Is it just me?

Is it Harold's delivery?

Is it the line itself?

Cause... hell, no! I cannot believe the way he talked to Jin and Sun. Seriously?

I just found it bizarre and my brain automatically translated it into the title of this thread.

I completely 100% agree.

I can't remember what the exact line was, but it almost had a self-righteous air to it in my mind, like, "Hey, look at me, aren't I great for coming back here and trying to atone for being a bastard."

That's the way it sounded to me as well! That scene makes me like him even less! After Keamy beat the crap out of him last week, I was starting to feel sorry for him but no more! He sounded too self-righteous!

Is it just me?

Is it Harold's delivery?

Is it the line itself?

Cause... hell, no! I cannot believe the way he talked to Jin and Sun. Seriously?

I just found it bizarre and my brain automatically translated it into the title of this thread.


It's you. I certainly don't feel the same.

That's why I'm asking for input here. :smile: I didn't expect everyone to react the same way, but it just struck me as such an odd thing to say in THAT tone of voice... I don't know.

Harold slipped back into "They took my son!" mode.

It had the same tone that made his character unlikable back in Season 2.

Harold slipped back into "They took my son!" mode.

It had the same tone that made his character unlikable back in Season 2.


Gobi-1: You said it so I wouldn't have to. Thanks.

Harold is a great actor (look for him as the narrator of the HBO show "Oz" -- he was brilliant), but I think he often struggles with Michael's motivation, possibly because the writers don't provide him with the best lines.

In Michael's defense: He may have said what he said to Sun and Jin because he's tired of explaining himself -- not only to other people, but to himself.

Gobi-1: You said it so I wouldn't have to. Thanks.

Harold is a great actor (look for him as the narrator of the HBO show "Oz" -- he was brilliant), but I think he often struggles with Michael's motivation, possibly because the writers don't provide him with the best lines.

In Michael's defense: He may have said what he said to Sun and Jin because he's tired of explaining himself -- not only to other people, but to himself.

I would have to agree with Flotsam here. I didn't get any condemnation from Michael's tone of voice, if anything he sounded like he was in pain and really hoping that his one friend Jin would understand him. It was a very sad scene to me and made me feel more for Michael... not less. :)

Didn't he toss a "you people" in there for good measure? O.o

I think he is sick of explaining that just because the Others brought him back to the Island doesn't mean he doesn't have his own, nobler reasons for being there. I'm actually sort of surprised Jin didn't punch his face open though.

yea, but you gotta look at it from his view. he's been living the most stressful life these past couple months off the island. he's trying to help the losties, but all he's getting is hate hate hate. albeit he deserves it for killing libby+anna and freeing ben. but at least he did get on the boat with the best intentions.

yea, but you gotta look at it from his view. he's been living the most stressful life these past couple months off the island. he's trying to help the losties, but all he's getting is hate hate hate. albeit he deserves it for killing libby+anna and freeing ben. but at least he did get on the boat with the best intentions.

I have to agree with this. They certain have reason to question him, but from his perspective, he's trying to help and his life certainly hasn't been a walk in the park since he got off the island.

yea, but you gotta look at it from his view. he's been living the most stressful life these past couple months off the island.

Well, yeah... killing people does tend to create stress.

I'm actually not hating on Michael, I'm very interested in his character and I love Harold. I do. I just found that to be an odd choice because stress or not, good intentions or not, come ON! Executed two people right in their camp to save nobody but his son and himself. A little... humility is to be expected and something went wrong there, whether in delivery or writing because it really didn't come out that way for me.

You know, being a parent, I've actually thought this and asked myself, what wouldn't I do for my kids?? If put in Michaels' position at the time, I think maybe I'd of looked for another way of getting Ben out rather than kill 2 innocent people, but if there was no other way (which in his then state of desperation he may have believed to be the true) I can't say that I wouldn't have done the same thing - I just don't know. There isn't a whole lot a parent wouldn't do to save their child. That being said - I'm not defending Michael. What he did was horrible, but he knows it and has not been able to live with himself. He is trying to do the right thing, knowing that they all hate him. I think perhaps he reacted the way he did because he was to trying to make his point with out wasting any valuable time, you know, not spend hours trying to arguing over something that can't be changed. Still, Michael just isn't one of my favorites.

Michael has always been a bit abrasive... certainly not the epitome of cool and composure. I think he's desperate to atone for his sins -- especially with Sun and Jin, who he had the most history with on the island. I'm pretty sure if we fast forward to Future Sayid, he'd have a very similar reaction if someone accused him of being Ben's lacky (even though they both really are).

