"All wrapped up in your sad little stories, feeding off each other's misery." Mike is so cold by this point in his life, but everything he said is true.
Yeah he probably didnt want to do this and was ok with letting it go and making fun of it in private like when he made that friendly wager but mikes soft spot and guilt was his son and this guy using his son to enhance his lies was too much.
@@conorwellman8592 The original comment is right. It’s not that simple. This guy did the wrong thing by lying. And Mike did the wrong thing by responding as he did, and the show makes that clear, too. What you see here is Mike losing control, and in his own way, acting just as immaturely.
@TrashcanTroubadour Rambo? Jesus, he's older so he's seen more than most. Especially being in a war as terrible as Vietnam. Then a beat cop in one of the most scum infested cities on the East coast!! I think it's safe to say Mike has pretty much seen it all and that makes him who he is. Being cultured and having wisdom are things you just can't teach.
@whateve157 it is good character development by the writers. We are allowed to see how flawed and damaged they are and connect with them on some level regardless of what side they are on. We NEED to see their flaws and vulnerabilities. Mike was no saint. It was similar to when Hank pressed Gus about his relationship with Gale after Jesse shot him in the face. After the interview/interrogation and Gus was in the elevator, they panned to Gus' fingers and his stress-coping mechanism. It showed his vulnerability and how even Gus could get rattled.
To be fair, to be the most dominant person in support group seems kinda like an easy thing to do. These people are miserable, dejected and like mike said wallowing in their misery. That's how the healing process usually is but it's not hard.
what mikes daughter in law says about not remembering him for a few minutes or hours and being surprised by it, is exactly what Mike tells to Jimmy after they have in the desert. "Sooner or later, you wake up and go about your day, and you realize you haven't thought about it, that's when you can start to forget"
I think Mike was pissed that Henry hijacked Stacey’s moment for personal attention. If he hadn’t done that, I think Mike would have been content to keep his mouth shut and win the $10 bet.
It's amazing how one roll can absolutely change how you think of someone... before Breaking Bad, I only thought of this guy as the Main Bad Guy/Enforcer in Beverly Hills Cop ... then he became one of the best TV characters of all-time (and a great guy) ... like Steve Buscemi was a funny dude in all of Adam Sandler's movies, then he became Nucky Thompson ... same with Saul Goodman, I'd never heard or seen of him before Breaking Bad, then he gets his own show off it lol. Mike really IS The Man. And he was really right ... if Walt's ego hadn't got in the way, they had a really good thing going for them.
@luillierstephane1463 Just curious, by why did you place, "the man", in quotations? Obviously I did it because I'm quoting you, but I'm trying to understand why you did? Was your comment sarcastic and you're calling him "the man" sarcastically?
Certainly, a type of man. He needed to get help here and open up. Instead he followed his wicked sense of justice, not caring about the well-being of the group. It’s perfectly in line with his scene with Nacho’s dad. Mike has trouble properly connecting with other humans. That’s what makes him miserable.
@@FlintLostsoul - He may have trouble connecting to other people, no question there, but damn does he ever know how to read them accurately most of the time.
30 years ago, this quality of writing and acting would have been relegated to Hollywood movies. We're so lucky to be in an age where such talent is making television shows!
That's right. And meanwhile most Hollywood movies are now brainless superhero epics and stupid romantic comedies. Most Hollywood movies are so dumb and unoriginal that if the tech-bros ever get "AI" to work, "AI" will be able to crank out sequels and prequels and nobody will notice.
I believe I recall it being mentioned to Mike later on in this show that Anita tried reaching back out to him, but he wasn't interested. I could be wrong. That aside, I think it's totally understandable that Anita wouldn't want to continue speaking to him. This was such a strange and unnecessary outburst; I would say Mike is even menacing here. It really reflects his emotional immaturity and self-centeredness, and an inability to cope. He has to lash out at the world and make other people pay for his own guilt and grief. While the fake-wife guy was arguably committing a highly immoral act by manipulating all these people on a monthly basis, Mike still could've refrained from exposing him during a group session like this; at the very least, he could've handled it in a different manner.
@@chajospieMike was visibly angry that his dead son’s wife was talking about forgetting him. It did seem rather reckless considering Anita was sitting right next to her dead husband’s father. So he took out his emotions on the fake widower instead.
@@chajospie Some guy wastes everyones time and feeds off the misery and sympathy of people who are trying to deal with their trauma for months, and you call the calling out of that vile behavior unnecessary, that is rather telling as to what kind of person you are.
@@Triplebrc The act is certainly unethical; I never implied it wasn't. Also, I'm assuming someone who publicly masquerades as a widower probably has mental issues. Does that absolve said person of wrongdoing? Nope. But it's something to consider. I don't necessarily "disagree" with Mike's decision to call the guy out; it's more of the fact that it was strange and immature - much like your reply.
Everyone in this series is a "broken" human. Here we have one broken man, Mike, telling another to "stop pretending" while he's still, in his own broken state, fooling himself.
Let me tell ya something. Nowadays, everybody's gotta go to shrinks, and counselors, and go on "Sally Jessy Raphael" and talk about their problems. Va fangool!
