I miss the old Numbuh 4

[analogue]

Remember Numbuh 4 in season 1? Back in that season he wasn't all that stupid and he was the guy who had just as much (if not more) determination as Numbuh 1 (see operation Cannon and Grow up) now he've turned into this stupid kid who can't evan count to three. I can except that fact that it's all down to character development but i still miss the old Numbuh 4

Anyone else feel this way

[Numbuh Googol]

I know what you mean. I saw some of the season 1 episodes the other day for the first time in ages, and thought to myself how much he's changed. I'm not sure if I prefered him in season 1, it's just that the new Numbuh 4 is hilarious when he does his 'creative spelling' and whatnot. He does seem to have changed a lot though.

And yes, I'd say you're right about the character development thing, however I don't believe it was just Numbuh 4's character they were working on with this. I think it has something to do with Numbuh 1 as well. After all, Numbuh 1 is supposed to be the one who obsesses over missions - not Numbuh 4, so I think that perhaps they wanted to give Numbuh 4 a new personality trait so as they could drop his mission enthusiasm a little, so that Numbuh 1 would stand out for it instead.

[thesuki]

Me. He used to be the one to point out things that everyone else was ignoring (CABLE-TV). He was never a braggart (MOVIE). He wasn't a good leader, true, but he at least recognized the need for one (CANNON). In GROW-UP, he was the one to spur Sector V back into action. He was always able to escape from a trap (ARCTIC and BEACH). He wasn't the smartest, and that was fine because he certainly wasn't stupid. Not like he is now, anyway.

Maybe he's got some kind of brain tumor that's slowly destroying his mind. Or since everyone already thinks he's stupid, he just stopped trying to prove them wrong.

[faircod1965]

As as alternative adult general in Op. W.H.I.T.E.-H.O.U.S.E., Wally couldn't count, anyhow, he's not the only one, Kuki's personality has changed a bit after the first season but her "girly girl" innocence and some of her bubbly personality have retained.

[lois4dead4]

i like him more every season

[NumbuhInfinity]

I'm just glad I'm not the only one who feels this way. Current Wally is funny sometimes, but I think they just make him TOO stupid. Jesus, not even his 35+ year old self could count to three!

First season Wally was way before.

Oh, and in before someone makes a rant on how current Wally is better. (Someone will always make a rant that goes opposite of majority opinion, it's an unwritten rule in forums.)

EDIT: I'm not sure what I tried to say in the "Wally was way before" line. Maybe way better?

[numbuh1212]

I thought Numbuh 4 was a normal kid until MOVIE where all the villens were calling him stupid and he's been stupid ever since.

[thesuki]

numbuh1212 said:

I thought Numbuh 4 was a normal kid until MOVIE where all the villens were calling him stupid and he's been stupid ever since.

I never noticed that before... But I think you may be right. Though he didn't act too wisely in PIANO, I don't recall anyone calling him stupid until MOVIE.

One careless comment by the Toilenator, and it all goes down the drain. *rim shot*

[NumbuhInfinity]

thesuki said:

One careless comment by the Toilenator, and it all goes down the drain. *rim shot*

We've just found Hoagie's long-lost sister!

[SAVE_US.WBTC]

Also, in FLAVOR, the DC remarked to Abby, "And we thought Numbuh 4 was the dumb one."

[GoldenFlither]

I always liked him. He was always a hilarious little guy. ^^ Even now, and back in the first seasons.

[numbuheightbitstar]

numbuhinfinity said:

I'm just glad I'm not the only one who feels this way.

You mean you actually thought you were?

A-HEM!

Anyway, Wally's changing personality was one of the things that annoyed me. I think that goes without saying by this point.

What I'd like to comment on is how many people have used the word "character development" to explain (perhaps even to justify) Wally's stupidity. Methinks we need a serious discourse in what character development is.

Character DEVELOPMENT implies a progression (or regression) of some sort, usually brought on by something. Like how Simba in The Lion King goes from being this happy little carefree cub to being this kinda downtrodden guy after witnessing the death of his father and being led to believe he was somehow responsible, or how Sailor Moon starts out as a slacker and a coward and becomes braver and more responsible as the show goes on.

What happened with Wally doesn't even begin to count as "development." What happened there is that the writers made a totally random, out-of-nowhere decision that Wally was stupid, and they stuck with it despite how badly it contradicts all previous continuity. We don't get to see how Wally goes from being reasonably competent to being dumb, we're just suddenly told he is and we're expected to just say "It's a television show, accept it." But in a show that makes attempts at having season-spanning storylines and continuity, you can't just randomly change something like that and expect everyone to just accept it. That's lame.

[aims]

yeah have to agree....i watched some of the later season episodes.....its like theyve completely erased his use of a brain....James is right, this isnt not at all character development

and i agree it was after MOVIE...he wasnt this bad before then.....Yeah, i miss the smarter Wally

[NumbuhInfinity]

@james:

Ah, I wanted to correct people on what "character development" means, but I forgot to. You said it better than I could, though.

[thesuki]

Well-spoken, James.

So anyone think there's a chance at redemption? By that, I mean some way to use the future episodes to make Wally LESS stupid, or at least offer a belated excuse to his decreasing IQ?

Like a brain tumor.