Greg

[Jexter]

I see Greg as someone needing a father figure. I know a kid just like him. His dad is around and in his life, but he doesn't talk or show emotion. The kid is desperate for some feedback and one-on-one time with him. The kid walks around acting tough and talking back as a way to get attention.

That's what I see in Greg. I have a little theory that people act out because they are missing something in their lives. I think Greg tends to have outbursts because he is seeking attention that he doesn't get at home.

It's amazing how deeply painful something like that can be yet how common place it is. I suppose this is probably everyone's story to some degree.

[Google]

 

[Bonbonlover]

Originally Posted by edgeover17

Greg and Blaine seem to me like opposites - Greg with a more rural upbringing, Blaine more urban.

To me, the middle school ages - 13,14,15 - have got to be among the most difficult of a person's lifetime. One minute you're being told you're too old for things, the next you're being told you're too young. You're expected to act like an adult while being treated like a kid.

Yeah, I think 14-going-on-15 is probably "too old" for this show, but without a couple of boys that age around, what will the kids do when stuff like tipping outhouses needs to be done ? Seeing the kids work that problem themselves made for pretty good show material. Had it not been for Greg and Blaine, that problem would have been remedied off-camera by a couple of adult stage hands.

I totally agree. These boys are at a very difficult time in their development. Socially they are expected to act like adults, but lay with the kids, physically they are probably wanting more sleep than the 11 year olds, .. They will turn out just fine though

[Marlene-NL]

This episode Greg was not pictured very nicely.
As someone mentioned. he wants respect but sometimes forget to give it.
But I still think he is a nice guy at heart.

[Jexter]

He's got a lot to learn and has to excercise self-control.

I think the biggest lesson that has emerged for me as a result of this show is that humans are very forgiving. Taylor and Greg have both been negatively received by the others. Still, the others didn't want them to leave - they wanted them to change their ways. They were willing to forgive past discretions if, and only if, Taylor started doing chores and Greg treated people with respect.

They could have easily kicked out either or both, but they didn't.

Amazing.

[nickjm]

Originally Posted by Marlene-NL

This episode Greg was not pictured very nicely.
As someone mentioned. he wants respect but sometimes forget to give it.
But I still think he is a nice guy at heart.

So is Taylor. I don't see how people can defend Greg and call him a nice guy when he blatantly threatens smaller kids to physically harm them (being the 15 year old bully he is to a 11 year old, 10 year old boys, and consider this person a nice person) when Taylor is only a 10 year old girl doing practically the same thing minus the violence (and yeah, sometimes I'll admit Greg works), but he physically attacked younger kids on that show, and remembering when I was 15 I would feel (wholeheartedly) like a lame person to come on a television series and bully 11 year old (TEN YEAR OLD) kids. Four years and five years are a lot in those years, and the same people who claim Taylor's parents are worthless for raising Taylor the brat, the way she is, should complain and say the same things for all the apalling things that Greg has done on that show toward his parents. I think its double standard, and yeah, its a bit kind of sexist, shows how human beings are in a dominantly patriarchal society, aggressive behavior from boys can always be accepted, however the same is not applied to girls, and for some reason people think that girls should be somewhat different. Now I'm not making a rant against you, just making a general comment based off all the other comments I have seen on this board and other places on the internet, that people don't actually admire girls who are aggressive and have a very fiesty, sassy/smart-mouthed personality, and of course I could never condone Taylor's behavior on t.v, but if folks are gonna criticize and condemn a child's behavior on tv, then they should also do the same for other children, not some, regardless of gender. And stop making a list of excuses that you can make for this 15 year old boy who is nearly 16 (the age of consent). Taylor is only ten years old at the current moment for crying out loud.

[Uncle David]

I guess I see Greg differently than most of you. I think his aggressive bullying is his natural state. When he makes the big turnaround and shows his 'softer side' I believe it's calculated for the camera. In fact, it seems to me when he tries to go against what I perceive to be his bullying nature, he's always playing directly to the camera.

I knew plenty of kids like Greg as I grew up. They were the kids referred to by the teens who go berserk in malls and schools.

[Uncle David]

After watching tonight's show I hope I'm wrong about Greg. He really did and said things that impressed me. I hope this show will help him to be a better man in the future.