I am not personally a Michael fan, but I think that doesspeak to Harold's skill as an actor. Michael is not a hero and he's not particularly likeable, but he's trying to at least pull himself out of the gutter. He's working towards redemption.

He's also one of the few charaters who seemed to fair no better on or off the island. I think that's interesting.

Michael seems to get more heat than any other character on this message board. I think he's a fantastic character, and acted amazingly by Mr. Perrineau.

I just wonder why Michael seems to get so much resentment here because he killed two innocent people? I believe Sawyer killed a shrimp salesman and he didn't take nearly this much abuse.

Michael seems to get more heat than any other character on this message board. I think he's a fantastic character, and acted amazingly by Mr. Perrineau.

It's not just on this message board, it's everywhere... Everyone I talk LOST with in real life hates him too.

It's everything everyone else has said... the abrasiveness, the fact that he killed 2 innocent people, etc. And his "Waaaaaaalt!!!"'s and "MY SON!"'s were amazingly irritating.

I just wonder why Michael seems to get so much resentment here because he killed two innocent people? I believe Sawyer killed a shrimp salesman and he didn't take nearly this much abuse.

You're absolutely right that Sawyer gets a free pass and that isn't entirely fair... But... thinking about the two situations, Sawyer was led to believe that the shrimp dude was the other Sawyer, and that's why he killed him.

Plus, Michael killed *two* people - two unarmed women no less. The gender factor is significant, here, in my opinion. Plus, not to mention the fact that one of them (Libby) was extremely sweet and likeable, and was the romantic interest of one of the most likeable characters on the show, Hurley.

thinking about the two situations, Sawyer was led to believe that the shrimp dude was the other Sawyer, and that's why he killed him.

So false, premeditated revenge is more forgivable than an a desperate rescue attempt?

And let's keep in mind. . .Libby was accidental.

I think he gets hated on over Libbys death, not the other one. I think most of us Hurley fans really wanted him and Libby to have a thing and him to be happy (I did), but I've not cared much for Micahel except the Jin/Michael relationship was one of my favorite. I was hoping they would of had a moment but didn't seem to be.

Sawyer also didn't kill anyone we cared a bout. If anyone shuold be hated on for violence its Sayid lol

Well, Tom fans might disagree with you, there.

so if libbey showed up in more flashbacks and turned out to be some rotten person who was truly evil... Michael wouldn't be as hated? I'll bet not.

Is it just me? Is it Harold's delivery? Is it the line itself? Cause... hell, no! I cannot believe the way he talked to Jin and Sun. Seriously?

Michael should have shown more respect. After all, he has no idea that Sun shot and killed an unarmed woman on Desmond's boat, nor any knowledge of all the people Jin brutalized while working at Paik, and he certainly doesn't know how hubby and wife both helped push a bald rich kid to take a swan dive from the penthouse to the pavement (parked car notwithstanding).

I'm now 100% convinced that all of the time loop theorists are correct, because I have in fact participated in this exact thread once before. Although in the original time line, it was on the Meet Kevin Johnson board, and it was titled "Why the Michael backlash?" So, in hopes of escaping fate and breaking the loop, I'm going to try not to participate again.

The only thing that I wanted to say, is that I find it odd that we have an adoration thread going somewhere for Keamy, the man who shot a kneeling teenager at point blank range in the back of the head, and yet a new Michael hate thread pops up after every episode. :confused:

Does it really have to be explained why Sawyer is more appealing than Michael? Sawyer, for all of his flaws, has some endearing qualities, especially lately. It's not just a matter of forgiving one guy for a murder and not the other. It's the whole package - we haven't been given very many reasons to like Michael. I have hated Sawyer at times but he keeps giving me reasons to like him again. Not so with Michael. Geez, when Michael hated on Sawyer after Sawyer took a bullet trying to save his kid....Wow - hard to take.

Think Charlotte - remember Faraday's line to her? Something like: "See Charlotte, it's just THAT kind of attitude that doesn't help?" He reminded her of why the Losties don't trust her when she shot off some snarky remark. My point? The way Michael talked to Sun and Jin...he could use a little talk from Faraday.

yah but Keamy's hot (apparently). So he can be an *)$%*(@( and still get the women.

Nice guys get no women. Or their kids.

Does it really have to be explained why Sawyer is more appealing than Michael? Sawyer, for all of his flaws, has some endearing qualities, especially lately. It's not just a matter of forgiving one guy for a murder and not the other. It's the whole package - we haven't been given very many reasons to like Michael. I have hated Sawyer at times but he keeps giving me reasons to like him again. Not so with Michael. Geez, when Michael hated on Sawyer after Sawyer took a bullet trying to save his kid....Wow - hard to take.

