I've always thought people were a little too hard on Michael. He hasn't always been the most likeable character, but I think Special was a turning point for me. I really loved what the writers did with his character in that episode. Since that time, I think Michael has grown with each successive episode into being the most normal person on the island. :lol2: I like that the writers chose to show fatherhood as an endurance race instead of a sprint. He kind of makes me wonder how he fits into the puzzle, though. I want to know about his daddy issues. Of course he is a daddy with issues, but I want to know what kind of issues he has with his daddy. There have to be some. It seems to me that he would be a good mirror for Sawyer's or Jack's character. Mainly, I just wanted to state that I'm a fan.

I had really not seen enough of Michael to get a good sense of who he is, but I loved
the scenes on the raft . I definitely want to see more of him in Season 2 :)

I agree, shootfire. At first, he really wasn't the most likable guy. He just seemed kind of angry. But after I saw Special, and learned more about him, I started to think he wasn't a bad guy. In fact, he's quite likeable. ;D

It was interesting watching HOTRS. It seemed the writer's may have changed directions with Michael and Walt. In HOTRS. Michael asks Walt if his mom told him anything about him and if he knew his birthday. Obviously Walt didn't because as we learned in Special, he never knew about Michael. Michael is definitely becoming more likable, but like Hurley, he was just a background character and now we are getting to know more about him so that makes him more interesting.

i love harolds charecter, he has really changed into an interesting charecter from being on the island

I think we need to see more of Michael's story before we can judge him. He does seem likable but maybe we will see a different side of him after Walt was taken in the last episode of Season 1.

I think we need to see more of Michael's story before we can judge him. He does seem likable but maybe we will see a different side of him after Walt was taken in the last episode of Season 1.

You make a good point. We usually do see the characters differently after a couple of flashbacks are aired. Of course, Locke, Kate and Jin are the ones that seemed the most different from our preconceived notions after their flashback episodes. I suppose there is still lots of story to tell. Sawyer kind of fits the Locke, Kate, and Jin category, but didn't we all know there was going to be a tragic story behind his rough exterior?

Doesn't Michael kick ***. "Adrift" while not as cool as some other episodes give ridiculously intense flashbacks for Michael.

You make a good point. We usually do see the characters differently after a couple of flashbacks are aired. Of course, Locke, Kate and Jin are the ones that seemed the most different from our preconceived notions after their flashback episodes. I suppose there is still lots of story to tell. Sawyer kind of fits the Locke, Kate, and Jin category, but didn't we all know there was going to be a tragic story behind his rough exterior?

Thanks shootfire! After watching last night's episode, I feel that we did not really learn enough new information about Michael and his relationship with Walt. Perhaps in the episodes to come!

LostElphie, I agree we didn't get much new information. I think TPTB just made a show they thought would be powerful. It was to a certain degree. The scene where Michael is broken down, having flashed back to giving Walt his parting polar bear, was awfully moving. It was interesting that he took all the guilt on himself, after lashing out at Sawyer, somewhat unfairly, in the beginning. Their arguing scenes reminded me of the way brothers fight. It was really priceless when Sawyer said, "What are you gonna do? Splash me?" I was already laughing when Michael actually did splash him. I suppose the flashbacks were a bit of a disappointment. We knew Michael loved Walt. I suppose we were supposed to see that he fought for Walt. Maybe we were supposed to see that he could have kept Susan in New York, but that he believed it would have been selfish to do it.

I've always thought people were a little too hard on Michael. He hasn't always been the most likeable character, but I think Special was a turning point for me. I really loved what the writers did with his character in that episode. Since that time, I think Michael has grown with each successive episode into being the most normal person on the island. :lol2: I like that the writers chose to show fatherhood as an endurance race instead of a sprint. He kind of makes me wonder how he fits into the puzzle, though. I want to know about his daddy issues. Of course he is a daddy with issues, but I want to know what kind of issues he has with his daddy. There have to be some. It seems to me that he would be a good mirror for Sawyer's or Jack's character. Mainly, I just wanted to state that I'm a fan.

Michael is an idiot who has never thought through a single decision on his own. He is always angry because everything that happens in his life is a total surprise to him, since he can't understand the concept of cause and effect. Only a complete moron would take a small child on a suicide raft mission.

I've never really thought much about what I thought of Michael and after reading this thread, I see everyone's kind of in the same boat.

Is there a reason we all have no strong opinion either way (most of us)?

