Danny Schmidt

[Bob]

This was inspired by a post Soccer made on the Decline topic; it got a bit long, so I figured it was worth making an entirely new topic about it.

I know this isn't a popular opinion, but I actually have to say that I like Danny Schmidt, in that I think he's a believable character, and I think the episodes he shows up in are, on the whole, pretty good episodes.

He showed up in all of four episodes, and I don't think any of them are that bad -- especially "All The Difference In The World". I figure that if I wince and feel uncomfortable when a character is getting in trouble (or being punished) in an episode, it must be true to life, and thus pretty well-written.

The main reason why I think he gets a bad rap, and that all the listeners dislike him, is because he is a wimp, and that isn't desirable for a male protagonist -- in all honesty, I suspect that if they had written the episodes around a slightly different character, "Danielle Schmidt", that people wouldn't hate her like they do him. All the things that strike the viewers as being wimpy or quirky would be perceived as cute instead, and while I'm not sure she'd be the most highly-ranked character ever, I think the response would be better than what we have now.

[Peachey Keen]

I actually liked Danny Schmidt. I love the episode Forever, Amen. Such a sweet and wonderful story. I don't really like him in All the Difference in the World. I don't know why everyone hates him so much though. He's much more likeable than, oh say...Emily Jones.

[Dallas R.]

I don't know why everyone hates him so much though. He's much more likeable than, oh say...Emily Jones.

Ooh. I gotta disagree there. Emily isn't great, but she's a much better actor than Danny Schmidt was. The only Danny episode I can handle is "Forever Amen". The rest make up three of my top ten least favorites. I don't. I just don't think the kid was a great actor, but really the stories were just cheesy. It isn't that he's a wimp, it's just the stories are far too classic. A bully, practice makes perfect, and peer pressure at a friend's house are some of the three most overused lessons in all TV/radio show history. I still find it hard to believe that this was Paul McCusker writing. And then there's Brooke too.

Brooke- Danny, come play soccer
Danny- (more or less) I can't do anything at all Brooke. Ever. I have to play piano. Forever. So I can play in a talent show.

[SoccerLOTR]

Blah...for the record, I'd hate a girl who was as whiny and wimpy as him just as much...but aside from that, he is generally un-relatable, has a lot of negative qualities with no redeeming ones...his episodes are so simple (minus forever, amen), and he's overdramatic about stuff (huh, kind of like Emily!). He doesn't change, he's uninteresting, and overall, rather boring.

Back to the accusation of him being a wimp and that being unlikable, it was addressed somewhat with Isaac...Isaac was a character who was kind of wimpy and not one with desirable traits for a guy...but he had redeeming qualities and I still found him generally likable...not lovable, but still a decent character. Some people really didn't like him...but I still hold that he held enough good traits and was in enough good episodes that he was interesting. He could act, he had personality, and people could relate to him...unlike Danny.

[Jonathan]

I like him ok, it's some of his episodes I didn't like. Forever Amen and All the Difference in the World were good eps. Afraid Not!--a weak episode quality wise. And the Secret Keys of Discipline was just horrible quality for that period of AIO history.

So the character is fine. Some of his eps weren't.

[Taps]

I actually liked Danny Schmidt. I love the episode Forever, Amen. Such a sweet and wonderful story. I don't really like him in All the Difference in the World. I don't know why everyone hates him so much though. He's much more likeable than, oh say...Emily Jones.

I really like Emily Jones... ESPECIALLY in album 53, and 54 I REALLY hope they keep her. She has had one of the best character progressions over 3 albums then any other character I can think of.

[Candy]

I absolutely LOVED danny... I had no idea people hated him till about year ago. but idk, he's always seemed like a classic to me...

[H Tide]

Danny was okay. I loved Forever, Amen, but in some of his other eps, he kind of got on my nerves a bit.

[Cbriggs45]

danny reminds me of the kids i use to bully.

but i never hated or disliked him. i listened to the ep's but never went to reach for them

he had his place. a lot of emily haters dont get her. i get emily cause i knew a lot of people like her and i sort of was her. so i think as a matter of my opinion character liking and hating is subjective.