#Charlie getting conceited and Don being hurt bc of it and people acknowledging that

[firebirdsdaughter]

Ugh…

… One consistent issue I have w/ NUMB3RS, besides Liz and the show’s occasional unfortunate choices, is how often disagreements between the brothers get boiled down to ‘Don is bad and wrong for not just completely trusting Charlie bc he’s So Good At Math’ esp in the later seasons, and how it ends in Charlie going ‘I told you so’ rather than acknowledging any complexities and, le gasp, maybe apologising to Don for issues he does cause and cruel things he does say. And what, I’m just supposed to take his side bc he’s the main ‘genius’???

In 4x10 Charlie acts like a massive brat bc Don is stressed out and doesn’t have time for him to give a long winded explanation. He seems to acknowledge that it’s not Don’s fault for five seconds, then immediately goes back to acting all nasty and entitled. Even some rando dude they just met gets in on it, and Charlie actually makes a fucking comment about it??? How much of a shit can you be??? And before anyone gets on this, I’m a younger sibling. Yes, I’m very close to my sister, but I’d never in a million years make jerkass comments to her like that in that situation just bc I thought I knew better, no matter how well I knew the field. Not w/out an apology and an explanation is was a reaction to stress.

There’s large parts of the show that are an excellent, touching story of these two reconnecting, but periodically, it goes into just making out like Don’s completely in the wrong for not doing things Charlie’s way and Charlie is allowed to act like a conceited dickhead about it. This really bothers me bc I’m more of the Don in my sibling relationship and it’s really upsetting to see him get treated like this and it be portrayed as right. Like I saw someone shitting on him for ‘not apologising’ and I’m like. When does anyone actually apologise to Don, esp Charlie??? Very early on in s1 they acknowledge, and occasionally remember, how… Well, not intentionally, but, semi neglected Don was bc of how ‘special’ Charlie was. As a sibling w/ a lot of self esteem issues centred around her sister, I really relate to that, and I feel like it gets… I dunno, it suddenly resurfaces in the rwong way from time to time. Charlie is just ‘right’ bc he’s the genius and Don should just be listening to him all the time bc he’s so ‘special.’ Clearly people who think that Don’s reactions and issues are irrational/his fault have never had these issues w/ a sibling. Bc let me tell you, it is exhausting and draining to sit in a corner alone while everyone fusses over your sibling’s talents—and I am very close to my sister.

This is a little why I wanted Don to get hurt more. ^^; I wanted Charlie to have acknowledge Don’s issues more. We get a few eps, but I just don’t feel like it was enough, esp w/ the episodes that periodically treat Don like crap for struggling w/ having Charlie invade something that was his and get treated like he’s better at it and always right.

At least 4x10 had some great David and Colby stuff to justify its existence.