Think Charlotte - remember Faraday's line to her? Something like: "See Charlotte, it's just THAT kind of attitude that doesn't help?" He reminded her of why the Losties don't trust her when she shot off some snarky remark. My point? The way Michael talked to Sun and Jin...he could use a little talk from Faraday.

Well I guess I could go back and add up all the endearing things michael has done versus everything great that sawyer has but I won't. There just seems to be gigantic double standard at play.

Does it really have to be explained why Sawyer is more appealing than Michael? Sawyer, for all of his flaws, has some endearing qualities, especially lately. It's not just a matter of forgiving one guy for a murder and not the other. It's the whole package - we haven't been given very many reasons to like Michael. I have hated Sawyer at times but he keeps giving me reasons to like him again. Not so with Michael. Geez, when Michael hated on Sawyer after Sawyer took a bullet trying to save his kid....Wow - hard to take.




If I had told the truth as to why Sawyer - whom I do not like any more or less than Michael - is more enduring . . . I would probably be banned from this board. I still haven't forgiven him for his hypocricy when he learned that Michael was on the boat.

Well I guess I could go back and add up all the endearing things michael has done versus everything great that sawyer has but I won't. There just seems to be gigantic double standard at play.

Fair enough. I'll admit that liking or not liking certain characters is unexplainable at times. It probably speaks to our own strengths and weaknesses, biases, life experiences, etc. Some people hate Kate, some people hate Jack, some hate Sun....etc. Maybe only Hurley gets a pass! I mean, does anybody hate Hurley? (by the way, that's a rhetorical question! I'm not trying to start some other kind of thread here!)

It's like my dad used to say....if you don't like someone, they can't even tie their shoes right. Lots of people don't think Michael can tie his shoes right.
100%
If I had told the truth as to why Sawyer - whom I do not like any more or less than Michael - is more enduring . . . I would probably be banned from this board. I still haven't forgiven him for his hypocricy when he learned that Michael was on the boat.

I kept swearing off Sawyer too...but I keep forgiving him.:) Like I said to the other poster, I believe that liking or not liking some of the characters doesn't always make sense. It's a gut reaction and hard to explain at times.

When I read the posts about other characters, I get amazed at how divergent the opinions can be. It's what makes the world go 'round!

Michael seemed apprehensive standing there when he first saw Sun and Jin. It wasn't until Sun came at him with the 'you work for Ben' comment that he got all defensive. Michael was insistent that Sun explain to Jin, so maybe he was afraid of how violently Jin was going to react (thinking of his confrontational reunion with Sayid).

Of course, Sun and Jin had been his friends and he may have wanted them not to hate him.

I thought Michael had a truer emotion when he warned Lapidus, that he didn't want that on his conscience. Too bad he didn't say something along those lines to Sun and Jin instead.

So false, premeditated revenge is more forgivable than an a desperate rescue attempt?

And let's keep in mind. . .Libby was accidental.

Pointing a pistol at someone and pulling the trigger can hardly be said to be "accidental".

Yeah okay Michael's an aggravating SOB. They haven't written him as well as some of the other characters, but who is Sun to accost him about working for Ben?

I was lead to believe that she was the one who killed her lover. I guess that's subjective, but on the boat towards the end of season two Colleen told her that she knew Sun wasn't going to shoot because she was a good person. Well, she shot.

And she got the maid fired over a broken ballerina. Sun's cool though, not hating, I'm looking forward to seeing her in a vengeful mood in season five or six, but she isn't one to talk.

With Michael, I've always tried to think of my own dialogue when it's his episode. None of the writers must be a single father or grew up in single parent homes.

"WAAAAAAAAAAALLT!!!"

"WAAAAAAAAAAALLT!!"

"I'm going after my son. That is my right..."

and that's his dialogue for season two. Shame

Well i like the fact that they brought him back, Its just so Lost.
A charactor is never gone.
But, He was a little strange with Sun and Jin. I'm guessing it was pretty awkward.. Jin and Michael were pretty close friends for a while back on the island..

I may over-generalising, but I think the bad combination is arrogance with a lack of humility? Makes the character really difficult to feel sorry for.

But then I didnt really like Ana-lucia so perhaps he's not all bad, sorry Devi :p

Yea I really didn't like Ana-Lucia either. Worse than michael, but not as bad as Shannon and Boone.

Nicki and Paolo I don't even consider characters so they don't make the list.