Mike Teavee
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- This article is about Mike Teavee; his parents are not listed on this page. For his parents see Mr. and Mrs. Teavee
Mike Teavee is a character in the book Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and its subsequent films. He is, as his last name implies, an avid television fan and, in the 2005 movie adaptation of the book, a video game fan as well. Mike's parents felt that television was a fine choice for raising a child, as they believed they could always keep track of him and lay his food right by the TV. He is portrayed by Paris Themmen and Jordan Fry in the two film adaptations. He is the last of the bad children to find a golden ticket, and also the last person to be effectively kicked out of the tour for shrinking himself down to a television/wonkavision.
Like the three children that precede him, Mike symbolizes one or more of the Seven Deadly Sins: wrath and sloth. His deadly sin varies in the versions. In the book, both; in the first movie, sloth; in the second movie, wrath.
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[edit] Mike in the book
| Charlie and the Chocolate Factory character | |
|---|---|
| Mike Teavee | |
| Gender | Male |
| Personality | Lazy, angry; very excited and he is most questioning of the working in Wonka's factory. |
| Family | Parents Mr. and Mrs. Teavee |
| Town/City the character lives in | Unknown |
| Portrayed by | None |
In the novel, first published in 1964, nine-year-old Mike was particularly obsessed with violent gangster films. He wore "no less than eighteen toy pistols of various sizes hanging from belts around his body". He liked to act out gangster shootings and "pumping them full of lead".
He also became very angry if anyone stopped him from watching TV, his parents included. His mom and dad are very critical of their son for his excessive TV watching, and are trying their best to stop him from being so angry and hateful.
[edit] Mike in the 1971 film
| Charlie and the Chocolate Factory character | |
|---|---|
| Mike Teavee | |
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| Mike Teavee portrayed by Paris Themmen in the 1971 adaptation | |
| Gender | Male |
| Personality | Lazy, but not angry at all. Is very kind and sociable. He also talks about his favorite TV shows and movies, and he dreams of becoming a TV star. |
| Family | Parents Mr. and Mrs. Teavee |
| Town/City the character lives in | Marble Falls, Arizona |
| Portrayed by | Paris Themmen |
He was depicted by Paris Themmen in the 1971 film adaptation as dressing in a cowboy outfit and emulating the stars of his favorite western TV show (possibly the Lone Ranger TV series). In the 1971 film, Mike is no older than eleven years old. His tendencies, motivated by television, can be somewhat violent; mentions that he wishes he could have a real gun, and his father responds, "Not till you're twelve" and when the children are asked to sign a contract forbidding them from sharing Wonka's secrets he remarks, "I saw this on a TV show once. A guy filled out his wife's life insurance, then he bumped her off." Unlike the 2005 version, Mike appears to not mind chocolate (or appear to dislike it), as he calls a miniaturized chocolate bar a "TV dinner" in the Wonkavision Room and is seen eating candy in the Chocolate Room. He appears to be sociable around Charlie and the other kids.
This film portrays Mike in a more greedy manner than the book (he asks if Slugworth will pay extra to know about the Wonka mobile). Despite this, he is called adorable by Willy Wonka beforehand. He also has a few friends back in Marble Falls, Arizona named Billy, Maggie and "Fishface."
[edit] Mike in the 2005 film
| Charlie and the Chocolate Factory character | |
|---|---|
| Mike Teavee | |
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| "Mike thinks candy is a waste of time." | |
| Gender | Male |
| Personality | Angry; he plays a lot of video games and has a superiority complex. However, he seems to show some concern for Veruca and her father, as well as the other kids, though his primary concern is still looking out for No. 1. |
| Family | Parents Mr. and Mrs. Teavee |
| Town/City the character lives in | Denver, Colorado |
| Portrayed by | Jordan Fry |
In the 2005 movie adaptation, Mike (Jordan Fry) dresses like a modern American kid. His behavior has been greatly influenced by television and video games, and possibly other modern-day mediums like the internet. As a result of being constantly bombarded with images of violence, particularly from first person shooter games, he has been left with a very short fuse and seems to be perpetually angry. Mike is exceptionally scientifically (and economically) literate and quite clever despite (or possibly because of) his excessive TV time, but unfortunately he is quick to let everyone know it. He also considers everyone else beneath him, especially Willy Wonka, who is considered a genius although his mind works very differently than Mike's. As Mike's song says, "he can no longer understand a fairytale in fairyland," leaving him unable to comprehend the world of Willy Wonka's chocolate factory, with its nonsensical and illogical processes that nonetheless achieve results. Mike found his Golden Ticket by analyzing the datecodes of the other ticket finds and calculating where the next ticket would be, thus needing to purchase only a single Wonka bar. Also, when a journalist asked him "how does it (that single Wonka Bar) taste", he stated, "I don't know, I hate chocolate," meaning that he uses the Golden Ticket hunt as an opportunity to test his wits, rather than really wanting to go into the factory. He finds everything in the factory to be "completely pointless", but he seems impressed by Fudge Mountain.
In the 2005 film Mike is 12 years old and lives in Denver, Colorado. In his first appearance, Mike is shown playing a first-person shooter, Unreal Tournament, and screaming, "Die! Die! Die!"
In a similar fashion to the book, Mike's parents are trying to stop him from being so angry. He also seems to not have many friends in this version. Whenever he tries to argue with Wonka on how his inventions seem impossible, Wonka tells him to "stop mumbling" despite his speech being rather clear; this becomes a sort of running gag in the movie, possibly a reference to a line in the 1971 film where Mike says something and Wonka says (apparently untruthfully), "I'm a trifle deaf in this ear, speak a little louder next time." Or it is a physical manifestation of the mental differences between the two characters. Hence, their inability to communicate is due to Wonka's creative mind and Mike's logical rants. Because Mike's speech is often full of logic and technical information, Wonka "can't understand a word" Mike is saying. However, it could also stem from Wonka's visible desire to irritate Mike as much as humanly possible. Because Wonka is portrayed as a more flawed character in the 2005 film, it could be that he gets a kick out of seeing the psychotic little monster lose his temper.
