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I don't know if you've ever seen Billable Hours--a show about an apparent hobbit (Sam) and his suave friend (Clark) who have various hijinks working in a law firm. It's an often-funny, sometimes-cringeworthy, workplace comedy, very Andy Richter Controls the Universe.
Because I'm me and this is what I do, I just assumed Sam and Clark were in a relationship until proven otherwise, which didn't take very long; it so happened that the first episode I watched, while very sweetly about their friendship, also confirmed that it's just friendship (it was the one where Clark's dad pretends to want to have sex with Sam; Clark's dad: "You really love the little guy, huh?" Clark: "Yeah, I do... Not the way you want to.")
However, if I'd started watching from the beginning, it would have taken a lot longer to abandon my prejudgment. I'm just watching the first two episodes now and not only is there no counterevidence whatsoever, we also get exchanges which would be exactly the same if the premise were "a hobbit and his suave boyfriend have law firm hijinks."
[when Sam and Clark are competing for a parking spot]
Sam: Clark, I need to talk to you about something serious.
Clark: Are you breaking up with me?
Sam: Uh, no. This parking thing. It's important to me. I just wanted you to know.
[when Sam signs up Clark to be a fire marshall without his consent]
Clark: We swore to each other we were done with the ghost email as a weapon! It was off the floor!
Sam: I just thought you'd look cute in a little fire marshall vest!
Honestly, though, it would be very easy to make Sam and Clark friends-who-are-rivals, always tricking and snarking and trying to get the better of each other, with cool Clark getting the upper hand each time; but whenever it starts getting too much like that, Clark generally does something sweet. Like after he spends an entire episode making fun of Sam for being in debt, he makes sure he gets the money to pay it off (albeit only after playing an elaborate practical joke that culminates in Sam having to do a striptease). Or after Clark openly delights in the taunts of Sam's high school bully, he walks in on the guy putting Sam in a headlock and flips out, all, "What the fuck was that?!" Even though something like it happens nearly every episode, it's always kind of unexpected and heartwarming.
Because I'm me and this is what I do, I just assumed Sam and Clark were in a relationship until proven otherwise, which didn't take very long; it so happened that the first episode I watched, while very sweetly about their friendship, also confirmed that it's just friendship (it was the one where Clark's dad pretends to want to have sex with Sam; Clark's dad: "You really love the little guy, huh?" Clark: "Yeah, I do... Not the way you want to.")
However, if I'd started watching from the beginning, it would have taken a lot longer to abandon my prejudgment. I'm just watching the first two episodes now and not only is there no counterevidence whatsoever, we also get exchanges which would be exactly the same if the premise were "a hobbit and his suave boyfriend have law firm hijinks."
[when Sam and Clark are competing for a parking spot]
Sam: Clark, I need to talk to you about something serious.
Clark: Are you breaking up with me?
Sam: Uh, no. This parking thing. It's important to me. I just wanted you to know.
[when Sam signs up Clark to be a fire marshall without his consent]
Clark: We swore to each other we were done with the ghost email as a weapon! It was off the floor!
Sam: I just thought you'd look cute in a little fire marshall vest!
Honestly, though, it would be very easy to make Sam and Clark friends-who-are-rivals, always tricking and snarking and trying to get the better of each other, with cool Clark getting the upper hand each time; but whenever it starts getting too much like that, Clark generally does something sweet. Like after he spends an entire episode making fun of Sam for being in debt, he makes sure he gets the money to pay it off (albeit only after playing an elaborate practical joke that culminates in Sam having to do a striptease). Or after Clark openly delights in the taunts of Sam's high school bully, he walks in on the guy putting Sam in a headlock and flips out, all, "What the fuck was that?!" Even though something like it happens nearly every episode, it's always kind of unexpected and heartwarming.