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Connor Walsh: Resident Bad Boy

caracas1914

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samhalliwell

samhalliwell

Was pleased with all of Connor's scenes this week - the kiss with Oliver, his awesome sister trying to set him up, him admitting he's in love etc.

 

I was actually surprised at how well-adjusted and genuinely loving the interaction between Connor and his family was. Not that kids of good parents are never jerks, but I actually expected Connor's family to be more like Laurel's (uninterested, aloof or more interested in keeping appearances than in actual familiar bonding), as that, in my mind, would account for the whole "I don't do 'nice', ever" attitude.

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Azaelia

Azaelia

I was actually surprised at how well-adjusted and genuinely loving the interaction between Connor and his family was. Not that kids of good parents are never jerks, but I actually expected Connor's family to be more like Laurel's (uninterested, aloof or more interested in keeping appearances than in actual familiar bonding), as that, in my mind, would account for the whole "I don't do 'nice', ever" attitude.

I'll take a leap and say I was even expecting the exact opposite altogether - Laurel seemed like someone who was from a very well-adjusted family that maybe even spoiled her a bit; her reaction to Bonnie's "I'm not a nice person, that's just my face" speech certainly made her seem like someone not used to such a harsh verbal rejection. (Although in hindsight, it might just be that she tries seeking approval and comfort from people who do appear to want/need her around, which might also explain why she dated two guys, and even her insistence that they stick together.) whereas I pictured Connor as having a more distant family. 

quangtran

quangtran

Based on the interview Jack did with thebacklot after the pilot aired, Connor coming from an accepting family was something they figured out early on. Pete most likely wanted to avoid the whole "tomented homosexual" cliche (though he is currently tomented, it has nothing to do with him being gay).
 

TheBacklot: You talked a little bit about kind of doing some work on just Connor’s relationship past. What do you know about his family life and where this guy comes from?

 

Jack Falahee: Yeah. We’ve definitely all been thinking about that. That was something very early on. I remember when we arrived in Philadelphia, Pete had each of us individually sit down with him and Michael Offer, the director of the pilot. You jump head first into shooting the pilot and he really wanted it to feel like it was a collaborative process in developing a little bit about the character’s backstory, to better serve us as the actors going into it. That was one thing we actually discussed— since Connor’s a young gay man, I think it’s important to consider what sort of family life he’s come from.

 

Pete was very firm in saying that Connor comes from a family that’s very accepting and has always accepted him for who he was. And it was a probably a family where it wasn’t necessary for Connor to come out. That’s my take on it, but I think that he definitely comes from a supportive family, an affluent family, a successful family, an academic family. But, yeah, that’s something that’s been considered, and it would be very cool to me to see the Walshes pop up here or there.

samhalliwell

samhalliwell

(edited)

Have to agree with all comments made after my first post. Laurel's family interaction did catch me off guard and ended up being the kind of relationship I expected from Connor. Mind you, I never thought he'd be a troubled gay man because his family had issues with his orientation, but that they were just dysfunctional in a "we don't care about your life" kind of way. It was a welcome surprise to see an actually happy, uncomplicated family on this show.

 

Also co-signing: I loathe how TV always implies that someone slightly less attractive than the Main Attractive and Appealing Lead (male or female) is somehow ugly or inferior re: Oliver. I don't disagree about Connor's looks (Falahee is in no way unattractive), but they portray Oliver like a male asian version of Ugly Betty, only without the chubbiness. Or glasses. Or bracers. Or anything that makes a reasonably and actually attractive young man visually unappealing at first glance. I understand that a gay guy who works with tech and thinks of himself as a nerd wouldn't consider himself attractive (which I would totally get and relate to), but the show seems to agree with that image. Me no likey, is all.

 

ETC: the ever-present grammar snafu and typo.

Edited by samhalliwell
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lion10

lion10

Is he? I would assume you have at least graduate from undergrad before going to law school and there's been nothing about Connor being some genius who graduated early, so he should be at least 22/23. 

 

The HTGAWM wiki puts his age at 25.

 

I thought Connor and Oliver were around the same age.  Their actors look to be the same age.

Milaxx

Milaxx

On 10/5/2015 at 1:28 AM, Dee said:

There's a ten year age difference between the actors.

Conrad Ricamord (Oliver) is 36, Jack Falahee (Connor) is 26.

I realize their is a 10 year age difference in real life, but I'm not sure they are playing that on tv. To the best of my knowledge the show hasn't portrayed them as such and Conrad could easily pass for in his late 20's.

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Tiger

Tiger

19 hours ago, Milaxx said:

I realize their is a 10 year age difference in real life, but I'm not sure they are playing that on tv. To the best of my knowledge the show hasn't portrayed them as such and Conrad could easily pass for in his late 20's.

