Does anyone like Mike? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Christopher · 06-14-2021, 08:33 AM

This is my first time watching the series from the beginning in order. I just started season 6 and have now moved Mike up to number 1 on my list of TV characters I hate. Gloria finds out she's pregnant and then immediately goes from happy to berating her and blaming her for getting pregnant. What a lowlife piece of **** he is. He's arrogant, he mooches off people, he belittles Gloria every chance he gets, and now blames her for getting pregnant. How can anyone like him? Archie and Edith should have punched the hell out of Mike in this episode. He deserved it the most for not taking responsibility of Gloria being pregnant and causing her to think she would need an abortion to keep him as her husband. Neither one of these two should be parents since all they think about is their own happiness.

OH Nuts! · 06-14-2021, 08:38 AM

I don’t HATE him but don’t really respect him. The Games Bunkers Play shows what a baby and weenie he can really be.

Gloria does stand up to him rather often, and I love her for it!

Christopher · 06-14-2021, 09:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OH Nuts!

I don’t HATE him but don’t really respect him. The Games Bunkers Play shows what a baby and weenie he can really be.

Gloria does stand up to him rather often, and I love her for it!

That's the episode where my hatred towards him first started

I was so happy Edith stood up to him as he kept bashing Archie left and right. Archie is supporting Mike. If it wasn't for Archie and Gloria working to buy food, pay utilities, and clothes, Mike would be a bum on the streets begging for hand outs. Mike should be grateful to Archie. I doubt he'll do this, but since he's now mooching off George with the low blow rent he's paying, Mike should be paying Archie back for all the years of support. Again, I doubt he will since he thinks he's better than everyone and was probably owed it

I would have liked Gloria more if she had dumped Mike when he wanted to blame her for getting pregnant. Edith and Louise are the only two women in this show so far who know their children come before any man or person. I don't understand why Gloria keeps putting up with Mike when she's had such strong females around her showing how to act in situations that matter.

Wawwie · 06-14-2021, 09:35 AM

In Archie Bunker's Place, it was revealed just how much of a low life loser, dead-beat husband & dad Mike really is. When Gloria returns from California back to New York, she reveals how Mike abandoned his family so he could join some weirdo hippie commune.

OH Nuts! · 06-14-2021, 09:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Christopher

That's the episode where my hatred towards him first started

I was so happy Edith stood up to him as he kept bashing Archie left and right. Archie is supporting Mike. If it wasn't for Archie and Gloria working to buy food, pay utilities, and clothes, Mike would be a bum on the streets begging for hand outs. Mike should be grateful to Archie. I doubt he'll do this, but since he's now mooching off George with the low blow rent he's paying, Mike should be paying Archie back for all the years of support. Again, I doubt he will since he thinks he's better than everyone and was probably owed it

I would have liked Gloria more if she had dumped Mike when he wanted to blame her for getting pregnant. Edith and Louise are the only two women in this show so far who know their children come before any man or person. I don't understand why Gloria keeps putting up with Mike when she's had such strong females around her showing how to act in situations that matter.

I agree his attitude toward Archie should have been better. Mike was an elite pompous weenie with delusions of grandeur. No argument from me.

And yes Edith and Weezie rocked the planet and show!

Yong Fang · 06-16-2021, 07:39 PM

To me, the whole premise of Meathead being a graduate student getting married and moving in with the Bunkers was strange. First, he had money from somewhere, a grant or scholarship to go to school. He was from Chicago so he lived in New York for some time beforehand and probably had free or reduced rent in the dorms at school and food. In real life he could have worked twenty hours a week found something, and had an Uncle (played by Michael Conrad) who was somewhat of a father who supported him some.

So it made no sense to marry Gloria and live in their parent’s home. I couldn’t do that, to me it would be CREEPY to have sex with my wife with her parents in the next room. I would not like that my older middle aged father in law is working a labor job at a plant and driving a cab (why wasn’t Meathead driving the cab?) while I didn’t make any income.

And I’m sorry but Gloria was an annoying woman. Granted she was cute and had a great body in the early seasons but she wasn’t all that. But even she was like what, 23, also living at home with the folks without an education or job skills. Gloria couldn’t make it on her own and she married Meathead who isn’t ready yet with his goals to be on his own.

