why mike’s monologue is wack (aside from what’s already been told)
so i saw this answer to this anon, and tbh i wanted to add to it, because i haven’t talked about it yet.
the argument is that the cast complimented Finn for his performance, so doesn’t that go against Byler?
The problem with Mike’s monologue isn’t Finn’s acting. People like to blame his performance, because it’s the easiest thing to pick apart, but tbh I don’t feel like he acted any different from how he always has. Acting, my loves, isn’t the only thing that makes a scene. In fact I’d say that writing, editing, directing and music can make or break a scene more than the acting performance does.
And here is exactly where the major issues with the mologue actually come from.
1. the writing - the monologue was wack because of the build up to it and because of its word choices. Not only was the confession weak in terms of what Mike actually said during it (outright lying about how he felt when he met El, talking only about her superpowers, etc.), I’m pretty sure that even the least attentive watcher subconsciously picked up on the fact that it quoted Will’s confession and was pushed by Will, because the show hammered it in everyone’s head for EPISODES.
The build up to that monologue is Will suffering over and over as he tries to fix Mileven’s relationship for them. Even if people like to deny it, after watching the whole show, that kind of exposure sticks in one’s head and in the perception of the overall show. The monologue felt wack because it was written so that the audience would never forget that it just happening because of Will and that it was hurting Will in the process.
2. the directing/editing choices - Mike and El aren’t alone as Mike conesses his love, they aren’t even face to face. Not only that, they could have still concentrated on their faces, but the editing and directing CHOSE not to help them in the slightest.
Imagine the shot having both of them in it, even just a diveded screen would have sufficed to make a lot of difference, but no, they decided to have them always separated as Mike’s voice echoed for her and he looked at her wearing pizza goggles. Not exactly the most romantic circumstance, was it?
If that wasn’t enough, they DELIBERATELY chose to include Will in basically all shots as Mike professed his love. Go back to check, you can either see him behind Mike blurred out or actively see his expression. There’s barely any frame of Mike alone and even when there are, right after that Will gets a full shot looking devastated.
If the writing wasn’t enough to force you to remember him, the directing made it a point to always include him in the background (which has happened all season btw). Even in Mileven’s highest moment, the audience is made to remember that Will is there, Will is listening, Will is hurting. The focus of the scene ends up being more on him than on Mileven themselves.
You might hate Will, but the whole triangle was written so that even just subconsciously you would end up filling Will’s shoes. Even as a Mileven shipper, it’s hard to concentrate on Mileven because the focus constantly turns to Will.
So yes, it’s not Finn’s fault the monologue feels wrong. Mileven’s feelings weren’t the point of it, Will’s were.
And if you don’t believe me, let me just add a point
3. the music - just check the title of the song they used in that scene, it’s literally “You’re The Heart”. That’s something Will said. Those are Will’s feelings. Mike was telling El that he loved her for the first time in 4 freaking seasons and they didn’t get the scene for themselves, they weren’t even the focus of it. The focus was Will.
I would underline this a million times if I could. This was the first time we heard Mike actually say TO EL that he loved her. THE FIRST TIME. And he had to be PROMTED, they weren’t even in the same mental dimension, they were not looking at each other, Mike was answering Will’s feelings without knowing it, they were never singled out in the scene, there was always Will but also other people in the shots, the SONG even WASN’T ABOUT THEM.
Literally nothing that came out of this confession is Mileven except the active paricipants.
At this point, after all the built up, the whole thing feels cheap and childish and hollow.
It leaves a bitter aftertaste, it’s not shot nor written as a happy moment, something everyone was waiting for and is delighted to hear. Can’t you see?
It’s written as a dreadful moment. Because it was. To Will.