Moreover, when the five children were entering the chocolate factory, Willy Wonka recognised Mike as "the little devil who cracked the system." Mike's portrayal in the 2005 film could be interpreted by many as a social criticism of the state of modern-day American children. Having been reared around nothing but technology and being surrounded by images of violence constantly, Burton is making the assertion that children today are growing into cold, emotionless psychopaths much like Mike. While the film is quick to acknowledge that Mike is a genius, it is also just as clear that he is a child of his times. Were it not for the videogames that he so adores, it is quite reasonable to presume that Mike would not be the beast he is today.
[edit] Similarities with Mike
In every version, Mike loves violence and pays little attention to what is going on around him when the TV is on. Ironically, in all versions he is also the most questioning and incredulous of some of the bizarre elements of Willy Wonka's factory.
What makes the 2005 version of Mike interesting is that during his interview, he states that he "hates chocolate" which makes the audience and reporters wonder why someone who hates chocolate would want to go to a chocolate factory. Grandpa George, after seeing the interview states that Mike is "ungrateful" and it could be that Grandpa George is not far from the truth: that, out of all five children who have won the ticket, he seems to be the only one who is ungrateful about winning such a precious and wonderful opportunity. A sign that he does not like candy is that, during the scene before Augustus' "punishment," Mike is seen stepping on what looks like a candy pumpkin. When his father tells him to stop, Mike defends himself by stating Wonka did tell the children to enjoy themselves. This means that Mike's only interest is violence and if he cannot do it on his computer games, he finds other ways to enjoy his lust for violence.
In comparison, the 1971 version of Mike, although he shows lack of interest in the interview (supposedly because the television is on), he also shows that he enjoys candy a lot. An example is a quick shot in the Chocolate Room where he jumps up and down trying to get candy from a tree. When Willy Wonka uses his cane to knock the candy from the tree, Mike immediately scrambles and scoops the candy into his mouth. This makes Mike more grateful and therefore more sympathetic when it comes to his "punishment." Also, in the "Television Room," Mike calls a candy bar, a "TV dinner."
In the 2005 film, the toning down of Veruca Salt's whining compared to the rise of Mike Teevee's psychotics subtly shifts the "villain," or rather, Charlie's main rival, from Veruca to Mike.
[edit] Mike's Downfall
In the story and both films, he is shrunk by impulsively disobeying Mr. Wonka's request to stay away from the Television Chocolate camera. Television Chocolate was intended to send bars of chocolate to television sets around the world, providing free samples of Wonka's candy. After the bar is teleported by the Television Chocolate camera, it can be taken and eaten from a television set, which amazed the children still in the tour (Charlie and Mike). The Television Chocolate camera transmits Mike to a television set across the room, in the process reducing Mike to a size that will fit on the screen. Fortunately, Wonka has him stretched in the taffy pulling/gum stretching machines (it was gum in the book, taffy in the movie) but the Oompa-Loompas overdo it and accidentally make him a very thin giant. However, Wonka notes that at least every basketball team in the country would be looking for him. This was comically portrayed in the 2005 edition, but omitted from the 1971 movie. It is not stated, however, on what had come to Mike in the 1971 movie.
In the book and the 1971 movie, Mike sends himself through the Television Chocolate machine due to his fanatic love of television. (In the book, when his parents say he won't be able to go back to school, or do anything in general, Mike responds he'd still be able to watch TV. This causes Mr. Teavee to scream and say "I'm throwing away the television once we get home! I've HAD it with television!", and in turn causes Mike to throw a hissy fit.) In the 2005 movie, Mike sends himself through the machine to demonstrate its potential use as a transporter, after becoming frustrated that Wonka never considered using the machine in any other context but chocolate.
[edit] Mike Teavee Song
[edit] Plot
This song was the last Oompa-Loompa song. It took place in the Television Room, in Willy Wonka's chocolate factory. It was sung by the Oompa-Loompas after Mike Teavee was sent by television. In the 2005 film Mike is sent because he wants to prove that Wonka's truly an idiot.
In the book, the Oompa Loompas sing about how TV is bad for children's brains, and how they should read books instead of watching TV. The song in the 1971 movie says basically the same thing, but only gives it as a suggestion.
In the 2005 film, the Oompa Loompas mention how television is bad for children's brains, and it makes them dull and blind, as mentioned in the book.
[edit] Times sung
In the book and the 1971 movie it is sung right after Mike Teavee is sent for stretching. In the 2005 film it starts to be sung the second Mike Teavee appears on the TV screen, and Mike gets hurt and thrown around, possibly as a retribution for his lust of violence.
The 2005 song is done as Mike finds himself jumping from one television program after another, as an Oompa Loompa is changing channels with a remote control. He alternates between an MTV style video of an 80's Hair Band, a Psycho-style shower scene, two Oompa-Loompas playing Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots, a news broadcast (WNN - the Wonka News Network), a cooking show, and a psychedelic 1960's Beatles concert, with all performers on all of the channels being Oompa Loompas. With its rock music theme, the song borrows styles from KISS, Queen, and The Beatles. The fast pace make this the shortest one out of the four.
[edit] In the Video Game
In the video game, Mike goes to a new level of mean—he tries to modify the Wonkabots but it gets screwed up, but he tells no one. Also, one level is getting Mike out of the TV in the TV Room.
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