So, Meathead’s backstory doesn’t make that mich sense, unless Gloria put him up to this arrangement since she didn’t want to lose him (her being annoying, this was probably her first serious boyfriend.) Consequently, he really was no winner either and probably agrees to this for sex and companionship.

Christopher · 06-17-2021, 06:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wawwie

In Archie Bunker's Place, it was revealed just how much of a low life loser, dead-beat husband & dad Mike really is. When Gloria returns from California back to New York, she reveals how Mike abandoned his family so he could join some weirdo hippie commune.

I haven't watched all of that show and I'm leaning more not to. I remember Edith's death episode and that was so hard to watch. You cry so hard at the end when Archie is holding Edith's shoe. I'm glad Gloria ends up getting away from Mike though. He's a loser.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yong Fang

In real life he could have worked twenty hours a week found something,

That's what I did. I worked full time and went to college part time. It takes longer but in the end, only you can support yourself. I grew up learning never to depend on others to help out. That's why seeing Mike mooch off Archie and belittle him in every single episode irritates me because this man is working two jobs to support you. Where's the gratitude? Gloria didn't have any respect for her father since she never put a stop to Mike constantly telling Archie how stupid he is. Archie should have thrown both of them out until they could learn to appreciate what they were receiving.

I remember there were a few episodes where Mike and Gloria decide to move out and live on her income. Even those episodes boggles my mind because Mike is perfectly comfortable mooching off someone else if Archie isn't willing. When this show was first airing, how did Norman not get any complaints about Mike? On Dark Shadows, the cast would receive so many letters they were going to hell for playing in a supernatural show. Where were the fans in this shows run to ask Norman to change Mike's character because it's overkill on how much he mooches off others?

PracTz · 06-17-2021, 11:16 AM

IIRC, there was an episode in which Mike revealed that he had worked in a gas station to (at least partially) pay off Archie but it seemed what he paid Archie was virtual peanuts compared to how Archie had been feeding the elephant.

In the original British show 'Til Death Do Us Part' the son-in-law Mike was happy to live off the dole (British welfare) not only never bothering to look for any kind of employment but also with zero ambition to improve himself via education. So, I think Mr. Lear likely thought Mike Stivic being a student/grad student while living with the Bunkers for five years had a more sympathetic MO than the British incarnation.

BTW, the British Mike was played by Antony Booth who would live to see his daughter Cherie become the British First Lady via her being married to Tony Blair!

caladon · 06-25-2021, 02:45 PM

Several years ago, I wrote the following about Mike and Archie:

I realize that Mike was supposed to offer the other side of Archie's opinons. However, over the years Mike proved himself to be quite the hypocrite. He took part in peace marches and was quick to violently defend Gloria on the subway. He was always quick to use his education to put Archie down; a very disrespectful act. He shouted his views while being critical of Archie for having opposing views. I think the best episode that brought his shortcomings to light was the episode where he, Gloria, Edith, Lionel, Irene and Frank were playing a board game, and he couldn't handle the fact that others didn't see him as the perfect person he thought he was. It took Edith to show him how things really were.

Mike would've been better off had he given Archie the same consideration and understanding he seem to demand that Archie should give others. Archie was who he was; a product of his environment, era and upbringing, and when the world began to change, he found it difficult to change with it. As the years went on, Archie's character did actually grow from time to time. Mike on the other hand seem to become what he used to enjoy mocking. He became a head of a household with all its responsibilties and as it turned out, couldn't handle it as well as Archie did.

Furienna · 08-21-2021, 07:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by caladon

Several years ago, I wrote the following about Mike and Archie:

I realize that Mike was supposed to offer the other side of Archie's opinons. However, over the years Mike proved himself to be quite the hypocrite. He took part in peace marches and was quick to violently defend Gloria on the subway. He was always quick to use his education to put Archie down; a very disrespectful act. He shouted his views while being critical of Archie for having opposing views. I think the best episode that brought his shortcomings to light was the episode where he, Gloria, Edith, Lionel, Irene and Frank were playing a board game, and he couldn't handle the fact that others didn't see him as the perfect person he thought he was. It took Edith to show him how things really were.