Mike is my spirit animal. Even 400 plus pound mountain man knows he's not to be messed with. And if Trevor can actually talk yet he'll tell you the same thing
I think the act of calling out the guy very directly and aggressively was jarring to the group but was respectable and salvageable if he only explained that he as a former cop and current PI had checked in on points of his bogus story and also that he didn’t want to say anything but was set off when the guy chose to leech on his and his daughter in laws emotional moment. I think people would have forgiven him and been even thankful. However the point of no return was when he chose to tell off everyone in the group for being susceptible to this liars garbage by being so meekly bound to their own pain he kinda wrote them off as narcissistic and desperate for sympathy which is somewhat true but it was mostly because they were just normal people who don’t have the eagle-eyed insight and inner resolve that he has. He put himself above them to teach them harshly when they didn’t deserve to be punished. He was heavy handed with the group that’s all.
Group therapy, whether led by a professional clinician or volunteer group leader, can be very helpful in working through issues. Just talking about it can get it out of your head, often resulting in reducing the issue down to size. But, just like any other area of life, there are good groups, bad groups and everything in between. Sometimes its not about good or bad, but about chemistry, just like a lot of relationships. Finally, sometimes lying can result in getting to the real issues, a group experience that can be profoundly healing for everyone. A good group leader can spot opportunities for healing and growth and take advantage of them.
Tbh I've been through various forms of therapy and I've never found it useful. Group therapy especially has never helped me solved anything. Maybe it's just cos most of the therapists I've had were crap but I've gotten better therapy from reading and contemplation (not meditation) and being more present in a moment. Careful planning and a thicker skin were much more useful.
"sometimes lying can result in getting to the real issues" Dunno - but regardless, one emotionally disturbed person faking grief in group therapy does not by itself keep others from group-processing their grief...unless the stories are noticeably invented to the group...which WOULD disrupt the therapeutic function.
@@aj2080xy6 For some people, majority men, group therapy and therapy in general is just much less effective for them. It's still the best treatment option we know off, but unfortunately it's not equally as effective for everyone.
'all wrapped up in yr sad little stories'? can picture the apologetics for this sneer at grief and grief therapy in a script bull session: 'but that's how he sees the world.' prob is, in this story, 'how this hero/protagonist sees the world' here is not represented as problematic, or a 'competing' view, but simply as 'the truth'
I do think Mike did the right thing exposing that dude. But yea saying it’s their fault for being easy prey definitely is alittle too far. I’ve been to group therapy and yea a lot of those bastards exists. Just leeches feeding off the misery of others.
Yep, wrong way of going about it, just like the guy who wanted to felt heard was going the wrong way about it. People still seem to think Mike was justified here; he was pissed and took it out on the shmuck when he obviously could have done it months ago. He just didn't feel like it until someone shit in his sandwich and did exactly what the perpetrator had been in retaliation; feeding off the misery of others.
@@blarghwagurderyup but at least he did expose him so he no longer can feed off the misery from the group, although knowing leeches like that they never stop. They’ll just go find some other group to leech off, like in fight club there’s like a group of people who go in certain days to cancer support or something to just feed on misery to feel better about themselves.
Put yourself in Mike’s shoes for a minute. His son gets murdered by crooked cops that he once worked with. And Mike has detective and cop sense. He knows when someone is full of it. His daughter in law just got done pouring out her heart on a story about Matty. And this guy who’s sitting across from her is feeding on every minute and getting off on it. You wouldn’t snap?
I've been in Henry's shoes, you know Being a nobody, having nothing to share, having to make up stories for people to feel sorry for me so I wouldn't have to feel sorry for myself all the time
Yeah I always wondered what it was like to be "that guy." Definitely weird, but I always thought I wouldn't have hammered in the guy as Mike would've . Hope your life is alright all in all... no shame in being a nobody man.
9 out of 11 voices in my head disagree with your statement, every story we have invented is totally real and legit (trust me bro) It was revealed to me in a dream
had this scene be exactly the same but walt in the place of mike, and people would be here talking about how walt's ego simply wouldnt let himself stay quiet, he had to ruin the support group only so that people would know how smart he is. and blablabla... yet when is mike, is "the man"
It's not in Walt's nature to be so suspicious and meticulous. He's a smart egomaniac, not a former cop, lifelong career criminal, and reader of people. Hell there's a 90% chance Mike ALREADY checked for a record of The Wife's death at the library and that's why he spoke with so much confidence.
I get your point but Walt hasn’t been through the same things Mike has. Mike wasn’t trying to “be the man” or show off his superior intellect. He figured Henry was lying some time ago, as we can see from his conversation with Anita, yet he never confronted him. This time, Mike was already pretty upset hearing Stacey talk about Matty, as you can see from his face. Henry making it all about himself out of the blue was what set him off completely. I must confess Mike is my favorite character in the BB/BCS universe so I may be biased, but I honestly believe he didn’t do this for selfish or egotistical reasons. Mike very rarely loses his cool, so this scene just shows how upset his son’s death still makes him, causing him to lash out against everyone…
Because it really is different. Mike isn't doing this to show off. He isn't doing it to get a win. He did that privately with Anita. Here, he is genuinely outraged.
