and then you can get 50% off any product, including this huge dick.
- Heavy Sleeper: Despite how loud the two of them can get sometimes, Allison's dog Sugar hardly ever wakes up.
- Heterosexual Life-Partners: Allison and Gabe function as this trope, though Gabe isn't actually heterosexual. They even do the girlfriend tag together!
- Hypocritical Humor: Allison spends most of one episode berating Gabe for not promising they would always be best friends, before accidentally revealing she doesn't even know Gabe's middle name, while Gabe does know Allison's.Gabe: Allison Beth Raskin...
- Incompatible Orientation: A mild case. Gabe isn't in love with Allison, but they're clearly attracted, and even mentions that they thought Allison was into them when they first met. Every once in a while, they point out their availability should Allison ever want to experiment.
- Light Feminine and Dark Feminine: Gabe is blunt, sexually adventurous and edgy, while Allison is anxious, naive and a little square. Also have a more downplayed Tomboy and Girly Girl dynamic too.
- Looking for Love in All the Wrong Places: Gabe's questionable taste in men is often lampshaded. It doesn't seem to extend to their relationships with women.
- Lost in Character: In one couch video Allison just has to act as a straw bi-denying lesbian, but insists on being called Terese. And that she's a redhead. She even gives Gabe a little peck on the cheek to stay in gay character.
- Meaningful Rename: In a sketch Allison is jealous of Gabe spending time with Hot Alyson, so she renames herself Elyysa. With two 'y's!
- Meaningless Meaningful Words: Allison confronted Gabe with the question "What do you think a lie is, other than a secret about the truth?"
- No Fourth Wall: The two will often argue about business practices, personal issues outside the show, and technical problems, as well as reference other episodes.
- Gabe frequently brings up the fact that they and Allison no longer share an apartment, at which Allison will chide them for spoiling the illusion.
- Odd Couple: Allison even name-drops the trope in their "What Is This Channel?" video.
- Really Gets Around: Played for laughs with Gabe.Gabe: If I could go up to men I was interested in in public and just put a sticker on them that says, “Mine” I would do that.
Allison: And there wouldn’t be any men left for anyone else.
Gabe: Well that’s because no one else had stickers printed up. - Remember the New Guy?: Parodied after over 80 couch videos and over 20 sketches with the revelation that Allison and Gabe have had a third roommate all along! She is then kicked out of the apartment in the space of the same sketch, likely never to be seen again.
- Running Gag: Gabe wanting to hook up with Allison is constantly brought up and played for laughs.
- Sleepyhead: Allison's dog Sugar is almost constantly asleep, or at least extremely relaxed. It's a very rare occasion on which Sugar even moves.
- Unusual Euphemism: The reason they had to let Kenny the intern go was for "misconduct in the workplace".Gabe: [grins and points at themself]