Mike would've been better off had he given Archie the same consideration and understanding he seem to demand that Archie should give others. Archie was who he was; a product of his environment, era and upbringing, and when the world began to change, he found it difficult to change with it. As the years went on, Archie's character did actually grow from time to time. Mike on the other hand seem to become what he used to enjoy mocking. He became a head of a household with all its responsibilties and as it turned out, couldn't handle it as well as Archie did.

Well, Archie could at least be glad that Mike was getting an education.
That is more than what his British equivalent did.
Even so, I agree with you that Mike was really disrespectful towards Archie and full of himself.
And the fact that he left Gloria for an 18-year-old girl just shows us what a scum he was.

Dude111 · 08-22-2021, 02:50 AM

I like Meathead yes

I wonder what he is doing nowadays!!

TheLittleFaerie · 08-23-2021, 04:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OH Nuts!

I don’t HATE him but don’t really respect him. The Games Bunkers Play shows what a baby and weenie he can really be.

Gloria does stand up to him rather often, and I love her for it!

I know I'm in a minority, but I felt they all sorta ganged up on Mike a little too rough in that episode. I mean literally everyone was giving him crap. I agree he should have been called out some, BUT when you feel ganged up on and called out by EVERYONE at once, you are gonna feel on the defense

rusty spike · 08-23-2021, 04:10 PM

I liked Mike about the sock/shoe story.

A guy with one shoe on hopping around outside is pretty funny.

Christopher · 08-25-2021, 03:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheLittleFaerie

I know I'm in a minority, but I felt they all sorta ganged up on Mike a little too rough in that episode. I mean literally everyone was giving him crap. I agree he should have been called out some, BUT when you feel ganged up on and called out by EVERYONE at once, you are gonna feel on the defense

They didn't gang up on Mike. They were defending themselves. Mike started the tension with Lionel and then continued it with Gloria for not going to him with her card of what to do. There was no ganging up on Mike. He started everything in that episode. Were they supposed to be quiet and take his temper tantrum?

TheLittleFaerie · 08-27-2021, 11:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Christopher

They didn't gang up on Mike. They were defending themselves. Mike started the tension with Lionel and then continued it with Gloria for not going to him with her card of what to do. There was no ganging up on Mike. He started everything in that episode. Were they supposed to be quiet and take his temper tantrum?

I don't remember ALL the details, it just seemed like, from what I remember, EVERYONE was taking a shot at Mike when it was their turn to read their cards. I mean yeah Mike was getting worked up into a fit of emotion, so they could have been MORE mature than Mike and just eased off if they wanted to diffuse an already intense situation instead of working him up even more. And when they said that he was worse than Archie ~I think someone said that~ I can see how that set him off.... Archie was a BIGOT! He insulted people based immutable traits, such as them being black, women, gay, etc..... and to me that is about as bad as you can be. Mike was far from perfect, and was sexist himself in ways, but he at least tried not to be a bigot, so that puts him as better than Archie, IMO

When Edith talked to him in private in the kitchen was the right way to handle it, but EVERYONE coming at you calling you out at the same time in front of everyone is not gonna lead to anything good. That didn't even happen very much with Archie, like EVERYONE calling him out at the same time as an ignorant, racist, homphobic bigot

And right or wrong, as I said, if someone feels like they are being ganged up on, they are likely gonna be even more on the defense

06-14-2021, 08:33 AM	#1
Christopher The OG Core Four Forum Fanatic Join Date: Apr 15, 2001 Posts: 14,833	Does anyone like Mike? This is my first time watching the series from the beginning in order. I just started season 6 and have now moved Mike up to number 1 on my list of TV characters I hate. Gloria finds out she's pregnant and then immediately goes from happy to berating her and blaming her for getting pregnant. What a lowlife piece of **** he is. He's arrogant, he mooches off people, he belittles Gloria every chance he gets, and now blames her for getting pregnant. How can anyone like him? Archie and Edith should have punched the hell out of Mike in this episode. He deserved it the most for not taking responsibility of Gloria being pregnant and causing her to think she would need an abortion to keep him as her husband. Neither one of these two should be parents since all they think about is their own happiness.

