The Characters You Hate

yardgames

Retired Administrator
I'm not talking about Ida and Herkabe here, because everyone hates them. I'm talking about some of the main key players that some people seem to despise. For example, Ben hates Stevie and Paul hates Dewey. I find it interesting that one can love the show so much and hate such integral characters. So who are the characters you hate the most, and more importantly, why do you hate them?
 
It's interesting that you mentioned Mr. Herkabe...he's actually one of my favorites! I mean, the stuff he does is ridiculous, but he's the perfect example of a Krelboyne gone wrong, and his personality is quite interesting. Even more than Leonard, I think Mr. Herkabe makes a good "Future Malcolm" for at least the alternate universe where one risk ruins everything for him.

As for why I hate Stevie, which many people probably don't want to hear again, I think it's important to mention that I don't base liking characters by putting myself in the place of someone close to them. That is, my dislike for Stevie stems from his attitude being annoying, yet not funny, not from wanting to avoid someone acting like that to me. The same goes for Mr. Herkabe -- his actions are horrible, but funny...
 

tony_montana

Semper Fidelis
I honestly don't hate any of the main characters at all. Even though I did find Dewey very annoying the first couple of seasons, I never hated him. And Dewey ended up becoming a very cool character by seasons 4 and 5.:)
Since Sam forbid me from saying Ida, then my most hated character ever is Lavernia. Man, I can't believe Francis didn't loose it and kill her when he had a chance!:D ;)
 

Wildcat

Retired Moderator
I really don't have any main characters that I hate if we're not counting characters like Cynthia and Jessica and Lavernia. I'm kinda like Tony--I found several of Dewey's plots somewhat annoying in the first couple of seasons, but that's mainly because they were so childish. Which makes sense because he was a little kid then. :D I never really disliked him though. Also like Tony, I think he became a really cool character when he got older. I think it started around the end of season 3 with Dewey's Dog because it's the first time we really see a Dewey-centered plot that shows more of his personality. I really liked him a lot by the time we got to seasons 6 and 7.
 

AlexTheMartian

New member
To be honest, I like all of the family except for Malcolm. If I was in his high school I probably would have either 1. picked on him, or 2. become friends with him but eventually get annoyed and he would drive me crazy.

I can tell there are times Stevie is saying to himself that Malcolm is such an idiot.

I am sorry to all the Malcolm fans (I mean the character not the show), while I do think Malcolm is part of the formula that makes the show a success, I just like his other brothers instead. Reese, Francis, and Dewey all are more complex characters and have underneath stories to them, and not so plain and predictable as Malcolm.

I also actually like the characters that others would hate, like Ida, Herkabe, and Jessica. I find them extremely funny. While I would admit I would not like them in real life, I love them as characters on the show.
 

Murph

New member
Yeah, as you said, I hate Dewey! His earlier Season performances I don't mind too much, but from Season 5 onwards, ughhh!

Particularly in the episode when he smokes, maybe it's because I'm so anti-smoking, but when he was coughing out of control, it reminded me of time when my Cystic Fibrosis acted up, and to think somebody would want to bring that on temselves sickens me. And when Hal smoke to tempt Dewey, I found it hilarious, but Dewey drinking the coffee just felt like it was out of spite, and Hal's top-range acting made him look poor in that scene.

And in the episode "Dewey's Opera", an episode I like, when he walks in while two of his Busey friends are acting and he says "No, no, no!", that got on my nerves, I hate when people do stuff like that! Maybe it's not so much Dewey, but just the things he does.

Normally, I like Stevie, but in the episode "Stevie VS Reese", I really wanted Reese just to beat him up. When Reese bends down to pick up the papers and says he's going to do it anyway, I laughed like mad! But, normally, I do like Stevie.

Mr. Hurckerbee is one of my favourite charactors, too! I'd probably dislike if he was my actual teacher, but I know teachers on his calibre of evil, and to see him act it so well is brilliant. Shame he wasn't in the last episode.
 

yardgames

Retired Administrator
As you guys mentioned, Herkabe is the character that we all love to hate. :D

@Murph, it's good to finally know why you don't like Dewey. :)
 

tony_montana

Semper Fidelis
Lol:D
Anyways, one of the characters I never liked was Dabney. I was actually relieved when he wasn't on the show anymore. I mean, I don't really hate Dabney(and I don't dislike the actor), but Dabney was just REALLY annoying to me and he was way too weird.:D
Aside from Stevie and Malcolm, one of the krelboynes I always thought was funny was Lloyd.:)
 

simon_4420

New member
I got to say that I really can't stand Otto and Grechin (sp?), they really bug me with the over top inpersonations of German people. I just can't stand the poor acting!! There are certain episodes that I really can't watch like "Boys at the Ranch" even though it is an excellent episode, both Otto and Grechin just really really annoy me. I would have to say that if I was German I might take offence since it is so over the top. Not sure if I blame the writers for taking a sterotypical view too far, or just the actors??

Other than that I don't really have any other characters that I hate, even Ida and Herkabe as to me they are important characters and I find them funny.:D
 

yardgames

Retired Administrator
That's an interesting assessment and it's hard for me to judge because I've never been to Germany. :D I've never found Otto and Gretchen to be poorly acted though; I've found them to be purposely over-the-top for comic appeal--I think they're more stupid than stereotypical. For crying out loud, Otto wanted to buy sunscreen for cows! :D
 

Nico21

New member
To my mind, Otto & Gretchen don't bring a lot to the show.
Not because they are bad actors, but because they are not the subject of the series !
Ida and Herkabe (for example) only appear sometimes, since they are part of Malcolm's everyday life, but Otto and Gretchen have their own stories.
I think their roles are bigger than they should be !


Concerning their voices, with French dubbing they have a really parodic german accent. So when I watch MITM with original voices, I find it much better !
 

tony_montana

Semper Fidelis
Just for the sake of asking, what does Herkabe sound like in French dubbing?:D I just imagine him having a very stuck-up French voice.:D
 

Nico21

New member
tony_montana said:
Just for the sake of asking, what does Herkabe sound like in French dubbing?:D I just imagine him having a very stuck-up French voice.:D

You're right. With french dubbing he has a stuck-up and pretentious accent (I would hate him in real life !), I think it's close to the original.

But he has a common voice which doesn't appear unreal (concerning the tone, not the stuck-up part :D), contrary to Otto's dubbing which is really parodical (much more than his original voice).
 

tony_montana

Semper Fidelis
Otto must be a catch to hear in French. A German guy with an already outrageous English accent then given an outrageous French accent.:D
 

Wildcat

Retired Moderator
Aren't Otto and Gretchen actually from another country besides Germany when dubbed in other languages? I'm drawing a complete blank as to what country they're supposed to be from, but I remember reading somewhere that their accents aren't german in non-english variations of the show.
 

Nico21

New member
I don't know for other countries, but in France Otto & Gretchen have a german accent. I don't remember if they actually tell they come from Germany in the series, but there is no doubt about it !

Maybe they changed this in the german version of the show (I don't know, I've never watched it, the only words I understand in german are hello and goodbye...).
 
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