Falahee looked a lot younger without the beard on that PBS show.  Whereas the guy who played Ted on How I Met Your Mother had a beard on the PBS show and looked much older than he did on Mother without one.

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Milaxx

Milaxx

I truly hope the second half of the season gives us more Connor background info. We know he come from a well off family. They house looked at least upper middle class, we know he went to boarding school. ( Whether or not that was on scholarship is debatable but I doubt it.) He puts on an aura of being this brash, carefree guy that doesn't do relationships but has had at least 2 significant ones; Aiden, and now Oliver. Despite his bravado he fell for Oliver fairly quickly.

I really want to know why Connor developed the habit of running from things when they get tough or painful. I'd like to meet his parents. We know his mother and at the very least his sister are supportive. Is his father alive? Is he equally supportive of Connor? I want to figure out what it was about Connor that made Annlise pick him as one of the K5.

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Tiger

Tiger

(edited)

I hope they get into whether the murder he told Amy Madigan about was Sam or another.  And I really hope that they dont go with the cliche 'was abused/molested as a child and thats why he is hyper-sexual' cliche.  

To me it would be more interesting if they left Connor as someone who had a relatively normal life with a happy, accepting family, and he just enjoyed sex because he enjoyed sex.  Yes, there needs to be a reason he was selected by Annalise, but I like the notion that he was a normal, healthy, happy person before he got suckes into her vortex.  

Also, Im not sure if we are allowed to dicuss Jack Falahee in this thread, but in a recent Insta post, it looks like he has an equality tattoo on his side just above his waist.  

Edited by Tiger
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Milaxx

Milaxx

1 hour ago, Tiger said:

And I really hope that they dont go with the cliche 'was abused/molested as a child and thats why he is hyper-sexual' cliche.  

YES! to all of this especially this part. I am fairly hopefully that's not the path the writer's will go down. They have done a great job not making Laurel a stereotypical Latinix. 

Milaxx

Milaxx

(edited)

Seeing how fast and hard he fell for Oliver, I believe the relationship was more than just a brief fling. Connor covers a lot with false bravado. While he may not have had any plans to be a politician's partner or spouse, I do think his feelings for Aiden went beyond just a hook up. 

Edited by Milaxx
Coxfires

Coxfires

My issue with Connor, or rather his treatment, is that he is defined only by his relationship with Oliver. With the exception of the second episode of the season which concentrated a bit more on his lawyer skill, his only other actions were all Oliver-related, with no personal storyline or agency.

There are lots of interesting sides to Connor that could benefit for more backstory or development, but the character is stuck with his RL only. 

Keepitmoving

Keepitmoving

(edited)

I guess they showed that he had a relatively normal, supportive family life when they went home a season or two ago for the holidays, so they haven't bothered to delve into anything other than his interaction with Oliver.  Maybe we're missing something but to have a character put out there that they think Connor is damaged, I call bullshit. Damaged how? In what different way is he damaged other than the shit that he's been through since coming in contact with Wes and Anna? Because like we saw, it seemed like he has a healthy family life siblings, parents, nieces and nephews.  I was like damaged, no that'd be you Oliver, jealous that they won't let you into the circle. A circle by the way, that Michaela and Connor don't want to be part of. They try to leave the rest of them at every chance they get and I totally support them in those efforts. So I don't know why the hell the writers have Oliver calling him damaged because if they want me to believe that about Connor, they've missed the mark. I'm not seeing it, maybe he's spoiled on some level because he has money, he has family who seem like they would give him anything he wanted, but where the damaged part comes in outside of everyone who has been damaged by knowing Anna, Wes and that annoying ass Rebecca, I'm not seeing it.  There are some damaged characters on this show based on their backgrounds before meeting up with Anna, including damaged Anna of course, but I don't see Connor as one of them. 

He's just fucked up and rightly so, because he had a carefree, playboy life, then he met someone he fell in love with, and now he's an accomplice to covering up a murder. Transporting a dead body and carving it up and shit. Yeah, he's lost it on that.

Edited by Keepitmoving
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Dee

Dee

(edited)

I think the writing is at fault to a large extent.

The writers have gone to great lengths to emphasize Connor's issues about everything that's happened since the night of Sam's death, but they've totally botched the effect the resulting trauma had on the rest of the Keating Five.

In some episodes it's almost as if they're writing several different shows all at once.

Wes and Laurel are stuck in noirish rom-com hell ala Heathers, Michaela is Girlfriends by way of Ally McBeal and Asher is Stifler in American Pie meets Judd Nelson in The Breakfast Club.

It's complete tonal, and thematic, dissonance.

It's especially noticeable when they're in group scenes and the writing has any of the non-Connor K5 lamenting their crimes or their feelings about Annalise. For instance, when a relieved Laurel exclaims to Wes that maybe they'd be "free" after learning about Annalise's law license, it doesn't feel earned because everything the audience has been shown about Laurel thus far, contradicts that idea.

