27 Underrated Tropes That Should Be More Popular
What a cliché!
Clichés and tropes, huh? No matter how much we pretend that they're overdone and useless, the reality is that the reason clichés and tropes occur over and over again in fiction is because they're entertaining—because no matter how many versions of one trope exist in the universe, there will always be another way to tell the story.
But let's turn our attention, shall we? Here are a handful of tropes/scenarios/clichés in fiction that I would certainly love to see more of!
1. Enemies with benefits
2. Assumed-unrequited-but-really-requited love
3. Character A is in love with Character B who is murderer/assassin/serial killer
Uhhh... sidenote? This one is a bit hit-or-miss. When I think of this trope, I think of "Killing Eve," which does a good job of balancing the toxic aspect this trope presents with the potential relationship. Obviously, there is a very fine line with this, but when it is done well, the end product is quite enjoyable.
4. Found family
5. Soulmates from birth
6. Fake married
7. Power couple
8. Character A admitting their feelings for the love interest while asleep/sick/drunk
9. Character A fiercely hugs Character B who is shocked for a split second before returning the gesture
10. There are two beds, but the main characters still share one
11. Same height pairings
12. Intimate hair brushing
13. Platonic kissing
14. Evil former friend
15. Fallback marriage pact
16. Accidental hug
17. Can't live with them, can't live without them
18. Super family team
19. Wacky parent, serious child
20. Exhaustion faint
21. Headbutt thermometer
22. Motivational kiss
23. Not blood siblings
24. Romance-inducing smudge
25. Second love
26. Undercover as lovers
27. Character A is injured but doesn't let any of the characters know until they're in a safe place and Character A passes out
These are just a few of many tropes I'd love to see more in fiction! If you wish to fall down the rabbit hole of tropes and clichés, I'd suggest checking out tvtropes.org which has an abundance of popular ones to study and entertain yourself with.
