Which Fosters character had it the "worst?"

[One Radical Dude]

It's only fair to have Bloo included in the poll, and in my opinion, it was a choice between Bloo's encounter with IT or Bloo for the episode "Bloo Tube".

[Cassini90125]

I'll give Goofball credit for thanking her at all; none of the other characters ever has. The lot of them turned their backs on her that night and left her behind while they went to see a concert she'd really been looking forward to. Yeah, whole lotta love, there. The rest of the episode was undoubtably aggravating beyond belief for Frankie but that moment in particular must have really hurt, and you could tell by the look in her eyes just how badly it hurt. And then the source of her misery ultimately gets away with it. Any wonder I didn't sleep well that night.

[Mr. Marshmallow]

Originally Posted by Cassini90125

The rest of the episode was undoubtably aggravating beyond belief for Frankie but that moment in particular must have really hurt, and you could tell by the look in her eyes just how badly it hurt. And then the source of her misery ultimately gets away with it.

Very, very true. That one moment alone hurt more then I even thought possible for Frankie. And by the way thanks for adding Bloo to the poll Radical. I had every intention of doing so but forgot to add him and didn't realize until after I posted it that I made the mistake.

I didn't see the "Blootube" episode so I didn't think to add it, and now I am quite curious to see it then before. Otherwise I was thinking of using the "Pranks" episode, "Schlock star" or "Sweet stench of success".

Truth be told, I'm actually kind of surprised no one voted for Wilt since I know so many people were angry over that episode and Wilt is quite popular. Not a bad thing I was just surprised was all.

[Cassini90125]

BlooTube was a good one.

One other note. If we limit ourselves to the episodes cited in the poll (as we should) it is indeed a pretty close call between Imposter's and Surprise, and the results thus far reflect this. But if one looks at the series as a whole, I don't think there's any question as to which character gets the lion's share of headaches and aggravation.

[Mr. Marshmallow]

Originally Posted by Cassini90125

But if one looks at the series as a whole, I don't think there's any question as to which character gets the lion's share of headaches and aggravation.

Believe me I know what you mean. That's why I said earlier in the beginning, as much as I hate to say it, I had a rather large number of episodes to pick from for Frankie. Even in episodes that were not focused on her or meant to torture her like "Imposters", Frankie still got crapped on by many on a daily basis.

It was hard finding other characters for the other options and determining which episodes felt "mean enough" for Eduardo, Goo, and Herriman yet unfortunately I had a lot to work with concerning Frankie. Even "Bus the two of us" put her through a lot of misery. Like I said before, I'm thankful she's so positive and strong willed, other wise I think she'd end up a manic depressive or something.

[antgirl1]

Originally Posted by One Radical Dude

Bloo for the episode "Bloo Tube".

Actually, I think he brought it onto himself...

Originally Posted by Mr. Marshmallow

I know so many people were angry over that episode and Wilt is quite popular.

Wow, really? But I think I can see why...he was getting himself frustrated over the fact he couldn't utter that two letter word. But when he finally says it, he admits that he felt better...until he forgot to use the word again and got the door slammed in his face.

Even then, despite being a Wilt fan, it leaves me laughing when that happens...Sorry, is that okay?

I voted for Mac. Poor Mac.

[Cassini90125]

Originally Posted by Mr. Marshmallow

Believe me I know what you mean. That's why I said earlier in the beginning, as much as I hate to say it, I had a rather large number of episodes to pick from for Frankie. Even in episodes that were not focused on her or meant to torture her like "Imposters", Frankie still got crapped on by many on a daily basis.

Too many to bother listing.

Originally Posted by Mr. Marshmallow

It was hard finding other characters for the other options and determining which episodes felt "mean enough" for Eduardo, Goo, and Herriman yet unfortunately I had a lot to work with concerning Frankie. Even "Bus the two of us" put her through a lot of misery. Like I said before, I'm thankful she's so positive and strong willed, other wise I think she'd end up a manic depressive or something.

Thank the stars for her attitude.

I think everyone has gotten dumped on during the series, at least to some extent. Madame Foster, however, may be an exception. I'm sitting here wracking my brains on this but except for some fairly minor incidents she seems to have come out of the series rather unscathed.

[jekylljuice]

There is an extent to which character hardships are to be somewhat expected - conflict and tension are pretty staple elements in the creation of drama, after all, and I guess it's all a matter of how the episode uses it and how the injured party is shown to come through it in the end. A lot of those episodes I can't say that I have any real problem with - Mr. Herriman was publicly humiliated in "World Wide Wabbit", but found a way of using it to his advantage and thus was ultimately able to deal with it successfully. I was a bit galled by Bloo's insensitivity toward Coco in "Cuckoo for Coco Cards", but that was clearly the intended effect, and we did get emotional satisfaction and closure at the end when Bloo is brought back down to earth and apologises. In these episodes, and countless others, there was a kind of balance and dramatic or narrative purpose to the suffering which was definitely lacking in the two current (and, I suspect, perpetual) front-runners to this poll, "Imposters" and "Surprise".

Of the two, I voted for Mac in "Surprise", for reasons which Mr. M has pretty much already covered. At the end of "Imposters", there is some slight consolation in that Frankie does at least receive a little emotional closure, if not compensation. "Surprise", meanwhile, ends very abruptly with Mac's humiliation, along with the knowledge that all his friends, 'cept Eduardo, have willingly conspired against him (wow, what did Mac ever do to them?), and that left one heck of a bad taste in my mouth. We're talking about his birthday, after all - this should be the one day of year that a kid should always look forward to, not be made to live in total terror of.

