Sia

Michael was certainly immature in many ways, I find him lacking emotional intelligence and this was just one example. And paradoxically it was Brian who was the only one always accused of being selfish prick and immature. Its truth that he was sometimes too harsh esp. towards Justin or, even Debby when Vic died etc. but never because he did not love them or cared about them, I always felt he had more love for his friends than anyone else. I never felt such magnitude or depth of emotions from Michael. Brian was just easy target because his behaviour was more outspoken and honest. So both Michael and Brian said horrible things but motivation behind their behaviour was different, for example I never felt that Brian was so vindictive and revengeful unlike Michael. It might seem odd but even by the end of the show when Michael got married, adopted kid, I found him somehow infantile. However I might be biased.

fmaldy24

I felt this too - I always wondered how he got Dr David and then a uni professor when he often seemed immature and difficult and carried on about things that he should't be like who was sleeping in his old bedroom. Even after the punch he didn't say to people hey I said something horrible about Justin he just let Brian leave and it was Brian who brought the steak to him when I felt it was Michael who should've gone to Brian to say sorry for what he said about Justin.

Sia

Maybe because he was cute :-)
No, i am joking, Michael certainly had some good qualities, but for David he was rather a toy or housewife than equal partner, with Ben it was more balanced relationship.

Giotto

That would have been the right thing to do He must have known that he crossed a line there and that he deserved that hit.. but he didn't even bother to put his wrong right.. we all know that Brian just sticks with being blamed to be the bad boy.. but at least to Debbie or Ben, Michale should have mentioned that he sad something real bad about Justin that caused Brians reaction. And even Brians close friends should have known that...

SojournHeart11

David was far too controlling, it absolutely irked my nerves.

Sia

Yeh, and Brian knew it from beginning it would not work out.

♥ Gale's Fragile Beauty ♥

So...Season 3?

Back to the punch. Did it bother anyone else that although Michael admitted it to Brian that he deserved the punch, that he didn't tell anyone else about what he said? Or do you think he told Ben and it was just one of those things that CowLip decided to not deal with?

There's LOTS of good stuff in the entire episode, but I thought it was HUGE for Michael to admit that he was wrong. What'd you think?

https://youtu.be/DqNlOYgutXU

Sia

Yes, it bothered me a lot, even second day in the diner Debbie does not show little bit of understanding for what Brian did, she certainly did not know the whole truth, otherwise she would not be so condemnatory. I dont know about Ben. But its was simply wrong that his friends did not learn the truth, it only validated their old stereotype of Michael being victim and Brian preying on him.
It was nice that Michael admitted that he was wrong but on other hand for what he said, I would expect no less. Because he in other words said Brian should have left Justin in garage, so left him there to bleed to death? Its horrible to say about any other human being, especially about someone dear to you.

And remember what happened in s5 at the vigil when Ben almost beat to death that guy who said Michael should have died during the bombing because he is gay. I know that circumstances are different, but still there are some similarities. Ben went to that rage mainly because the guy wished death on his lover. And later in the car Brian told Ben his husband would be proud of what he did.

Giotto

I guess it bothered everybody that Brian was left as the bad boy again.. Michale sure didn't tell his mom about the truth, cause she would relly been mad at him about it.. I'm not sure about Ben.. although I guess even he would have told off Michalel big time.. but it was huge that he admitted to Brian that he deserved it. Michael knew he had crossed a line, and he saw, maybe for the first time, how deep Brians love for Justin went.. even if Brian denied it...

♥ Gale's Fragile Beauty ♥

Watching that scene again...I don't think Brian denied loving Justin. When Michael said "You must really love him", Brian said "I told him from day one...blah blah blah...". He couldn't fool Michael.

Giotto

No.. he only fooled himself and tried to convince himself that it wasn't so...

Sia

YES, He wanted to be in denial because he was afraid. He was bit irritated by word "love" when Michael said it, he was afraid to use this word in context of real romantic love because that made him vulnerable. So thats why he was able to say it only to his friends Lindsay and Michael where he felt safe.

♥ Gale's Fragile Beauty ♥

Also, he couldn't deny it to Debbie either. She always knew.

Giotto

I would say that all people how were able to see underneath his facade, knew it

fmaldy24

Through a lot of the seasons they don't let Brian change - like Lindsay wouldn't take his tickets to Miami or so often he would do things like glueing the judge to the toilet seat or putting his own money into ads against the police chief and people would never know it was him or when he did something they would tell him it was so out of character and not what he was like. They didn't seem to want to see a good side or let him be a different person at times.