Arnold's character change from season 5 and forward

[Mace Dolex]

I was noticing now that I'm able to see DS on AntennaTV that Arnold Jackson from season 5 and as the series progresses seems to be written more with a mean streak and constant put downs to Willis and Kimberly, anybody else seeing this?

Maybe by this time Gary Coleman was getting fed up with the cutesy innocense of Arnold that he felt the character should grow up a bit.

[WalterTheDrinker]

It's a good point. Arnold definitely does seem to have some emerging anger issues in the later seasons.

Unfortunately, there wasn't an episode in which Arnold finally snapped, with Sam taking the brunt of it.

[Mace Dolex]

Originally Posted by WalterTheDrinker

It's a good point. Arnold definitely does seem to have some emerging anger issues in the later seasons.

Unfortunately, there wasn't an episode in which Arnold finally snapped, with Sam taking the brunt of it.

That would've been a good idea for a "special episode" storyline.

[Nighthawk76]

I don't think Arnold was being mean spirited so much as he was being sarcastic. Arnold had been sarcastic since the beginning of the series. He called Kimberly "metal mouth" in the pilot and he insulted Willis in every episode.

[TMC]

Arnold Became Such a Jerk...

[Mace Dolex]

Originally Posted by Nighthawk76

I don't think Arnold was being mean spirited so much as he was being sarcastic. Arnold had been sarcastic since the beginning of the series. He called Kimberly "metal mouth" in the pilot and he insulted Willis in every episode.

But his insults to Willis was of brotherly affection, from season 5 and forward they became more like put downs.

[TMC]

Does anybody else agree that Gary Coleman's acting skills seemed to deteriorate the longer that DS went? What I mean is was always seemed to have this habit of "talking with his hands" and resort to repetitive stuttering when he talked.

[70s show watcher]

Originally Posted by WalterTheDrinker

It's a good point. Arnold definitely does seem to have some emerging anger issues in the later seasons.

Unfortunately, there wasn't an episode in which Arnold finally snapped, with Sam taking the brunt of it.

there was an ep where Arnold snapped at sam in season 8 when the school bully's girlfriend was falling in love with Arnold and he was so worried about what might happen if the bully found out about it that he snapped at sam and even snapped at mr drummond

[Mace Dolex]

Originally Posted by 70s show watcher

there was an ep where Arnold snapped at sam in season 8 when the school bully's girlfriend was falling in love with Arnold and he was so worried about what might happen if the bully found out about it that he snapped at sam and even snapped at mr drummond

And another episode in season 8 in which Willis secretly bribes a girl with concert tickets to go out with Arnold and later when Arnold finds out he gets mad at both Willis and Drummond for keeping it from him.

[TMC]

Originally Posted by Mace Dolex

And another episode in season 8 in which Willis secretly bribes a girl with concert tickets to go out with Arnold and later when Arnold finds out he gets mad at both Willis and Drummond for keeping it from him.

There was also that episode from the last season in which Phillip didn't want Arnold to throw fruit at the hate group, who was due to speak at his school, and Arnold snaps by saying "You aren't my real father anyway!" It kind of reminds me of that part in Man of Steel where a teenage Clark Kent tells Pa Kent (just before he gets sucked into the tornado) during a disagreement, that "He isn't his real father!"

[TMC]

Originally Posted by Nighthawk76

I don't think Arnold was being mean spirited so much as he was being sarcastic. Arnold had been sarcastic since the beginning of the series. He called Kimberly "metal mouth" in the pilot and he insulted Willis in every episode.

Gary Coleman's acting in the earlier seasons just seemed more natural and less manic (if that makes sense). It seemed like in the later years, he was too emotive and too high strung. It just became flat out obnoxious if that makes sense.

[rusty spike]

I agree that he had become unbearable to watch in the later seasons. I don't know if it was hormones/puberty, his health or the realization that he could be an ass because he was the STAR of the show.