lets be blinded by stage lights togetehr <3

i love the argument for writing off charlie's recent (s17) behaviour toward frank as him seeing frank solely as a father figure, because it's not only immediately outright disproved by frank's introductory season

I think one of the underdiscussed aspects of the Charlie and Frank dynamic is that in addition to Everything Else They Got Going On, they are also boss and employee. not only that, it seems Frank is the only one in the gang who truly understands that even though Frank finances, Charlie is the one who actually keeps the bar running smoothly. In Dines Out he says Mac and Dennis don't appreciate all his work, implying /he/ does, and it's true. But because of this Frank believes Charlie needs to be kept down, at the bottom, that's where the foundation goes. everyone knows that Frank lives in squalor because he chooses to but I think some people forget the other side, that for Charlie it's not a choice. only reason he let Frank move in w him in the first place was because Frank offered to pay rent. Everyone in the gang relies on Frank financially but not so much as Charlie who is completely dependent on him, and whose livelihood is entirely reliant on Frank's whims. Few examples is when Frank moves out to live with Bonnie, he takes all of Charlie's shit with him. In Great Recession he kicks him out, making Charlie homeless. And I think that's why we get stuff about Charlie keeping Frank reliant on him as well, through changing his prescription glasses and even insisting on chewing his food. Something I think about too is in Back in Business Frank claims he's going to take Charlie under his wing and mentor him. Even though Charlie proves to be useful once he starts asking questions and wanting to actually learn, Frank fires him.