MovieChat Forums > Shameless (2011) Discussion > Mike in season 4 (spoilers)

Mike in season 4 (spoilers)

posted 8 years ago by s-s-s
12 replies | jump to latest

I just finished season 4 and I keep thinking back to Mike. Something rubbed me the wrong way about his reaction to Fiona lying and cheating with his brother.

I would expect him to be pissed and cut her out of his life, sure. At first, I was upset with Fiona (I know, just a TV show, but Emmy Rossum does an awesome job and I get invested in the character). I liked Mike and felt bad how she seemed to sabotage her relationship with him and her position at her sales job.

But Mike didn't just leave the relationship. What she did was obviously wrong, but she was acting like an addict, was a nervous wreck, hated herself, etc. She came from a messed up background. He came from a cookie cutter suburban family that still has nice dinners and goes to baseball games. Mike didn't know her world. He pushed things with her, which seemed sweet at the time, but when she messed up, he was not only done, but almost cruel and gloating. I almost feel like he bailed her out as a gesture to posture himself above her, yet again. He can't get control in his relationships, therefore he likes to feel morally superior and play the white knight before he says, "I'm sorry a hard working, functional guy like myself isn't good enough for you," and "Send me the money, I never want to see your face again." Dude, I get it. She broke your heart. But man up and don't treat her like human garbage. He looked at her like she was a dog. No retrospect, it's good they didn't work out. Mike was insecure and should have been a lot more pissed at his own brother than with Fiona.

[–] s-s-s 8 years ago

*In retrospect. Sorry for any typos. Wrote this on my phone and the display is not forgiving.

[–] twist_of_fate_04 8 years ago

yeah.. i duno man.

he was harsh? for sure!

but she didnt just cheat on him with some random. she *beep* his BROTHER.

that would sting for months.

[–] aecceity 8 years ago

A very refreshing and interesting point of view! I definitely agree with you about Fiona being pressured into a certain role that she wasn't familiar with, comfortable with, ready for, etc. Actually I don't believe the cheating was the worst part; the truly troubling part about this relationship was always the fact that - as we, the viewers knew - Fiona wasn't truly dedicated to Mike or the life he offered. But the great thing about that storyline was that Fiona's feelings were justified and understandable in terms of who she is and her history with relationships.

People love to exclaim Fiona as the big villain who "ruins every guy's life" but it would be nice if they wold take a few seconds to look a little deeper than that. Mike wasn't a saint. He maneuvered their relationship into something that was suitable for him. And he - indirectly - took advantage of his own status on so many levels.

[–] TheKonrad821 8 years ago

The thing that rubbed me wrong about it was that (if I remember correctly) he broke up with her afterwards, then showed up to pick her up from jail/paid her bail, then subsequently told her not to ever contact him again. She made mistakes, but it came across to me that he was trying to punish her or dangle over her head that he had the money and resources to help her out.

Again, he wasn't in the wrong, but he turned into a creep in my opinion.

[–] s-s-s 8 years ago

You and Aecceity really nailed how I felt about it. Thanks for your responses. Fiona's made her mistakes but she reflects on them and criticizes herself. She didn't try to be a user and you know that she deep down felt she was using Mike, keeping her from making a commitment. She said herself she didn't feel she deserved him or her job, so she did something that would make that true. A messed up person, yes, but she should have been much worse considering her childhood. She was thoughtful and sorry about what she had done. Mike was weak and small at the end. His sister was even worse and, frankly, very unrealistic when Fiona went to see her at the office later on. You could probably just attribute that to bad writing in that instance.

[–] aliholly-62819 8 years ago

Well he, himself, stated, he was boring, and he was. Fiona didn't actually care about him and the only thing she felt sorry for was that she was caught. Mike DID care about her, and saw her for the potential she had, but she let him down, she chose to sleep with a guy that was more like what she was used to. What made it worse was that it was his brother she slept with. He was obviously the type of guy that is insecure in relationship, and he expressed how important honesty was to him. After promising not to lie to him she then slept with his brother, and fooled around with him, several times. Again, he was a boring character, but I think his bailing her out of jail was just a last act of kindness. He knew no one else would or could do it.

[–] zach_michael 8 years ago

You guys are so whack, I honestly saw it as a nice guy helping a poor girl out. He put their differences behind them and realized she doesn't belong in jail and yeah even though he was hurt I honestly think he was a man and helped her.

[–] s-s-s 8 years ago

Thanks for weighing in (you and aliholly). I can see how you can have two different opinions about the same character. He seemed decent until the cutting remarks, which she deserved and maybe needed to hear. Regardless, I didn't like some of his comments as they were reinforcing the shame she already felt and giving himself a compliment. I don't care for holier than thou attitudes or bitterness, which he openly shared. My ideal way to handle a situation is quietly and with class. He could have paid the bail and let her family get her. She didn't ask for help, he chose to give it, and then said, "I never want to see your face again," echoing their talk in his office. Bruh, she didn't ask you to come and she has bigger things on her plate right now. What he did is something I'll never understand, which is the urge to tell someone about him or herself. An admirable character, once betrayed, doesn't give that person any thought again. Because they literally don't have anything to do with you anymore. I don't understand, "I'll make them sorry" or "I want them to regret this."

[–] s-s-s 8 years ago

If anything, when he picked her up, she was very big by letting him have those comments and just nodding along like, "yeah I'm a POS, I'll pay you back and you won't see me again." She showed renewed character by just humoring and thanking him.

[–] forksforrests 8 years ago

Great post. I never thought that way about Mike but I'm inclined to agree with you, especially about him posting bail. There was a sense that he was touting his superiority--which he had every right to, considering she cheated with his brother--but something still seemed off about him throughout the relationship.

At the time tho, I can't say I didn't thoroughly sympathize with him. Fiona was going down a dark path and Mike was entirely wronged. He was a decent BF to Fiona and didn't deserve the betrayal but I do think their clash of world's would have driven them apart especially because Mike had no interest in her real life

[–] zach_michael 8 years ago

Especially because Mike had no interest in her real life? That is so not true, he mentioned to Fiona a few times that he wanted to stay over her place a few nights and when he came to pick Fiona up he was talking to Carl and trying to bond with him. I think Mike really cared for Fiona and ended up getting his heart broken idk why everyone's bashing him so much. I thought he was a really nice guy which made him totally wrong for Fiona.

[–] its_Zoe_skanks 8 years ago

YESSSS!! Thank you OP!! I feel like we need to talk about season 4 more!!

I saw it going bad from the moment fiona started messing with him. For me it was like one of those stereotypical horror movie moments when the audience is screaming at the character to not go in there. I was screaming at fiona not to get in that relationship. I just knew she would hurt him in some way, because of reasons all of you mentioned before me. But the way that ended really left me unsettled. I thought that was very unfinished, mike bailing her out then saying never talk to me again.. what??

I am praying before this show ends we see him again.

Burn the witch