My first thought was “all of them” but that’s too easy to say. Also, when they mug me that much, I tend to just not watch them. I remember seeing one snippet of Game of Thrones – the wedding night of the white haired chick I think? And that was enough to completely curdle my stomach against the whole show.
Then I tried to think of some that didn’t, shows that actively focused on stories of friendship or other more complex relationships. That was much harder.
Suggestions:
Hunger Games: This was Katniss “I’m never having kids”, who had an easy but not terribly physical relationship with Gail before she left (and maybe resonated with me a bit, as an asexual who had a boyfriend in the past because… that what you do with boys you like), an uncomfortable forced relationship with unrequited attraction/love from Peeta and who only eventually had children in her 30s almost as an allowance to Peeta who had persisted with her through so much. A partner she almost had to take because she was otherwise isolated, alone, felt guilt AND felt care/love for them (but not that kind) and knew they loved her much more intensely. How do you say no in that sort of situation without feeling like a selfish monster?
Maybe I’m reading too much into it, but yeah. I got a strong asexual vibe from Katniss and I felt like her relationships were more interesting because of it. Thoughts?
I can’t think of any other blockbuster movies and haven’t watched TV in ages but maybe…
Stargate SG1: What do you reckon? Aside from a couple of token episodes, we had Colonel Jack “I’m married to my job, ex-wife and grief of losing my son” O’Neill whose sole romantic interaction seemed to be steadfastly NOT making eyes at Carter. Carter herself who had a bit of of flushed attraction for the Colonel but who also seemed uninterested in taking any steps to go further than that (and she could have, it wasn’t impossible). Jackson got an early shot at ‘wah my wife’s a Goa’uld meatsuit’ but after that I’m pretty sure he never had any serious kind of relationship and I think Teal’c also came with an ex-wife and a son before the show started and only had his alien-culture-meets-human-romance played for laughs a couple of times.
And finally, leaving the TV/Movie arena (there must be more but I can’t think of any at the moment), Final Fantasy XV. A forced wedding between friends where the main character was, despite the wink-wink-nudge-nudge of his friends, plainly and repeatedly reluctant, only going through with it out of duty. You then almost don’t even see the would-be bride as the game focuses on the relationship between the main character and his friends instead.
Hmm. After writing all that I realise I’ve not really responded to the thrust of the initial question. I got distracted trying to think of good counter-examples.
But seriously, anything with “constant sexual references” – I just don’t watch em, because they irritate so much. That’s probably why I don’t watch a lot of tv.
Very sad.