The most likeable character in my opinion was Jesse. Jesse was rebellious, gentle basically a nice guy, tormented by his situation. I also may be being a bit biased because Im a young adult male and Jesse is the only YOUNG adult MALE in the series.
the most unlikable character in my opinion was Alex. I mean we understand him in the end but hes overly cocky and a real jerk to Paul who is only trying to help him.
I agree with the OP. Being a gay male, I'd be expected to have much empathy and compassion for Jesse's situation, but I'd have to add, seeing other responders' contrary opinions, that I find in them a reflection of deeply-buried homophobia, somewhat analogous to the underying racism in much of the widespread opposition to Barack Obama in all respects. Pity!
"Believe not what you only wish to believe, but that which truth demands."
Can't make up my mind on likeable. Pressed, I'll go with Gina, Paul's mentor bête noire.
Unlikeable? Jake. Suspicious, insecure, nasty.
Most likeable - Sophie, April, Walter
Least likeable - Laura, Frances, Jesse
The players of The Game are the scum of the earth
What is likeable about Sophie? She blamed her mother for everything, showed her no love. Typical of many teenagers, it's true. Was often disrespectful of Paul as well. What did you like about her? What makes her better than Jesse, for instance, who is also young and disrespectful? At least Jesse's barbs were creative.
What is likeable about Sophie?
She is smart, funny, beautiful, sensitive and capable of empathy. And through no fault of her own she is in an emotionally dark and dangerous place with no way of climbing out of it on her own, so she is also a sympathetic character.
Jesse is a totally self-absorbed brat who basically relates to other people in terms of what he can get out of them.
She blamed her mother for everything, showed her no love.
This is true. Sophie was a complete and total bitch to her mother. But for reasons that are explained in the show Sophie blamed her mother for everything while she put her father on a pedestal. Sophie's mother was also "highly strung" and "weak". Two "character defects" that Sophie (as a highly self disciplined and trained athlete) found "pathetic".
But by the end of her therapy Sophie (after confronting her selfish father and also gaining insight into her own habits of thought) had finally softened towards her mother. In contrast Jesse ended up feeling much better when he felt he could blame his mother for all of his problems.
Was often disrespectful of Paul as well.
Sophie was only abusive to Paul occasionally and when she felt personally threatened by something he had done or said. Whereas Jesse was routinely abusive as a basic method of operating for shock value.
As well as having their confrontations Sophie and Paul had many warm, friendly and at times quite touching moments. Warm and touching moments were very few and far between with Paul and Jesse.
What makes Sophie better than Jesse?
Sophie was a good (but messed up) kid who occasionally behaved like a brat. Jesse was a brat who very occasionally behaved like an almost good kid.
And as far as the characters went I thought Sophie was completely believable as a person but Jesse just seemed to be the same old grab bag of adolescent homosexual cliches in that he was angry, anxious, rebellious and promiscuous.
The players of The Game are the scum of the earth
Sophie was only abusive to Paul occasionally and when she felt personally threatened by something he had done or said.
Sophie's mother was also "highly strung" and "weak". Two "character defects" that Sophie (as a highly self disciplined and trained athlete) found "pathetic".
Sophie was a good (but messed up) kid who occasionally behaved like a brat. Jesse was a brat who very occasionally behaved like an almost good kid.
She is smart, funny, beautiful, sensitive and capable of empathy.
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The father's infidelities took place far from the family home, so it's not clear how the mother was supposed to know about specifics unless Sophie told her mother what she saw.
I agree that the mother probably had an inkling that cheating was going on but not necessarily that Sophie was a witness to it. Can you ever trust a guy who photographs women in the nude for a living? Not good husband material.
Yes, I know the boat was a present from Sophie. So?
I think Jesse's story had a ridiculous, pat ending with the father suddenly becoming more available and making Jesse's insecurities fall completely away (or so they both claimed). I don't think the character was thick, just kind of lost. He was both gay and adopted, I can see how that could be a difficult combination for him and his parents. If you're both gay and adopted, you are that much more prone to being rejected by your parents, in his view.
I didn't find Sophie likeable either. I found myself usually skipping her sessions altogether at times when I re-watched old episodes. Paul's wife was also pretty unbearable.
The poster who mentioned that the writers probably didn't attempt to make any characters likeable has a good point. Most of them are fairly abrasive for varying stretches of time.
Paul himself is a train-wreck outside of sessions to the point of being offensive - in his own therapy, with his kids (he sent his son away and there's no objective evidence that his son agreed to go back to live with his mother - it's what Paul says and Paul distorts reality as much as his clients, and places them above his family repeatedly throughout the series).
I don't think anyone who's a client (save Oliver) was truly likeable throughout their whole time in treatment (although some do admittedly improve).
I would say the most likeable are Oliver and Paul's kids. I also felt sympathy for Sophie's mother.
I'd say Alex's dad, Paul's wife, Sophie, and - outside of helping others - Paul, were my least likeable. I didn't care for Jesse, but can't remember season 3 as much as I haven't seen it since the show aired.