Originally Posted by Nathander
(Post 15779)
Really, you can describe Goofball in three words:
Big Fat Jerkface.
In all honesty, while I don't despise the character, I have no real love for him either. For the most part, I agree with Kzinistzerg in the fact that he was just mooching and not actually actively attempting to hurt Frankie, despite the fact that that's what occured.
Yet at the same time, I think people take way, way, way to much offense at the character and the episode he was in. Don't get me wrong by any means, Frankie fans; I'm a Frankie fan also, though not to the point where I'm a fanboy. And yes, she was treated very poorly and there was nothing in the episode that was actually entertaining and seemed primarily as a "dump on Frankie" episode, which is why I hated it so much. But whether there was actual malice intended in this episode, or if it was merely intended to make us sympathetic towards Frankie, is beyond me (or if the crew just made a blunder and released an episode that attacked a character with one of the highest fanbases), though I honestly don't there was intended ill will. In my mind, it wasn't so much an attack on Frankie as much as it was actually showing the viewer what she pretty much has to do day in, day out and giving a clearer picture as to what she has to go through. And while Goofball was a jerk, I don't think he was a malicious jerk; he was kind of like Bloo in the regard that he did things without thinking what kind of repercussions they might have. Not that he was anywhere near as good a character or entertaining, mind you.
Was Goofball a jerk? Yes. Was Goofball intentionally trying to hurt Frankie? Probably not. Did Frankie deserve what she went through? No. Is this event in her life even worth remembering?
No.
Again, I'm not trying to dumb down what Frankie went through; it was undeniably harsh, and that was the main reason I hated that episode. But at the same time, I heavily doubt the events in this episode will come back to haunt her, or at least bother her for years, if even months. This is due mainly to the fact that Goofball is gone, and hopefully we'll never see the little jerk again. He gave her quite a lashing, but he's no longer there to constantly remind her of it. Quite different from the case of a little eight year old boy who was embarrassed in front of all his friends, by all of his friends, who had made him go through an unnecessary guilt trip so he'd make a fool out of himself. And this was under the guise of what his best friend considered a birthday party. (Please GOD don't flame me. Like I said, Frankie's lashing was unbelievably harsh, but I still say Mac's in "IOHSFY" was even more so).
Anyway, to conclude:
Goofball was a jerk, but not enough of a jerk to be worth remembering or worrying over.
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