ds44

It's not so much what Michael is doing, but how the show is just writing him like a replacement dad. Raf has had literally 0 breaks for a year and half. He even got lectured by Petra for something that was totally reasonable. I don't know why JM has to equal Rafael suffering. I wish Jane would actually stop treating him like a glorfied babysitter or atleast the show. It's hard not to resent Michael when we will get to see him be with mateo one-on-one but haven't had that with Rafael yet.

ale-la-pazza1

Amen. That's my main problem with JM at the moment; they're writing in a way to make is sucks for Rafael in every way: he had already lost Jane and little by little he'll end losing Mateo and that SUCKS.

drunkalice

I definitely believe Rafael deserves to spend more (onscreen) time with Mateo (we were talking about it in another thread, the show almost makes it look like Jane is M's only parent), but I'm not sure it goes at his expense as a character in general. He has his own arc that's a big one and the fact that he's being unlucky to say the least doesn't directly depend on Michael's writing. If anything it calls a lot of sympathy for Rafael himself when Michael is being so happy. Nor can I complain if Michael is happy after he suffered for so long, tbh. Besides, most of us expect the tide to change drastically, so it's probably just a matter of time.

ds44

The thing is Rafael has been suffering just as long if not longer than Michael. Perfectly reasonable things are making him look like he's ungrateful or whiny and I don't like that. What's wrong with him coming up with a reasonable solution for mateo being closer. Yet, we had to have PEtra yelling at him about how ungrateful he was when she and Louisa wee the reason Jane was inseminated. I just wish they wouldn't have Petra say these things. I was actually sympathizing her and liking her a lot until they had her yell at him, get painted as jesus only for Jane to realize RAfael was right. His character is suffering and constantly having bad things happen to him only for us to feel bad for those causing him the pain. No thanks. Michael can be happy without it automatically meaning Raf has to keep suffering. One does not equal the other.

drunkalice

I didn't find him whiny or ungrateful tbh, I felt for him. Even when Petra reproached him I could see everyone's reasons. I just really doubt Raf's writing is putting him into an unsympathetic light, which is why Jane ultimately gave up on the house.
And I still don't find Raf's unhappiness to be linked/due to Michael's happiness. Unless we want to think that Michael is willingly being with the woman he loves to hurt someone else, when it seems to me he's being gracious enough.

ds44

I am not saying its linked. I'm saying that while he is happy we have to watch Raf constantly suffer. It's just tiresome because other than jane in s1, he literally had no bright spot. He loves his kids, but we are barely allowed to see him with them. It's not like Michael suffered in s1 and Raf was happy and now they switched places. It's been never ending for him and its tiresome and seeing Michael so giddy is just annoying while Raf continues to be in pain. I wouldn't care if it wasn't for the fact that we are now getting alone time with michael and mateo before we ever got it with Raf. I also don't believe it will lead to the show suddenly showing him with mateo more. Even before JM hooked up, Jane didn't even consider him as a childcare option. She treats him like a babysitter who comes up to take care of her kid every once in awhile.

Gracious would have been agreeing to the initial compromise since it wasn't about behing beholden to Raf, but allowing Mateo to be near his father. I think Michael is awkward and would rather that this whole situation didn't exist while Raf is coming across as trying his best to be gracious but still getting yelled at. If they'd just left the Petra yelling at Raf out of it, I would be fine. My issue was more with what she said then the reason she was saying it.

drunkalice

Yes, what I'm objecting is that I don't think that's happening to make the audience dislike him, but quite the contrary. No person with a heart and some sympathy could look at Rafael right now and think he's a whiny waste of space. And I definitely doubt that's being made to prop Michael in any way. What Michael is doing is try not to screw up again, which is exactly what he should be doing, so it's not like the audience can particularly admire him for it. Of course he must watch what he does.

ale-la-pazza1

Yes, yes and still yes.

drunkalice

Sorry I'm not sure if you added this after or I just didn't see it. Look, I see what you mean. But living in a house someone else paid for, even partially, and your wife's ex at that? It would have been weird and pathetic and flat out like living in Rafael's shadow in narrative terms. It was honestly out of the question. At some point some Raf fans would have suggested Rafael was cradling Michael's ass and he should have been grateful for it. Even Jane initially ruled out that idea.
And Michael was gracious. He and Jane both liked that house, but the minute Jane realized it wasn't okay he didn't object.

fox24

Plus Jane wasent moving Mateo to China. They were going somewhere 45 minutes away. I have commuted to school and work. Plus both their jobs were in Miami


I do agree that they need to have more Raf and Mateo moments

ale-la-pazza1

I still don't understand why Raf doesn't have equal rights when it comes to Mateo, it's like he's not even recognized as the father!!

ds44

When you are a parent and have a job like running a hotel, an hour in traffic each way is a big deal. That's two hours of time you've lost. Two hours with a small child is a big deal.

Lethally Floral

The wording for Chapter 40 is so bizarre. Mateo does something in front of Rafael for the first time, upsettig him. What could Mateo do for the first time, at his age, that would upset Raf? I think it needs more context. I think people are right that he learns that it's the first time in front of him but not the first time ever...still that context is kind of needed.

I have too BUT 40 minutes as opposed to 5 or 10 makes a big difference. It's not impossible. It's certainly doable. But I imagine there are quick little visits that both of them do with Mateo that become impractical for a 40 minute commute. Take their swimming lesson or those mommy and me type classes we've seen them both at with Mateo. Those probably only last an hour or two. When the child is only 5 or 10 minutes away, it's no big deal. They can fit those in over a long lunch. But when it's 40 minutes one way and 40 minutes the other? It becomes half a day.

I don't feel Jane and Michael were insane to want to do it. But I do think they were stubborn to not want to accept money from Raf to make everything easier given the fact that Mateo's father, Michael's job, Jane's job (does she still work at the marbella?) and her school are all in Miami.

smileygirl5

Don't worry I disliked him before, it's not this one event...this one event is just making it even worse.

watercolors.

Yeah, I think they poorly worded Chapter 40's description, and I guess we are going to have to see how they work it out.

And yes, I think a 40 minute commute with no traffic can be long. Yes, Michael and Jane can bring Mateo into Miami to spend time with his father, but it has the potential to create a strain in Mateo and Rafael's relationship. There is so much chances and milestones that are going on in Mateo's life, so it's important for Rafael to be there. But most importantly, Rafael wants to be there for Mateo. We should also consider and appreciate how active of a father Mateo wants to be in his son's life.

I've said it in another thread, and I will say it here. I do not think it was outlandish that Rafael offered to pay the difference for the house. Regardless, he is doing it for his son and wants the best living situation for his son. It would of been different (and selfish) if Rafael said no to the distance and didn't provide an alternative. Rafael's offer was not only helping Mateo, but Jane and Michael at the same time. For someone who has (and always had) a long commute to and from work everyday (roughly about an hour), it gets tough and exhausting. It is doable but not ideal. Even if Michael was Mateo's father, their entire lives are in Miami, so it would of been a burden on them anyways.