Keep in mind that I've still yet to see "Bloo Tube", so I have no idea if Bloo's suffering therein comes up to that.

[One Radical Dude]

Originally Posted by antgirl1

Actually, I think he brought it onto himself...

That's true, but still, he got it really good there.

If this poll asked which character overall has gotten it worst? I'd probably say Bloo. I think he's been beaten up the worst physically, and has had a few moments where he's got beaten up emotionally. He'd got IT good (he'd probably have to use a whole bottle of mouthwash and brush his teeth many times to get all that bad taste out of his mouth ), he's been pranked before, been injured, he's cried a few times. But this isn't what the poll asks.

Here's my take on the choices.

"Land of the Flea", I really didn't think Ed got it that bad there, though he did have to say goodbye to those flea friends.

"Where There's a Wilt, There's a Way" -- During this episode, we saw a side of Wilt we really didn't see much of prior to the airing of this episode. I thought it was pretty good episode. Poor Wilt, though. He did a lot there, and he had to miss the ballgame.

"Imposter's Home For Um...Make 'Em Up Pals" -- While I'm in agreement that she didn't deserve the fate that she received with IHFUMEUP, and I'll agree that Goofball McGee was a bit of a jerk, I disagree that he's as bad as some folks say he is. I like him a lot more than I liked Peas (he just seemed like a bland character), or someone like Berry (I'm sorry, but I cannot stand her, though I think she's a great villain). I don't believe Goofball is entirely responsible for what happened to Frankie in that episode. Frankie could have handled things better in that episode, especially with her "Goof Goof McGoof" disguise (though I loved that part in the episode). Just my few cents. Don't get me wrong; I think she suffered a lot in that episode and did not deserve it, I just think that she could've avoided being forced to stay at the mansion and do chores there.

"I Only Have Surprise for You" -- I loved the episode, but I didn't like the ending. Honestly, I think Mac being blamed for what happened in "Foster's Goes to Europe" had to have been more difficult to swallow than what happened with him there. I agree that he received quite a humiliation in the episode, and I didn't think the ending was satisfying. The reason I think FGTE was worse is that more time was spent on the trip, and it never happened.

"Make Believe It Or Not" -- I would've chosen "Go Goo Go", but that's all right. I thought Mac hurting Goo's feelings was more powerful than what happened with Goo in MBION.

"World Wide Wabbit" -- I'd say it's about the same level as with what happened with Mac on IOHSFY, but more folks witnessed Funny Bunny than Mac's humiliation on the latter episode. I do agree that Herriman handled it well, though.

"Bloo Tube" -- I must do this, since some folks still haven't seen it, yet...

Spoiler Below

Even though I agree with ant that he brought much of the suffering to himself, he "suffered" by complaining about not going to the water park, and he got it good when he injured himself near the end; which resulted in him staying home, instead of going with the gang to Monsoon Lagoon (which he could have done, if it weren't for his shenanigans).

Phew, I'm done. I just wanted to give you folks my take on the poll choices. This is the longest response I've posted in a long time!

[pitbulllady]

In "Bloo Tube", a lot of Bloo's misfortune came about as a result of him intentionally trying to spoil the others' fun at making videos, because he couldn't stand to see anyone else having fun unless it involved doing what HE wanted to do-go to Monsoon Lagoon Water Park. Bloo basically took the position of "If I can't have fun, NOBODY can have fun", and he wound up paying for it. Even his building his own "water park" was more or less in retribution for the others having fun doing something different instead of patronizing him and his misery at not being able to go to Monsoon Lagoon. The only episode in which I've really sympathized with Bloo, with his misfortune not having been a direct result of his own actions in doing something that was wrong or intended to cause trouble for someone else, was "Blooooooo". Yeah, he played around in the mud and rain with Mac, but that was an innocent childhood thing(could've been much worse-he could have been struck by lightning), rather than deliberate flaunting of some rule or deliberate attempt to cause someone else trouble. I really did feel for him, with his stuffed-up head, knowing just how miserable a bad cold can be, and Bloo certainly did nothing to warrant being chased all over the house by a gung-ho trio of vacuum cleaner-toting would-be Ghost Busters!

With regards to "WTAWTAW", yeah, it was pretty bad what Wilt went through, but to a certain extent, THAT was all HIS fault, too, for not sticking up for himself and just saying that one little word. He actually did benefit from it all, in a sense, because he was able to release some pent-up anger and tension, even if it was only temporary. What Wilt went through, both physically and emotionally, in GWH, was much worse, but even that too, served a purpose-to finally help him cleanse himself of 30-years' worth of guilt, and begin the healing path of finally becoming the Wilt that Jordan would have known as a child, rather than this emotional train wreck he'd gradually let himself become. The one episode, which no one mentioned, in which Wilt went through Hell for no apparent reason, was "The Buck Swaps Here". Madame Foster more or less treats him like her personal "pack mule", or a slave, ignoring the hot temperatures all the while. Wilt gets overheated and dehydrated, yet is repeatedly denied even a small sip of something to drink, and then is dragged all over the place in that chase sequence, his condition and plight now ignored even by his friend who'd at first tried to help him. Such extreme thirst that goes unquenched is nothing short of torture, and is a very dangerous thing, as we even saw in "Race For Your Life, Mac and Bloo", when THEY wound up in the hospital as a result. There was no benefit at all to Wilt being treated like that, not for him nor anyone else, and unlike some of the ridiculous situations he found himself in in "WTAWTAW", it wasn't funny at all, except to someone who, to paraphrase Mr. Herriman, "dislikes Wilt with great intensity".

pitbulllady