Is his character written that way on purpose. We're not supposed to think about him much because he is actually very intrical (?) to the story of Lost? They keep us distracted with other things so we don't analyze Michael too much? Another question to put on the very loooong list of things to keep your eye on.

I wrote Walt's character, including island happenings on the LLL, and I didn't come away with a strong opinion of Michael either way. What's with that?

Michael is an idiot who has never thought through a single decision on his own. He is always angry because everything that happens in his life is a total surprise to him, since he can't understand the concept of cause and effect. Only a complete moron would take a small child on a suicide raft mission.

Well that's a little harsh, especially for this subforum. I think Michael has thought about how his actions might effect Walt. The problem is that human beings are sometimes blinded to reason when they have strong feelings. I think he made a considered decision to let Walt go with Susan. He couldn't possibly have known the fallout of that decision in the future. Granted the raft mission was a complete failure, but the Pacific didn't get Walt. The others did, and no way could he have foreseen that turn of events. The island and its inhabitants may well turn out to be the things that pose the greatest danger to Walt in the end. Whether it's rational or not, sometimes parents just have a sixth sense when it comes to their children. A lot of times they have to operate on intuition. Let's not forget that Walt also wanted to leave and expressed that desire in unequivocal terms. I think Michael was right on the money not wanting Walt hanging around Locke. Look at what happened to Boone. Yes, Michael reacts to things emotionally and impulsively, but once he gathers his wits about him, he usually comes to a reasoned decision.

Good comments Shootfire. I'm nowhere near ready to give up on the character either. He may not generate excitement and emotion one way or the other but I'm certain he has an integral role to play before it's all done. I have to say though, and I mentioned this in another Episode thread, that they didn't exactly up his likeability factor to the general audience at the BEGINNING of last night's episode. Even knowing what I knew about him and his past, I still thought his actions towards another Lostaway was petty. Shocked reactions? Ok. Pouting while your teammates in the water? I though he would step up, help, then grieve.

:biggrin: to "'What are gonna do, splash me? " and he does. This event and going forward in the coming episodes is going to help bond them I'm sure.

So although Michael's actions at the start bugged me, is it really the writers duty to do everything they can to make us "like" a character? Heck no and that's why in some circumstances like here, I ultimately end up liking them. Another cliche alert but they've done an amazing job of crafting real, 3D people.

And to be perfectly clear and fair, they did elicit sympathy from me towards the character by reinforcing his loss. However, I received nothing new in terms of the motivations of the character. Just another piece solidifying Michael's love for his son. But maybe that's part of the plan all along when it comes to Michael. Make him as predictable as possible, show us who he is and what's he all about, reinforce it, then drop the bomb and change it all up. It will make any change that much more surprising. And even if they don't, we've still been fortunate to meet an interesting character who imo has been an integral part of all time great tv history.

HighRise, I don't often quote an entire post. I try to keep my comments concise, but I really appreciated what you said. I think you did a better job overall of making my points than I did. :smile: When I think about Michael, I think of what my mother used to say about fast friends. Fast friends are not necessarily what you want. They are easy to like, and that's why we become friends with them immediately. It is the friends that we make over time, the ones we know more intimately, that are our greatest treasures in the end.

LostElphie, I agree we didn't get much new information. I think TPTB just made a show they thought would be powerful. It was to a certain degree. The scene where Michael is broken down, having flashed back to giving Walt his parting polar bear, was awfully moving. It was interesting that he took all the guilt on himself, after lashing out at Sawyer, somewhat unfairly, in the beginning. Their arguing scenes reminded me of the way brothers fight. It was really priceless when Sawyer said, "What are you gonna do? Splash me?" I was already laughing when Michael actually did splash him. I suppose the flashbacks were a bit of a disappointment. We knew Michael loved Walt. I suppose we were supposed to see that he fought for Walt. Maybe we were supposed to see that he could have kept Susan in New York, but that he believed it would have been selfish to do it.

I completely agree. I think it was so important to see how Michael really wanted to fight for Walt but knew it was best for him to go with Susan. And how cute was the little boy who played younger Walt. He was adorable!

And how cute was the little boy who played younger Walt. He was adorable!

Yes, he was a cute little boy. I was amazed at how much he looked like MDK too!

Yes, he was a cute little boy. I was amazed at how much he looked like MDK too!

Yes, not only did they look almost alike but they had similar mannerisms and ways of reacting to situations (I guess that means that the creative team of Lost is really doing their job!)