7 reasons why I love Mike Hannigan

I have seen FRIENDS so many times that I feel compelled to write something as the show makes a one-time (and probably the last) comeback. 

So getting straight to the point - Where is Mike Hannigan? Yes, Phoebe's husband Mike, the love of her life Mike. Shouldn't he have made an appearance too? 

We all know by now that Paul Rudd isn't part of the reunion (was expecting him to guest star). I am guessing the Ant-Man is busy wrapping up his next, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. But seriously, while this reunion is undoubtedly the best thing to have happened to die-hard FRIENDS fans, a lot of us are not happy about Mike missing from the reunion. 

For someone who made his first appearance in the ninth season of a show that had already become huge, Paul Rudd managed to leave an indelible mark. In fact, Hank Azaria, the man who played David, revealed that he was supposed to end up with Phoebe. But Paul was so awesome and charming that they changed the storyline and gave Paul and Phoebe a happy ending instead.

So why did the audience love Mike so much? Here are a few reasons I find Mike amazing. 

1. Mike met Joey and agreed to go on a blind date without knowing anything about Joey or the girl he was being set up with. Agreed, he was promised a free dinner, but who does that? Later, when the date didn't go well, he was determined to impress Phoebe and played an imaginary piano just to prove that he isn't a bad guy (and not to forget, he did not hit Joey's mother).

2. In the whole 'never been in a long-term relationship' matter, Phoebe was worried that she might come across as weird to Mike. Ross lies and Phoebe is left with no option but to go with it. But she decides to tell the truth and Mike decides to stay with her. He does, however, agree that she is weird, but also cool. While the long-term thing could have been an issue, on top of it the lie could have made matters worse. But he sees Phoebe for who she is - a real person albeit a bit weird. But he is not worried as he likes her and wants to give the relationship a shot. To see one as a human is what we all need in relationships.

3. We all know that Phoebe is weird and Mike perfectly plays into her weirdness without making her feel weird. After all, how many men would agree to take care of rat babies? I loved seeing how he felt just as bad for killing the mommy rat after he comes to know that Phoebe has actually been taking care of the rat. Sure it is unhygienic, but instead of telling her outright to leave the rats, he shows her just how impractical it is to bring up rat babies. He gave her space and made her see reason instead of slapping his opinion on her.

4. When he professes his love for her at his parents' house is another example that shows how perfect Mike was. His parents start to visibly get bored of Phoebe's stories and Smelly Cat and don't even try to hide their displeasure for her. Someone else would have got embarrassed after listening to Phoebe's past and the names of her songs (ode to pubic hair, pervert parade ... u know), but not Mike. Instead, he stood up for Phoebe and confessed his love for her in front of his parents.  

5. He didn't fake anything with Phoebe. He broke up with her when their thoughts over marriage clashed instead of keeping her under a ruse. He was honest and said it as it was instead of faking it to continue with the relationship.

6. After he comes to know that David is going to propose to Phoebe, he goes to Barbados. His love for her beat his hatred for marriage. He realized he loved her and wanted to be with her and no reason was big enough to keep them away from each other. He could have chosen to keep his pride but he was humble enough to understand that love was bigger than everything else.

7. When they are planning their wedding, he goes back and forth on donating the money and then not donating the money to charity just because Phoebe is unsure. He stands by her in all scenarios because he understands the struggle she has been through in her life and that that struggle is influencing her decision. Then on their wedding day when a storm ruins their wedding plans, he agrees to get married outside in the snow. Well, technically this might not be a sacrifice or show of support, but the bigger picture here is that he was there for her in ways she needed him to be.

There are many more tiny moments in the show when Mike shows just how ideal a partner he is. Like when he agrees to go back into Ross's apartment just because Phoebe asks him to, the way he becomes friends with her friends, the weird way in which he gets her to change her name back to Phoebe from Prince Consuela BananaHammock, besides many more. 

The thing with him was that he was a true partner, not superior or below Phoebe, just at par. He treated her well but stood up for what was correct when needed (flashback to Crap Bag). 

In the end, don’t forget that he said it himself - By The Way, I am Awesome.