Edited by Dee
Milaxx

Milaxx

2 hours ago, Keepitmoving said:

Maybe we're missing something but to have a character put out there that they think Connor is damaged, I call bullshit. Damaged how?

There was a lot of stuff said during that argument.  I see truth on both sides of the argument. However the full sentence was, "I'm like some security blanket you wrap around yourself every time things get too intense with Annalise. That's not real love, that's some severe messed up emotional damage that you've been carrying around with you since the day I met you."

What Connor heard was Oliver thinks he's damaged.  That doesn't mean what Oliver said wasn't true. Think back to when he ran to Oliver post Sam. He was manic, shaking and crying uncontrollably. He ran to Oliver for comfort and security.

They have all at one point or another exhibited how being with Annalise has damaged them to varying degrees. Post Sam when Wes was with Rebecca he was having nightmare and Rebecca would soothe him back to sleep or they'd watch cat videos online. Michaela went to Aiden's home and his parents threatened to call the doctor because she slept all the time she was there. Laurel was rude at the family Christmas dinner until her father sent her away from the table.  Post Hapstal, we had Asher on a drunken binge. Wes was so traumatized he wasn't sleeping and got himself involuntarily admitted under psychiatric care and then had several post op sessions. Michaela went on a drunken binge and had to call Annalise to come bail her out. So, yeah Connor is damaged, it's called PTSD. He and all the K5 (and most likely Bonnie and Frank) have it. 

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RedheadZombie

RedheadZombie

I've been trying to figure out why Connor just doesn't do it for me.  I get what others see in him, but it doesn't move me in the same way.  After noticing that Connor lovers are almost unanimously Michaela lovers, I've figured it out. 

Connor almost exclusively has true interactions with my least favorites - Michaela and especially Oliver.  He has almost no relationship with the heart of the show, Annalise.  And M/C act morally superior to my favorite K5 - Laurel and Wes. 

But the true reason I keep tuning in, the dysfunction of Annalise/Bonnie/Frank, occurs in a world that completely excludes Michaela and Connor, and makes them almost superfluous to the show (for me).  

I hope they work Michaela and Connor into other (separate) storylines, while also maintaining their friendship to please their fans.  It's the only way I see myself caring for them.   Yet I don't hate them.  I can't imagine posting in delight and exclamation points if it were Connor under the sheet.  I don't get that. 

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ribboninthesky

ribboninthesky

5 hours ago, doram said:

almost unanimously? I doubt that. I'm a big Michaela fan and I don't like their friendship. I don't even consider it a friendship. And my dislike for this "friendship" has translated to a dislike for Connor who up until then, I was veered between mild like to indifference. 

I've also seen a lot of people who support/defend Connor be harsh/judgemental to Michaela on these boards. There might be a people who like them both --- but they are far from almost unanimous.

THIS. So much THIS. Michaela's also my K5 fave and the Miconnor "friendship" (air quotes being deliberate) irks me to no end because it's nothing more than her providing emotional labor in whatever crisis befalls Walsh and fans delighting in that support system while Pratt gets nothing back but snark and disrespect in return. IMO, she's merely tolerated as a plus one by being his supposed BFF rather than appreciated as a stand alone character on her own merits. I often wish that Pete Nowalk had not been swayed by Aja/Jack's chemistry and left them in frenemy-ville because at least that was honest.

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Coxfires

Coxfires

I have no issue with Connor and Michaela being friends, notably because of the schism that existed between them and the Laurel/Wes tandem. I don't see their friendship as going out of nowhere, but on the contrary I have seen how they went from antagonist to two people who realized they had more in common than they thought and finally found support in ech other. Yes, they didn't show it overtly with Connor, but particularly in S2, they have shown his teasing of Micheala to be more out of affection than snark as it was in the beginning (when he was teasing her about Levi, for instance). I really liked their conversation last year when Micheala expressed how she didn't want him to go. Unlike others, I don't need big displays of affection between them to get that they are close, it is just there (but that probably is due to the actors getting along pretty well)

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DearEvette

DearEvette

7 hours ago, ribboninthesky said:

THIS. So much THIS. Michaela's also my K5 fave and the Miconnor "friendship" (air quotes being deliberate) irks me to no end because it's nothing more than her providing emotional labor in whatever crisis befalls Walsh and fans delighting in that support system while Pratt gets nothing back but snark and disrespect in return. IMO, she's merely tolerated as a plus one by being his supposed BFF rather than appreciated as a stand alone character on her own merits. I often wish that Pete Nowalk had not been swayed by Aja/Jack's chemistry and left them in frenemy-ville because at least that was honest.

