Pilot

[Guest ZeusFaber]

From my perspective, I don't realy agree with the idea that McClaren diminished S3. His character made sense to me as a man who had a hard time believing that former FBI agents, friends and colleagues of the past had suddenly turned into the enemey, just as we the audience could feel the same way when presented with this change in S2.

I think it's realistic. Imagine if someone marched into the real FBI and tried to claim that the Academy Group were a mishcievous cult. You'd get the same reaction from seasoned professionals like A.D. McClaren. Having him take the opposite position to Frank made for much better drama, as having characters sitting around agreeing with each other rarely makes for interesting viewing. We want McClaren to see it Frank's way when we're inside the story, because we empathise with Frank and want him to succeed, but if we step outside the story and look at it as drama, we want there to be a challenge.

Besides, McClaren did start to come around to Frank's thinking by "Via Dolorosa" and "Goodbye to All That". More realistic for it to take him a season to change his mind rather than a few episodes IMO.

[Guest Moriarty]

I am with MIB on this one. His character has no depth at all. Every time we see him he is doubting Frank. Well, maybe not everytime but most of the time. It is true that he started thinking like Frank in the last episode. But I do not agree that this should have happened at the end of the season. He was 1 dimensional the whole season and then, in GTAT he starts to change. Why not do that in the middle of the season? Then we have some progres in his character. Besides, we do not know much from him besides the fact that he works a long time for the FBI. He had more potential. Zeus, the character of Locke in VS5 has more depth than McClaren. That's the best way I can put it to make my point clear.

Edited April 1, 2007 by Moriarty

[Guest ZeusFaber]

Zeus, the character of Locke in VS5 has more depth than McClaren.

Hmm. I'm not sure how to take that!

[Guest Moriarty]

Hmm. I'm not sure how to take that!

Take it as a compliment. And a way of getting my point clear about the character writing of McClaren.

[Guest ZeusFaber]

In that case, thank you.

I understand your standpoint on McClaren, and while I disagre to a certain degree, I wouldn't advocate that he's a brilliant character either. Serves a purpose without annoying me, though I see that he did to others.

[Guest MillenniumIsBliss]

In that case, thank you.

I understand your standpoint on McClaren, and while I disagre to a certain degree, I wouldn't advocate that he's a brilliant character either. Serves a purpose without annoying me, though I see that he did to others.

Yeah, I think that about sums up McClaren, he served a purpose to the plot of the individual episodes. The only problem I have is that when you add all the episodes up, he gets a tad annoying. He isn't really that annoying actually, besides the "doubting Thomas" aspect regarding Frank. Other than that I kind of liked him and I think he fits the role.

[Beerbelch]

BEER----> This is wonderful news 'Babe', that you came back to a great program. Enjoy the rest of the series. I just re-started my DVD's this past week.

BELCH

[Guest MRT6644]

Yes, the character of McClaren was somehow 1-dimensional....

I think both McClaren and Baldwin were 1 dimensional. These are probably the types of personalities that get promoted in the FBI. By the book, straight laced and types that would doubt any conspiracy type theories.

Thats why it made sense that Baldwin was selected to take McClaren's place

[Guest paranoid eyes]

I think both McClaren and Baldwin were 1 dimensional. These are probably the types of personalities that get promoted in the FBI. By the book, straight laced and types that would doubt any conspiracy type theories.

Thats why it made sense that Baldwin was selected to take McClaren's place

I think that these two were ment to show that if an individual with Frank's crazy experience and gift enters ( without meaning to be disrespectful) a bureaucratic institution like the FBI, a conflict is unavoidable, which is a good explanation why he had to leave in the first place.

Then again, episode 3x2 suggested that the american goverment made its most important decisions on the basis of prophecies, so instutions such as the FBI should be is pretty open to supernatural stuff and psychic powers.

[hippyroo]

I think both McClaren and Baldwin were 1 dimensional. These are probably the types of personalities that get promoted in the FBI. By the book, straight laced and types that would doubt any conspiracy type theories.

Thats why it made sense that Baldwin was selected to take McClaren's place

I have to agree. Real FBI ladder climbers wouldn't risk any loss by attacking groups that their bosses relied on for help. Yes, McClaren is annoying; but what do you expect from season three? ha!