I haven't seen a lot of these shows, so I can't speak to the details, but I certainly agree that any time a guy gets back together with a woman who gets fucked by some other guy is a total loser.
I remember bringing this up in another thread regarding the movie Crazy, Stupid, Love. Steve Carrell's character's wife cheats on him, yet he is portrayed as the bad guy and in the end begs her to get back together with him? Pathetic.
Regarding Sixteen Candles and The Wonder Years, the latter in particular is indeed a great show for the reasons that have been mentioned, and ages particularly well, again for the reasons mentioned.
I do want to mention Paul in TWY and Anthony Michael Hall (The Geek) in SC. Are both really 'beta'? Or are they just awkward, nerdy guys trying to do their best? AMH may have been 'The Geek', but hell, at least he tried. Likewise, Paul was an overt nerd, but I recall him at least trying with girls and often standing up for himself.
I bring this up mainly because I listen to how many of the women I work with and who are in my extended social circle talk about men. They are so unforgiving with men (unless he has $$ of course), conveniently overlooking their own shortcomings. It is fun though to listen to these aging harpies, with their sagging skin, expanding asses, and shitty attitudes, act as if their mediocre jobs make them a ten. Yet I witness more than a few men, who have committed the crime of being either not tall, don't make a small fortune and/or being slightly awkward, yearn for the affection of a pleasant, fit woman. More than a few have come to me for advice, and I always tell them to maintain their fitness and finances, and be as assertive as possible. But it's not in everyone's nature to do so, and often requires persistence and determination that can be draining. Women don't have to worry about this. All they have to do is not eat like a fucking hippo, be pleasant, and then show up.
Point is, not everyone can be 'alpha'. Some guys are just awkward, nerdy, not the physically strongest, etcetera. Yet they manage to do the best they can with the cards they were dealt with, and learn social skills through trial and error. Even then, they don't turn out to be James Bond, but can still obviously succeed in life. So yes, a guy is certainly 'beta' if he gets back together with a woman who cucks him. That should be the definition of beta, not a guy who is just the socially awkward nerd.