I tend to agree. Mike, like Walter, has a hard time dealing with his emotions. We’ve seen him turning to violence whenever he’s overwhelmed by, say, sadness. It’s the same here. Instead of opening up about how he’s clearly distressed about what he just heard, he completely breaks the sense of trust the group had built up. It’s fine wanting to expose Henry as a liar, but do it privately or defer to the therapist. While a session is going on, it doesn’t matter who’s lying. And this is what Mike doesn’t get and where his faults lie. I mean, doing this while his daughter in law is crying next to you? However charismatic and cool you are otherwise, this is just a cold and horrible thing to do.
@@jsp1811 Being unable to control yourself is still self centered. Watch how Mike continues without restraint while Stacey cries beside him. That requires a certain lack of empathy. His anger is so important to him that he doesn't care how he is affecting her. What if the group stopped talking to her too as a result of his actions? And he doesn't just call out Henry. He sneers at the whole group for seeking each other's support. What did they do to deserve that? How is that not selfish? So Mike's anger might be genuine, but that doesn't mean his actions aren't selfish. Different from Walt, sure, but ultimately cut from the same cloth.
he had an emotional need - just like the other people in the group the endgame was likely to meet other people, offer them support, get sympathy in return, to perhaps fabricate a past history where he had found someone to love - someone who also loved him in return
If you guys pay close attention, you can notice that when the guy storms off, it indicates that he is lying and this "Judy" never actually existed. Brilliant storywriting
I go to an AA meeting every night and have imposter syndrome so I always compare my story to others and am scared others won't believe me because my story isn't as intense as theirs. You've just gotta find the right AA meeting. I've noticed that older folks meetings come with a lot of judgment but the younger ones are a lot more understanding and open
I’ve always wondered…..was he ACTUALLY lying? Mike jumped to the conclusion because of a few missed details, but there could have been other reasons Henry got details wrong…
If he wasn't lying he'll burst right out and confront Mike.. instead he escaped the situation without saying a word. If someone accused you of faking a loved one death while it's in fact true, would you run away like the guy or confront him and even attack him? You got your answer there
This is just one of the reasons I love Mike. What that guy was doing was a HUGE insult to the people in that group who had actually lost loved ones, and it was also an insult to the precious memories they had of their loved ones and for that reason, I think Mike was 100-percent in the right to call this guy out on his bullshit. Now, granted, I think Mike could've been a little more say tactful when chatising the group for their failure to spot this guy as a phony, however I wouldnt exactly say he was wrong for doing so, because I think in doing so, whether he actually meant to do so or not, he was basically telling them: "Stop living in the past because you will miss the present, and that can be costly - like being made fools of by some jerk-off like that." That's my take.
That guy was wrong to fabricate and sponge off their trauma but "HUGE insult" is just forcing the outrage I think... he means no harm, he has a thing. He doesn't know how to connect properly. I'm glad the show didn't play it out like a triumphant put-down, and I'm disappointed to see fans still observing it as such
I go to NA meetings and there are people like this who go to meetings. I could be wrong, but it sometimes feels pretty obvious to me when someone is just there for love and attention. What they're doing isn't horrendous, it's not a big deal.
If someone is making up stories to get people who are dealing with grief and going through the emotions that the liar claims they have, just to get attention, I would actually say thats horrendous. Open a social media account and beg for attention there.
@@benwebb4567 You're right, doing it in this kind of meeting is pretty horrendous. At an NA meeting though, meh. It's just sad and disappointing. A good chunk of the shit you hear at those meetings is just sad and disappointing anyways lol
I know Anita could have been a potential love interest or at least an ONS if he didn't have that outburst. Oh well billions of people out there anyway.
I wouldn't say this was an outburst, just calmly calling out someone for being a manipulative liar preying on the emotions of the vulnerable. If that is a turn off to her then he dodged a spineless bullet. She would've never worked out well with Mike because he doesn't suffer fools, while clearly she does to appease feelings.
@@DevotedDisciple-x For a guy who operates so discretely around a murderous drug cartel, Mike absolutely loses his composure here. Yes he called out a liar, but his own disproportionate actions caused the rest of the group to cut ties with him. That's what the scene is highlighting: Mike is too emotionally stunted to develop stable relationships. He didn't just expose Henry, he openly sneered at the group for seeking each other's emotional support. What did they do to deserve that, other than welcome him? Mike was actually angry about his daughter in law moving on from his deceased son. But he couldn't be emotionally honest about that, so they all ended up suffering as a result. The group saw Mike didn't actually give a shit about their best interests. He was just using Henry's lies as a reason to lash out at everyone and cause an embarrassing scene. He thought he was so much better than everyone else when really he was way more damaged. You think this is a flex, but it's a cautionary tale. It's how people end up sad, bitter and alone in the twilight of their lives.
The raw and uncompromising nature of Mike is refreshing. The point of group is to get better,..not wallow in each others pain. Emotional leeches are about as low as it gets. If I'd been in the room I would've slow clapped.
