Michael!

[Megachick700]

In case ya'll didnt read on this exact site how a guy went to the AD set, he said he was talking to jason bateman and he said sum of the things that ya'll said about how he thot jason was condescending and aloof and he was happy to be proven wrong and that he was actually very nice

[Beatrice]

has anyone else noticed that michael is getting a whole lot meaner this season? like, he was condescending last season, but he's just plain mean now. esp about the ann thing.

[Dr. Wordsmith]

I think it's a deliberate choice on the writers' and Jason Bateman's parts for Micheal to get meaner. They've been pretty systematic about stripping away everything that made him initally sympathetic; the widower and devoted father has now been revealed to have married because he got his wife pregnant, and is willing to compromise his son's happiness because he doesn't like George Michael's girlfriend.

It's a choice that makes sense, at this point. In the first season, we as the fans needed someone to sympathize with on the show, but the other characters -- especially love-desperate GOB and neglected-but-ambitious Maeby -- are now nuanced enough to be sympathetic, so the way is clear for Michael to be as much of a characature as the rest of the Bluths.

Or maybe I'm totally off base, and it's just coincidence that makes Michael seem meaner.

[Tio]

I think it's a deliberate choice on the writers' and Jason Bateman's parts for Micheal to get meaner. They've been pretty systematic about stripping away everything that made him initally sympathetic; the widower and devoted father has now been revealed to have married because he got his wife pregnant, and is willing to compromise his son's happiness because he doesn't like George Michael's girlfriend.

It's a choice that makes sense, at this point. In the first season, we as the fans needed someone to sympathize with on the show, but the other characters -- especially love-desperate GOB and neglected-but-ambitious Maeby -- are now nuanced enough to be sympathetic, so the way is clear for Michael to be as much of a characature as the rest of the Bluths.

Or maybe I'm totally off base, and it's just coincidence that makes Michael seem meaner.

I agree with this. Michael is just as dysfunctional as the rest of them. I think the slow reveal of MB's faults is the writer's way of holding up a mirror to the audience.

[Kiarnit]

the other characters -- especially love-desperate GOB and neglected-but-ambitious Maeby -- are now nuanced enough to be sympathetic, so the way is clear for Michael to be as much of a characature as the rest of the Bluths.

I agree with this. Michael is just as dysfunctional as the rest of them. I think the slow reveal of MB's faults is the writer's way of holding up a mirror to the audience.

And don't forget, we can always sympathize with George Michael, who is still a sweetie pie. Personally, I love Snarky!Michael. I can be a right bitch, myself, so I don't have any trouble empathizing with him during his uncharitable moments. I think that Tio is right that the character has basically been this way all along and that we're just getting more insight as time goes on. Also, the stress of watching your only child hover on the brink of adulthood tends to make people get a little weird, and Michael was more off-kilter than he cared to admit to begin with. I've always thought Michael's character was pretty self-serving, and I say this because I identify with so many of the character's manipulative traits that it's not even funny. Holding up a mirror is absolutely right. But unlike Michael, I know I'm a rigid, obsessive-compulsive control freak who tries to run her friends' and family's lives, thank you very much.

[Tio]

great post

[Dr. Wordsmith]

I have to admit, it didn't occur to me that Michael's cloaked disfunctionality was designed to be a mirror for the audience, but now that you point it out, I *really* hope the writers have that kind of foresight!

And I'm with you, Kiarnit, on the love of snarky Michael. I like him better like this! He's definetly more human -- sure he's given up virtually everything for his family, but at least he gets the smug sense of superiority out of it.

[Beatrice]

yeah, i agree that hte meanness makes michael more real. and JB even mentioned in an interview that it's not fun watching a guy do the right thing all the time.

i guess this season is showing that he is a bluth as much as everyone else.

and the whole mirroring the audience...sharp observation.

[Beatrice]

NPR has much to say about the haircut:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/stor ... Id=4666438

[buy curious]

Hi everyone, Im new to this board so just wanted to say hello and to show my appreciation of one of the best, if not the best comedies around! All of the guys are fantastic but Jason Bateman is such a hottie!

[Rivers]

Michael is clearly the most intregal character to the show. Remove any other character and show still works. Take out Michael, and you've got a broken show.

[Radha]

I think he's got a bit of a Messianic complex as well, but that's why I like the character.

[kiwiwerewolf]

Sort of leeching off of Tio and Dr. Wordsmith, Michael seemed like the only loyal, noble member of the family and everyone accepted that thinking "wow, somehow he ended up dodging the faulty parenting that he's been surrounded by," but maybe he just hides it better than the rest. Or he has reasons to hide it. Like a naive son. And a dark past.

It's weird though; I can't stand Jason Bateman in any role other than Michael Bluth. Seems like a very fitting character for him as an actor...

[Blendin Inc.]

He seemed to have gained a bit of weight in Season 3, or maybe it's the age lines. I dunno what it is, but he looks slightly different. I also noticed noticed throughout the series is that Michael has a tendency to have his chin in the airwhenever he talks to someone which shows Michael's condescension.

[ACR]

I actually noticed that after listening to the S1 commentary - can't remeber exactly what was said but I got the impression JB is a little conscious of having a double chin. It's kinda begun to annoy me because its all I notice in some scenes.