06-25-2021, 02:45 PM	#9
caladon Member Senior Member Join Date: Jun 30, 2001 Location: Massachusetts state home for the bewildered Posts: 1,151	Several years ago, I wrote the following about Mike and Archie: I realize that Mike was supposed to offer the other side of Archie's opinons. However, over the years Mike proved himself to be quite the hypocrite. He took part in peace marches and was quick to violently defend Gloria on the subway. He was always quick to use his education to put Archie down; a very disrespectful act. He shouted his views while being critical of Archie for having opposing views. I think the best episode that brought his shortcomings to light was the episode where he, Gloria, Edith, Lionel, Irene and Frank were playing a board game, and he couldn't handle the fact that others didn't see him as the perfect person he thought he was. It took Edith to show him how things really were. Mike would've been better off had he given Archie the same consideration and understanding he seem to demand that Archie should give others. Archie was who he was; a product of his environment, era and upbringing, and when the world began to change, he found it difficult to change with it. As the years went on, Archie's character did actually grow from time to time. Mike on the other hand seem to become what he used to enjoy mocking. He became a head of a household with all its responsibilties and as it turned out, couldn't handle it as well as Archie did.
	__________________ Jesus is the son of GOD and my savior; pretty cool.

06-14-2021, 08:38 AM	#2
OH Nuts! Member Forum King Join Date: Feb 15, 2005 Posts: 133,383	I don’t HATE him but don’t really respect him. The Games Bunkers Play shows what a baby and weenie he can really be. Gloria does stand up to him rather often, and I love her for it!

06-14-2021, 09:35 AM	#4
Wawwie Member Forum Star Join Date: Jul 26, 2006 Location: New York Posts: 14,376	In Archie Bunker's Place, it was revealed just how much of a low life loser, dead-beat husband & dad Mike really is. When Gloria returns from California back to New York, she reveals how Mike abandoned his family so he could join some weirdo hippie commune.

06-16-2021, 07:39 PM	#6
Yong Fang Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Aug 04, 2009 Location: Memphis Tennessee Posts: 3,073	To me, the whole premise of Meathead being a graduate student getting married and moving in with the Bunkers was strange. First, he had money from somewhere, a grant or scholarship to go to school. He was from Chicago so he lived in New York for some time beforehand and probably had free or reduced rent in the dorms at school and food. In real life he could have worked twenty hours a week found something, and had an Uncle (played by Michael Conrad) who was somewhat of a father who supported him some. So it made no sense to marry Gloria and live in their parent’s home. I couldn’t do that, to me it would be CREEPY to have sex with my wife with her parents in the next room. I would not like that my older middle aged father in law is working a labor job at a plant and driving a cab (why wasn’t Meathead driving the cab?) while I didn’t make any income. And I’m sorry but Gloria was an annoying woman. Granted she was cute and had a great body in the early seasons but she wasn’t all that. But even she was like what, 23, also living at home with the folks without an education or job skills. Gloria couldn’t make it on her own and she married Meathead who isn’t ready yet with his goals to be on his own. So, Meathead’s backstory doesn’t make that mich sense, unless Gloria put him up to this arrangement since she didn’t want to lose him (her being annoying, this was probably her first serious boyfriend.) Consequently, he really was no winner either and probably agrees to this for sex and companionship.

06-17-2021, 11:16 AM	#8
PracTz Member Senior Member Join Date: Jul 14, 2002 Location: United States of America [Happily Living in the 20th Century] Posts: 2,711	IIRC, there was an episode in which Mike revealed that he had worked in a gas station to (at least partially) pay off Archie but it seemed what he paid Archie was virtual peanuts compared to how Archie had been feeding the elephant. In the original British show 'Til Death Do Us Part' the son-in-law Mike was happy to live off the dole (British welfare) not only never bothering to look for any kind of employment but also with zero ambition to improve himself via education. So, I think Mr. Lear likely thought Mike Stivic being a student/grad student while living with the Bunkers for five years had a more sympathetic MO than the British incarnation. BTW, the British Mike was played by Antony Booth who would live to see his daughter Cherie become the British First Lady via her being married to Tony Blair!

08-22-2021, 02:50 AM	#11
Dude111 Forum Legend Join Date: Nov 05, 2013 Posts: 36,064	I like Meathead yes I wonder what he is doing nowadays!!

08-23-2021, 04:10 PM	#13
rusty spike Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 08, 2015 Location: Southwest Posts: 1,124	I liked Mike about the sock/shoe story. A guy with one shoe on hopping around outside is pretty funny.