I have to agree with this and I am one that actually does like the Connor/Michaela friendship or at least what it has the potential to be.  Right now, it is a very lopsided relationship.  I see a lot of support coming from Michaela to Connor.  But I don't see as much coming from the other direction.  The only time I can remember seeing Connor do something really supportive of Michaela was when he stepped in front of her protectively and told Levi not to touch her. But on a day-to-day basis it really feels like Michaela is the one giving him the emotional and moral support without a lot happening in return.  One way he could have had her back was with the stuff with her mother.  Anyone with eyes could see that Michaela was NOT happy about her mother coming.  It would have been a huge step forward with the reciprocity of the relationship if he had had her back on that or had even done something as simple as taking her aside and asking her if she were ok or even funny "do you want me to beat up Asher?" but no, he just joins in with everybody joking and hanging with her mother, knowing it is pissing her off. 

I decided to rewatch the series from the beginning -- only on episode 4 of S1 right now and it is interesting how even in the first episode they already drew the dividing line between Laurel/Wes and Connor/Michaela.  But Connor was a total asshole to her so I am watching to see when their dynamic changed, cuz I don't actually remember when it did. 

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Keepitmoving

Keepitmoving

Quote

I have to agree with this and I am one that actually does like the Connor/Michaela friendship or at least what it has the potential to be.  Right now, it is a very lopsided relationship.  I see a lot of support coming from Michaela to Connor.

I'm going to move my response to the Michaela thread. Maybe we need a Connor/Michaela thread?

Milaxx

Milaxx

On 11/28/2016 at 9:09 AM, J.D. said:

I love the pseudo-sibling relationship between Michaela and Connor and I absolutely LOVE Connor being the annoying little brother to big sis Michaela.  I hope Pete never changes that.  They have such chemistry together in those roles.

 

On 11/28/2016 at 9:25 AM, Coxfires said:

I have no issue with Connor and Michaela being friends, notably because of the schism that existed between them and the Laurel/Wes tandem. I don't see their friendship as going out of nowhere, but on the contrary I have seen how they went from antagonist to two people who realized they had more in common than they thought and finally found support in ech other. Yes, they didn't show it overtly with Connor, but particularly in S2, they have shown his teasing of Micheala to be more out of affection than snark as it was in the beginning (when he was teasing her about Levi, for instance). I really liked their conversation last year when Micheala expressed how she didn't want him to go. Unlike others, I don't need big displays of affection between them to get that they are close, it is just there (but that probably is due to the actors getting along pretty well)

I agree with both of these post. I think their relationship quickly went from antagonistic to snarky buddies in part because they are at heart very similar. I also they they may be the only 2 of the K5 who weren't chosen for alterior motives. They just happened to be smart students. I'd gave to double check but IRRC they were top of their class prior to coming to Middleton. 

What I get from there interactions now is they are friends who can be real with each other.

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wanderingstar

wanderingstar

(edited)

Connor's disdain for Wes is what soured me on the character (not a big shock since Wes was my K5 fave). I get Connor being mad that Wes got them involved in covering up Sam's death, but he treated Wes like gum under his shoe, as though Connor wasn't the most gung-ho one about being unethical when they all first started working for Annalise. Then he goes and threatens to kill Wes. WTF? 

I get the feeling that Connor will be a suspect in Wes' death just because his whereabouts after his hookup with Thomas and before he got the hospital are unknown. I doubt he'll be the killer, but if he's a suspect, it would be nice to watch his sanctimonious ass squirm for a bit.

As for the Connor/Michaela friendship, I like it, but I do agree with those who say it's lopsided. He's living in her apartment, with no end in sight to that arrangement, and I haven't seen him once show appreciation for her taking him in and being his sounding board during his on-again, off-again relationship with Oliver. So I hope that begins to change in 3B and we see Connor giving support to Michaela.

Edited by Gillian Rosh
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Milaxx

Milaxx

So because I am a chronic insomniac, I rewatched season 1 again. Just a few observations:

Connor and AIden where in boarding school together/had their fling or romance at age 16. First lover perhaps? Aiden's refusal (whether his own or due to his  parent's influence) to not come out may have been enough to send 17 year old Connor into therapy with his family's support and blessing.

Connor started showing signs of PTSD from working with AK after Paxton killed himself. Sam's death was just icing on the cake.

I agree almost immediately the K5 were paired off. Laurel/Wes and Micheala/Connor with Asher often the outsider. Interestingly Micheala/Connor often used sexuality to get information. Because Asher was often an outsider, Wes was AK's favorite puppy, and Laurel was either hooking up with Frank or being AK's "puppet" Micheala and Connor often turned to each other, most notably in ep1.10 when Connor turns to Micheala first about turning themselves into the police. Yes Connor made  snarky jabs about Aiden's sexuality to Micheala, but by early season 2 once Levi was introduced, I'd say they were friends.

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